would

由於剛看到文法書假設語氣的部份,現在看到would都會停下來想一下....
其實我感覺我對於"would"的用法,理解程度和熟練度都還不太夠,

我很好奇,底下這句跟假假設語氣有沒有關係?

Ms. Allan would be one of just 400 patients, the letter said, and she would have his help navigating the local health care system.

(原文:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/business/yourmoney/31doctor.html?ex=1280462400&en=0962198848cd4876&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&_rmoc.semityn.www
)

我的疑問:
1.第一個would是不是假設語氣?
如果是,那意思因該就是付費後Ms Allan成為400位付費病人之一,但我覺得很不合理,都付了錢了還和400個人同等級....
所以我一直不知道那個would放在那邊做什麼,我甚至覺得寫成
" Ms. Allan is one of just 400 patients" 還比較合理

2.第二個would是否就是假設語氣?
意思是雖然現在不是,但如我付費後就能有" his help navigating the local health care system."

Microsoft Store

這句話是在一篇評論"微軟商店"(類似蘋果專賣店)的新聞看到的.
大概猜得出來這句話的意思大概是

"曾經輝煌的微軟,模仿著蘋果的零售策略" 
(似乎還帶著一點嘲諷的意味??)

A somewhat snarky but data-driven piece on Microsoft aping Apple's retail strategy and how it shows the desperation of this once-mighty company.


我有幾個疑問
1.動詞在那?? "but"的前後看來看去都找不到動詞
2."somewhat snarky" 比較確切的意思?
3."data-driven piece on" 看不太懂這段的意思




原文:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57499419-75/yes-a-microsoft-store-wows-a-naysayer/

affluent drivers

在書上看到一句話
Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets the price they pay for driving as fast as they please.

這句話大概看得懂意思因該是
"有些有錢的駕駛人把罰單當作是可以讓他們隨心所欲超速的費用"

不過英文我一直接不太起來前後兩段
前半段
"Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets"
後半段
"  the price they pay for driving as fast as they please"
總覺得前後接不太起來.
是否有簡略一些關係代名詞一類的東西嗎?

如果是我可能會這樣寫
Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets as the price (that) they pay for driving as fast as they please.

observant vs observing

To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very _________.

(1)observing
(2)observant
(3)observation
(4)to observe

書上的解答是
To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very observant.

不過我在想,能否選(1)observing???
"To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very observing"
我的想法是,這兩個選項都能當形容詞"觀察力敏銳的"

Yet a host of factors

Yet a host of factors pushes employers to hire fewer workers for more hours and, at the same time, compels workers to spend more time on the job

Yet=>然而
host=>許多

How fire leapt to life

"How and where man learnt how to produce flame at will is unknow"

這句話的意思因該是"人類學會生火昰在何時(何地)發生的,昰一個謎"
我的疑問昰為何用過去分詞"learnt"?而不是過去昰"learned"?

What's next for Apple? All eyes on the holidays

If history is any indication, we could be in the midst of a quiet time for new Apple gear. So what is there to look forward to in the interim?


這段話意思我大概猜得出因該是"根據過往的經驗,目前可能是蘋果新產品上市前的過渡時期".

不過那段"So what is there to look forward to in the interim?" 我沒辦法很精確的解釋,

幾個疑問

1.主詞是那個?

2."in the interim"前面一定要加"to"嗎?

可以寫成"So what is there to look forward in the interim?"嗎?