It is all very well for such things to occur in fiction.

It is all very well for such things to occur in fiction, but in real life it is barely credible. ^补充完整

It is all very well for ... to ..., but ... it is barely ...  ^{对…来说是无可厚非的 …，但是…就不太…}

• It is all very well for you to wear pajamas in your own home, but in public it is barely respectable. ^{你在家里穿睡衣是无可厚非的，但是在公共场合就不太体面了。}

To varying degrees, we all have secrets which we do not want even our closest friends to learn, but few of us have skeletons in the cupboard.

to varying degrees ^{在不同的程度上}

• Racism still exists to varying degrees.
• The water of rivers, lakes and reservoirs was universally polluted to varying degrees.

closest ^{adj.最靠近的（close 的最高级）\ 距离近、关系近}

• closest friend = intimate friend ^亲密好友
• bosom friend ^知心朋友
• fair-weather friend ^酒肉朋友
• pen pal / friend ^笔友
• internet pal / friend ^网友

The only person I know who has a skeleton in the cupboard is George Carlton, and he is very proud of the fact.

双重定语从句 ^{(2个定语从句不在同一层次上)}

第一个定语从句修饰前面的名词或短语，第二个定语从句修饰“名词或短语 + 第一个定语从句”两个定语从句之间没有并列连词连接。第一个定语从句的关系词（一般是关系代词作宾语）可省略。

• You're the only person l've ever met who could do it.
• He's the best man I can find who can mend it within an hour.

Instead of becoming a doctor , however, he became a successful writer of detective stories.

instead of doing ..., however, ... ^{本应该...结果...}

• Instead of becoming a doctor, however,Lu Xun became China's foremost modern writer of satirical essays.

I once spent an uncomfortable weekend which I shall never forget at his house.

transferred epithet ^{移就（修饰手法）}

• an uncomfortable weekend ^{（令人）不舒服的周末}
• a sad letter ^{（令人）悲伤的信}
• a lonely night ^{（令人）寂寞的夜}
• 平林漠漠烟如织，寒山一带伤心碧
• 自春来，惨绿愁红，芳心是事可可

George showed me to the guestroom which, he said, was rarely used.

show = lead ^{领某人去某地}

• Aleko denied taking it and led Dimitri into his back yard.

He told me to unpack my things and then come down to dinner.

unpack my things / belongings ^{归整随身物品、财物}

• unpack my suitcase ^归置

I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of it petrified.

形容词作主语补足语 ^{动词发生时，补充说明主语的状态}

• She came home sick.
• Only the good die young. ^{英年早逝（好人不长命）}
• Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted. ^NCE3-44

The sudden movement of the door made it sway slightly and it gave me the impression that it was about to leap out at me.

be about to do ... ^{正要做某事}

• She is about to embark on a diplomatic career. ^{她即将开始外交生涯。}

be on the point of doing ... ^{正准备做…}

• It was on the point of leaping out at me. ^本句替换

But George was unsympathetic.

But George didn't sympathize with me. ^替换

• But George had / showed no sympathy for me.

'Oh, that,’ he said with a smile as if he were talking about an old friend. ^虚拟语气

Don't act as if you were the only pebble on the beach.

'That's Sebastian. You forget that I was a medical student once upon a time.'

once upon a time ^{从前，很久以前：在过去的某个时候}

• Once upon a time there was a princess... ^{从前有一位公主…}
• Once upon a time, a hippo lived in a river next to a big tree. ^{从前，有一只河马住在大树旁边的河里。}
• Once upon a time there were three little pigs.^{从前，有三只小猪。}