21.The responsibility of keeping the water right and of running the engine，and the danger of my making a mistake and blowing the whole factory to pieces，caused too great a strain，and I ofter awoke and found myself sitting up in bed through the nignt，trying the steam-gauges.— I was told to look after the steam engine，that is，to make sure that there was the right amount of water in the boiler and that the engine was running normally to drive the machines.If I made amistake，the boiler might explode and the force of the explosion would destroy the factory.The responsibility was oo great.I couldn't sleep properly at night and would often sit up in my sleep trying the steam-gauges.我要使锅炉内的水位保持正常，还要看管发动机，责任重大；我要是出点差错，整个工厂就有被爆飞的危险；这两件事给我的压力太大了。我经常夜间从睡梦中醒来，发现自己坐在床上做调试蒸汽压力表的动作。（作者由于精神紧张，夜里常常做噩梦，在梦里调试蒸汽压力表，经常突然醒来，从床上坐起来。）这也是个长句，有49个词，由两个并列句组成，第一个并列句的主语是两个并列的名词短语：1）the responsibility of……，2）the danger of……，第二个并列句有两个并列的谓语动词（词组）：1）awoke，2）found……，其中分词短语sitting……是宾语myself的补语，trying……是状语，修饰sitting up in bed through the night.

　　responsibility of……的责任

　　eg：The responsibility of supporting a large family kept him working from day to night.

　　养家糊口的责任使他从白到晚地忙碌着。

　　eg：The responsibility of protecting the benefits of the people makes the police always maitaining sharp vigilance.

　　保护人民利益的责任使警察总是保持高度警惕。

　　strain：a severe demand on mental or physical strength，resources，abilities，etc.压力

　　eg：the stresses and strains of modern life

　　现代生活的压力

　　eg：under great strain

　　在很大压力之下

　　sit up：stay up熬夜，不睡觉

　　eg：He often sits up late to play computer games.

　　他经常熬夜打游戏。

　　22.No，no！Evetything must be bright to them.只能让他们知道好的一面。I never told my family about the strain I had.I only wanted them to know that everything was all right.

　　Bright美好的，光明的

　　eg：We have a bright future.

　　我们都有着美好的未来。

　　23.This was a point of honor，for every member of the family was working hard，and we were telling each other only the bright things.这是我应该做的事，因为家里每个人都在拼命干活，我们相互都是报喜不报忧。

　　a point/ matter / question of honor：something you feel you must do because of your moral principles原则问题

　　eg：It was a point of honour with the washwoman to return the wash to its rightful owner.

　　对那位洗衣妇来说把所洗的衣物归还给原主是个信誉问题。

　　24.Besides，no man would complainand give up-

　　he would die first.并且家里每个成员宁愿死也不会去抱怨，去放弃。Every member of the family would rather die than complain and give up.

　　complain（of，about） 抱怨

　　The people in that country are always complaining about high prices.

　　he would die first 虚拟语气，省略了条件句if he complained and gave up

　　25 And could I complain？ 这是个修辞性疑问句，意思是：“我当然不能怨天尤人。”

　　This is a rhetorical（修辞性）

　　question meaning：Surely I couldn't complain.

　　A rhetorical question is one you ask as a way of making a statement，without expecting an answer.

　　Aren't the flowers beautiful？这些花多漂亮！

　　26.My kind employer soonrelieved me of the strain，for he needed someone tomake outbills and keep his accounts，and finding that I could write a plain schoolboy handand could add uphe made me his only clerk.Soon my boss found that I could write well enough to make out bills and keep his acounts.As he needed someone to do this，he kindly made me the only clerk in the factory.This freed me from the terrible strain of running the steam engine.我那好心的老板很快就解除了我的压力，他需要有个人开帐单、记帐，他看我还能写出小学生水平的字，还会做加法，就叫我当了他惟一的职员。

　　relieve sb.of：免除某人的……（负担、职位等）

　　eg：The medicine will relieve you of the pain.

　　这药会减轻你的疼痛。

　　eg：Let me relieve you of this heavy box.

　　让我来帮你拿这个沉重的盒子。

　　eg：The university assigned a part-time secretary to relieve Professor Smith's assistant of some of his work.

　　学校分派一个兼职秘书，来减轻史密斯教授助手的工作。

　　make out：to write a cheque，bill，etc.开（支票、帐单等）。

　　eg：The old man made out a cheque for ten thousand pounds as a wedding present for Hughie and Laura.

　　那老人开出了一万英镑的支票作为送给休吉和劳拉的结婚礼物。

　　schoolboy hand：the clear rounded writing that was taught in school （old use） writing

　　add （sth.） up：把……加起来

　　eg：Add all the items up and see how much we have to pay.

　　你把所有的项目都加起来，看我们要付多少钱。

　　eg：It turned out that the old man couldn't add up.

　　原来那位老人不会算加法。

　　made me his only clerk：让我成为他惟一的职员。