精品英语文档：我好高兴.doc

Unit One The English LanguageText One English Is a Queer LanguagePre-reading questions: Do you think language is something queer? How about 我好高兴 and 我好不高兴?Do you think English is a queer language? Lets look at the following examples:Eat what you can and can what you cannot.When is the train to leave? Two to two.These are examples of homonyms, with the same pronunciation and different meaning. Also there are English words with the same spelling but different pronunciation and different meaning. Can you give me some examples?lead vs. lead, tear vs. tear, wind vs. wind, etc.I think weve chosen the right person to lead the expedition.My joke about the alcoholic went down like a lead balloon.Did you notice the tears in his eyes when he talked about Diane?You have to be very careful with books this old because the paper tends to tear very easily.The weather forecast warned of winds of up to 60-miles-an-hour today.That noise you can hear is the tape winding back.English is not only queer; it may even drive us crazy. Lets look at the two poems on tense times with words and the spellbound.Arent these examples interesting? The text were going to deal with today touches another interesting aspect of the English language phrasal verbs. “English is a Queer Language” was written by Alice Hamilton in 1959, on Atlantic Monthly, pp. 51-52. It is one of the two pieces this American physician wrote on the English language, which reflected on the incongruities of the language, principally as observed by the Petrzelka family. About the English LanguageEnglish is now being used as a world language, for international communication. Almost every educated person can speak some English and it seems if you can speak a little English, you can travel around the world without much trouble. But the English language is first a national language - its the language of the British people. Now let me introduce to you the brief history of the English language: English is a member of the Indo-European family, a descendant of the Germanic branch. It belongs to the smaller family of western Germanic languages. The first English-speaking people were some Germanic tribes from the Northern European continent, mainly the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in todays southern Denmark. These tribes finished their conquest of the British Isles in 449. So the mid 5cc can be seen as a formal start of the language and the British people.In Latin and early Germanic languages, Angles were called Angli, coming from the noun “angle”. This is a reference to their former residence in the European continent, which is like a sharp angle extending into the South Baltic Sea. In old English, Angli becomes Engle, after the Great vowel shift. As among the three Germanic tribes that took residence in Britain, the Angles took the majority, in Old English, Angelcynn, Angle-race, refers to the three tribes in general. Therefore, England, land of the Angles, refers to the land the three tribes reside in while English refers to their common language Old English. A question for you to think about after class: Why its English, instead of some other imperial languages, for example, French or Spanish, that is being used as an international language today?Introductiona number of A number of things is several of them.I decided not to go for a number of reasons.Any number of things is a lot of them.There are any number of kinds of pasta on sale in that shop.Pay attention to the verb form when a number of things is used as the subject:A small number of children are educated at home.(slightly formal) A small number of children is educated at home.A large number of (= Many) invitations have been sent.(slightly formal) A large number of invitations has been sent.phrasal verb: a group of words that act like a verb and consist usually of a verb with an adv. and/or a prep.eg. see (sth.) through/look for (sth.)defy ( v. ): to refuse to obey or behave in the usual or expected wayHow long will those criminals continue to defy the law! The fact that aircraft dont fall out of the sky always seems to me to defy (= act against) the law of gravity. 违背重力定律The teams defied the snow to play the semi-final match (= they played despite the snow). 不顾下雪的天气，进行了半决赛。(figurative) The chaos at the airport defies description (= is impossible to describe).If you defy someone to do something, you tell them to do something that you think will be impossible. I defy you to tell where Ive painted over the scratch on my car. + object + to infinitive 我倒要问问你defiance, defiantThe demonstration is a pointless act/gesture of defiance against the government.这一示威游行是反抗政府的无谓举动/表态。 In defiance of the ceasefire, rebel troops are again firing on the capital. 无视停火协议a defiant attitude/gesture 违抗的态度/姿态Some teachers find it difficult to deal with defiant students. 不顺从的学生The Prime Minister was in defiant mood in the House of Commons yesterday.昨天首相在下议院里无视不同的政见。 Common sense is the basic level of practical knowledge and wisdom that we all need to help us live in a reasonable and safe way.Dont touch that light switch with wet hands! Use your common sense. commonsensical - having or of a practical or reasonable way of thinking or actingCommonsensical or not, a decision to call a halt to the arms race will not be easy.I think women are more commonsensical than men.Linguistically oriented as it is, the essay does not make heavy reading.Paraphrase: Although the essay discusses language matters, it is not difficult to read and understand.1) oriented( v. + -ed): giving a great deal of time, effort, or attention to something (This is a combining form, showing the direction in which something is aimed. ) Oriented shows the direction in which something is aimed.export-oriented industries 以外贸为主的产业democratically-oriented votes 民主投票a poor but education-oriented family 贫穷但注重教育的家庭The Department of Education wants colleges to put more emphasis on practical, career-oriented teaching. 教育部要高等学府更多地把重点放在实际的、面向职业的教学上。 2) as( conj. ): introduces an inverted structure for emphasisCold as it was, John went swimming. = Although it was cold .Rich as she is, she counts every penny. = Although she is rich. 3）make have certain necessary qualities for sth.Im sure youll make a very good teacher.The hall would make an ideal venue for wedding reception. anecdotal ( adj. ): containing short, interesting or amusing stories about particular persons or events.anecdotal approach: a way of talking about something by employing interesting or amusing storiesanecdote ( a. ) eg. Do you like to read anecdotes about Hollywood stars.?approach : way of dealing with thingsSince our research so far has not produced any answers to this problem, we need to adopt a different approach to it.Ive just read an interesting book which has a new approach (new way of considering) to Shakespeare. 我刚读了一本挺有趣的书，用一种新的途径来研究莎士比亚。Im not sure how to approach the problem. （deal with sth.）learn about：get some knowledge about sth.Kids can have fun and learn about music at the same time. We were shocked when we learnt about/of his sudden death.Paragraph 1(L4) . never before had I.: an inverted word order in which never before is used at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. A number of other words are also used in this way:Never again shall we argue in public.Little do I know about her history.Seldom did he write home during those years abroad. (L4-5) A has nothing/something/much/little to do with Bhave/be to do with somebody/something：to be about something, be related to something, or be involved with something:Their conversation had been largely to do with work.Im sorry about the accident, but its nothing to do with me (=I am not involved in any way).This question doesnt have anything to do with the main topic of the survey.Im sure her problems have something to do with what happened when she was a child.Scientific development has much to do with exploration, something to do with speculation, and little to do with luck. (L5) the latter: denoting the second or second mentioned of two, usually used in combination with the former, the first or first mentioned of two Jack and Bill are twins, but the latter is taller than the former.Where unemployment and crime are high, it can be assumed that the latter is due to the former. (L6) identical (adj.): the same to/withfour identical housesThis coat is identical with the one I used to have.The picture is identical to the one in the museum of Modern Art in New York.The tablets were identical in size, shape, and colour.The sisters were identical in appearance and character. (L5-7) . never before had I realized that going may have nothing to do with the verb to go, though the latter has its own present participle which seems identical.Paraphrase: Though to go has the same present participle form as going, going in this case is quite different from the verb to go. Yet I have never noticed or thought about it.(L6) deal with: to be connected with; to be aboutToms new book deals with the troubles in Ireland.Her new film deals with the relationship between a woman and her ill daughter.Do you have any books that deal with rail travel in France?The author has tried to deal with (= write about) a very difficult subject.(L7) see sb./sth, through: to continue with something until the end; to help somebody outsee something throughto continue doing something until it is finished, especially something difficult or unpleasant:Itll take a lot of effort to see the project through.Once Charles started a job, he saw it through till it was finished.see somebody through (something)to give help and support to someone during a difficult time:Setting goals should help see you through.Ive got enough money to see me through six months of unemployment.During her early working years Jennifer encountered many difficulties, but Mrs. Miller always saw her through.Compare:see through sb./sth.: to recognize the truth about (an excuse, a false statement, a deceiving person, etc.); not to be deceived byShe had learned to see through her boyfriends deceptions. 看穿了他的欺骗I could never lie to her because I know shed see through me straight away.He knew his father well enough to see through his laughter and realized he was upset about what had happened. 看穿他的笑容(L8) to be tired out: to be totally exhaustedBy the time we got there, we were tired out.We were all really tired out (= very much in need of rest or sleep) after our long journey.(L9) idiomatic (adj.): typical of the natural speech of a native speaker of a languageidiomatic expression/phrase - an idiom- typical of the natural way in which someone speaks or writes when they are using their own language:He had the ability to write fluent and idiomatic English.Their books are translated into idiomatic English.idiom( n.): a group of words in a fixed order having a particular meaning, different from the meaning of each word understood on its ownFull of beans is an idiom which means lively and energetic.To be on top of the world is an idiom that means to be very happy.Dont bite off more than you can chew. = Dont try to do something that is too difficult for you.Im hard up. = I am short of money. = I have no money.Paragraph 2(L10)(1) capacity ( n. ): the ability to understand or do somethinga childs capacity for learninga capacity to think in an original wayEinsteins capacity for abstract thinking was remarkable.She has a great capacity for hard work. Ccapacity to do somethinga capacity to think in an original way(2) beyond: outside or after (a stated limit)My job goes beyond just teaching my aim is to encourage the children to think for themselves.His thoughtlessness is beyond belief. 他的轻率不可思议。She has always lived beyond her means. 入不敷出The whole problem was quite beyond him. too difficult for him to understandbeyond ones capacity to do sth: (somebody) being unable to do somethingeg. This puzzling usage of Chinese is beyond my capacity to explain. His behavior is puzzling, beyond my capacity to explain.(L12-13) miss the bus: to fail to catch the busI missed the start of the exam because my bus was late.Often I miss (= do not eat) breakfast and have an early lunch instead.I was sorry I missed (= did not see) you at Pats party - I must have arrived after you left. TComparemiss sb.: to feel sorry or unhappy at the absence of somebodyI really miss my friends in Scotland.He really missed his girlfriend when she went away.What did you miss most about England when you were living France?Paragraph 3even: used to emphasize a comparisonThis will make our job even more difficult.The news was even worse than we expected.The next 36 hours will be even colder with snow showers becoming more widespread.Any devaluation of sterling would make it even more difficult to keep inflation low.英镑的任何贬值都会导致更难保持低通货膨胀。We can use even, much, a great deal, etc. to modify a comparison, but not “very”.It will become much cooler in the next few weeks.I have seen a great deal more of him than you in the past few years.(L19) cellar (n.): a room under the ground floor of a building (usually used for storage)(L20) while (conj.): ( indicating contrast between ideas, as in the context here)It is night with the Americans, while it is day with us.Some students think physics is easy, while others think it is hard.I do every single bit of housework while he just does the dishes now and again.I spend two hours getting ready to go out while Roz is ready in ten minutes!(L21) attic (n.): a space or room at the top of a building, under the roof (often used for storage)burn up vs. burn down:1if something burns up or is burnt up, it is completely destroyed by fire or heat:The satellite will burn up as it re-enters the earths atmosphere.burn something upMost of the woodland has now been burnt up.2 burn something upinformalto use a lot of something in a careless way:Most household appliances burn up loads of electricity.He just burns up money!3 be burning up: (spoken) if someone is burning up, they are very hot, usually because they are ill:Feel his forehead - hes burning up.4 burn somebody up(American English) informalto make someone very angry:The way he treats her really burns me up.5 burn something upto use energy that is stored in your body, by being physically active:As we get older, our body becomes less efficient at burning up calories.burn down (phrasal verb)1if a building burns down or is burned down, it is destroyed by fire:She was worried that the house might burn down while they were away.burn something downThe old town hall was burnt down in the 1970s.2if a fire burns down, the flames become weaker and it produces less heatParagraph 4either: used when referring to a choice between two possibilitiesDo you prefer pork or beef? I dont like either.Would you like the metal or plastic one? Either will do.You can get there by train or bus - either way/in either case itll take an hour.either orI either left it at home or in the car - I cant remember which.Either you leave now or I call the police!You can also use either to mean both.Unfortunately I was sitting at the table with smokers on either side of me.An either-or situation is one in which there is a choice between two different plans of action but both together are not possible.Its an either-or situation - we can buy a new car this year or we can go on holiday but we cant do both. 两者只能择其一“No,” I said, “it does not.” About the punctuation marks. “Your information,” I replied, “is out of date.”“Yes, I suppose so,” he said. “Its difficult, isnt it?”slow down/up: to make slowerSlow down/up, you two, youre walking too fast! ISlow down/up - I cant follow what youre saying when you speak so fast! IThe doctor has told him to slow down/up (= be less active and relax more) or hell have a heart-attack. I 放慢生活节奏They slowed the film down to see if they could identify any of the faces. M 减慢电影的放映速度，看看能否辨认出任何面孔。slowdown a reduction in speed, activity or the rate that things are produceda worldwide economic slowdown 全球性经济减退The up phrases in this paragraph.1）hurry up (L27): To hurry (up) or hurry something up means to act or do something more quickly than you had been doing it.Hurry (up), or well miss the train. ICould you hurry the children up, or their dinner will get cold. MId like you to hurry up your report, please. M2）clean up (L27): to clean thoroughly and remove anything unwantedIts a good idea to clean down (= remove dirt from) the woodwork before you paint it. Well go out as soon as Ive cleaned up (= removed the dirt from) the kitchen.Im fed up with cleaning up after you (= removing dirt that you have made).Its time you gave your bedroom a good clean-up.Residents have called for a clean-up campaign to keep their streets free from rubbish. 开展一次清洁卫生运动The phrase clean up has several other meanings:We need a mayor who is tough enough to clean up this town (= remove illegal or dishonest activity from it). 净化城市，清除城市的违法犯罪活动This town is full of drunks and swindlers - it could really use a good clean-up (= it needs to have dishonest people and criminals removed from it). 搞一次净化运动Some people think that television should be cleaned up (= that there should be less sex and violence on it). 清除电视中的色情和暴力To clean up your act is to start to obey certain laws or generally a