正方翻译论坛 -> 译心译意 -> 陈清霖（等） 英语讲义 登录 -> 注册 -> 回复主题 -> 发表主题

<<  1   2   3   4  >>  Pages: ( 4 total )

seclusive 2007-12-20 10:53 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made the necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 ********** A FRIEND IN TROUBLE A: Tom, I heard that you lost your job several days ago. Is that true? B: Yes. I was fired. A: But why? B: When I was working in the company, my boss often found fault with me. I knew that he would fire me sooner or later. It depended on whether he could find a good excuse. One month ago, he asked me to be in charge of a special project that was a far cry from the usual ones. It required a great deal of investigation and analysis. However, he just gave me three days to finish it! Although I worked day and night, I could not finish it on time. As a consequence, my boss fired me. A: Oh! I am so sorry to hear that. What's your plan for the future? B: I just want to find a new job as soon as possible. As you know, it is difficult for me to make both ends meet without a job. A: Oh, I see. Such being the case, I think you can put up at my house for a while so that you don't have to pay the rental of your house. That will save a lot of money. B: Is that convenient? Your house is not very big and you have three children.... A: It doesn't matter. I will make room for you. B: But... A: Go ahead! Don't feel bad. B: I remember that, three years ago, when you were runing out of money, you asked me to lend you some but I refused. Now, when I need help, you do me a favour. You are so kind-hearted! A: Let bygones be bygones. We are good friends, aren't we? B: Yes, we are! A: OK. Let's fix things up. Now, I am going home to do the cleaning. I will give you a ring later. OK? B: OK. Bye! A: Bye! ************** REVISED VERSION A Friend in Trouble A: Tom, I heard that you had lost your job a few days ago. Is it true? B: yes, I was fired. A: You were fired? Why? B: The boss of the company often found fault with me. I knew he would fire me when he could find a good pretext. Last month, he put me in charge of a special project which required much research and analysis. However, he wanted me to complete it in three days. I worked day and night but failed to finish it on time. As a consequence, I was fired. A: Oh! No! What do you plan to do next? B: I have to find a new job as soon as possible. As you know, it is difficult to make both ends meet without a job. A: Such being the case, please put up at my house for the time being so that you can save the rental of the house. B: Is that convenient for you? Can you accommodate me together with your three children? A: No problem! I can make room for you. B: But.... A: Go ahead! Speak up! B: Three years ago, when you were running out of money, you asked me to lend you some cash, but I refused. Now, when I'm in trouble, you don't hesitate to come to my aid, How kind you are! A: Let bygones be bygones. We are good friends, aren't we? B: Yes, we are! A: Ok. Let's fix things up. But I've to go home to do the cleaning first and then give you a ring. OK? B: OK. Bye! A: Bye!

seclusive 2007-12-20 10:58 　　英语文字游戏中的Anagram，以单字字母变换顺序，将一字变为另一字，是相当有趣的拼字（spelling）游戏。例如作听解的LISTEN，可以拆开重拼成SILENT，变成了“静默”，不要出声：Silent and litsen！一句话中的字母，同样可以改变，例如：The nudist colony（亦作nudist camp，天体营）可以用同一字母改变而成：No untidy clothes。变成服装不整者禁止入内的告示了。 　　Guinness Book（吉尼斯世界记录大全）中录入最长的单字anagram（变换顺序单字字谜）之例中有：conservationist（自然环境保护论者）改了顺序变成：Conversationalist（擅长说话的人）。有人将这种文字游戏叫作“拆字游戏”，也有称之为“回文游戏”者。拆字重拼游戏中还有所谓scrambled word（啡友G说炒蛋是scrambled egg，炒字是scrambled word），给你一些乱排的字母，让你复原成原来的单字。这种游戏一般都先予提示，例如字谜单字是：RAYMENG, ANSIP, HINCA, WEDNES，提示要复原的是国名，你才能猜到它们分别是哪几个国家吧？

seclusive 2007-12-20 11:02 　　美国现任总统小布什任得克萨斯州长时的公开演说给名作家谢夫华伦蒂（Jeff Valenti）批评得体无完肤，然而小布什潜心研习演讲学，在九一一事件后第九天面对电视镜头发表的演说使这作家刮目相看。 　　谢夫：When he rose to speak on September 20, 2001, nine days after 911, it was one of the most extraordinary speeches I've ever heard. （二○○一年九月二十日，即九一一事件九天后，他站出来公开演说，那是我听过的最出色的讲辞之一。） 　　此时，镜头割切美国现任总统小布什那一节演说。 　　Terror unanswered can not only bring down buildings, it can threaten the stability of legitimate governments.（没受还击的恐怖行为不但可以撂倒建筑物，还可以威胁合法政府的稳定。） 　　注：句中unanswered为过去分词，用作后置形容词，修饰前面的名词terror。念高小初中的读者须留意形容词不一定放在名词之前。 　　And you know what, we're not going to allow it.（你们可要知道，我们不会容许这种事情发生。） 　　此时，镜头割切拍名作家谢夫华伦蒂的面部特写。这作家微微一笑，说：It was almost flawless.（这段演说近乎完美。） 　　注：口头英语（spoken English）多以代词起句，上句就是个实例。Flawless指“无瑕的”、“无懈可击的”、“完美的”。比方你想说“他的技巧无懈可击”，可说His technique is flawless。

seclusive 2007-12-27 12:15 　　Complete each sentence with a FAMILY WORD from the list. Be sure to use the correct word form. 　　1. absorb (v) 吸收、并吞、全神贯注；absorbent (adj) 有吸收力的；absorbing (adj) 有趣的；absorption (n) 吸收、专心 　　(1) Besides cotton, what other things can _________ water? 　　(2) Have you _________ what you have read or learned from class? 　　(3) Whenever I saw David, he was _________ in his work. 　　(4) Blotting-paper is a kind of _________ paper to dry wet ink. 　　(5) Let children read _________ tales and jokes, which can draw their attention better than books of a serious nature. 　　(6) Most of the students seemed to have a good _________ of the special lecture this morning. 　　(7) In ancient times, big states often _________ small ones, as if it were a matter of course. 　　(8) Too much _________ in extra-curricular activities has interfered with his school work. 　　2. accommodate (v) 供给住宿、容纳、给予方便、适应；accommodation (n) 住所、便利、适应；accommodating (adj) 肯行方便的 　　(1) How many students can that dormitory ___________ ? 　　(2) As a person of good reputation, any bank will ___________ you with the loan you want. 　　(3) Jason has ___________ his two friends for the night. 　　(4) It is important for a foreigner to ___________ himself to the new environment. 　　(5) It will be a great ___________ to me if you can give me a lift to the lecture hall. 　　(6) Whenever there is an international conference here, there is a shortage of hotel ___________. 　　(7) The ___________ of one's living habits to new social conditions takes time. 　　(8) Thank you for allowing me to sit here. You are so ___________. 　　3. antagonise(v)敌对、使成敌人；antagonism(n)对立；antagonist(n)敌手；antagonistic(adj)敌对的 　　(1) Tony likes to make sarcastic remarks, which often _________ others, even his close friends. 　　(2) When two fierce animals fight, one may die or be badly wounded by the _________ . 　　(3) The _________ between the two neighbours has been intensified by their recent friction. 　　(4) As a result of long-term suffering at the hands of their master, slaves are usually _________ to him. 　　4. caprice (n) 反复无常；capricious (adj)善变的；capriciously (adv) 善变地；capriciousness (n) 善变 　　(1) Comparatively speaking, women seem to be more _________ in their temper than men. 　　(2) Because of the _________ of weather recently, some fishermen have stayed at home instead of going fishing in the deep sea. 　　(3) If you go on acting _________, no one would like to work with you. 　　(4) The reason why more and more staff left is that they could not bear with their supervisor's emotional _________ . *************** 1.(1)absorb　(2)absorbed　(3)absorbed　(4)absorbent 　(5)absorbing (6)absorption (7)absorbed (8)absorption 2.(1)accommodate　(2)accommodate　(3)accommodated 　(4)accommodate　(5)accommodation 　(6)accommodation　(7)accommodation 　(8)accommodating 3.(1)antagonise　(2)antagonist　(3)antagonism 　(4)antagonistic 4.(1)capricious (2)caprice (3)capriciously (4)capriciousness

seclusive 2007-12-27 15:21 　　英语中以duck soup喻轻易的工作，因为杀鸭做汤轻而易举。啡友M说北京烤鸭有“一鸭二吃”和“一鸭三吃”等名堂，还没有包括鸭身上除肉和骨架以外可供食用的东西如鸭肫（亦称鸭珍）、鸭掌（凉拌下老酒最佳）、鸭舌、鸭翼（上海以前有小贩叫卖的：鸭膀、鸭舌头，也是下酒佳品。此外还有一味；鸭臊，鸭屁股也。煮熟的禽类屁股，不论是鸭臊、鸡臊或者鸽臊，都有人特别爱吃。家禽臀部，口语叫作Parson's nose，牧师的鼻子，亦作Pope's nose，神父的鼻子。啡友M说不知何以有此名称，可能由于家禽屁股突出翘起，pop up读歪了，而成为pope，然后由pope转成了parson。 　　不喝酒的朋友在宴会中遇到主人劝酒，会以：I drink only with the duck表示只喝水。鸭子离不了水，出水之后羽毛上不留水痕，因此我们以：Like water off a duck's back喻不留痕迹的事物。下雨天，我们说：It's a fine day for ducks，鸭子爱水也。但是鸭子最怕打雷：Like a duck in thunderstorm，像在雷雨中的鸭子，形容一个人大吃一惊，不知所措。

seclusive 2007-12-27 15:24 　　看了一个英文电视台的资讯节目，才知道记忆有两种：短期记忆与长期记忆。 　　什么时间是短期记忆的最佳时刻？什么时间是长期记忆的最佳时刻？这两个有趣的问题，相信大家都想知道答案。好，就在这里引述美国医学界人士的讲法，与读友分享。 　　All people have two types of memories.（所有人都有两种记忆。） 　　美国教授接受电视访问时讲的第一句话就教人感兴趣，因为观众都想知道是哪两种记忆。 　　Your short-term memory is best during the morning; uh, in fact about 15 percent more efficient than any other time of day.（短期记忆在早上是最好的，嗯，收效实在比一日中任何时间高百分之十五左右。） 　　原来早上是我们短期记忆的高峰期。同学们该怎样掌握呢？且听名教授说下去。 　　So students should take heed when faced with a morning exam.（所以，学生面临早上考试时该注意了。） 　　To take heed是习语，解“注意”。 　　兹举两个例句让大家轻易牢记这类惯用语，进而活学活用。 　　Take heed of what I say.（留心听我说。） 　　Mr Tung gives heed to public opinion.（董先生重视舆论。） 　　相信大家还记得take heed的释义，也记得take heed of与give heed to这两个动词片语的解法。大家可以用这两个动词片语造一两个句子，以加深印象。 　　句中when faced是when they are faced的缩略讲法，省主语谓语they are，句子更简洁。 　　同学们只要多听多读，时加留意，自然可以掌握这种简洁的地道英语表达法。 　　好，我们继续研究教授那句话。同学们该注意什么呢？ 　　It really does pay to review your notes right before the test.（在测验即将开始之前复习笔记确大有好处。） 　　美国教授这句话说得没错。 　　然而，我想补充一下：同学们读书，不要仅为了应付考试，必须记住将来踏进社会工作，未来的几十年差不多天天都要接受考试，所以应在求学阶段好好充实自己，储备一肚子墨水才是上上之策。

seclusive 2007-12-27 21:48 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 The Teacher I Would Be Anyone can be a student, but not everyone has the ability to be a teacher. In my opinion, teaching is a very holy and noble job. The person who stands in front of a blackboard to educate must be quite dedicated; otherwise, the students may suffer for all their life because of a bad teacher. If I had a chance to be a teacher, I would try my best to be a proficient educator in class, an intimate friend during break and a studious learner at home. A proficient educator is what I want to be in class. I think the main task of a teacher is not to teach students knowledge, but to teach them how to acquire knowledge. If students are willing and happy to study, teaching them will become easier. So firstly, I will be humorous in class. Before starting each lesson, I will tell some jokes that will lead to the lessons. This will attract students' attention, and make them get interested in class. They may find studying a happy and not difficult thing. Being humorous during class will keep them excited and highly effective in study. Secondly, I will give my students more examples and exercises so that they will have a deeper understanding of the knowledge. Practice makes perfect. Application is very important for all students, and the aim of studying is using the knowledge to solve problems. Thirdly, I will encourage my students not to be shy to ask questions and not to be afraid of arguing with their teachers in study. Although their questioning and arguing may be very naive, allowing them to do these will make them more creative and assertive. Finally, I will be kind and gentle with them, but be strict with their lateness and absence. Otherwise, they may become lazy. Being an intimate friend of students during break is my aim. Playing with them, laughing with them and delighting with them may shorten the distance between a teacher and students. I will be their friend so that they will not keep me at arm's length. In this way, I will know more about the kind of teacher they like. So I could improve myself to become more popular. I can also help them much easier because I will know their problems through the communication with them. At home, I will become a studious learner. I will be serious with their homework. The mistakes they make in their homework will be corrected repeatedly, so that they will never make the same errors. Preparing the next day's lesson is also important. I will not only read the textbooks well, but also find some extra materials for them. I will study by myself after these lessons. The more knowledge I get, the more successfully will I teach them. A proficient educator in class, an intimate friend during break and a studious learner at home are what I want to be, if I have a chance to become a teacher. Although realising that some of them will make my life difficult, I believe my hard life will bring them a bright future. I think that is the final aim of a teacher. “Being strict with my students and more importantly being strict with myself” will be my creed. In all, if I have a chance to be a teacher, I must be a dedicated one. ********** The Teacher I Would Like To Be (revised version) Everyone can be a student, but not everyone has the ability to be a teacher. True, teaching is a noble and holy profession. The person standing in front of the blackboard must be dedicated; otherwise, all the students may suffer a lot. If I had a chance to be a teacher, I would try my best to be a proficient educator in class, an intimate friend during the recess and an industrious worker at home. To begin with, a proficient educator is what I want to be in class. I think the main duty of a teacher is not only to impart knowledge to students but also to teach them how to acquire it. If students are keen on studying, teaching will be easy. To achieve this, I will first be humorous in class by telling some jokes before starting a lesson so as to attract their attention and arouse their interest. Secondly, I will give students more examples and exercises so that they will understand and learn better. Practice makes perfect. It is important for students to apply their knowledge to solve problems. Thirdly, I will encourage students to be bold to ask questions and reason with their teachers, thus enabling them to be more critical and creative. Finally, I will be kind and gentle to them but be strict with their conduct and self-discipline. My next aim is to become students' intimate friend during the recess. Mingling with students informally will shorten the distance between us. As their friend, they will not keep me at arm's length and I can make myself more popular, hence breaking down the communication barrier. My final target is to work industriously at home. I will mark students' assignments seriously by pointing out their errors for proper corrections, preparing the next day's lesson, and finding good extra materials for supplementary exetcises. In short, if I had the chance to be a teacher, I would be a proficient educator in class, an intimate friend of all students during the recess, and an industrious worker at home. Although it is difficult to realise all the requirements specified, it is worthy of being a dedicated, friendly and hardworking teacher for the good of students.

seclusive 2007-12-27 21:53 　　朋友的孙女小学毕业，成绩优异，大家多说她前途无量。孩子的头发有点发黄，朋友叫她“黄毛丫头”。孩子对此词之意不太明白，朋友以英语解说道：A silly little girl也。再转译为中文，则是：傻小姑娘。挺聪明的小姑娘，知道这个silly中含有爷爷对自己的爱意，傻得可爱，于是更加在爷爷面前装傻撒娇了。 　　“黄毛丫头”在日本大安书店出版的中日大辞典中解作“丑姑娘”(minikui unna no ko)，那个“丑”字，如果出诸老爷爷称自己的孙女，也有silly的味道。但是，朋友说他的silly little girl爱说话，特别是爱打抱不平。大人处事，如有不当之处，小姑娘会加以批评，因此有时会得罪长辈，silly也。好在长辈们多数认为“黄毛丫头，乳臭未干”，她说会，不必理会。 　　“乳臭未干”的四字成语，可以在《汉书·高帝本纪》中见到（“口尚乳臭，不能当韩信”），原是民间常说的话。北方人说一个人“乳臭未干”，“奶牙还没掉呢！”朋友说中学时英文老师讲中译英的困难时曾以“乳臭未干”为例说如要译成英文，乳臭和奶牙都会消失不见的。

seclusive 2007-12-27 21:59 　　英文电视台新剧集《高校风云》（Boston Public）的内容围绕着美国中学师生之间的恩恩怨怨，着墨于两者皆良莠不齐的现象，相当写实。 　　日前看了一集。该集中黑人校长接见一位教员，一名女教师走进校长室见到这个情景，感到不好意思，随口说：“Oh, sorry.”（噢，对不起） 两人在“嚼肥肉” 　　黑人校长看见那满面歉意的女教师，立即说道：“No, you didn't disturb us. We were just chewing the fat.” 　　第一句对白相信大家不看片上中文字幕也听得懂，意思是：“不，你没有打扰我们。” 　　然而第二句对白是什么意思呢？ 　　假如你每个字都听出来，会不会把chewing the fat直解为“在嚼肥肉”呢？ 　　Chew the fat不指嚼肥肉，真正的意思是“闲聊”。 　　明白了chew the fat，那组对白就很容易理解了。 　　No, you didn't disturb us. We were just chewing the fat.（不，你没有打扰我们。我们只是在闲扯。） 　　习语（idiom）包括俚语（slang）、口语（colloquialism）、谚语（proverb）。听外国人讲英语时，如果要听得清清楚楚，不误解，就得留心这“四语”。 　　现在再引另一场戏的对白让大家研习实用常用俚语口语表达法。 开一张雨天支票 　　下课后一位主任级的教师走进校长室，打算约黑人校长出外喝咖啡。 　　How about a cup of coffee? 　　校长伸一伸腰，对教师说： 　　Rain check。 　　大家猜到了这句话的意思吗？ 　　Rain check是美国流行口语，典故出自露天举行的棒球比赛。棒球是最受美国人欢迎的运动之一。如球赛进行时天不造美，骤然倾盆大雨，不得不腰斩，观众可领“雨票”，或用原票存根作为“雨票”（rain check），球赛改期举行时可凭之入场。 　　Rain check这句话后来有了引伸意思，日常生活中普遍应用。 　　比方说有人请你吃饭或看戏，假如你刚巧因事不能奉陪，你可用婉谢的口吻说：May I take a rain check？ 　　直解是：可以给我一张雨票吗？ 　　地道英语的引伸义是：这次抱歉不能赴约，下次有请必到。 　　上句是很客气的委婉讲法。如果约你的外国朋友已经是很熟的了，你大可直接说 I'll take a rain check。 　　在《高校风云》那场戏中约校长的是教师，于是黑人校长觉得可以熟不拘礼，只用两字：Rain check。 　　换成汉语就是：“改天吧。”

seclusive 2007-12-28 09:21 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 ********** A Major Influence in My Life Like many children in China, I am the only child in my family. My grandparents and parents all love me very much. They did everything for me. Consequently, I was always spoilt and dependent on them. However, the situation changed when I graduated from primary school at the age of 12. Since I went to a key school which was far from my home, I had to live in the school. It was the first time I had to leave home, and this experience has been a major influence in my life. I still remember the day when my parents sent me to the school and did whatever they could for me before they left. When I saw them leaving, my eyes were full of tears. However, I tried my best to prevent them from flowing down. I knew I had to do everything by myself from then on. I had to fold my quilt, wash my clothes and buy the articles of everyday use on my own. Although I knew I should learn to be independent, I met with many difficulties at the beginning. As I was acquainted with nobody in the school, I felt lonely and homesick. When I called my parents, I always could not help crying. What was worse, I was depressed in my studies. However, as luck would have it, all my roommates and classmates were very friendly. I had many new friends soon. I felt very happy with them and was less homesick. Besides, I became more optimistic and considerate. During the three years in the school, I learnt a lot of things. For instance, I knew how to communicate with other people and how to look after myself. The most important thing was that I learnt to be independent. Now, I have left home again to study in Singapore, but the situation is quite different from that of five years ago. I am not a dependent girl any more. I know what I should do and how to do it. I feel happy to study and live here. It is my past experience that has stood me in good stead. I think this is a major influence in my whole life. ********** A Positive Influence on My Life (REVISED VERSION) Like many other children in China, I am the only child in my family. My grandparents and parents love me very much and have done everything for me. Consequently, I am spoilt and become highly dependent. However, the situation changed when I graduated from primary school at the age of twelve. I went to a prestigious high school far from home and had to stay in the school hostel. It was the first time for me to leave home and this experience has become a positive influence on my life. I can still remember the days when my parents sent me to school and did whatever they could before they left. When I saw them leaving, my eyes were filled with tears, but I tried my best to prevent them from flowing down. I knew I had to rely on myself from then onwards. I had to fold my quilt, wash my clothes and buy daily necessities - all by myself. Although I realised I should learn to be independent, I had met with many difficulties at the outset. In addition, as I had no friend, I felt lonesome and homesick. Whenever I called up my parents, I could not help crying. Worse still, I had no faith in my studies. However, as luck would have it, all my classmates and roommates were friendly; we soon became good friends. This made me happy and less homesick. Besides, I became more considerate and optimistic. During the three years of high school education, I learnt a lot. For instance, I knew how to communicate with others and how to look after myself as an independent girl. Now, I have left home again to study in Singapore. However, the situation is quite different. Thanks to my past experience which has stood me in good stead, I now know what to do and how to do it. My past experience has really exerted a positive influence on my present life by giving me self-confidence and self-independence.

seclusive 2007-12-28 09:24 　　朋友说不久前在超级市场中见到店员抓到一个偷窃者。那Shoplifter年纪不过十五六岁，店员问他身边有没有钱够付所偷货价。那少年说有，店员就让他付钱购物而去。 　　店员解说，如果报警，让少年留下案底，可能误了他一生，不如教训他一顿，特别是当众教训他，令他感到羞耻。 　　朋友说他当时想到我们常说的一句老话：人穷志短。穷困会令人减低了志气。 　　后来他又想到曾经见过的一句格言，指出许多人何以贫穷的原因：New beer, new bread and green wood will make a man's hair grow through his hood。喝的是新酿之酒，吃的是新焙面包，住在绿阴深处，指其人生活十分讲究，所费不赀。这样的生活，令他的头发长穿头巾。 　　头发长，没钱理发。头巾旧了，容易穿孔。这个hair grow through one's hood，喻其人之穷也。 　　一个人作不知羞耻的言行时，英语有：Shame is past the shed of your hair! 称之。 　　Shed，苏格兰语，即parting。羞耻之感从头发分线之处透出去了。相熟的朋友常会以此作戏言。

seclusive 2007-12-28 09:35 趁动画片《史瑞克》在香港上映，我就引述以下这句介绍该片幕后配音艺员的句子，与大家一起用文法分析句型。 请先用白纸抄下以下一段英文。 为什么要抄下呢？ 因为拙栏篇幅有限，没法用图解方式，所以希望大家亲自动手，好处是可以加深印象。 Providing the voices for the characters is a cast that includes Mike Meyer, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow--all great comedy actors.（替那些角色配音的演员阵容包括迈克美亚、艾迪墨菲、卡玛仑迪亚斯以及约翰利高——都是出色的喜剧演员。） 现在我们一起用图解法分析句子。 1. 请先在Providing the voices这三个字下面画一条线，线下面写：现在分词片语 （present participle phrase）。 2. 在for the characters这三个字下面画一条线，线下面写：介词片语用作副词（prepositional phrase used as an adverb），修饰现在分词片语。 好了，我们现在须寻找句子中的头脑与心脏——即找出最重要的主词（subject）与动词（verb）。 相信大家都懂得找出句中最重要的主词与动词了。 3. 请在 is 这个字下面画一条线，线下面写：动词（verb）。 4. 在 a cast 两个字下面画一条线，线下面写：主词/先行词（subject/antecedent）。 5. 请在 that 字下面画一条线，线下面写：主词/关系词（subject/relative word）。 6. 在 includes 字下面画一条线，线下面写：动词（verb）。 7. 在 Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow 下面画一条线，线下写：宾语/受词（object）。 8. 请在 that includes Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow 这一整行下另画一条长线，线下面写：定语从句/形容词子句（adjective clause）。 That 用来引出定语从句/形容词子句。那么，最后的四个字all great comedy actors在整个句子中扮演文法／语法上的什么角色呢？ 喜欢研习文法的朋友都会猜中是同位语（appositive）。 同位语与主语、宾语、补语等构成同位关系。 现在请在你那张抄下全句的纸上再画线、再画“回射箭头”了。 9. 请在all great comedy actors下画线，线下写：同位语（appositive），再画一条箭，回头射向四大演员Mike Meyer, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow，表示最后一组同位语与上列四位演员构成“同位关系”。 为什么用倒装句（inverted sentence）呢？ 我们试把这个句子用直述方式改写：A cast that includes Mike Meyers,Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow－all great comedy actors－is providing the voices for the characters. 这个直述句（declarative sentence）乍看之下，似乎更正确。可是坏处是主词a cast与动词 is providing相距太远，读者要读一大段文字才可以把头脑与心脏连系起来，相当费神。 作者把现在分词片语providing the voices挪到句首，接以用作副词的介词片语for the characters，然后将动is放在主a cast前，变成倒装句式，让我们看得清清楚楚、舒舒服服。 大家用画线方法分析句型，再比较上述两种写法，自然可以进一步掌握方法结构，并且同意台湾英语名家旋元佑老老先生的卓见：句型分析的能力是高级阅读以及写作的必备技巧。

seclusive 2007-12-29 21:35 “Good”和“bad”是两个尖锐的反义词，在惯用语中，也时时可见。下面便是些例子： 1. For one's own good：对某人有利 　 It is advisable for a person to learn a new language; it is for his own good. 2. In someone's good books : 令某人喜欢 　 Tom has changed for the better and is now in our good books. 3. Do someone good：对某人有好处 　 After a long period of hard work, it will do you good if you take a short holiday. 4. Do someone a good turn：帮助某人 　 I can never forget the day when David did me a good turn out of sheer kindness. 5. Give someone a good talking-to：强烈批评某人 　 A woman customer complained to the manager and the manager gave the salesgirl a good talking-to. 6. Good riddance：大解脱 　 That nasty fellow has gone at last. Good riddance! 7. Have a good time：享受一番 　 Some old friends met at the weekend and they had a good time at the club. 8. Hold good：继续有效 　 Certain rules and regulations hold good at all times and places. 9. While the going is good：当情况尚好时 　 We can have some end-of -the-year bonus while the going is good. 10. Make good：发奋图强 　 As a dynamic young man, Mike is determined to make good and become somebody one day. 11. As good as done/ finished：几乎全部完成 　 The whole project is as good as done. We can proceed with the next phase of work now. 12. Through someone's good offices：透过某人的鼎力襄助 　 Through a senior officer's good offices, John got the permission to extend his visit. 13. The good old days：过去的好时光 　 When old friends meet, they like to chat about the good old days. 14. Bad blood：感情恶劣 　 There has been bad blood between the two in-laws. 15. Bad language：粗话 　 No bad language in the presence of children, please! 16. In someone's bad books：令人讨厌 　 Tom is late again. No wonder he is often in his boss's bad books. 17. Come to a bad end：悲惨收场 　 Some bad characters have been in and out of prison quite often. They will come to a bad end soon. 18. Give someone a bad/ hard time：虐待某人 　 If your boss tends to give you a bad time without any reason, you had better change your job. 19. Give something up as a bad job：停止做不可能的事 　 Janet started learning Mandarin but did not make good progress. Eventually, she gave it up as a bad job. 20. Go from bad to worse：越来越坏 　 The relations between the two neighbouring countries seem to have gone from bad to worse. 21. Make the best of a bad job：在逆境中尽力而为 　 Though Susie does not have good paper qualifications, she has made the best of a bad job and become a successful manager. 22. In a bad way：情况不佳 　 After repeated setbacks, he has been depressed and is in a bad way now.

seclusive 2007-12-29 21:43 　　希波克拉底不愧为西洋“医学之父”。他知道医生不是神仙，不是什么病都治得好的。但是，医生遇到自己治不了的病时，要记得不可伤害病人。因此，他有：Whenever a doctor cannot do good, he must be kept from doing harm. 之语，成为医德基本标准。 　　美国幽默作家马克吐温（Mark Twain，1835-1910）说过一句幽默话：It is amazing what little harm doctors do when one considers all the opportunities they have。做医生的可以伤害病人的机会多的是，而他们造成的伤害几近于无，实在令人惊奇。 　　另一位美国作家梭罗（Henry D. Thoreau，1817-1862）说：'Tis healthy to be sick sometimes。一个人有时有点病痛是健康的。啡友T说这话似乎也有点幽默气息，但对怕病的人说来是很好的忠告。希腊有句老话：Everyone is his own doctor。可作两种解说：其一是每个人对自己的健康有自己的了解，是自己的医生。另一是人往往自以为是，自己作自己的医生（不听医生的话）。古罗马喜剧作家泰伦斯讽刺一般人“好作医生”，也说过一句挺有意思的话。

seclusive 2007-12-29 21:59 　　我曾在拙栏说过，近百年来英语说得最漂亮的英国首相是戴卓尔夫人（Margaret Thatcher），英文写得最出色的是丘吉尔爵士（Winston S Churchill）。 　　丘吉尔是英国保守党政治家，也是著作家，分别在1940-1945、1951-1955年两度任首相，并在1953年获诺贝尔文学奖。他有三部著作，英美人都奉为圭臬。 　　丘吉尔的英文为什么会练得这么好呢？ 　　原来有个很有趣的小故事。 　　今天就引述丘氏的一篇短文，让同学们知道这位有铁血首相美誉的大作家小时在哈罗公学（Harrow）念小学时怎样打好英文基础。 　　I continued in this unpretentious situation for nearly a year. However, by being so long in the lowest form I gained an immense advantage over the cleverest boys.（我一直在这种朴实无华的景况中过了差不多一年。然而，我在最低年级待了这么久，比起那些最聪明的学生来，倒获得了很大的好处。） 　　丘吉尔童年时被编入最低年级的最低班，他为什么会获得很大好处呢？ 　　They all went on to Latin and Greek and splendid things like that. But I was taught English.（他们都去学习拉丁语、希腊语之类的高雅东西，我却学英语。） 　　We were considered such dunces that we could learn only English.（我们被视为智力迟钝的学生，只配学习英语。） 　　大家有没有留意丘吉尔运笔挥洒自如、造句清晰简洁？这种干净俐落的文字很值得大家取法。现在看丘氏怎样写他小学时的恩师。 　　Mr Somervell--a most delightful man, to whom my debt is great--was charged with the duty of teaching the stupidest boys the most disregarded thing--namely, to write mere English.（森玛维先生——一位令我感激不尽、很和蔼可亲的老师——负责教最愚笨的学生最受忽视的课程，即用英文写作。） 　　这位在政坛文坛同享盛誉的英国首相在其他回忆录文章中都提及森玛维先生。且看丘氏怎样描述老师当年的英文教学法。 　　He knew how to do it. He taught it as no one else has ever taught it.（他懂得怎么教。他采取了与众不同的教学方法。） 　　这位森玛维老师的英文教学法有什么特色呢？相信大家都很想知道吧。且看丘吉尔怎么说。 　　Not only did we learn English parsing thoroughly, but we also practised continually English analysis.（我们不仅彻底地学会了句法分析，而且不断地练习英文分析。） 　　（注：Parsing是parse的动名词（gerund），指按文法分析句子，说明句子中的词或词组。） 　　Mr Somervell had a system of his own.（森玛维先生自有体系。） 　　He took a fairly long sentence and broke it up into its components by means of black, red, blue and green ink.（他找来一个相当长的句子，然后用黑色、红色、蓝色、绿色墨水把句子分解成其成分。） 　　Subject, Verb, Object; Relative Clauses, Conditional Clauses, Conjunctive and Disjunctive Clauses! Each had its colour and its bracket. 　　（主语、动词、宾语，关系从句、条件从句、并列连接从句、转折连接从句！每个有各自的颜色、各自的括号。） 　　这种parsing教学法怎样深入丘吉尔的骨髓呢？ 　　请看丘氏怎样写下去。 　　It was a kind of drill, we did it almost daily.（那是一个练习，我们差不多天天都做。） 　　日就月将，水滴石穿。丘氏后来自承获益匪浅。 　　I learned it thoroughly. Thus I got into my bones the essential structures of the ordinary English sentence-which is a noble thing.（我学得很彻底，就这样，普通英语句子的基本结构便深入到我的骨髓里——这是件上好的事。） 　　曾获诺贝尔文学奖的英国首相也自承童年时打下的文法基础对他裨益甚大，读者切不可轻视文法（grammar）的基本功。 　　And when in after years my schoolfellows who had won prizes and distinctions for writing such beautiful Latin poetry and pithy Greek epigrams had to come down again to common English to earn their living or make their way, I did not feel myself at any disadvantage.（在以后的岁月里，我那些曾因写漂亮的拉丁文诗歌和精辟的希腊文警句而获奖赏与盛誉的同学，为了谋生或发迹不得不回头重拾不起眼的英语时，我觉得自己并非屈居下风。） 　　这篇写于半个世纪前的文章，相信再过数百年还有流传的价值！

seclusive 2007-12-30 17:31 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 There Are No Good Reasons Why Boys and Girls Should not be Treated Equally In many regions of the world, boys and girls were treated unequally in old days because of feudal ideas. Some girls were even abandoned after they had just come to the world. Although Woman Emancipation is launched nowadays, some people still consider the unfair treatment to girls to be available. It is true that there are certain biological and psychological differences between boys and girls but there are no good reasons that boys and girls should not be treated equally. In the first place, intellectually, it has been proved that girls are equals of boys in most areas. Although there are more male scientists than female ones, women are doing better in such areas as art, teaching and certain social services. In addition, once a woman is absorbed in science, she can always make a success of it. A good example of this is Marie Curie, who discovered the radium and had made great contribution to human beings. Secondly, boys and girls have equal capacity. This is because they receive the same education in schools and they have the same knowledge of varied fields. Morever, as some girls study harder than boys, they may be even superior. Thirdly, girls have some advantages in character. For instance, in general, girls are more careful, patient and considerate than boys. Therefore, they are more fit to do delicate jobs, which need carefulness and patience. They also do well in certain careers such as nurse and housekeeper, which are also essential in the society. Last but not least, the unfair treatment to girls also does harm to boys, since they may consider girls less respectful. Also, without the challenge of girls, boys may become slack in their studies and work. All in all, girls play an equally important part in the society as boys. Hence, boys and girls should be treated equally without any sexual discrimination. ****** REVISED VERSION Boys and Girls Should Be Given Equal Treatment In many countries, because of feudalism, boys and girls in old days were not equally treated. Some baby girls were even abandoned when born. Although there exists the campaign of Woman Emancipation, unfair treatment to girls is still a common phenomenon. It is true that there are certain biological and psychological differences between boys and girls, but there is no good reason that boys and girls should not be equally treated. First, it has been proved that, intellectually, girls are the equals of boys. Although there are more male scientists than female ones, females perform better in such areas as arts, teaching and certain social services. In addition, once a female is absorbed in science, she can make it, too. A good example is Marie Curie, who discovered the radium and contributed a lot to mankind. Second, boys and girls have equal capabilities. As boys and girls receive the same education and have the same knowledge of different fields, they are equally able to acquit themselves well. Moreover, some girls are very diligent. As a result, they may prove superior to ordinary boys. Next, there are some inborn qualities in girls' character. In general, girls are more careful, patient and considerate than boys. They are therefore more suitable for doing certain jobs which require great care and good patience, including nursing and housekeeping, two essential tasks in any society. Last but not least, unfair treatment to girls does harm to boys, too. If girls are not given equal treatment as boys, boys may not hold girls in high regard and may even refuse to work with them. Without the cooperation and challenge of the opposite sex, boys may slacken their efforts in whatever they do, resulting in mediocre performance. All in all, girls play an equally important part as boys. Hence, boys and girls should be given equal treatment without any sexual discrimination.

seclusive 2007-12-30 17:35 　　朋友对卢梭说的Education begins at births; before he can speak or hear, he is already learling 一语有他的解说。他说一个人出世后为什么已在开始学习，出于自然的survival本能，learning是为了要生存也。 　　朋友说求生存的本能，原是动物（或者生物）的本能；但是人的learning to survive，不像一般动物那么简单，除了自动的学习外，还要接受被动的训练，两者都是“教育”。他说圣经箴言篇第二十二章第六节说：Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.中译作：教养孩童，使他走当行的道，就是到老他也不偏离。 　　Training就是educating，中译作“教养“，说明这种教育是孩童的长者，包括家长和老师在内，都要负责的“教育“。它不是单纯的“训练“故译作“教养”。帕斯卡（Blaise Pascal，1623-1662，帕斯卡流体压力定律发明人）说：Extreme youth and age impede the mind, like too much or too little education。年纪过轻或太老，妨碍思想；正如教育太多或太少一样。朋友说他所指的是schooling，不是一个出世后就开始的learning。

seclusive 2007-12-30 17:44 　　迷信（superstition）并非只存在于东方国家，西方国家的迷信说不定有过之而无不及。 　　比方说打哈欠（yawning)吧。你见到对面的人打，自己会不会也有想打的感觉？ 　　刚刚想起有人在我面前打了个哈欠，我也立刻打了一个，可能现在执笔时是深夜了，然而很多人都说打呵欠是会传染的，你同意吗？ 　　有一种古代迷信说打哈欠是魔鬼引起的，你的嘴巴张大时，邪灵会进入身体，掩住嘴巴才可阻挡邪魔。 　　An old superstition says that yawning is caused by the devil and that evil spirits enter the body when your mouth is open wide. Covering your mouth stops them. 　　美国名作家Harry Collis写的这段话让我们知道西方国家也有迷信。 　　Professor Collis在其谈迷信的文章中说： 　　Although superstitions have their origins in the beliefs and practices of the past, they continue to flourish even in the most technologically advanced societies.（迷信虽然源自往昔的想法和习惯，在科技最先进的社会里依然盛行。） 　　难怪80年代时美国总统里根及其夫人有一位女星相学家朋友，二人常去找她问吉凶。美国第16任总统林肯（Abraham Lincoln）1865年任内遇刺身亡后，每20年都有一位总统死于任内。100年来莫不如此。这种巧合曾令世人啧啧称奇，但第40任总统里根（Ronald Reagan）在路上中枪却逃过鬼门关！ 　　这宗大新闻，相信中年读友当年都知之甚详。好莱坞还根据这件行刺案拍了多部电影，都相当卖座。 　　肯尼迪总统遇刺20年后里根（Ronald Reagan）这位好莱坞C级牛仔片过气影星任总统。他有保镳护驾，但给人在路边开枪击中。这也是当年的大新闻。幸而他老人家大难不死，而且福泽广被，20年后上任的克林顿（Bill Clinton）安然当了八年总统。 　　好了，我们再引述美国学者Professor Collis说西方国家的迷信吧。 　　In the past the fear of the unknown led to a strong belief in unseen spirits--most of whom were evil. 　　（往昔对未知事物的恐惧使人深信有看不见的灵——而大部分是邪灵。） 　　To appease these evil powers, people invented all sorts of charms and spells as “antidotes” that could be depended on either to bring good luck or to ward off bad luck, and most importantly, dispel the fear of the unknown. 　　（为了化解这些邪灵魔力，人们发明了各式各样的护符与咒语以作抗衡，俾能趋吉避凶，而最重要的是消除对未知世界的恐惧。） 　　由此可见，不论古往今来，不分东西畛域，都大有迷信之人。 　　日前我们说过古老的迷信认为打哈欠时不用手掩嘴就会引邪灵入体，只有封住张开的口，才能阻挡魔气进入。 　　时至今日，上述的讲法已不合时宜了。 　　那么，我们为什么打哈欠时掩嘴呢？且听Professor Collins这位精研西方迷信与习俗的美国学者说下去。 　　Now, it is simply considered rude not to cover your mouth when you yawn. It is also believed that watching someone else yawn will cause you to yawn too. 　　（现在，打呵欠时不掩嘴却只被视为无礼，而且据说看见别人打哈欠，自己也会想打哈欠。） 　　这段话我颇有同感。见到有人打哈欠时，尽管我当时精神奕奕，也好像受到感染，要掩住嘴巴，避免陪人打哈欠。 　　你有没有这样的体验啊？

seclusive 2008-01-02 19:29 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made the necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. Practising Taekwondo If I tell somebody I am practising taekwondo, I can imagine his or her surprised face. Though I am just a beginner, they seem to pretend to be afraid of me and wonder why I chose to do that. Making the decision was not a very difficult thing. I first saw the taekwondo show at the orientation held by our seniors and was attracted to it at once. In my first letter to my friend in Shanghai, I wrote that I admired them so much and I was so eager to learn. Two months later, when I heard that some of us had begun the training here, I again started to think of it. I imagined what other people would say and how long I could persevere. At last, I made up my mind by listing the advantages. Firstly, I can learn some skills to protect myself. Even if it is not so useful when I really want to protect myself, it does not matter, because secondly I can keep fit. As I am not so interested in sports, it is good for me to have someone help me with this martial art. Thus, I will not be overweight. Thirdly, I can improve my perseverance and fourthly, I will have some special memory when I am older. If I want to do something special in my life, I think now is the best time. Though I was prepared to be trained, I was still shocked by the hard training. I was exhausted after the warm-up. At that time, I thought it was very easy to give up. But soon, I found the members of the club were so friendly and encouraging that I began to like the challenge very much. I went on with my training, learning different kinds of kick as well as many other things, such as running. I had never imagined that I could run around the playground six times, but I did. I also discovered another advantage which is that I can make more friends in the club. I am fond of the Singapore students because they are so outgoing and encouraging. Until now, the training has been hard and my feet were abraded several times, but I still enjoy it very much. I hope I can persevere and learn something useful for the better and give me a more positive and optimistic attitude to life. ********** Practising Taekwondo (revised version) If I tell a friend I am learning Taekwondo, I guess he or she will be surprised. Though I am just a beginner of Taekwondo, he or she may feel curious about my choice. It was not very difficult for me to make my decision. I first saw the Taekwondo show by my senior fellow students in China and was immediately attracted to it. In my letter to a friend in Shanghai, I said that I admired them and was eager to learn Taekwondo. Two months later when I heard that some of us had begun the learning here, I began to think of it. I wondered what others would say and how long I could go on. At long last, I made up my mind by going over the advantages. First of all, I can learn some skills to defend myself, no matter whether such skills are really that useful... Secondly, I can keep fit. As I am not very interested in sports, it is good to have someone help me in this martial art. Thirdly, I can improve my perserverance. Lastly, I will have better memory when I get older. Based on the above-said reasons, I took up the training. At first, I found it tough and was going to give it up. However, I soon found the other members friendly and supportive and then went on with my training in different acts such as kicking, running and so on. I had never imagined that I could run around the playground six times, but I did. Another benefit was that I made Singapore friends who are outgoing and inspiring. All in all, Taekwondo training has been hard and my feet have abraded several times, but it is useful and enjoyable.

seclusive 2008-01-02 19:34 　　啡友H认识一名不修边幅的朋友，有个不雅的习惯，常常当众挖鼻。 　　有人对他说不该如此，他说：I wish to keep my nose clean。以鼻作直喻的to keep one's nose clean，是to stay out of trouble，置身于麻烦之外。 　　啡友H说此君该知道直喻中指的鼻子与鼻孔无关。好管闲事，有poke（put或thrust）one's nose into somebody's affairs之喻，鼻子放进别人的事务中，不免有点沾污，是以用keep the nose clean告诉我们闲事少管。 　　由此喻引来的have a clean nose，直喻没有过失，完美（faultless）以及无罪（be innocent）。 　　啡友H说他有一天在街边遇到一个人在派送一包一包的tissue paper，是用以抹嘴抹鼻子的卫生巾。他接过一包，发现原来是一家财务公司的广告宣传品。他想财务公司大概有助人stay out of financial troubles之意，提醒人们要keep your nose clean。 　　鼻子生在脸的正中，向前直伸，因此口语中有follow one's nose，直喻向前直行。寻找邮局问路的人得到的回答是：Follow your nose and turn right, you'll find the post office. 直行右转可以见到邮局也。

seclusive 2008-01-02 19:43 　　今天容许我放下美国现任总统乔治布什（George W Bush）不谈，改谈另一位很值得敬重的美国前总统占美卡特。 　　诺贝尔各奖都在瑞典首都斯德哥尔摩（Stockholm）颁发，唯独“和平奖”在挪威首都奥斯陆（Oslo）颁发。 　　且听英文电视台新闻报告员怎样介绍这位诺贝尔和平奖得主出场：He did have this to say over the prospect of war.（关于战争的前景他说了这话。） 　　镜头割切拍年届七十八的占美卡特领奖后说出肺腑之言：War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always evil, never good.（战争有时可能是必要的坏事，但无论多么必要，总是坏事，绝不是好事。） 　　我们继续听卡特说的最后一句警世之言。 　　We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.（我们决不会凭着互相杀害对方的子女，而学会和平共存之道！） 　　卡特老先生这一句话，真是振聋发聩。 　　好战分子宜三复斯言，细嚼细嚼！ 　　谨先默下英文电视台的新闻报道给大家研习地道英语：Former US President Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.（前美国总统占美卡特在挪威首都奥斯陆接受了诺贝尔和平奖。） 　　很多小读者在卡特任总统时还未出生，所以对其人其事大都不甚了了。请听笔者从新闻谈到近代史吧。 　　卡特1977年入主白宫成为美国第39任总统，在任期间与中国达成正式建立外交关系的协议，并促使国会通过了巴拿马运河的新条约和能源法案，建树良多。 　　现在先谈上述新闻报告那句话。文法上，这句属于当代七大句型的哪一种呢？ 　　用实际例句来分析的方法，会比较实用而又不至于流于枯燥乏味。 　　传统文法书列的五大句型如下： 　　⑴ S+V (Subject+Verb) 　　⑵ S+V+C (Subject+Verb+Complement) 　　⑶ S+V+O (Subject+Verb+Object) 　　⑷ S+V+O+C (Subject+Verb+Object+Complement) 　　⑸ S+V+O+O (Subject+Verb+Object+Object) 　　写直述简单句（declarative simple sentence）时要避免犯错，首先要记住这五个句型，英文文法大师称之为clause pattern。 　　九十年代的文法专家Greenbauer发现了另外两个句型，就是： 　　⑹ S+V+A (Subject+Verb+Adverbial ，主语＋动词＋状语) 　　⑺ S+V+O+A (Subject+Verb+Object+Adverbial，主语＋动词＋宾语＋状语)。 　　David Crystal在其文法新著中举的这种句型例句是：She put the box on the table.（她把盒子放在桌子上。） 　　英文电视台关于卡特总统获奖的第一句话正是这个S+V+O+A的句型。 　　S是Former US President Jimmy Carter，V是received，O是the Nobel Pecae Prize，A是in the Norwegian capital, Oslo。 　　最后这个A是介词片语构成的adverbial of place，也就是汉语的“地方状语”。

seclusive 2008-01-04 09:50 Read the following written exercise carefully, Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made the necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. Don't Throw Out the Baby with the Bath Water Once, there were two furniture shops on one street. The two shops were close to each other. The carpenter in the northern one was black, while in the southern shop was white. The two carpenters were both well-skilled and hard-working. They bought timber from the same supplier. What was more, the chairs and tables they made were both popular in their town. But the difference was that the black carpenter always made money, whereas the white one always ran business at a loss. One day, the white carpenter asked the man, “You become richer and richer. I take if for granted I would also become richer and richer. However, the fact is just the opposite. Can you tell me what stands you in good stead?” “Well, my friend,” replied the black carpenter. “There is only one difference between us. When I am making the chair, firstly, I make sure how much wood I need. Next, I choose a proper piece of wood, and cut it into several pieces of proper size. Then, I begin making them into suitable shapes. However, my friend, your steps are: firstly, choose a piece of wood and make it into certain shapes. Secondly , choose another and make it into certain shapes. As a result, you throw away much material that can be used better. That is the reason why you cannot make both ends meet. So, remember, my friend, DON'T THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER!” *********** Don't Throw Out the Baby with the Bath Water (REVISED VERSION) Once, there were two furniture shops standing close to each other on the same street. The carpenter in the northern shop was a black man, while in the southern shop, it was a white man. Both of them were skilful and hard-working. Besides, they bought timber from the same supplier. What was more, the furniture they made was popular with the town-dwellers. The only difference was that the black man always made money, whereas the white man ran his business at a loss. One day, the white man said to the black man:“Since you become richer and richer, I assume that I'll grow richer, too. However, the reverse is true. Can you tell me what stands you in good stead?” “Well, my friend,” replied the black man. “We differ in one thing. Whenever I make a chair, I'll first make sure how much wood is needed. I'll then choose a suitable piece of wood and cut it into pieces of proper size. Finally, I'll form them into proper shapes. However, my friend, the steps you have taken are often different: Firstly, you take a piece of wood to turn it into certain shapes. Then, you choose another piece of wood and shape it into different forms. As a result, you throw away a lot of material which can be better used. That is the reason why you lose out. Remember this, my friend: Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.”

seclusive 2008-01-04 09:54 　　朋友说西洋笑话中以儿童说的真话为主题的很多。孩子说的话，反映大人生活中一些真情，有时的确令人感到可笑。朋友的女儿生日，姨母送她一个小洋娃娃，小得可怜；但是朋友告诉女儿要向姨母道谢。他同时想到一则笑话：侄子向姑母道谢她送的生日礼道：Thank you very much for your present. 姑母答道：Oh, That's nothing to thank for! 侄子说：That's what I thought, but mother told me to thank you just the same. （侄子说：多谢您的礼物。姑母说：噢，那不值得道谢的。侄子说：我也那么想，可是妈叫我还是要谢谢您。）孩子说的真心话，那样的礼物原来不值得一谢的呀！ 　　西谚有：Do not look a gift horse in the mouth. 人家送你一匹马，不要检视马的门牙。马的门牙显示马的年龄，因此：Look a gift horse in the mouth是找马的缺点。此语用以喻对人家送的礼物多加挑剔，to find fault with a present。马龄一看门牙就知道，因此有from the horse's mouth之词喻千真万确。I'm telling you the truth, I got it from the horse mouth. 强调真确也。

seclusive 2008-01-04 10:04 　　雷利史考特（Ridley Scott）导演、罗素克洛（Russell Crowe）主演的《战斗勇将》（Gladiator）以大热门姿态夺得本届奥斯卡最佳电影金像奖。 　　当天在戏院看了这部古装巨片，默了一些典雅的对白，供读友研习。 　　这部古装片的对白写得很典雅，缩略语（contraction）用得少，一句英美俚语（slang）也没有，倒带点书面语的风味。 　　片中马可大帝全名是马可奥勒利乌斯（Marcus Aurelius），是公元161至180年在位的罗马帝国明君。他的儿子康茂德（Commodus）与女儿露西拉（Lucilla）全见于古罗马正史，但编剧家塑造罗马大将马斯穆斯（Maximus，男主角饰演），灵感却来自野史。 　　我们先用马可大帝恳求马斯穆斯时讲的话研习典雅的英文： 　　马可大帝：There's one more duty that I ask of you before you go home.（你还乡前还有一项任务我想请你执行。） 　　马斯穆斯：What would you have me do, Caesar？（皇上，你想我干什么呢？） 　　马可大帝：I want you to become the protector of Rome after I die. I will empower you to one end alone: to give power back to the people of Rome, and end the corruption that has crippled it.（我希望你在我死后当罗马摄政王。我授权给你，目的只有一个：把权力交还给罗马人民， 并消除削弱罗马的营私舞弊。） 　　Will you accept this great honour that I have offered you?（你会接受我给你的这份荣耀吗？） 　　本届出炉金像影帝罗素克洛饰演的古罗马士将马斯穆斯赋性刚毅木讷，不贪恋权势，此时只是一心一意打算回乡与妻儿团聚，所以不假思索， 随即答道——马斯穆斯：With all my heart, no!（真心诚意说一句：不会！） 　　罗马明君马可大帝深知这位名将耿介忠诚，远非自己的亲儿康茂德可比！ 　　马可大帝：Maximus, that is why it must be you!（马斯穆斯，那就是非你不可的缘故！） 　　马斯穆斯：And Commodus？（那么，康茂德呢？） 　　男主角提起的康茂德正是后来弑父的暴君。 　　马可大帝：Commodus is not a moral man. You have known that since you were young. Commodus cannot rule. He must not rule. You are the son that I should have had.（康茂德不是个有德行的人。你年轻时已知道了，康茂德不能统治，绝不可让他统治。你才是我该有的儿子。） 　　马斯穆斯：I need some time, sire.（陛下，我需要一些时间考虑。） 　　这组对白写得一板一眼，完全合文法，值得观赏研习。

seclusive 2008-01-05 15:16 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made the necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 A Serious Accident Some people think life is so long that they have enough time to do anything they like; some people do not care about time and they consider wasting time as a joy. However, I treasure my life very much because of an unwelcome accident. When I was in junior middle school 1, I often went home with some friends. We rode bicycles and talked happily on the way home. As we all know, young people are aggressive and we were no exception. When we rode bicycles together, we rode very fast in order to see who was the fastest one. Usually, we did not care about other things because there were few cars and pedestrians. Sometimes, we even rode on the motor road and some boys went forward zigzagging. The pedestrians who saw us were all frightened and asked us to ride slowly. But it seems that these words had nothing to do with us and we also rode crazily. Finally, something frightening fell on us. One day, we rode home as usual and there were no cars on the road. We were excited and began to ride crazily again. One of my friends was riding on the motor road and the others rode on the bicycle lane. I was in front of the others and the one on the motor road also rode very fast. At a corner, he suddenly turned right and appeared in front of me. Unluckily, my bicycle hit his and he fell at once. But I could not stop my bike immediately because I did not realise what had happened. Then my bike was forced to stop by the one in front of me and finally fell down on the road. Since I used my arms to push the ground when I was going to land, my arms hurt badly. I could hardly move them and I could not stand up. All of my friends were frightened and did not know what to do. They all stopped still and kept quiet. A minute later, they realised what had happened and took me to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible. After a quick treatment, I felt better, though my arms were still hurt. The friend who caused the accident said sorry to me and he regretted what he had done. I said never mind but we all should remember this lesson. After three months' recovery, I became well again. But I will never forget the bad accident. Since then, I have seldom ridden a bicycle and do everything more carefully. I treasure my life very much because once I had a brush with death. *********** A Serious Accident (REVISED VERSION) Some people consider life long and have enough time to do anything they like; other people do not care much about time and regard wasting time as a joy. As for me, I treasure life as a result of an unexpected accident. When I was in junior middle school one, I often cycled happily home with some fellow students. As young people were aggressive, including me, we competed with one another by cycling very fast. As there were few cars and pedestrians around, we cycled recklessly and sometimes even on the motor road. Seeing us zigzagging, the pedestrians were frightened and asked us to slow down. However, turning a deaf ear to their advice, we rode crazily on until an accident befell us. It happened one day when we went out cycling. One of my fellow students was cycling fast on the motor road, while the others were on a bicycle lane. At a corner, the one on the motor road suddenly turned right in front of me. Unfortunately, my bicycle hit his and he fell down. I rode on without stopping because I did not know what had happened. All of a sudden, I was forced to stop by a bicycle before me and fell down on the road. I used my arms to support my body when it fell down, and my arms hurt so badly that I could neither move them nor stand up. All my friends were frightened and kept quiet, not knowing what to do. A few minutes later, when they realised what had happened, they took me to the nearest hospital for quick treatment. I felt better later, but my arms were still painful. The friend who caused the accident apologised to me for what he had done. I accepted the apology but wanted all to remember the lesson. Three months later, I recovered. Remembering the bad accident, I have seldom ridden a bicycle again and have treasured my life by doing everything with care.

seclusive 2008-01-05 15:24 　　啡友K说十五项not-to-do's原是从前英国规矩，因此饮水之Do not drain your cup to the dregs，指的是喝茶不要喝得只剩茶渣。 　　英国规矩有的和美国人饮食习惯不符。十五项中第三项说：Do not chop all your meat up into pieces before you begin eating。吃肉食（如牛扒、猪扒等）时不要先全部切割成小块后进食。英国人是一面吃一面切块的；但是美国人多数是先全部切割成小块，然后进食的。 　　第四条和坐相有关：Do not tilt your chair backward or forward on two legs。不要只用椅子的两只脚支撑后仰或前倾。啡友K说好动之人坐不定，有爱两只椅脚着地前倾或后仰者。前倾还好，后仰有倒地危险，不仅是有失仪态的问题了。 　　第五条是：Do not tuck your napkin in your collar。餐巾不要塞（挂）在衣领中。餐巾塞在衣领中挂下来，挡在胸前，是婴儿喂食时的模样，自然不登大雅之堂。但是啡友K说有人为了怕饮食沾污衣服，有这样挂餐巾的。自己一人进餐，也许是个办法。 　　第六项：Do not toy with the salt-cellar or pepper-pot。盐瓶是salt-cellar，胡椒瓶是pepper-pot，都不是把玩的toy。

seclusive 2008-01-05 15:37 Dear Dr. Tan, 　　I am Wang hui, residing in Nanjing, China. I would like to ask you a sentence in National review, “It should come as no surprise to most readers that 'objective' government studies are often anything but.” what is the meaning “anything but”? 　　Regards Wang Hui Wang Hui： 　　“Anything but” means “definitely not; not...at all”. When someone or something is anything but ..., it means that the person or thing is definitely not... or he or it is the opposite of ... (a certain quality indicated by the adjective or a certain noun) 　　 For example, (1) They said John was hypocritical, but when we talked to John, he was anything but hypocritical. 　　(2) David is an honest man; he is anything but a hypocrite. 　　 Other examples of similar nature: 　　(3) That old bridge is anything but safe. 　　(4) Was the weather fine that day? - Anything but. 　　(5) Your sentence: “It should come as no surprise to most readers that 'objective' government studies are often anything but .” Here, if you repeat “objective”, it is easier to understand: “... anything but objective.”, meaning: “such studies are definitely not objective.” 　　Besides, this phrase can also mean “except” when it is followed by a noun or pronoun, as in: 　　(6) I can give you anything but my diary. 　　(7) She said she would do anything but this. 　　(6) means “Except my diary, you can have anything you want.”（除了我的日记之外，什么都可以给你。） 　　(7) means “Except this thing, she would do any other thing.”（除了这件事，她愿意做其他任何事。） TCL ******** 　 陈老师： 　　在以下的句子中“I have send the requirement to Moen US, but up to now, I have not got any answer, and will forward to your attention as soon as I got it.”是否有错？当中的“to your attention”何解？ Ouyang Ouyang： 　　这长句里的错误是： 　　(1)“send”要改为“sent”，最后的“got”改为“get”，这两个是时态不对。 　　(2)“will forward”后头要加上宾语“it”。 　　(3)“requirement”虽没错，但最好要复数，所以可加上“-s”。 　　“To your attention”是“给你知道”或“让你晓得”。 陈清霖 复

seclusive 2008-01-07 14:17 Read the following written exercise carefully. Amend the imperfections in meaning expression, vocabulary usage or sentence construction so as to make the language not only correct and comprehensible but also good and effective. Refer to the REVISED VERSION only after you have made the necessary amendments to the ORIGINAL TEXT. 学习语文除了文法正确，还须向更佳的境界挑战。请大家细看以下这则文章，看哪里可以改进。 Boys and Girls Should Not Be Treated Equally Nowadays, more and more women join the group that claims that boys and girls, men and women should have equal chances in the society and they should be treated equally. I do not agree with their view, because undoubtedly boys and girls are quite different from one another and they should be treated according to thier features. Firstly, girls are physically weaker than boys. If they are treated the same as the boys, they have to do some “masculine”jobs, such as soldiering, mining, bricklaying-which all require physical strength and may involve dangerous situations. Obviously, these jobs are not fit for the girls, because their weak bodies cannot afford such heavy work and they may get injured when they do so. Secondly, girls have their own good points which make them fit for some important jobs. As we all know, girls are more caring and sensitive to other people than men. They can do very well in caring professions such as teaching, nursing and other social services. All people think highly of them in these fields: students like female teachers better; patients would like to be taken care of by female nurses; customers prefer polite waitresses to careless waiters. If boys and girls are treated equally, does it mean that there would be more careless men doing these jobs? However terrible it is if a strong, tall, male nurse looks after me. It is so ridiculous that boys and girls should be treated equally in every aspect. Thirdly, men are good enough to dominate the world and people are used to this, According to the history, almost all the emperors were males and most of them did very well. People would like to rely on men because they are strong, brave and decisive, and they have the abilities to rule countries, protect others, especially women. If men and women are treated equally, women have to fight against the robbers, build houses and make enough money all by themselves. In that case, they will say that there are no gentlemen who will help them in the world and they may even cry, shout and exclaim. All in all, boys and girls should not be treated equally. In some aspects, boys are superior to girls and get more chances; however, in some other aspects, they are inferior to girls and get fewer chances. They should be treated according to their abilities and features. Since they are quite different in so many aspects, they cannot be treated equally. ********** Boys and Girls Should Not Be Treated Equally (REVISED VERSION) Nowadays, more and more women claim that boys and girls and men and women should have same opportunities and equal treatment in society. I do not agree with such a claim because boys and girls are obviously different and should be treated in accordance with their sexual features. Firstly, girls are physically weaker than boys. If girls are treated the same as boys, they have to do some“masculine” jobs, such as soldiering, mining, bricklaying - which require physical strength and are exposed to difficult situations. Obviously, these jobs are not cut out for girls because their fragile physical condition is not able to cope with such strenuous work which may sometimes be risky, too. Secondly, girls have some innate qualities suitable for certain jobs. As we know, girls are more caring and sensitive than boys. As a result, they can excel in professions that require care and affection like teaching, nursing and other social services. No wonder they are highly regarded in these fields. Hence the following phenomenon: students like female teachers better; patients like to be looked after by female nurses; customers prefer courteous waitresses. If boys and girls are equally treated, does it mean that there would be more men doing these jobs? How terrible it is if a strong tall male nurse serves me day in day out! Thirdly, men have dominated some jobs. According to historical records, almost all the rulers were men and most of them did very well. People like to rely on men because they are strong, brave and decisive. Besides, they have superb abilities to manage things, protect others, especially women. If men and women are equally treated, women have to fight against robbers, build houses, make money by themselves and do many other jobs traditionally done by men. If that happens, there may be no man to help women who will then cry for desperation. All in all, boys and girls should not be equally treated. In some aspects, boys are superior to girls and can perform better. In other aspects, they are inferior and become less capable than girls. Boys and girls should therefore be treated according to their specific features and abilities instead of being given equal treatment in all aspects.

seclusive 2008-01-07 14:21 　　小啤酒，small beer，英国人指淡弱的啤酒，美语则作“小量的啤酒”解。夏天有客人来访，问他要喝些什么：Anything to drink? 答曰：I'll have a small beer. 给我一点儿啤酒。 　　比喻用法中说的small beer，指规模或者格局不大的事物。自以为了不起，不是小人物的人：He thinks no small beer of himself. Be small beer常用作与人比较的表现。 　　例如快餐店的东主说自己的店规模不大：Ours is really small beer beside McDonald. 说他的店和麦当劳比起来真是小店也。如果不作比较，可以说：As a fast-food joint, ours is small beer。当然，说此话时实际上也有和其他快餐店比较之意。 　　我们说一位学者的孩子十分聪明，但是比起那位学者来还差得远：The boy is very smart, but small beer compared to his scholar father。则以be small beer compared to...明示有所比较。 　　口语中常用small beer作形容词，因此开快餐店的朋友也可以说：Ours is a small-beer fast-food joint。夏日炎热：There's nothing like a mug of cold beer。冻啤还是要喝大杯的！

seclusive 2008-01-07 14:26 陈清霖博士： 　　我想再请教您两个有关of用法的疑问。 　　(1) Make use是否一定要跟着of？ 　　如：The company is making use of him as an office boy. 　　(2) Including是否要或一定要跟着of，如：They are many foreign workers working in Singapore, including (of) many house maids come from ASEAN Countries. 　　请问(2)是否有文法上的错误，of是否需要。 一读者 一读者： 　　英文的“make use of”是个三合一的惯用语，意思是“使用，利用”，如： 　　(1) Make use of every opportunity to speak English. 　　(2) What use can be made of such information? 　　动词“include”后头不必有”of”。这句里的动词“come”要去掉；不然就要用“who come”或“coming”。此外，“They are many foreign workers working in Singapore”中的“they”应是“there”之误，“working”虽没错，但累赘，可去掉。 陈清霖复

seclusive 2008-01-19 16:03 　　曾介绍过由“at”引导的介词短语。这里要举些与“in”有关的，供大家参考。 　　(1) In the air：尚未确定的 　　Some neighbouring governments' concrete plans to alleviate their economic problems are still in the air. 　　(2) In clover：（常和“live”连用）生活舒适 　　Those living in clover will not be able to understand the misery of the poor. 　　(3) In deep water：深深陷入困境 　　You had better get away from that business or you will be in deep water with no one to pull you out. 　　(4) In low spirits：士气低沉的 　　What's wrong with you? You looked fine a moment ago. Why are you now in low spirits? 　　(5) In a fix：面临困境 　　Some newly-weds are in a fix now; when can they get their HDB (Housing Development Board) flats and move in? 　　(6) In a flutter：处在紧张状态中 　　The news about the dignitary's visit put the staff in a flutter. 　　(7) In full swing：如火如荼地 　　The celebration for welcoming the victorious national team is already in full swing. 　　(8) In the know：知道详情的 　　The manager has resigned. For further information, please see the secretary, who is in the know. 　　(9) In limbo：处于不确定的状态中 　　The decision on the oversea project is in limbo, due to some indeterminate factors. 　　(10) In a flash：瞬息间 　　I don't know what happened to Grace, who went out and retuned in a flash. 　　(11) In the limelight：众人注意的焦点 　　Once a person becomes famous, he will be in the limelight, all the time with very litte private time. 　　(12) In a nutshell：简而言之 　　I have a lot to say about his latest book, but to put it in a nutshell, it is a good work. 　　(13) In the offing：即将到来 　　According to a newspaer report, a minor cabinet reshuffle is in the offing. 　　(14) In the pipeline：在准备中 　　The TV magazine indicates that some new TV serials are in the pipeline. 　　(15) In the open：公开的 　　The hearsay about a minister's resignation has now become a fact; everything is now in the open. 　　(16) In the same boat：面临同样的不幸处境 　　If a company cannot survive, many others will be in the same boat, and working people will be in for a hard life. 　　(17) In step with：和……符合 　　Is it possible to expect the opinion of every member to be in step with that of the party leaders? 　　(18) In store for：即将发生；即将到来 　　For every capable person, there is a promising future in store for him. 　　(19) In the swim：通晓时务 　　If you are to keep your information up to date, please see Jimmy, who is always in the swim. 　　(20) In a tight squeeze：（财务等）紧缩 　　When in a tight squeeze, a company has to resort to the bank for assistance.

seclusive 2008-01-19 16:40 　　朋友说他从前读大学时有位教授，可能属于absent-minded的学者，上课时常常带错了讲义，便说东道西，随便谈些历史掌故。由于他的讲古，有趣动听，因此常挤满了旁听的学生，颇受欢迎。他的上课时间多数在午饭后，往往在下课铃后要多讲几分钟，然后似乎忽然想记，说到：“我吃过午饭没有呢？”显然“失魂”到忘了自己吃过饭没有了！ 　　啡友W说西洋笑话有近似的失魂教授：An absent-minded professor of biology once said to his class: "I am now going to show you a fine specimen of a dissected frog which I have in this parcel." Unwrapping the parcel he found that it contained a sandwich, a hard-boiled egg, and some fruit. He looked at the food in bewilderment, and muttered: "But I know I've already had my lunch." 这位生物学教授告诉学生，他所拿小包中包着要给他们看的解剖了的青蛙，可是打开包包见到的却是他的午餐。他记得自己已经吃过午餐——他到底吃了什么东西下肚了？多想一想，更是令人发笑了。

seclusive 2008-01-19 16:57 陈博士： 　　你好。其实我是看到你在早报周刊里，为人解答英语困难，所以想请教你一下。我的英语问题在阅读方面：怎样才能够读出正确的英语呢？ 　　我本身看得懂英语的发音符号，可是我发觉字典里的注音，有些不太相同，例如：Example [igzampl]，但大多数的人都是读［egzampl］，所以我已用尽所有方法，希望能读出正确的英语；不知有什么书或是什么方法能指导我呢？只要有正确的发音符号，我想就能很容易地读出任何生字。 　　谢谢你！ David David: 　　你举的字典里的音符是对的，但讲话时整句的语调及单字的轻重音有时有变化，每个字的语音未必像孤立的单字拼音时那么清晰。 　　你应该根据正确的语音配合正常的语调讲出顺口的英语，错不了。若有人觉得好笑，应该是笑笑你的人。 陈清霖复 　 Dear Editor, 　　Could you tell me which of the sentences below is correct or suitable? 　　① I sing pop musics as well as listening to radio. 　　② I sing pop musics as well as listen to radio Yewen Yewen, 　　Use Sentence (ii) but change "musics" to "music" and add "the" to "radio". As "as well as" is same as "and", you may use either conjunction. Hence "I sing pop music as well as listen to the radio." "I sing pop music and listen to the radio." 　　Normally, "songs" are for singing; "music" is for appreciation. The sentence can therefore be further refined as: 　　"I appreciate pop music and listen to the radio." "I sing pop songs and listen to the radio." Tan Cheng Lim 　 负责人： 　　请帮我解释一下这个短语： 　　“decline to give himself up to the authorities”. 　　Thank for your help. Happy Happy: 　　"Decline to give himself up to the authorities" means "refuse to be caught by the authorities"（拒绝向（警署）当局自首）。 　　However, "give oneself up/over to something" means differently: devote oneself to doing something（埋头于……），如："Do you have any friend giving himself up to scholastic pursuits?"（你有朋友专心追求学问吗？） 陈清霖复 　 陈清霖先生： 　　你好，我时时都有看早报周刊《中英合谈》。现在中小学生考试与练习均有大量的“短文改错”。错误的类型包括词法、句法、行文逻辑等。如更详细地可分为：正确、字词、缺词、错词、动词、连词、名词、代词和冠词等误用，等等。上下文联系紧密，可称得上“错从行中出，根在文章中”，我的问题是想请教早报周刊及陈清霖先生，要如何把握“短文改错”题？有哪些解题方法？ 　　谢谢。 　　祝好。 Mr Bao Bao先生： 　　不论是中文或英文，“短文改错”是种好的练习方式，在语文作业及考试中都会出现。 　　“短文改错”范畴宽广，自由性大，可供改正的项目甚多，但重点多数在常犯的错误或容易引起混淆的(i)语法；(ii)句子结构；(iii)词汇；(iv)惯用法等。 　　你信中所举的错误类型都是语文教师出题的重心，学生也应在这些问题上多多留意和揣摩，克服其难点。 陈清霖复

seclusive 2008-01-19 17:01 　　电视情境喜剧《六人行》（Friends，香港译《老友记》）一场戏中罗斯与蒙妮卡兄妹进入病房，向奄奄一息的老祖母道别。这场戏竟也演成趣剧。现在默下那场戏的对白给大家研习简洁的地道英语表达法。 　　蒙妮卡：Goodbye, nana.（再见了，祖母。） 　　罗斯：Bye, nana（别了，祖母。） 　　女主角蒙妮卡在祖母额上亲了一亲，依依惜别。男主角罗斯照样做，怎料老祖母闻到他嘴里有她最喜爱吃的甜食的味道，突然一手把他抓住，蒙妮卡给吓得奔向门口，气喘咻咻。 　　蒙妮卡：What?（怎会这样的？） 　　兄妹二人冲出外面，惊魂未定，母亲见状问：What's going on?（出了什么事？） 　　此时，罗斯气喘喘地答道：You know how the nurse said nana had passed. Well, she's not quite.（你们都知道护士怎样说祖母已经死了。嗯，她还未完全死掉。） 　　母亲：What?（你说什么？） 　　罗斯：She's not passed! She's present! She's back!（她没有死！她还在世！她还阳了！）

seclusive 2008-01-19 17:03 　　美国最高法院法官L. D.布兰代斯说，两个人有所争论时必有一人无知。啡友W说这正是他不愿和人争论的原因。他当然不是承认自己ignorant，而是认为和他争论的人属于“无知之辈”，何必白费口舌和他争论？再说，好争论者，原是以argument遮掩“无知”。 　　啡友K说我们遇到要与人争论时，不妨以美国幽默作家W. 罗吉斯（William P. A. Rogers，1879-1935，曾演过西部电影）说过的话：Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects。人人都是无知者，只是在不同的问题上无知而已。因此，先想想自己对要和人争论的问题是否通晓。如果自己对那个问题只是一知半解，不如听人家多说，不要插嘴发表议论。 　　他说特别是当主管者，不要以为自己什么都知道，因为许多领导者有“外行指挥内行”以显自己“权威”的心理，结果有误大事。当然，自以为有无上权威的人，遇到有人对他的命令表示异议时不会争论，会说：“I am not arguing with you, I am telling you!”我不是和你争论，我是命令你！To argue，是平辈之间的事，上对下，常是to tell。

seclusive 2008-01-19 17:11 Dear Sir: 　　I have some questions about the following sentenses: 　　(1) I would like your authorization to trim the part of the tree that hangs into my yard. 　　Q: Is it correct to use “that” rather than which? 　　(2) In general, attire is required of guests at state functions in the White House. 　　Q: Why use “of” rather than “guests are required of attire”? 　　(3) It's charm and mild climate have made San Francisco, California, an attractive city for both business and residences. 　　Q: Why “that” in front of “climate” is omitted. Why not use “has”? 　　(4) Nitorgen is most plentiful gas in the atmosphere. 　　Q: Why “the” is omitted before “most”? 　　(5) Q: Is there any difference among the three words, regulation, law and act? Kellie Kellie： 　　(1) The word “that” here is a relative pronoun introducing the adjective clause to modify the antecedent “the tree”. You may use another relative pronoun “which” if you so wish. 　　(2) This verb pattern is “something is required of someone”, in the passive form, meaning “one is directed to do something”; that is,”(formal) attire is needed for guests...” or “Guests are expected to be (formally) attired.” 　　(3) I think “it's” in this sentence is wrongly printed; it should be “its” (possessive case). As the subject “charm and mild climate” are plural in number, the verb “have” is correct. 　　(4) You are right; the definite article “the” is needed here. Otherwise, remove the noun “gas” to make “most” mean “very” in “Nitrogen is most plentful in the atmosphere.” 　　(5) The word “regulation” means “rule”. It often appears in “rules and regulations”. The word “law” is somewhat similar in meaning but is often used in “law and order”. As for “act”, one of its meanings is “decree” or “law”, e.g. “Do you remember the latest act of Parliament?” TCL

seclusive 2008-01-20 18:45 　　简简单单的“more than”，用法可多呢！ 　　下面是些好例子： ●　A. “More than＋名词”表示“多于……”、“非但……尤其是”如： 1)　　Modern science is more than a large amount of information. 2)　　Jason is more than a lecturer; he is a writer, too. ●　B. “More than＋数词”含“以上”或“不止”之意，如： 3)　　 I have known David for more than 20 years. 4)　　Let's carry out the test with more than the sample copy. ●　C. “More than＋形容词”等于“很”或“非常”的意思，如： 5)　　In doing scientific experiments, one must be more than careful with the instruments. 6)　　I assure you I am more than glad to help you. ●　D. 在“More...than...”中，肯定“more”后面的而否定“than”后面的，约等于“是……而不是……”如： 7)　　The difference between pure linguistics and applied linguistics is more apparent than real. 8)　　This book seems to be more a manual than a text. 9)　　Catherine is more diligent than intelligent. 10)　　Hearing the loud noise, the boy was more surprised than frightened. ●　E. “More than”或“More...than...”＋含“can”的分句时表示“否定意”，如： 11)　　That's more than I can do. 12)　　 Don't bite off more than you can chew. 13)　　In delivering his lecture, Jason makes sure not to include more things than the students can understand. ●　F. “No more...than...”表示“不……；不如……”，如： 14)　　 I can no more do that than anyone else. 15)　　A learner can no more obtain knowledge without reading than a farmer can get good harvest without ploughing.” 　　“No more...than...”的语义，也可用“not any more than...”来取代，因此 15 可以变成 16。 16)　　A learner cannot... any more than ...”同样的， 17可以变成 18： 17)　　Dr Hu is no more a poet than Dr Wu is a philosopher. 18)　　 Dr Hu is not a poet any more than Dr Wu is a philosopher. 　　此外，“more than”也在一些惯用语中出现，如： 19)　　More often than not （经常）, people tend to pay attention to what they can take rather than what they can give. 20)　　All of us are more than a little concerned about（非常关心）the current economic problems. 　　总之，“more than”看似简单，其实很有内涵，味道隽永。

seclusive 2008-01-20 19:44 　　我们常以“如履薄冰”形容一个人做事十分小心谨慎，像在薄冰上步行。啡友B说英语中相当的说法是walk on eggs，或者tread on eggs。非常小心地步行的模样，美语有walk Spanish形容。儿童游戏，被人提着衣领踮着脚尖步行，叫作walk Spanish。此词经引伸后作小心地走路解，但现在又常作被解雇，被罢免以及被驱逐解。一个人被公司解雇，可以说：He is walked Spanish by his company。这话可以说成：He took a walk Spanish from his company；但啡友B说美语中take a walk就是革职之意（一说是源于马克吐温的幽默说法），不必再加“西班牙式”了。 　　Walk on eggs令人想起放轻脚步走路。美国俚语以walk soft指言行平静：He walks a lot softer than before。指其人比以前文静得多。但是walk softly和walk soft不同，是源于圣经的成语。列王记上二十一章二十七节的旧英译：He (Ahab) rent his clothes... and went softly. 在RSV译本中作...and went about dejectedly。见到walk softly是沮丧地走开（中译作：缓缓而行）。

seclusive 2008-01-20 20:00 　　请闭上眼睛幻想自己看不到东西、听不到声音、讲不出话。这样的世界是否好像和自己隔绝，是否非常可怕？ 　　然而，二十世纪着实有过这么一名又聋又哑又盲的人。她克服了种种缺陷，凭努力成为名闻天下的大作家与演说家。 　　英文电视台曾播映的《二十世纪最伟大人物》的一集就是介绍这位又聋又哑又盲的伟人，相信大家都知道是谁了。 　　对，是海伦凯勒（Helen Keller）。 　　我们现在听电视节目主持人怎样介绍她，学习地道英语讲法之余，进一步了解这位伟人，学习她不屈不挠的精神。 　　In 1882, a baby girl caught a fever that was so fierce she nearly died. She survived but the fever left its mark-- she could no longer see or hear. Because she could not hear she also found it difficult to speak.（1882年，一名女婴因发高烧差点夭折。她虽然幸免于难，但发烧给她留下了后遗症——她再也看不见，听不见了。因为听不见，她讲话也很困难。） 　　这段电视旁白稿，写得有板有眼，工整稳妥，值得细赏观摩。 　　好，我们继续听电视节目主持人讲下去。看过这个节目的读友会不会觉得他很面熟呢？这位仁兄就是当年主演《大白鲨》的男主角： 　　So how did this child, blinded and deafened at nineteen months old, grow up to become a world-famous author and public speaker?（那么，这样一个在十九个月大时就又盲又聋的孩子，是怎样成长、并成为世界著名的作家和演说家的呢？） 　　电视节目主持寥寥两段话就逗起了观众的好奇心，具见撰稿人功力深邃，值得观赏，引为借镜。 　　The fever cut her off from the outside world, depriving her of sight and sound. It was as if she had been thrown into a dark prison cell from which there could be no release.（高烧把她和外界隔开，使她失去了视力和声音，她仿佛抛入黑暗的牢狱里，无法脱身。） 　　此时，电视画面一片漆黑，鸦雀无声，教人不寒而栗。 　　相信读友都会感到这种与世隔绝的窘境十分可怕。然而，童年时代的海伦凯勒（Helen Keller）却胆识过人，且听她怎样克服重重困难： 　　Luckily, Helen was not someone who gave up easily. Soon she began to explore the world by using her other senses.（幸而海伦并不是个轻易屈服的人，不久她就开始运用其他感官来探测这个世界了。） 　　影响一代伟人海伦凯勒的人有两个：她的母亲和她的导师安妮苏莉文（Anne Sullivan）。我们下星期再研究海伦凯勒奋斗成功的过程。 ************* 　　一个不足两岁的女童变得又聋又哑又盲，长大后成为誉满全球的作家兼演说家，大家不会觉得匪夷所思吗？ 　　海伦凯勒（Helen Keller）凭什么攀上光辉的顶点，成为二十世纪最伟大的人物之一呢？ 　　凭着努力！ 　　有一句英谚很值得大家牢记：God helps those who help themselves.（天助自助者）。 　　且听这个励志电视节目的主持人谈她的童年。 　　she followed her mother wherever she went, hanging onto her skirts. She touched and smelled everthing she came across.（她跟着母亲，拉着母亲的裙子，形影不离。她碰到的物品，她都摸一摸、嗅一嗅。） 　　此时画面割切，饰海伦凯勒的女童星做着旁白说的动作，娇小可爱，有一点大家可能想不到：海伦凯勒童年时也有可怕的一面。 　　As she got older she became wild and unruly. If she didn't get what she wanted she would throw tantrums until her family gave in.（随着年岁的增长，她变得狂野不驯。她得不到想要的东西就大发脾气，家人不顺从不休。） 　　注：句中的throw tantrums是惯用词，指“发脾气”。多聆听、多阅读，自然可以增强单字习语的词汇，进而提高理解力与表达力。 　　那么，是谁改变海伦凯勒的一生呢？ 女教师改变她的一生 　　Once she even managed to lock her mother into the pantry.（一次她甚至把母亲锁在厨房里）。 　　Eventually it became clear that something had to be done. So, just before her seventh birthday, the family hired a private tutor-Anne Sullivan.（这样一来就得想个办法了。于是，她就快七岁生日时，家人雇用了一位家庭教师——安妮苏莉文）。 　　电视节目播出这组旁白（voice-over narration）时，画面播出海伦凯勒（Helen Keller）初逢女教师的情形。 　　默到这里时我翻阅年前在纽约买的20th Century Personalities，发现这位影响海伦凯勒一生的女教师的全名是Anne Mansfield Sullivan。电视旁述力求简洁，所以把“中名”（middle name）省略了。 　　我们继续听电视资讯节目主持缕述女教师安妮苏莉文指导海伦凯勒学习的过程。 　　Anne was careful to teach Helen, especially those subjects in which she was interested.（安妮悉心教导海伦，尤其是她感兴趣的科目。） 　　As a result, Helen became gentler and she soon learnt to read and write in Braille.（结果海伦变得温驯多了。她很快就学会了用布莱叶点字法读写了。 　　注：Braille是供盲人阅读和书写用的凸点符号，为十九世纪时法国一家盲童学校的教师Louis Braille创制，因而以其姓氏Braille命名，一直流传至今，嘉惠失明人。 　　聋哑且失明的一代伟人海伦凯勒（Helen Keller）在其导师安妮苏莉文（Anna Sullivan）循循善诱之下学会了Braille布莱叶盲人点字法，从此可以揣摩阅读与写作的方法。 　　且听励志电视节目的主持人怎样讲下去。学习地道英语之余，也可以淬励心志。 　　She also learnt to read people's lips by pressing her finger-tips against them and feeling the movement and vibration. This method is called Tadoma and it is a skill that very, very few people manage to acquire.（她也学会用指尖接触说话人的嘴唇，感受动态与颤动的读唇法。这种方法称为泰德玛诀窍，是甚少人可以掌握的技能。） 　　She also learnt to speak, a major achievement for someone who could not hear at all.（她也学会了讲话，这对失聪的人来说，是极大的成就。） 　　一代伟人海伦凯勒失聪失明，但刚毅苦学，终于成为名闻天下的大作家与演说家。这种好学精神很值得我们学习。

seclusive 2008-01-20 20:07 　　写英文句子时，要有明确的中心点，包括主语的人称、数目以及谓语动词的时态、语态和情态等。如果句子的中心点随便改变或转移的话，句子结构可能陷入模糊状态，使人困惑，也削弱了文章气势。 　　下面就是些有关句子中心点转移的例子： 　　⒈ 随便转移主语和语态，如： 　　① Cocks were heard crowing as the hikers approached the farm. 　　在一个短短的复杂句里，原本的主句主语突然变成副词从句的主语“the hikers”，动词语态则以被动形式出现在另一个文句里。这样的转变没有好处，也没有必要。这句话可修改为： 　　The hikers heard cocks crowing as they approached the farm. 　　这里两个主语保持中心点，一气呵成，明确多了。 　　② The tourists stayed at a holiday hotel and much of their time was spent there. 　　这里的两个并列句的主语从“the tourists”转入“much”，动词则以主动语态变成被动语态；这样做，必要吗？还是改写一下好： 　　The tourists stayed at a holiday hotel and spent much of their time there. 　　⒉ 随便转移人称和数目，如： 　　③ Everyone will feel happy if you enjoy good life. 　　④ Kelvin enjoys cigarette smoking, but they make his throat sore. 　　在③里，人称“everyone”和“you”不协调所以要把“you”改成“he”或“everyone”变成“you”。如果“you”变成“he”，谓语动词“enjoy”要变成“enjoys”以便动词和主语一致： 　　Everyone will feel happy if he enjoys good life. You will feel happy if you enjoy good life. 　　在④里，用“they”指“cigarette-smoking”，不符合语法规则，必须把“they make”改为“it makes”人称和数目才配合。不这样改也行，但“they”就要和新主语“cigarettes”。（不是cigarette smoking）搭挡。 　　⒊ 随便转移动词时态和情态，如： 　　⑤ The robber considered himself unlucky, rushed to the door, and trying to escape. 　　这句子中三个动词的时态要一致，不可以让最后一个突然改变形式，因此“trying”要改为“tried”。 　　⑥ Hold your gun tightly, take aim, and you can shoot. 　　这里的三个短句中，两个是祈使句，为什么最后一个突然变成陈述句？非改不可： 　　Hold your gun tightly, take aim and shoot. 　　You can hold your gun, take aim and shoot. 　　⑦ As I have made everything clear to him, I expected that he will let bygones be bygones. 　　显然的，这里的三个动词的时态都可以是现在式，因此主句中的“expected”要改为“expect”才行。

seclusive 2008-01-20 20:10 　　云的形状变化多，爱看云的啡友P说他曾见人以手喻云作“巴掌般大小的云”，觉得挺有意思。 　　一片小云，英语成语中有cloud like a man's hand，典于圣经旧约列王纪上第十八章第四十四节：第七次仆人说，我看见有一小片云从海里上来，不过如人手那样大。(Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand。）形容那是一小片云也。新约第十二章第一节：我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担……，英译：Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight...见到a cloud of有a crowd of，或者a great number of之意。 　　斯蒂文森（Robert Louis Stevenson，1850-1894）在他的名著《金银岛》（Treasure Island）中有一段描写小群海盗突然出现的场面：Suddenly, with a loud huzza, a little cloud of pirates leaped from the woods on the north side。突然间，一小群海盗高叫一声好哇，从北边的林子中跳了出来。cloud是crowd的同义词也。

seclusive 2008-01-20 20:20 Dr Tan: 　　Could you tell me the grammar mistakes I've made as follows. 　　1. The bus was too packed, I can't get on the bus. 　　2. They compliment her on her culinary skill of Thai cuisine. 　　3. He don't eat fish because of the fishy smell. 　　4. She likes to buck about her capability of work in the office to her friends. 　　5. Do you plan to go on a holiday this year? 　　6. Peter told me that you have been to Turkey since few years ago. How are your holidays over there? 　　7. Don't mope over the past. 　　8. My legs are wobbling now. 　　9. You have a bias between the 2 sons. 　　10. I decline his invitation on the pretext of illness. S M Loh S M Loh： 　　Among the ten sentences, (7)and (8) are fine. 　　The rest need correcting or improving. 　　(1) The bus was too packed; I could not get on it. 　　Better: 　　(1) a. As the bus was too packed, I could not get on it. 　　(1) b. The bus was too packed for me to get on it. 　　(1) c. The bus was so packed that I could not get on it. 　　(2) They complimented her on her culinary skill of Thai cuisine. 　　(3) He doesn't eat fish because of the fishy smell. 　　(4) She likes to boast about/of her capability of work in the office. 　　Better: 　　She likes to boast of her capability of doing office work. 　　(5) Do you plan to go on /for your holidays this year? 　　(6) Peter has told me that you have been to Turkey for a few years. / Peter told me that you had been to Turkey a few years ago. How are your holidays over there? 　　(9) You have a bias towards the two sons. 　　(10) I declined his invitation on the pretext of illness. TCL

查看完整版本: [-- 陈清霖（等） 英语讲义 --] [-- top --]

Powered by PHPWind v4.3.2 Code © 2003-05 PHPWind
Time 0.058600 second(s),query:4 Gzip enabled

You can contact us