We often read in novels how a seemingly respectable person or family has some terrible secret which has been concealed from strangers for years.

some ^{det.某个，某种}

• Some person at the door is asking to see you. ^某人
• someone like you ^{像你一样的人}

conceal from ^{隐瞒，对……隐瞒：不让某人知道某事或某物的存在或真相。}

• ... which has been hidden from strangers for years. ^替换

造句：We often read in newspapers how a seemingly respectable personality was charged with tax evasion which had been concealed from the public for years.^{我们常常在报纸上会读到一个表面上很体面的名人 是如何因为偷税漏税而被起诉的，而这种行为他们对公众隐瞒了很多年。}

The English language possesses a vivid saying to describe this sort of situation.

saying ^{proverb / adage 谚语；格言、老话说}

• The Chinese language possesses a vivid saying 'God favors the diligent'.
• As an old Chinese saying goes, 'God favors the diligent'.

The terrible secret is called 'a skeleton in the cupboard'.

a skeleton in the cupboard / closet ^{橱柜里的骷髅(隐情 、不可外扬的家丑)}

指某个人或家庭的秘密或丑闻，通常是指一些不愿被公开的尴尬或丢脸的事情。

• a family skeleton ^家丑
• wash one's dirty linen ^{谈论隐私（家丑外扬）}
• air one's dirty laundry  ^{公开揭露隐私}

At some dramatic moment in the story, the terrible secret becomes known and a reputation is ruined.

造句：The seemingly respectable official embezzled enormous government funds. Now the secret becomes known and his reputation is ruined. ^{这个道貌岸然的官员贪污了巨额公款。现在这个秘密已经公开了，他也名声扫地。}

The reader’s hair stands on end when he reads in the final pages of the novel that the heroine, a dear old lady who had always been so kind to everybody, had, in her youth, poisoned every one of her five husbands.

make one's hair stand on end ^{使某人毛骨悚然：使某人感到非常害怕或恐惧。}

• Wait until I tell you about the murder—it'll make your hair stand on end.

make one's blood run cold ^毛骨悚然

• The sight of that bland, impregnably righteous face has been enough to make their blood run cold.^{看见那张温和的而又非常正直的脸足够使他们冷静下来。}

frighten / scare the life out of sb. ^{把某人吓死了}

• Fairground rides are intended to frighten the life out of you.^{露天游乐场的飞车就是要把你们吓得魂不附体。}

frighten / scare the hell out of sb. ^{把某人吓得魂飞魄散}

• "Lynette? Honey? Are you home?" "Three months." "God, you scared the hell out of me!"

in one's youth ^{在某人年轻的时候}

• in one's childhood ^{在某人的童年}
• in one's early years ^{在某人小时候}
• in one's adolescence ^{在某人的青春期}
• in one's middle age ^{在某人的中年}
• in one's old age ^{在某人的老年}

造句：My hair stood on end when I watched in the final episode of the TV drama that the hero, a respectable lawyer who had been so kind to everybody, turned out to be a savage murderer.^{当我在电视剧的最后一集看到主人公，那个对每个人都很友善的体面的律师，原来竟是个残忍的谋杀犯时 ，被吓得毛骨悚然。}