1. …。It was asserting the impossibility of miracles that he discovered his extraordinarypowers.正是在他斬釘截鐵地說奇跡不可能發生的時候，他發現了自己的特異功能。

…was saying / stating clearly and forcefully that there were no such things as miracles.

assert vt.斷言；（堅決）主張，維護

He asserted his judgment to be right. 他斷言自己的判斷是對的。

miracle： a surprising and welcome act or event which does not follow the known law

of nature and is therefore thought to be caused by God 奇跡

power： a particular ability of the body or mind能力，才能；體力，精力

special： 特別的， 格外的when writing a composition， he pays special attention to the correctness of grammar.寫作文時，他特別注意語法的正確。

extraordinary： 非凡的， 異乎尋常的He had acquired an extraordinary command of the English language.他對英語語言的掌握非凡的好。

2. Toddy Beamish opposed everything he said by a monotonous but effective “So you say，” and drove him to the limit of his patience. 無論他說什么，托德。 比米什都說同一句單調卻又很起作用的話加以反對：“這可是你說的，”這真使他忍無可忍。

Whatever he said， Toddy Beamish world disagree and say “ That's only what you say， in a dull and unchanging， but effective way； this made him so angry that he could no longer put up with it.

So you say：是你這么說的（意思是：事實并非如此）

drive ******************. + adj/prep. phrase/to do sth： cause or force ******************. to go into a specific unpleasant state or to do a specific thing…… 將某人逼入不悅的境地；迫使某人去做 …。

Unemployment and the death of his wife drove him to desperation. 失業和他的妻子死去把他逼向絕望。

Hunger drove him to steal. 饑餓使他去偷竊。

the limit of one's patience.忍無可忍，無法忍受

The unceasing cries of the children almost drove me the limit of my patience. 孩子不停的哭聲幾乎使我無法忍受。

3. Mr. Fotheringay determined to make an unusual effort 佛澤林蓋先生決心作出點不尋常的事來。

determine to do/ be determined to do決心 ， 決定，決意，下定決心

My mother is determined that I should enter business after graduation. 我母親決意要我畢業后從商。