Her attempts to learn to drive had been a miserable failure.

【miserable，miserably】她学开车的尝试彻底失败了。

Happening to catch a glimpse of her face as she was speaking, and noticing that her attempt at heartiness was a miserable failure, he appeared to have misgivings.

正说着，瞥见她的脸，又见她想表现得爽朗，却惨遭失败，他似乎心生疑虑。