My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he returned to England. He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down in the country. He had no sooner returned than he bought a fine house and went to live there. Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even though it was still summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold. After so many years of sunshine, Harrison got a shock. He acted as if he had never lived in England before. In the end, it was more than he could bear. He had hardly had time to settle down when he sold the house and left the country. The dream he had had for so many years ended there. Harrison had thought of everything except the weather.

except
prep.除了，排除同类
Everything except the weather.（不包含）
I konw nothing about the young lady except that she is from Beijing.
We have classes every workday except Wednesday.
except for：apart from 排除异类，后面跟短语或名词，
except for和apart from可放句首，except不放句首
*Apart from you, everyone came on time. *
besides prep. 除了...还有..

Mediterranean
n. 地中海
Medi-ter-ra-nean
Mediterranean climate：dry summers and cool, wet winters 地中海气候，夏季炎热干燥，冬季温和多雨

complain
v.抱怨，抗议，不及物
complain about sth.：抱怨某事
complain to sb.：向某人抱怨
complaint：n.
A Complaint Free World：不抱怨的世界
How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted.
If you don't complete the work according to the contract,I will sue you for damages.
同义词sue&accuse&charge
sue v.起诉，后面加for
accuse v.指责后面介词of，既可以用于口语总指责某人做错了某事，也可以指通过法律手段正式起诉违法行径
charge 后接介词with，指法庭上正式指控某人的犯罪行为

continually
adv. 不断地，频繁地
continual：adj. 持续的，多次重复
continue：v.
continuous：adj. 过程无间断
The brain needs a continuous supply of blood.
continuously：adv. 连续不断地(it doesn't stop at all)
He borrows money from people continually.中途可以有间隔
An almost continuous line of traffic was moving at a snail's pace through the center city. 几乎连绵不断的车辆在以蜗牛般缓慢的速度穿过市中心。

bitterly
adv. 刺骨地
bitterly cold：刺骨的寒冷
It is bitterly cold.
chilly：寒冷的
*I was bitterly disappointed. *
我非常失望。
sb. complain bitterly about …：
愤愤不平的抱怨 …

shock

1. n. 震惊
2. n. / v. 撼动，震动
   get a shock：大吃一惊
   It is a real shock to hear that …：
   听到 … 的消息，真是令人震惊。

settle
v. 定居
settle down：安顿下来，定居；

课文讲解

My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he returned to England.

My old friend,同位语
had lived … before … returned ，过去完成时+一般过去时
return
返回(vi.) - return to spl.
归还(vt.) - return sth. to sb.

Harrison had made plans before he returned to England.

had often dreamed of …
had planned to …
had made … before … returned …
dream of：梦想着

He had no sooner returned than he bought a fine house and went to live there.

and连接并列成分，省略主语he, … he went to live there.
no sooner … than：一 … 就，刚 … 就
引导时间状语从句，主句过去完成时，从句一般过去时
no sooner + 过去完成 + than + 一般过去
He had no sooner arrived than he gave me a call.
I had no sooner left the house than it began to rain.
We had no sooner hung the picture on the wall than it fell down.

Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even though it was still summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold.

almost immediately：紧接着，很快
complain about：抱怨
for表“原因”，对前面内容进行补充说明，一般不用于句首
even though：尽管，虽然 （让步状语从句）
even if 尽管
I still remember, even though it was so long ago.
continually：中途可以有间断的

He acted as if he had never lived in England before.

as if=as though：好像，就好比

In the end, it was more than he could bear.

more than he could bear
In the end, he couldn't bear it any longer.
not … any longer
bear - stand：忍受
You are just a fool. I can't bear you. （忍受）
But your mother can.（bear生育）

He had hardly had time to settle down when he sold the house and left the country.

he had - had为助动词
hardly had time - hardly have time：几乎没时间
to settle down - 安定下来
when he sold the house and left the country
hardly … when：还没等 … 就 …
放句首，需倒装
Hardly had he had time to settle down …

The dream he had had for so many years ended there.

The dream that he had had.....
定语从句，省略关系代词that（关系代词在句中做宾语）

句型演练

They tell us what happened some time ago.
What had happened some time before.
一般过去时&过去完成时
*1. He lived in Scotland fifteen years ago.

2. He had lived in Scotland for fifteen years before he came to England.
3. The police found Billy Wilkins last night. He had run away from home five days before.
4. He had spent the last two nights near a farmhouse. The police took him home at once.
5. When she saw him, his mother burst into tears. She said he had never run away before.*

作文：

He bought an old car but it was in a very bad state.The engine was not only worn out but the gearbox was full of sawdust as well.He could neither drive it nor sell it nor even give it away.

Don't complain that life is too unfair to you just because life simply does not know who you are.