it was a sunday morning. the sun shone brightly and warmly into the room， as the air， mild and refreshing， flowed through the open window. and out under god's blue heaven， where fields and meadows were covered with greens and flowers， all the little birds rejoiced. while joy and contentment were everywhere outside， in the house lived sorrow and misery. even the wife， who otherwise always was in good spirits， sat that morning at the breakfast table with a downcast expression; finally she arose， without having touched a bite of her food， dried her eyes， and walked toward the door.

　　it really seemed as if there were a curse hanging over this house. the cost of living was high， the food supply low; taxes had become heavier and heavier; year after year the household belongings had depreciated more and more， and now at last there was nothing to look forward to but poverty and misery. for a long time all this had depressed the husband， who always had been a hard-working and law-abiding citizen; now the thought of the future filled him with despair; yes， many times he even threatened to end his miserable and hopeless existence. neither the comforting words of his good-humored wife nor the worldly or spiritual counsel of his friends had helped him; these had only made him more silent and sorrowful. it is easy to understand that his poor wife finally should lose her courage， too. however， there was quite another reason for her sadness， which we soon shall hear.

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作文地带知识拓展:

• 英语（English）属于印欧语系日耳曼语族西日耳曼语支，最早被中世纪的英国使用，并因其广阔的殖民地而成为世界使用面积最广的语言。英国人的祖先盎格鲁部落是后来迁移到大不列颠岛地区的日耳曼部落之一，称为英格兰。这两个名字都来自波罗地海半岛的Anglia。该语言与弗里斯兰语和下撒克森语密切相关，其词汇受到其他日耳曼语族语言的影响，尤其是北欧语（北日耳曼语），并在很大程度上由拉丁文和法文撰写。

  英语的英文释义：

  English 名词 uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  the language that is spoken in the UK, the US, and in many other countries

  英语

  American/British English

  美式／英式英语

  Do you speak English?

  你会说英语吗？

  English   形容词 adjective   uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  in or relating to the English language

  英语的

  an English teacher

  英语老师

  relating to or from England

  英格兰的;英国的

  English films/food/people

  英国电影／食品／人

  English law

  英格兰法律