* 用英语自身来理解和学习英语是最好的方式，这一系列的文章力求帮助大家在英语阅读能力上有所提升，并树立英语思维；* 推荐的阅读的方法是：先原文，适当看解析阅读，实在不行再看双语对照。* 解析中英语单词的音标使用Dictcom和IPA双音标标注，如果需要了解Dictcom音标，请参看我们的《dictionary.com所用的音标体系》一文。* 本篇文章难度系数4.8，由《小仙英语伴读》人工智能难度分析系统提供评分。
A Step Pet【译】过继的宠物【单词】Step 原型：step 名词 [step][step] n. 步骤；台阶；舞步；步伐 v. 踏；以步测量【专有名词】Pet [pet][pet] n. 宠物；受宠的人 adj. 宠爱的 v. 爱抚；亲抚
When James divorced his wife Patricia, he moved out of the house they bought together.【译】当詹姆斯和妻子帕特里夏离婚后，他搬出了他们一起买的房子。【单词】divorced 原型：divorce 动词过去式 [dih-'vawrs, -'vohrs][dɪ'vɔːs] n. 分离；离婚 vt. 使分离；与 ... 离婚 vi. 离婚【专有名词】James n. 詹姆斯(姓氏；男子名)【专有名词】Patricia Patricia n. 帕特丽夏(女子名)
James and Patricia shared custody of their teenager son Robert.【译】詹姆斯和帕特里夏共同监护他们十几岁的儿子罗伯特。【单词】custody 名词 ['kuhs-tuh-dee]['kʌstədi] n. 拘留；监禁；监护；羁押【单词】teenager 名词 ['teen-ey-jer]['tiːneɪdʒə] n. 青少年；13岁到19岁的年轻人【专有名词】Robert ['rob-ert]['rɔbət] n. 罗伯特(男名)
Robert would stay with his father four days a week, from Thursday through Sunday.【译】从星期四到星期天，罗伯特每周和他父亲呆四天。【专有名词】Thursday 日期 ['thurz-dey, -dee]['θɜːzdeɪ] n. 星期四【专有名词】Sunday 日期 ['suhn-dey, -dee]['sʌndeɪ] n. 星期日 adj. 星期日的
At first James didn't mind leaving behind the family dog Spot.【译】起初詹姆斯不介意把家里的狗斯珀特留下。【短语】at first 首先、最初【单词】dog 名词 [dawg, dog][dɒɡ] n. 狗【专有名词】Spot [spot][spɒt] 这里是指狗的名字：斯波特
James and Patricia bought the dog when Robert was just a three-year-old toddler.【译】詹姆斯和帕特里夏在罗伯特三岁的时候买了这条狗。【单词】three-year-old 形容词 [θ'riːj'ɜːr'əʊld] adj. 三岁的【单词】toddler 名词 ['tod-ler]['tɒdlə] n. 初学走路的孩子
Not having to take care of Spot meant James didn't have to worry about cleaning up after the dog, and budgeting for dog food and treats.【译】不需要照顾Spot意味着詹姆斯不必担心狗后的清理工作，也不必为狗的食物和款待做预算。【用法】have to do sth. 表示“必须”、“不得不”、“只好”、“（被迫）很勉强”去做某事，后面跟动词原形，与情态动词 must 近义但区别在于：have to 表示客观的需要，must 表示说话人主观上的看法，既主观上的必要。例句：My brother was very ill, so I had to call the doctor in the middle of the night. 我弟弟病得很厉害，我只得半夜里把医生请来。(客观上需要做这件事) He said that they must work hard. 他说他们必须努力工作。（主观上要做这件事）【短语】take care of 照顾；注意；抚养；例句：If you take care of something, you begin to love it — which makes us very vulnerable. 如果你照顾某些事情，你已经开始爱上它了--这让我们非常的投入.【固定用法】take care of 照顾；注意；抚养；例句：I'll take care of your children while you are away. 你不在时我会照顾你的孩子的。【单词】worry 动词原形 ['wur-ee, 'wuhr-ee]['wʌri] vt. 撕咬；使烦恼；使焦虑 vi. 担心；发愁 n. 担心；烦恼；忧虑【单词】budgeting 原型：budget 动名词 ['buhj-it]['bʌdʒɪt] n. 预算 vt. 编预算；为 ... 做预算 vi. 节省开支 adj. 廉价的；不贵的【单词】treats 原型：treat 名词复数形式 [treet][triːt] v. 对待；视为；探讨；治疗；处理；请客 n. 款待；宴飨
James also didn't have to worry about taking the dog to the vet and the expensive vet bills.【译】詹姆斯也不用担心带狗去看兽医和昂贵的兽医账单。【单词】vet 名词 [vet][vet] n. 兽医；老兵 vt. 诊疗；审查 vi. 作兽医【单词】expensive 形容词 [ik-'spen-siv][ɪk'spensɪv] adj. 昂贵的；高价的
Two years after James divorced Patricia, he remarried.【译】詹姆斯和帕特里夏离婚两年后，他再婚了。【单词】remarried 原型：remarry 动词过去式 [ˌriː'mæri] v. (使)再婚
His new wife Linda had two daughters.【译】他的新妻子琳达有两个女儿。【单词】daughters 原型：daughter 名词复数形式 ['daw-ter]['dɔːtə] n. 女儿；子代 adj. 女儿的；女儿似的【专有名词】Linda n. 琳达(女子名)
The two daughters got along well with James's son Robert.【译】这两个女儿和詹姆斯的儿子罗伯特相处得很好。
The two daughters had never had a pet though.【译】不过，这两个女儿从来没有养过宠物。【单词】pet 名词 [pet][pet] n. 宠物；受宠的人 adj. 宠爱的 v. 爱抚；亲抚
One of them was very allergic to cats and Linda was not an animal person.【译】其中一个对猫过敏，并且琳达不是喜欢动物的人。【单词】allergic 形容词 [uh-'lur-jik][ə'lɜːdʒɪk] adj. 过敏的；反感的【单词】cats 原型：cat 名词复数形式 [kat][kæt] n. 猫；猫科动物【单词】animal 形容词 ['an-uh-muhl]['ænɪml] n. 动物；牲畜 adj. 动物的；野兽的
She thought they were too much work and required too much attention.【译】她认为他们工作太多，需要太多的关注。【短语】too much 太多，如果后接名词只能接不可数名词（可数名词用too many）；例如：Maybe they feel too much pressure to do well on their tests. 可能他们感到要想在考试中表现好会有太多的压力。【单词】required 原型：require 动词过去分词 [ri-'kwahyuhr][rɪ'kwaɪə] v. 要求；需要；命令；规定
Her daughters really wanted a pet though.【译】不过，她的女儿们真的很想要一只宠物。
James had an idea.【译】詹姆斯有个主意。
Just like he shared custody of Robert with his ex-wife, what if he shared custody of the dog Spot.【译】就像他把罗伯特的监护权和前妻分享一样，如果他把狗斯波特的监护权分享了呢。【单词】ex-wife 名词 ['ekswaɪf] n. 前妻
James could bring the dog to the house when he picked up James every Thursday and bring the dog back to his ex-wife's house on Sunday.【译】詹姆斯每周四接詹姆斯时可以把狗带到家里，周日把狗带回前妻家。【单词】picked 原型：pick 动词过去式 [pik][pɪk] v. 拾；捡；挑选；采摘；找茬；偶然学到 n. 拾；捡；选择；采摘；精华 n. 鹤嘴锄；镐；琴拨
Linda thought it was an interesting idea and agreed to try it.【译】琳达觉得这是个有趣的主意，同意试试。【语法】此句式为 it be 名词 that从句。其中that从句为句子真正的主语，it为形式主语。如：It's a shame (that) you're sick. 真遗憾你病了。【单词】agreed 原型：agree 过去分词做形容词 [uh-'gree][ə'ɡriː] v. 同意；赞成；承认；符合；一致
James's ex-wife Patricia really liked the idea.【译】詹姆斯的前妻帕特里夏非常喜欢这个主意。
It gave her a break from having to take care of Spot.【译】这使她从不得不照顾斯波特中解脱出来。【单词】break 名词 [breyk][breɪk] v. 打碎；折断；违背；解决；中断；透露；变弱；锐减；结束 n. 破裂；休息；中断；急冲；好运
Robert was really happy because he didn't have to leave his dog behind, and his best animal friend could be with him all the time.【译】罗伯特真的很高兴，因为他不必丢下他的狗，他最好的动物朋友可以一直和他在一起。
Linda's daughters were especially happy to have a part-time pet.【译】琳达的女儿们特别高兴有了一个兼职宠物。【单词】part-time 形容词 [adjective 'pahrt-tahym; adverb 'pahrt-'tahym][pɑːt taɪm] adj. 兼职的；部分时间的 adv. 兼职地；部分时间地 part-
"Now we have a step brother and a step pet!" they said.【译】“现在我们有了一个继兄弟和一个继宠物！”他们说。【单词】step 名词 [step][step] n. 步骤；台阶；舞步；步伐 v. 踏；以步测量【单词】brother 名词 ['bruhth -er or for 9, 'bruhth -'ur]['brʌðə] n. 兄弟；教友；同胞
,
