补充注释 Unit 3 Inventors and Inventions

Unit 3 Inventors and inventions补充注释1. Here was a chance for me to distinguish myself by inventing something that would catch snakes but not harm them. 这回我有机会表现一下自己了，我要发明一个既能捉住蛇又不会伤害它们的东西。distinguish oneself：to cause（oneself）to be eminent or recognized使自己与众不同；使自己出名。例如：They have distinguished themselves as dedicated social workers. 他们以全心全意的社会工作者而著称。distinguish vt vi. 有以下几个意思：1）辨别；辨认。例如：I can distinguish them at a distance. 从远处我能认出他们。2）（常与from, between连用）区别；区分。例如：Can you distinguish the different musical instruments playing now? 你能区分出正在演奏的各种不同的乐器吗?Can you distinguish between those two objects? 你能区分那两个物体吗?3）（常与from连用）使别于；有特点。例如：Speech distinguishes men from animals. 语言把人和动物区别开来。Elephants are distinguished by their long trunks. 象因为有长鼻子而有别于其它动物。2. I set about researching the habits of snakes so I could trap them in the easiest way. 于是我着手研究蛇的习性，以便我能用最容易的方法捉住它们。set about = set out：to begin or start着手；开始。例如：He set about solving the problem as soon as he arrived there. = He set out to solve the problem as soon as he arrived there. 他一到那儿就着手解决问题。Bell never set out to invent the telephone. 贝尔从未打算发明电话。set out的另一个意思为“动身”、“出发”，后面常跟介词for。例如：They have set out（=set off）for Shanghai. 他们已出发到上海去了。3. This was in the expectation that the snakes would bite again. 这是（因为我）预料到蛇还会再咬人。 Expectation n. firm belief that sth will happen预料；期待。例如： Theres no expectation of snow tonight. 今晚预计无雪。 We waited at the station in expectation of her arrival. 我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 4. But monitored carefully, the snakes proved to be no trouble and all went according to plan. 经过仔细的监视，证明这些蛇不会惹麻烦，一切都按计划进行着。 monitor 1）vt. to check by means of an electronic receiver for significant content, such as military, political, or illegal activity利用监听器或监视器来监听、收听、收视重要内容，如有关军事、政治或非法活动的内容。例如： They have been monitoring the enemys radio broadcasts to try to find out their secret plans. 他们一直在监听敌方的电台广播，设法查探他们的秘密计划。 2）to keep close watch over；supervise密切监视；监督。例如：The teacher is monitoring an examination. 老师正在监考。 prove 1）vt. show that sth is true or certain by means of argument or evidence证明；证实。例如：He has proved his courage in battles. 他已在战斗中证明了自己的勇气。Facts prove that the creative power of people knows no limits. 事实证明人民的创造力是无穷的。2）vi. be seen or found to be；turn out to be原来（是）；证明（是）。例如： The methoddrug proved（to be）highly effective. 这个方法这种药被证明是非常有效的。My advice proved to be wrong. 我的意见被证实是错的。 5. Only after you have had that recognition can you say that you are truly an inventor. 只有你得到这种承认，你才能说你真的是一个发明家。 only修饰状语，置于句首，主句的语序需要倒装。此句如改成正常语序应是：You can say that you are truly an inventor only after you have had that recognition. 又如： Only by working hard can we pass the exams. 某些否定词置于句首，表示强调时也引起倒装。如：never, seldom, hardly, neither, nor, not, only, little等。如课文中另一句： Nor will you receive a patent until a search has been made to find out that your product really is different from everybody elses. 又如： Never have I seen such an exciting film. Little did I know what was about to happen. 6. The criteria are so strict that it is difficult for new ideas to be accepted unless they are truly novel. 评定专利的标准非常严格，因此除非设想真的很新颖，否则很难被接受。 这里that引导结果状语从句。主句和从句是原因与结果的关系，译作“因此”。例如： She spoke so fast that few of us could follow her. 她讲话太快，我们很少有人能听得懂。 She described the events so graphically that I could almost see them. 她把那些事件描述得活灵活现，我几乎能够亲眼目睹了。 7. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. 偶尔离开平路深入到树林中去。（即鼓励人们自己去探索新生事物。） beaten track踩出来的路；惯例。又如： They live miles off the beaten track. 他们住的地方远离人烟。 dive vt. 1）to go headfirst into water潜入；跳水。例如： He dived into the river and rescued the drowning child. 他跳到水中，救起那快要溺死的小孩。 2）to move quickly in a specified direction扑去；冲去。例如： When the rain started, we dived into a cafe. 雨下了起来，我们立即跑进了一家小餐馆。 8. Although he will always be known for his invention of the telephone, he was in truth a contin