If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.

an inveterate smoker / drinker / gambler / liar ^{（指人） 老…（人）}

• old friend  ^老朋友
• regular / patron  ^常客
• hardened smuggler ^{老牌走私犯}
• maidservant ^老妈子

it is because …  ^{原因是…（主系表）}

• It is because my cousin makes me forget that she makes me better.^{因为我的表妹使我忘记那件事，所以她让我越来越好。}
• Maybe you would say it is because the teacher's class is boring.^{也许你会说是因为老师的课很无聊。}
• One of the reasons that I like it is because I love the bright colors of the characters.^{我喜欢它的原因之一是我喜欢字体的明亮色彩。}

The reason is because … × ^{表达错误（reason 已表达了逻辑关系，如果再用because就是逻辑重复）}

result from ...= be caused by  ^{由…导致的（接原因）}

• The accident resulted from the driver's negligence. ^{事故是由于司机的疏忽造成的。}
• The accident was caused by pilot error. ^{这场事故是飞行员的失误造成的。}

Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out.

fail to do ^{未能做成某事}

• If you receive a request like this, you cannot fail to obey it!
• The pirates would often bury gold in the cave and then fail to collect it.
• Cats never fail to fascinate human beings.

scheme ^{n. 1. 计划，方案；2. 阴谋诡计}

• schemes and intrigues ^阴谋诡计

never / not get round / around to sth./ doing ^{没时间做某事}

• It had broken down the previous summer, and though I promised to repair it, I had never got round to it.

carry sth. ↔ out ^{执行，实施}

• We carried out her instructions precisely.
• One is the general atmosphere of secrecy in which it is carried out, the other the lack of freedom of the individual research worker.

We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways.

fundamental ^{adj. 根本性的}

• fundamental error / mistake 
• fundamental change / difference

so (that)  ^{作连词时一般来说有两种用法}

1. 引导结果状语从句 ^{译为“所以”，从句谓语动词中一般没有情态动词。}
• We paid him immediately, so (that) he left contented. 
• The pie committee decided that the best way to transport the dish would be by canal, so they insured it for the trip.
• In the new country he became absorbed in making a new life for the two of us, so that he gradually ceased to grieve.
2. 引导目的状语从句 ^{译为“以便”= in order that …，从句谓语动词中多出现情态动词 can, could, may, might, should, would 等。}
• Drive carefully so that everyone can enjoy a long life.
• We paid him immediately, so (that) he would leave contented. ^（以便）
• It had been purchased by a local authority so that an enormous pie could be baked for an annual fair.
• This time they fixed heavy metal clamps to both sides of the dish so that they could fasten the chains.

slip ^滑到

• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.
• I slipped and fell downstairs.
• carefully slip ^{小心地“滑”(滑冰时小心一点，不要摔跤了)}
• Caution! Wet Floor ^{小心“地滑”(地面是湿滑的)}

slip into … ^{to gradually start to be in a bad state or situation 渐渐陷入某种不良状态}

• slip into debt / unconsciousness … ^{渐渐陷入债务/昏迷}
• He had begun to slip into debt.
• She slipped into unconsciousness and died the next day. 
• The country is slipping into recession. ^{渐渐陷入萧条}

Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.

pitfall ^{n. a likely mistake or problem in a situation 易犯的错误，易出现的问题}

• the potential pitfalls of buying a house
• Her advice helped me avoid some of the common pitfalls. 

keep sth. to oneself = keep sth. secret ^保密

• I keep my love for Helen to myself.  ^{保持我对海伦的爱只给我自己（我暗恋海伦）}

keep sth. from sb. ^{向某人保密}

• The only other people who knew the secret were Joe and Bob. They did not even tell their wives. They even kept it from their wives.

I limited myself to two modest ambitions: to do physical exercises every morning and to read more of an evening.

modest ^{adj. 些许的；不太大（或贵、重要等）的}

• They made a modest donation to the charity.^{他们为慈善机构捐了一笔不太大的款项。}

limit oneself to sth. ^{给自己限定…}

• I limit myself to 2 glasses of beer a day.
• She limits herself to 1,000 calories a day to lose weight. 
• He limited himself to two cups of coffee a day. ^{他每天只喝两杯咖啡。}

do (physical) exercises ^锻炼身体

• She does physical exercises every morning. ^{她每天早晨做锻炼。}

of an evening / of a weekend ...= in the evenings / at weekends ...^{【英】【习语】}

• We usually go for a walk of an evening. ^{我们通常在晚上散步。}

An all-night party on New Year's Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year, but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.

on … Eve ^{重要日子的前一夜}

• We always open one present on Christmas Eve. ^{我们总是在圣诞前夜打开一件礼物。}
• on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.

provide sb. with sth. ^{为某人提供某事}

• The company provided us with all the necessary materials. ^{公司为我们提供了所有必要的材料。}

A long and arduous journey provided me with a good excuse for going to bed early. ^{漫长辛苦的旅程使我有借口很早去睡觉。}

plead ignorance / illness / a headache / tiredness / insanity  ^{以…为借口}

• He pleaded ignorance when asked about the missing documents. ^{当被问到丢失的文件时，他以不知情为借口。}
• He pleaded illness as the reason for absence. ^{他以生病为由来解释缺席的原因。}

either of … ^{两个中任何一个……} 

• Either of the two options is fine with me. ^{两个选项中的任何一个我都可以接受。}

apply oneself to sth. = work hard at sth. ^{努力、致力去做}

• Recently I have been applying myself assiduously to studying English. ^{近来我一直在努力地学习英语。}
• People tend to work hard at this stage of life. ^{人在这个人生阶段往往发奋努力。}
• He began to work hard at it. ^{他开始为之努力。}