1. He was surprised to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts．

文法解析：to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts是动词不定式，在这里做目的状语。动词不定式中含有一个宾语从句：that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts。

词汇解析：thought在这里做名词，意思是：idea or opinion produced by thinking。是指“看法; 想法; 意见”。作为这个意思解释时，是可数名词。例如：

Let me have your thoughts on the subject. 让我听听你对这个问题的看法。

He keeps his thoughts to himself,. 他把自己的想法闷在心里。

2. She was expressing in her own words the ache of modern life．

短语精讲：in words的意思是“用语言”，还可以表示“口头上（而非心里）”。例如：

It is very difficult to describe my joy in words. 我的快乐难以用语言来形容。

I could neither made a beginning nor ending of them in words. 我无法把它的来龙去脉用言语说出来。

短语注释：express the ache of moder life：表达现代生活中的痛楚

文法解析：in her own words是方式状语，相当于副词，位于动词后面，当然也可以放置于句尾。

3. This sadness made her more interesting to him．

文法解析：make +sb/sth+adj.这个结构表示“使得某人或某物处于什么状态”。

短语精讲：be interesting to sb这个结构的意思是“对某人来说有趣”。例如：

That florid sociable personage became more interesting to him since he had seen Rosemond. 自从他见到罗莎蒙德以后，这位显赫一时的社会名流在他眼中已有了新的意义。

4. How could this admirable and poetic man have felt，as she did two or three years ago， that he would rather die？

文法解析：that在这里是连词，引导结果状语从句。As she did two or three years ago是方式状语，谓语这个句子中间，注意用逗号分割开来。

短语精讲：would rather的意思是“宁愿”，与than连用，即为：would rather... than，表示“宁可......也不.......”。使用时，would rather后面接动词的原形，than后面也接动词的原形。例如：

Liu Hulan would rather die than surrender before the enemy. 刘胡兰在敌人面前宁死不屈。

We would rather die than sell out our comrades. 我们宁死也不出卖自己的同志。

5. It was true that he was not at present living among gentlemen．

短语精讲：at present的意思是“目前”。例如：

No more workers are being taken on at present. 目前不雇请更多的工人。

There are no openings for secretaries at the bank at present. 现在银行里没有秘书空缺。

6. But he was studying what he wanted to know， and would become a rich farmer in time．

短语精讲：in time可以表示是“迟早，最后”“及时”。本文中是第二个意思。例如：

In time you'll forget him. 你迟早会忘了他的。

In future, make sure you get here on time. 今后, 要保证准时来这里。

You'll be in time if you hurry. 你要是抓紧一点儿就会来得及。

7. So，as they neither understood each other's secrets， they were both puzzled and waited to find out more．

文法解析：neither在这里是副词，意思是“两者都不”。文中是说道苔丝和克莱尔彼此都不知道双方的秘密。

短语注释：find out：发现，弄清楚