1. He was surprised to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts．

文法解析：to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts是動詞不定式，在這里做目的狀語。動詞不定式中含有一個賓語從句：that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts。

詞匯解析：thought在這里做名詞，意思是：idea or opinion produced by thinking。是指“看法; 想法; 意見”。作為這個意思解釋時，是可數名詞。例如：

Let me have your thoughts on the subject. 讓我聽聽你對這個問題的看法。

He keeps his thoughts to himself,. 他把自己的想法悶在心里。

2. She was expressing in her own words the ache of modern life．

短語精講：in words的意思是“用語言”，還可以表示“口頭上（而非心里）”。例如：

It is very difficult to describe my joy in words. 我的快樂難以用語言來形容。

I could neither made a beginning nor ending of them in words. 我無法把它的來龍去脈用言語說出來。

短語注釋：express the ache of moder life：表達現代生活中的痛楚

文法解析：in her own words是方式狀語，相當于副詞，位于動詞后面，當然也可以放置于句尾。

3. This sadness made her more interesting to him．

文法解析：make +sb/sth+adj.這個結構表示“使得某人或某物處于什么狀態”。

短語精講：be interesting to sb這個結構的意思是“對某人來說有趣”。例如：

That florid sociable personage became more interesting to him since he had seen Rosemond. 自從他見到羅莎蒙德以后，這位顯赫一時的社會名流在他眼中已有了新的意義。

4. How could this admirable and poetic man have felt，as she did two or three years ago， that he would rather die？

文法解析：that在這里是連詞，引導結果狀語從句。As she did two or three years ago是方式狀語，謂語這個句子中間，注意用逗號分割開來。

短語精講：would rather的意思是“寧愿”，與than連用，即為：would rather... than，表示“寧可......也不.......”。使用時，would rather后面接動詞的原形，than后面也接動詞的原形。例如：

Liu Hulan would rather die than surrender before the enemy. 劉胡蘭在敵人面前寧死不屈。

We would rather die than sell out our comrades. 我們寧死也不出賣自己的同志。

5. It was true that he was not at present living among gentlemen．

短語精講：at present的意思是“目前”。例如：

No more workers are being taken on at present. 目前不雇請更多的工人。

There are no openings for secretaries at the bank at present. 現在銀行里沒有秘書空缺。

6. But he was studying what he wanted to know， and would become a rich farmer in time．

短語精講：in time可以表示是“遲早，最后”“及時”。本文中是第二個意思。例如：

In time you'll forget him. 你遲早會忘了他的。

In future, make sure you get here on time. 今后, 要保證準時來這里。

You'll be in time if you hurry. 你要是抓緊一點兒就會來得及。

7. So，as they neither understood each other's secrets， they were both puzzled and waited to find out more．

文法解析：neither在這里是副詞，意思是“兩者都不”。文中是說道苔絲和克萊爾彼此都不知道雙方的秘密。

短語注釋：find out：發現，弄清楚