The guests had, of course, realized this from the moment Bessie opened the door for them and, long before the final catastrophe, had had a difficult time trying to conceal their amusement.
客人們自然從貝西為他們開門那一刻起就看出來了，在好長一段時間里，即最后這個亂子發生前，他們努力克制才沒笑出聲來。
新概念英語第三冊
Lesson 49 The ideal servant
?? 句中詞匯解析
從本句中提取的重要詞匯
n. 課程;航線;行動方向;一道菜;
vt. 快速地流動;奔流;跑過;追逐;
vi. 沿…（方向）前進;指引航線;快跑;迅速移動;
?? cour 發生+se → n. 發展；進程，課程，一道菜
"There were only three of us on the advanced course."
只有我們三人學高級課程。
近義：racecourse, racetrack, speedway, track, pass, range
n. 瞬間，片刻;時刻;重要，緊要;[物]力矩;
?? mom(move)+ent(名詞后綴)→瞬間；片刻；重要
"The moment the clown appeared on stage, the audience folded up."
小丑一出現在舞臺上, 觀眾們個個笑得前俯后仰.
近義：instant, tick, time, while, bit, flash
反義：immortality, perdurability, perenniality, perpetuity, deathlessness, afterlife
final
['fa?nl]
詞頻1
詞根: fin
adj. 最后的，最終的;決定性的;不可更改的;
n. 結局;決賽;期末考試;〈口〉（報紙的）末版;
?? fin =end,boundary,表示”結束,范圍”#詞根助記：來自于法語final和拉丁語finalis, 表示 end (結束)
"Teachers always judge their students on the final examination."
老師常根據期末考試來評價他們的學生.
近義：last, absolute, momentous, peremptory, plump, terminal
n. 大災難;慘敗;悲劇的結局;地表突然而猛烈的變動，災變;
?? cata向下+strophe轉→轉下去→災難臨頭→災難，大禍
"Early warnings of rising water levels prevented another major catastrophe."
提前發出的洪水水位上漲警報防止了又一次的重大災害。
近義：apocalypse, holocaust, tragedy, calamity, cataclysm, debacle
adj. 困難的;難做的;難解的;不易相處的;
?? dif不+fic做+ult表名詞→不好做→困難的
"The short story is a difficult art form to master."
短篇小說是一種很難掌握的藝術形式。
近義：rough, troublesome, complicated, arduous, intricate, labored
反義：uncomplicated, basic, cushy, doss, easy, facile