Unit 2 words and useful expressions

1. Unit 2 words and useful expressions

2. Useful Expressions a gentle breeze 1.微风 2.支持 stand up for a man of principle 3.有原则的人 4.历史遗迹 a historic site 5.解放奴隶 liberate slaves

3. Useful Expressions 6.决定要做某事 be intent on doing sth. 7.轻轻的敲门声 a soft knock 8.铸铁 iron molding spread the news 9.报告消息 10.宗教信仰 religious convictions

4. Useful Expressions 11.得到庇护 find refuge 12.下一段行程 next leg of the journey 13.主要路线 principal routes face risks 14.面临危险 15.课以罚金 impose a fine

5. Useful Expressions 16.记录 keep a log of 17.路标 road signs 18.出殡队伍 a funeral procession a virgin land 19.未开垦的土地 in the eyes of (sb.) 20.在(某人)看来

6. Language Points: 1.  Slender: (of people) slim; not very wide but comparatively long or high • Although her face was quite plain, she had long, slender expressive hands, like a concert pianist. • King crabs have long, slender legs, with a span over 1 meter (3 feet). Synonym: lean, narrow, slight, thin; fragile, spindly, skinny Anonym: fat, obese, plump, paunchy, chubby, stout 2.  Settlement: a place where people have come to settle • Manhattan was the site of the original Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam. • The village is a settlement of fifty houses. Syn: Community, colony, camp, outpost

7. 3. Confident: feeling or showing thrust in oneself or one’s ability (usu. Followed by about/of/that clause) • Michael was confident that he would be enrolled by Harvard University. • The more familiar you are with this machine, the more confident you will be about using it. • The soccer team is quite confident of being able to win this important game. 4. Give up: abandon an attempt to do sth. • He’s given up smoking since his illness. • The rescue team had given up all hope of finding the two divers alive. • She was working part-time but she suddenly gave up. Syn: abandon, give up, quit, desert, discard

8. 5.Ironically: it seems ironic (that) • Ironically the widespread use of antibiotics seems to be causing a lot of unexpected health problems. • Ironically it is often the poorer people who give the most. • Ironically, most people came to watch the match on the day it poured with rain. 6.Racial: relating to a person’s race, or to different races of people • Slavery is closely associated with racial prejudice, the belief that one race is superior to another. • Mandela was elected President in South Africa’s first multi-racial elections, held in 1994. c.f.:ethnic: of a nation, or tribal group that has a common cultural group. • ethnic minorities/groups/communities • In China, there exists ethnic problems rather than racial problems.

9. 7. Stand up (for sb./sth.): speak, work, etc. in favour of sb./sth.; support sb./sth. • You have to be prepared to stand up for the things you believe in. • Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. • Always stand for your friends. 8. Historic:famous or important history • In his book, Churchill recalls that historic first meeting with Roosevelt. • More money is needed for the preservation of historic buildings and monuments. C.f.: historical (见后面的详解）

10. 9. Site: place where a building, town, etc. was, is or will be situated • The local government hasn’t yet chosen the site for the new skyscraper. • There are many archaeological sites in southern England. • This monument marks the site of the battle. • Rescue workers rushed to the site of the plane crash. 10. Mission: particular task or duty undertaken by an individual or a group • Some delegates were immediately sent to Israel. Their mission was to negotiate a ceasefire. • The five young people have been on a mission to help the Cambodians. • My mission in life is to help poor people.

11. 11.Forge: (fig): create by means of much hard work The two countries agreed to forge closer economic ties. • She forged a new career for herself as a singer. Syn: mould, cast, shape 12. Underground: in or into secrecy or hiding • His mother took him to Hong Kong where she worked in the underground communist movement. • For about thirty years the African National Congress (ANC) operated as an underground organization. 13. Web: network of fine threads spun by a spider or some other spinning creature; complex series or network • The little boy was frightened by the spider’s web in the window. • Every day thousands of we surfers flock to this popular site, posting messages.

12. 14.  Liberate: set free Examples: The new Afghan government is trying to liberate its people from poverty with international help. Many commercial and public organizations now have their own Web site and publish a “home page”, giving information about the organization. The troop’s aim is to liberate the country by the end of the year. Other usage: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity

13. 15. Authorize: give approval or permission for (sth.); give authority to • The central government authorized $200 billion to construct new dams to generate cheap hydroelectric power. The President requested that Congress authorize the presence of US troops in the eastern region. He was obliged by the arguments of the Minister of Labor to authorize a 23 per cent general wage increase. Syn: legalize, allow, approve, entitle

14. 16. Exploit: brave or adventurous deed or action • The general’s wartime exploits were later made into a film and a television series. • My grandfather entertained us with stories of wartime exploits. 17.Be intent on doing sth.: be eager and determined to do sth. • Working day and night, Janet seems intent on breaking the record in the Guinness Book of Records.

15. 18. Peer: look closely or carefully, esp. as if unable to see well (followed by at/through/into, etc.) • Stephen had been peering at a computer printout that made no sense at all. • Hawking was a typical grind, underweight and awkward and peering through eyeglasses. Syn: stare, gaze, glance, gawp, gape 19.Decade: period of ten year • Many countries were involved in Antarctic exploration during the first decades of the 20th century. • Education budgets have been increased over the last decade in China. Other usage: deca- 十；mono- 一; dual- 二; tri- 三; quad- 四; penta-五; hexa-六; hept-七; oct-八;

16. 20. On the side: as an additional job or source of income; secretly • Some teachers have to find ways of making some money on the side. • In order to earn money to send his children to school, he makes a little money on the side by cleaning windows in his spare time. 21. Capture: capturing or being captured • Rebel forces captured the city after a week-long battle. • Some of the terrorists who were involved in the 9.11 event captured by the FBI. • The whole town celebrated when two tanks were captured.

17. 22. Close in (on/around): come near to, esp. in order to attack from several directions; surround • At one time Peter took part in the capture of three thieves. • The International Whaling Commission permits the capture of only 400 whales annually for scientific purposes. Vt. • Hitler committed suicide as Soviet forces were closing in on Berlin. • Right after the suicide exploration, Israel troops began to close in on the Palestinian city.

18. 23. Painful: causing pain, hurting • Symptoms of pneumonia include painful cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, rapid breathing and chest pain. • The old photograph brought back painful memories of his childhood.

19. 24. Religious: of religion • Daoism (Taoism) is one of the three main Chinese religious and philosophical traditions, the others being Confucianism and Buddhism. • The local government wants to increase the amount of religious education in schools. 25. Conviction: firm opinion or belief • The old woman had a firm conviction that there would be a better life after death. • A non-believer, Tom doesn't have any religious convictions. • It is her personal conviction that all corruption should be exposed and dealt with according to relevant laws.

20. 26. Terminal: (building at the) end of a railway line, bus route, etc.; a piece of equipment, usu. Consisting of a keyboard and a screen, which connects the user with a computer system. • Most large airports have shops, restaurants, and banks in the terminal building, plus special lounges for departing passengers. • All staff have terminals attached to the company’s main computer.

21. 27. Impose: 1) place a (penalty, tax, etc.) officially on sb./sth. • The government has made a decision to impose a further tax on wines and spirits. • The local government tried to impose fines on the factories, which poured untreated waste into the river. 2) try to make sb. Accept (an opinion or a belief) • I wouldn’t want to impose my religious conviction on anyone. • It may not be wise for parents to impose their own tastes on their children.

22. 28. As for: with regard to • As for your request for a free sample, we will send it to you in anout ten days. • Some people have complained, but as for me I’m perfectly satisfied with the working conditions here. 29. Transport: take sth./sb. from one place to another in a vehicle. • Reducing the costs of transporting natural resources to production sites is one of the sky factors in economic competition. • Pipelines are used mainly to transport liquids or gases over long distances.

23. 30. Disguise: Give sb./sth. a false appearance (used in the pattern disguise sb./sth. as) • She disguised herself as a man so she could fight on the battlefield. • Jack escaped across the border disguised as a Catholic priest. 31. abolish: end the existence of (a law, custom, system, etc.) • Slavery was not finally abolished in the British Empire until 1833. • Their mission is to abolish the global fur industry permanently by utilizing appropriate legal and non-violent methods.

24. 32. Make the best of: accept an unsatisfactory situation cheerfully and try to manage as well as you can • I know it’s cold and raining but we’re here now, so let’s just make the best of it. • The living conditions in the village were very poor, but we had to make the best of it. 33. Compel: make (sb.) do sth.; force • In the past children were frequently compelled to work from an early age. • A large debt burden compelled many developing countries to undertake stabilization and adjustment policies. • Duty compelled the soldiers to volunteer for the mission. • An energy crisis compels fuel conservation

25. 34. At risk: threatened by the possibility of loss, failure, etc.; in danger • It is reported that some areas in the west are at high risk of desertification. • The buildings in the slum tend to be overcrowded, inadequately served by water and at risk from fire. • At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I must refuse your offer. 35. Starve: (cause a person or an animal to) suffer severely or die from hunger • Some people starved to death during the long drought. • Children in the developed counties are living a happy life, while many African children are starving. • (figu.)She's lonely, and starving for companionship.

26. 36. In the eyes of: in the opinion of • In the eyes of his students, Richard is a sensible and reliable teacher. • In the eyes of my parent, I am still a young person although I am already in my thirties. • The practice of religion in America sometimes seems strange in the eyes of the European. • In the eyes of law, he was innocent, though some people wouldn't’t think so. 37. Pass for: appear like; be accepted or looked upon as (same as pass as) • He speaks American English well enough to pass for an American. • My younger sister really wants to go and see the film, but I don’t think she’d pass for 18. 

27. Difficult words analysis slender, thin & slim 这几个词都有细小、瘦弱之意。 slender主要表示苗条之瘦，往往含有瘦得好看或匀称的意思。例如： Film actress Zhang Ziyi is a slender woman. 电影演员章子怡身材苗条。 When the wind blows, the slender tree bends but never breaks. 起风时，这棵细长的树常弯曲但决不会断。 thin 表示人或物的直径与长度的比例较小。例如： This metal may be thin but is of great strength. 这种金属虽然很薄，但强度却很高。 People usually get thinner after an illness. 生病后，人们通常变得瘦一些。

28. 用于指人与动物时，其含义与slender相同，但在引申意义上却侧重于贫乏和不足状态。例如：用于指人与动物时，其含义与slender相同，但在引申意义上却侧重于贫乏和不足状态。例如： slim As a slim boy, he has now filled out. Article1_W_POPWIN_slender3 他原是一个清瘦的男孩，现在胖多了。 To tell you the truth, your chances to pass the exam are too slim. 实话告诉你，你考试过关的希望实在是太小了。 against one’s principle 违反原则 as a matter of principle 作为原则性问题 by principle 按照原则，根据原则 有原则的 of principle 坚持原则 adhere to one’s principles abandon one’s principles 抛弃原则

29. historic & historical 这两个词都是形容词，都有“历史上的”之意。 Article3_W_popwin_historic1 historic泛指历史上有名的或富有历史意义的。例如： This change in government is a historic event of our times. 这项政府变革是当代具有历史意义的大事。 The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a historic occasion. 《独立宣言》的签署是具有历史意义的事件。 historical主要意思是属于历史的，历史上的，与历史有关的，真实的而不是传说中的。例如： He gave all his historical papers to the library. 他把他所有的历史资料都赠送给这个图书馆。 at all risks (=at any risk) 无论冒什么危险；无论如何 at the risk of 冒……之险；不顾……之风险

30. peer: vi. look closely or carefully, esp. as if unable to see well (followed by at/through/into, etc.) peer, gaze & stare 这三个词都是动词，都有注视、凝视之意。 peer通常指半闭着眼睛看，并伴随着向前移动，含有好奇地看或难以看清的意味。例如： The old man peered at her over his spectacles. 老头儿从他的眼镜上方盯着她。 Short-sighted people often peer at others when they are wearing no glasses. 近视眼的人不戴眼镜时常常眯着眼看人。 gaze指持久不停地看，通常有惊奇、羡慕、感叹等含义。例如： All of us gazed at the beautiful view in the distance. 我们都凝视着远方美丽的景色。 Stare指出于好奇、惊讶、茫然或赞叹等原因而瞪大眼睛长时间、 直接地注视The woman stared at the stranger in astonishment. 那个女人吃惊地盯着陌生人。