第一、詞匯學習

1 permanent：adj. 永久的

He's been temping for over a year now and wants a permanent job.

他做臨時工作已一年多了，想找個固定的工作。

2 appearance：u.n. 相貌，面貌

Fine clothes added to his strikingly handsome appearance.

華麗的服裝使他那極其英俊的外貌更為增色。

3 expression：c.n. 表情

“I don't understand,” he said, with an expression of complete surprise(on his face.

“我不明白。”他說時臉上顯出驚訝的神色。

第二、短語學習

1. train somebody in something：訓練某人做某事

He was trained in engineering.

他受過工程學方面的培訓。

2. be suitable for：適合于......

Do you think this present is suitable for a little boy?

你認為把這件禮物送給一個小男孩合適嗎？

3. accompany someone to somewhere：陪伴某人到某處

I must ask you to accompany me to the police station.

我得要求你陪我去一趟警察分局。

4. tell somebody about somebody：告訴某人關于某人的事情

Is there anything special you want to tell me about Julia?

關于朱莉婭，你有什么特別的話要跟我說嗎？

5. on either side：在每一邊

There is a path on either side of the road.

路的兩邊各有一條小道。

6. fall down：倒塌

The house was so old that it was decaying and about to fall down.

那所房子太舊，已經朽了，不久就要倒塌。

7. as though：好像，仿佛

He rubbed his eyes and yawned as though waking up after a long sleep.

他又揉眼睛又打哈欠，好像睡了一大覺剛醒似的。

8. die of：死于

Nowadays many people die of cancer.

現在有很多人死于癌癥。

第三、其他短語

1. undertaking business：棺材生意

2. collect dead bodies：收尸

3. support a house：支撐住房子

第四、語法點撥

1. Oliver"s permanent expression of sadness was very suitable, the undertaker thought, for collecting dead bodies from houses and accompanying the coffins to funerals.

解析：換線部分是插入語。

2. One day Mr Bumble came to tell them about a woman who had died in an extremely poor part of the town,

解析：劃線部分是由指代人而且在從句從句中做主語的關系代詞who限定性定語從句修飾woman。
3. They went down dirty narrow streets where the houses on either side were tall and large...

解析：劃線部分為由關系副詞where引導的定語從句修飾在定語從句中地點狀語的先行詞streets。