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text? 1. How many groups of interesting English words has the writer talked about in the text?

2. What kind of words are those that are talked about in the first group?

3. What is the main difference in the pronunciation of the words given in the second group?

4. Can you give some words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have different meanings? Give at least two pairs of such words.

5. How many ways are there to pronounce “ough” in English? What are they?

6. Why does the writer say that words such as “eggplant,” “grapefruit,” etc. make no sense at all?

7. What does the writer think of the difference between British English and American English?

8. Who is the next to last paragraph spoken to and where is it spoken?

9. What is the confusion that the foreign exchange student may have when he hears the words upon his arrival at his new home in New York City? Language Points

1) mystery: n. sth. which cannot be explained or understood 神秘的事物，不可思议的事物，难以理解的事物，谜 e.g. She believes that life is full of mysteries.

His findings will help to reveal many mysteries of the sea. 2) take a look: 看一看

e.g. There is something wrong with my car. Can you take a look at it?

I have a special interest in old houses. Do you mind if I take a look around? 3) meaning : n. what sth. expresses or represents意义，意思；含义 e.g. This expression has two very different meanings in English. 4) stare: v. look steadily for a long time

e.g. Don't stare at other people---it is impolite.

She was staring into the fire thinking about her own future. 5) object:

1. v. be against sb. or sth.; feel or show opposition or disapproval反对，不赞成 e.g. Tom objected to the plan because he thought it would be too expensive. I object to her going alone.

2.n. thing that can be seen or felt; aim 物体，实物；目的，目标

e.g. In their beautiful bedroom, the children are surrounded by familiar objects. He made it his object in life to be a good doctor. 6) estimate

1. v. judge or calculate the nature, value, size, amount, etc. of (sth.), esp. roughly; form an opinion about估计；估价；判断 e.g. The tree is estimated to be at least 700 years old. We estimate that over 75% of our customers are women.

2. n. calculation or judgment of the nature, value, size, amount, etc. of sth.估计 e.g. My estimate of his abilities was wrong. 7) dove: 1. n. 鸽子

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2. dive 的过去式 dive: (dived or dove) v. jump head first into water; go under the surface of water; go down quickly （头朝下）跳水；潜水；俯冲 e.g. Mark dived off the bridge into the river.

The plane dived towards the ground and exploded immediately. 8) convict:

1. vt. declare that (sb.) is guilty of a crime after a trial in a court宣判（某人）有罪 e.g. The two men were convicted of murder.

The judge found that there was not enough evidence to convict him.

2. n. person who has been declared guilty of a crime and sent to prison 已决犯；囚犯 e.g. The search for the escaped convict went on for days.

9) get sth. right: do sth. correctly; understand sth. clearly, without error做对某事；正确理解某事；把某事弄得正确无误 e.g. I got most of the questions right.

Make sure you get people’s names right when you’re sending out the invitations. 10) board 1. n. a long thin flat piece of cut wood; plank e.g. The walls of their room were made up of several boards only.

2. v. get onto (a ship) or into (a public vehicle) 上（船、火车、公共汽车） e.g. At 7:30 I boarded the train for New York.

Before boarding the plane, Jenny tried once more to call home.

11) shoo vt. drive away (as if) by saying “shoo”用“嘘”声赶走 e.g. I shooed him out of the room. 12) bug

1. n. any small insect 虫子 2. vt. [sl] annoy; irritate [俚] 烦扰；使恼怒

e.g. I’ve had that disease many years, it really bugs me. What’s bugging you, Kenny?

13) border1. vt. form a border to; have a common border with 形成…的边界，毗邻；与…接壤 e.g. Shanghai borders the East China Sea.

Ten years ago in this place there was a garden that bordered the river. 2. n. the dividing line between two countries edge; part near the edge of sth. 国界；边境; 边缘，边 14) How about…?

1. used to ask a question that directs attention to another person or thing ……怎么样？（用于讲另一个人或事物时） e.g. I’m feeling hungry. How about you?

2. used to make a suggestion ……如何？（用于提出建议） e.g. How about some noodles for lunch?

How about going to the beach this afternoon?

15) at least: not less than; if nothing else is true; at any rate 至少；反正；无论如何

e.g. At least seven students were injured in the accident.

16) beside oneself: having lost one’s self-control because of the intensity of the emotion one is feeling

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（因过于激动）失去自制力；神志失常；发狂

e.g. When he heard the good news, he was beside himself with happiness. When Tom lost his job, he was beside himself with anger. 17) That’s all there is to it: 就是这样，就是这么一回事

e.g. When a person dies, he loses everything. That’s all there is to it.

18) like a fish out of water: (feeling) awkward or uncomfortable, because one is in strange, unsuitable surroundings

如鱼离水；感到生疏（或不自在）

e.g. My little brother felt like a fish out of water in his new school. I always feel like a fish out of water among these high society people.

19) on pins and needles: worried; nervous 如坐针毡的；坐立不安的； 急得要死的 e.g. I was on pins and needles until I found out I’d won.

We’re on pins and needles waiting to hear whether she got the job. 20) or something: or a thing like that 诸如此类的什么

e.g. Did she have an accident or something on her way back home yesterday? Maybe we can go to the movies or something.

21) have (got) ants in one’s pants: be very restless or excited 坐立不安，非常激动

e.g. She’s got ants in her pants because she’s going to a party tonight.

22) break the ice: do or say sth. to remove or reduce awkwardness or tension, esp. at a first meeting or at the start of a party, etc.

（为难办的事）开个头；打破沉默，使气氛活跃

e.g. Let’s break the ice by having everyone give their names. Sam’s arrival broke the ice and people began to talk and laugh. 23) clean as a whistle: very tidy or clean 干干净净；洁白无瑕 e.g. I want you to get those plates as clean as a whistle.

6th period Improve Your Reading Skills

Guessing the Meaning of Unknown Words in Context (1)

阅读中我们不可避免会遇到一些生词,如果我们能掌握一些根据上下文猜测词义的技能，无疑会有助于提高我们的阅读速度。例如，假定你不认识下面句子中knack这个词，也可以猜测它的含义：

Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages. They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules of grammar, and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others. (Text C, Unit 8, Book 1)

从这个词的上下文，即：有些人似乎具有一种学习语言的knack，他们能比别人（没有这种学习语言的knack的人）更快地学会新的词汇、掌握语法规则、学会用新学的语言写作，我们就可以猜到knack的大致意思：knack = natural skill or ability。

再如,假定你不认识下面句子中flight attendant：“Is this plane going to Oakland?” he asked the flight attendant. The flight attendant gasped. “No,” she said. “We’re going to Auckland — Auckland, New Zealand.” (Text A, Unit 1, Book 2) 从这个词语的上下文，我们可以猜测到它的大致意义：someone who serves food and drinks to passengers on a plane, and looks after their comfort and safety。