The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished.

diminish ^{[书]: reduce / decrease}

• Federalism is intended to diminish the power of the central state. ^{联邦制度旨在削弱中央政府的权力。}
• Deserts in sub-Saharan Africa will diminish gradually. ^{撒哈拉以南非洲的沙漠将逐渐减少。}
• In zones of increased turbulence, the planes' wakes will decay more quickly and the effect will diminish. ^{在湍流增强的区域，飞机的尾流会消失得更快，它的效果也会减弱。}

Little by little the 11 minutes fell to zero.

Little by little ^同义替换

• gradually / slowly / little by little / bit by bit / by degrees 

fall / drop to… ^下降到…

• The temperature drops to –30 〫 and very few people attempt to cross the Pass.

By January 10th, I was back to where I had started from.

be back to where … start from ^前功尽弃

• Now we are back to where we started. ^{现在我们回到我们的起点。}
• Let's go back to where we started. ^{让我们重回出发点。}
• One small step back to where we started. ^{一小步，重返初始之地。}

pick up where we left off ^{从中断的地方继续}

• After lunch shall we pick up where we left off?

老友记

• Chandler: Wait! I just want you to know that ... I'm so happy you're going to be here. 
• Janice: Oh, me too ...
• Chandler: Because ... that way ... we can pick up where we left off. 
• Janice: Huh?
• Chandler: I never stopped loving you.

I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home from work.

fresh ^{adj. 精神饱满的}

• However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled.

Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book.

glue ^{vt. 粘住 & n. 胶水}

• Her eyes were fixed on her plate and in a short time, she was busy eating.
• I made a model out of paper and glue. ^{我用纸和胶水做了一个模型。}
• He felt light-headed, as if he'd sniffed glue. ^{他觉得头晕，好像吸了胶毒一样。}
• We used glue to stick the broken pieces together. ^{我们用胶把碎片粘到一起。}
• The smell of sawdust and glue pervaded the factory. ^{锯屑和胶水的气味弥漫在工厂里。}

Resisting the temptation to go to bed, I sat in my study with my eyes glued to ‘New Concept English’.^{抵制着去睡觉的诱惑，我坐在书房里全神贯注地看《新概念英语》。}

One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read.

pretend to do ^{假装做某事}

• If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out.
• Many people pretend that they understand modern art. They always tell you what a picture is 'about'.
• ... obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country.

That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen.

undoing  ^{失败的原因}

• His lack of experience may prove to be his undoing.  ^{缺乏经验可能就是他失败的原因。}

downfall ^{n. 含义1. 垮台}

• Greed led to his downfall.
• A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's downfall.

downfall ^{n. 含义2.  失败，垮台的原因}

• eremy's honesty had been his downfall. ^{诚实是杰里米失败的原因。}

prove be one’s downfall ^{被证明是某人失败的原因}

• An addiction to gambling proved to be her downfall. 

doze off / nod off   ^{（无意的）打盹}

•  I closed my eyes for a minute and must have dozed off. ^{我闭了会儿眼，后来一定是睡着了。}
• The judge appeared to nod off yesterday while a witness was being cross-examined. ^{昨天当一名证人被盘问时，法官好像在打瞌睡。}

I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading.

In fact, I have just bought a book entitled How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute.

entitle ^{v.给...命名，给...题名}

• ...a performance entitled "United States." ^{…一场名为“合众国”的演出。}

Perhaps it will solve my problem, but I just haven't had time to read it!

get round / around to sth./ doing ^{有时间做某事（多用于否定）}

• I'll get round to mending it eventually. ^{我最后会抽出时间来修理它的。}
• I meant to do the ironing but I didn't get round to it. ^{我本想熨衣服的，可就是抽不出时间。}
• I hope to get around to answering your letter next week. ^{我希望下周能抽出时间给你回信。}

…, but I have never got round / gotten around to reading it. ^{课文写法替换}