Life now became rather difficult for the Durbeyfields．Without Prince to carry loads，John Durbeyfield could not buy and sell as he used to．He had never worked hard or regularly，and now he only occasionally felt like working．Tess wondered how she could help her parents．One day her mother made a suggestion．
德北一家的生活陷入了困境。沒有“王子”運貨，約翰·德北就不能像過去那樣做買賣了。他從來沒有堅持賣力地干過活兒，現(xiàn)在也就偶爾才會想找點活兒干。苔絲琢磨著怎樣才能幫上父母的忙。一天，她母親提出了一個建議。

解析：occasionally 偶爾地
eg: He makes mistakes occasionally, but not often.
他偶爾出錯，但不是經(jīng)常出錯。

suggestion 建議；提出
動詞原形為suggest 提議、建議
eg: Shall I give you a written suggestion?
需要我給您一份書面建議嗎？

‘It's lucky we've found out about your noble blood，Tess．Do you know there's a very rich lady called Mrs d’Urberville living on the other side of the wood？ She must be our relation．You must go to her and claim relationship with her，and ask for same help in our trouble．’
“苔絲，得知你有高貴的血統(tǒng)是件幸運的事。你知道在林子那頭兒有位非常有錢的德伯太太嗎？她準(zhǔn)是我們的親戚。你應(yīng)當(dāng)上她那兒去，說明和她的親戚關(guān)系。就說我們處境困難，請求她幫幫忙?！?/div>

解析：noble 高尚的、貴族的
eg: In just a few years, the great noble families were stripped of their privileges.
要不了幾年，大貴族的特權(quán)就被剝奪。

‘I wouldn't like to do that，’said Tess．‘If there is such a lady，it would be enough to be friendly．We can't expect help from her．’
“我不愿做這種事，”苔絲說，“如果真有這么一位太太，只要她對我們友善，就足夠了。我們不能指望從她那兒得到幫助?！?/div>

‘You could persuade anybody，my dear．Besides，something else might happen．You never know．’And her mother nodded wisely．
“你能打動任何人，親愛的。而且，也許會有別的什么你意想不到的事兒發(fā)生呢?！彼赣H自作聰明地點著頭。

解析：persuade 說服、勸說
eg: : I am trying to persuade him to give up the attempt.
我正力圖勸他放棄這種嘗試。

‘I'd rather try to get work，’said Tess sadly．
“我寧愿去找工作。”苔絲傷心地說。