takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I'm doing the right thing. I'm buying myself peace of mind and that's the best kind of insurance for my emotional well­being.

　　【语篇解读】　"我"认为英语中最悲伤的两个词是"if only"，因为它们表达了遗憾。父亲在"我"小时候经常告诉我们花费额外的时间也要把事情做好来避免遗憾，"我"听从父亲的建议并认为这样做是对的。

　　【难句分析】　I know there will still be occasions when I have to say "if only" about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality.

　　分析：该句是由but连接的表示并列的两个分句组成，其中在第一个分句中，"there will still be occasions when I have to say 'if only' about something"是省略了连接词that的宾语从句，从句中又使用了when引导的定语从句，修饰先行词occasions。在第二个分句中，动词不定式作目的状语。

　　译文：我知道，仍然将会有一些场合我不得不就一些事情说"if only"，但是由于我的准则是做一切可能的事情来避免那种事情的发生，我的生活毫无疑问会更加美好。

　　1．Why does the writer regard "if only" as two of the saddest words in the English language?

A．Because people use them when they feel sad.