本来

He relaxed his grip on her arm.

他本来抓着她的胳膊，现在松开了手。

I was supposed to be writing a letter but I'm afraid I got sidetracked.

我本来应该在写信，但后来恐怕是分心干别的去了。

It should have been a simple matter to check.

检查核对本来应该是件简单的事情。

His wife had wanted to whitewash his reputation after he died.

他妻子在他死后本来想粉饰他的名声。

You had your chance and you blew it.

你本来有机会，却没有抓住。

Originally, we had intended to go to Italy, but then we won the trip to Greece.

我们本来打算去意大利，但后来获得机会去了希腊。

He wouldn't have accepted such an inglorious outcome.

他本来不会接受这种不光彩的结局。

The song was originally a filler on their first album.

这首歌在他们第一张专辑中本来是用来凑时间的。

He withdrew his remarks and explained what he had meant to say.

他收回所说的话，然后又解释他本来想说什么。

It's in-your-face feminism, and it's meant to shock.

这是特立独行的女性主义，它本来就是想惊世骇俗。

She was furtive and vicious by temperament.

她本来做事就偷偷摸摸，心肠狠毒。

The faulty left-hand engine failed catastrophically as the aircraft approached the airport.

飞机快到机场时，本来有故障的左引擎突然熄火，引发了灾难。

They're making efforts to streamline their normally cumbersome bureaucracy.

他们正努力精简本来繁冗复杂的官僚体制。

An unlimited number of copies can still be made from the original.

仍可以由原件复印出无数份副本来。

I tried to take a short cut and got lost.

我本来想抄近路，结果却迷路了。

Do you believe that men are not naturally monogamous?

你相信人类并非本来就是一夫一妻制的吗？

Oh, those books! I meant to put them away before this afternoon.

哦，那些书！我本来要在下午之前收起来的。

I didn't want a part in the play, then I thought ─ stuff it ─ why not?

我本来没想在剧中扮演角色，然后又一想——管它呢——干吗不演？

The situation might all too easily have become a disaster.

这形势本来是很可能成为一场大灾难的。

I'd rather see it at the pictures than on video anyway.

我本来就宁可去电影院看，而不是看录像。

The accident could have been much worse; luckily no harm was done.

这次事故本来可能糟糕得多；所幸没有造成伤害。

The accident could have been avoided.

这个事故本来是可以避免的。

The report might have been better written.

这份报告本来可以写得更好。

There's no denying that quicker action could have saved them.

无可否认，如果行动快一点，本来是救得了他们的。

I didn't know they grew rice in France.

我本来不知道法国也种稻子。

Too much salt masks the true flavour of the food.

太多的盐会盖住食物本来的味道。

The accident could have been prevented.

这次事故本来是可以防止的。

We were going to wallpaper that room anyway.

反正我们本来就打算在那间屋里贴墙纸的。

I wouldn't have missed this summer in England for anything.

我本来说什么也不会错过在英格兰的这个夏季的。

The resources at our disposal could have been better utilized.

我们所掌握的资源本来可以利用得更好，获得更高的效益。