回老友函

March 10, 2005
Dear Robert,
Thank you for your recent letter. I’m sorry I couldn’t reply sooner. I’ve been really busy at work. Sometimes it seems like I hardly have time to breathe. But my company is expanding, so there’s a lot to do. Competition is fierce, too, so I’m afraid to relax for fear of losing ground.
There’s not really much I can add. As I said, I’ve been busy working, so I haven’t had time for anything else. I would love to take a vacation, but I’d worry too much about my business to really enjoy it. Let’s keep in touch. It’s always good to hear from old friends. I promise to write back, even if it takes me a while.
Sincerely yours,
Terry Harris

亲爱的罗勃特：
谢谢你的来信。很抱歉我没有及时回信。我一直非常忙着工作。有时候似乎就像没有时间呼吸了。但因我的公司正在扩充之中，所以有许多事要做。此外，因为竞争很激烈，因此我怕放轻松以免失去优势。
我没有别的话说了。正如我所说，我一直忙着工作，所以我没有时间做任何别的事。我是想去度个假，但我会过于担心我的事业以致无法真正好好渡个假。咱们保持联络。接到老朋友的信总是好事。我承诺会回信给你，纵使那须要花我一些时间。
泰利‧哈力斯　敬上
2005年3月10日

字词解说：

1.recent 最近的
例:That band's recent albums haven't been as good as their older ones.
(那乐团最近出的专辑没有他们以前的好。)

2. reply 答复，回答
例:He hasn't replied to my email yet.
(他还没有回复我的电子邮件。)

3. breathe.呼吸
breath 呼吸
hold one's breath屏息静气;屏住呼吸
例:It's hard to breathe in this polluted area.
(在这个被污染的地区呼吸很困难。)
The diver can hold his breath for a long ime.
(潜水员可以屏住呼吸很久。)

4. expand 扩充/展/张
例:That company is always expanding.
(那家公司总是在扩张。)

5. competition 竞争，角逐
compete.竞争，角逐
in competition with…与……竞争/角逐
compete with…和……竞争/角逐
例:Pepsi is in competition with Coca-Cola for this market.
(百事可乐和可口可乐正在竞争这个市场。)
Susie had to compete with five other women for that job.
(苏西必须和其他五个女人角逐那份工作。)

6. fierce .激/猛烈的
例:They had a fierce argument over politics.
(他们激烈地争论政治。)

7. relax仁ri lxks} vi.放松，轻松
例:Carl is so busy that he never has time to relax.
(卡尔是那么的忙碌以致他从没有时间放轻松。)

8. for fear of.二以免……
例:Sharon is afraid to drive anywhere by herself for fear of getting lost.