课文详注 Further notes on the text

1．How did your clothes get into such a mess?你的衣服怎么搞得一塌糊涂？

mess 表示“脏乱状态”时通常与in连用或与 get into连用：When she returned from the market, the children had got the room into a terrible mess.她从市场回去后，孩子们已经把房间里弄得一塌糊涂。

Why was her hair in such a mess?她的头发怎么会那么乱？

2．University students set the Embassy on fire this morning.今天上午大学生们放火点着了大使馆。

set on fire 为固定短语，表示“使……燃烧”、“放火烧……”：In 1834, someone set the Houses of Parliament on fire.1834年，有人放火点着了国会大厦。

Have you found out who set my car on fire?你们是否已经查出是谁烧了我的车？

3．The fire broke out in the basement.地下室突然着火。

break out 可以指火灾、战争等“突然发生”、“爆发”：World War I broke out in 1914.第一次世界大战于 1914年爆发。

When the fire broke out in the ship, Sally was frightened out of her wits.当轮船突然着火时，萨莉吓得惊慌失措。

4．The Ambassador's wife went on asking questions…大使夫人继续提出问题……

go on 动名词表示某个动作“继续不停”：We went on talking till after midnight.我们继续谈话直到午夜以后。