【课文讲解】
背熟：The New Year is a time for resolutions.
a time for
The spring Festival is a time for gathering.
Mentally: at heart
We become illogical when we decide what can be eaten and what can not be eaten.
背熟：The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity.
favourite: resolution
recur: happen / take place
year in year out: one year after another / year by year
day by day / one day after another / day in day out
resolve to : 下定决心
背熟：Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment.
It is hard for us to attain some certain accomplishment
inveterate: deep rooted
背熟：If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.
Because we have too often experience the frustration, it means nothing to me.
result from : 由 ...... 产生的
result in: lead to / cause
Failure will result in frustration. 失败会导致挫败心理。
L50-05 end 10’17”
Lesson50A end 52:13
Lesson50B begin 49:36
L50-06 begin 10’18”
背熟：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.
carry out: carry off
fail in our efforts / attempt
Eg: We accumulate clutter in an attempt to avoid waste.
背熟：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.
Eg: If you often make some common mistakes, you will get the frustration.
slip back into: return to the normal way
背熟：Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.
keep my resolutions to myself: keep my resolutions secret
Eg: We arrived at our destination exhausted.
Exhausted, we arrived at our destination.
Aware of the importance, I attempt to carry it out. 由于意识到了此事的重要性，我竭尽全力来把它实现。
limit oneself to
ambitions: New Year resolutions
limit: 限定到点
restrict: 限定到范围
L50-06 end 10’18”
L50-07 begin
A good beginning is half success.
背熟：but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
apply oneself to / apply one’s time to / apply one’s mind / energy to
be devoted / dedicated to
In 2002, I shall apply myself to learning English.
propose to do / I decided to do
The self-discipline required to study English hard is considerable as well.
nevertheless: however
背熟：I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition.
in an exhausted condition: exhausted
It...that... 句型
It was exhausted condition that betrayed my secret.
troop in: went / came into the room in group
unsettle: upset
背熟：That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.
L50-07 end 10’39”
L50-08 begin 10’32”
fend off: defeat
wane: diminish step by step
argue: got a good excuse
keep one’s mind fresh for doing sth.