Unit 2 Electricity电力
Section 1 Basic初级基础
万用表达一览
□just that 只是，就这点
□in real trouble 陷入困境，有麻烦
□have a look 看一看
□Easy for you to say！ 你说得容易！
万用表达详解
1. just that
释 only that只是，就这点
例 I'm sorry. It's just that I can't stand the smell here. Can we move to another room?
很抱歉，但是我受不了这里的气味。我们可以去其他的房间吗？
2. in real trouble
释 in a lot of trouble陷入困境，有麻烦
例 I think he's in real trouble with his grades.
我想他的成绩很糟糕。
3. have a look
释 take a look at that看一看
例 Bob: Can I have a look at that?
鲍勃：我能看看吗？
Tina: Sure, take your time!
蒂娜：当然，慢慢看。
4. Easy for you to say!
释 say to someone offering advice, who doesn't face the same problems as the person receiving the advice你说得容易！对你来说就简单。
例 Bob: This math is a cinch!
鲍勃：这道数学题简直是小菜一碟！
Tina: Easy for you to say! Your father's a math teacher.
蒂娜：对你来说就容易！你爸爸是数学老师嘛。
实用对话场景
Bob: What do you know about electricity?
Tina: Not much. Just that it's useful. Without it, we'd be in real trouble.
Bob: How so?
Tina: Think about it. You'd have no computer, no fridge, no AC. The list is endless.
Bob: I get it!
Tina: Why are you so interested in electricity anyway? Is it for school?
Bob: Yeah. Our teacher gave us an assignment for homework.
Tina: Let me have a look. “Write one paragraph on the uses of electricity.” That's easy!
Bob: Easy for you to say!
鲍勃：关于电，你知道多少？
蒂娜：没多少。就只觉得它很有用。没有电我们就真的麻烦了。
鲍勃：怎么说？
蒂娜：想想吧。你会没有电脑，没有冰箱，没有空调，很多东西都不会有了。
鲍勃：我懂了！
蒂娜：不过为什么你对电这么感兴趣？为了功课？
鲍勃：是啊，我们老师给我们留了作业。
蒂娜：给我看看。“就电的用途写一段话。”很简单啊！
鲍勃：你说得容易！
跨文化交际小常识
表达感谢的方式丰富多样，在不同的语言中，其表达形式千差万别。在跨文化交流过程中，我们务必要区分汉、英语言的一些差别。在东方文化中，用道歉语表示感谢是一种重要的方式，比如“麻烦您了”“让你费心了”“真过意不去”等。这不仅能表露内心的感谢之意，还能使人感到一种强烈的利他主义精神，有助于拉近双方的距离，营造一种亲情氛围。但是这种间接表达感谢的方式，很难让英美人接受和理解。当用英语进行交流时，我们必须转换思维，用“Thank you”等直线式的思维来表达。
读书笔记__________________________________________________________________________________________
Section 2 Intermediate中级进阶
万用表达一览
□one of the single biggest 特别大的，巨大的，最伟大的……之一
□go in one ear and out the other 左耳进右耳出，当作耳边风
□brush up on 回顾，复习，重温
□need a hand 需要帮忙
□Will do！ 我会的！
万用表达详解
1. one of the single biggest
释 one of the very biggest特别大的，巨大的，最伟大的……之一
例 It was one of the single biggest discoveries of the 20th century.
这是20世纪最伟大的发现之一。
2. go in one ear and out the other
释 retain nothing左耳进右耳出，当作耳边风
例 To be honest, it went in one ear and out the other.
说实话，这都是左耳进右耳出的。
3. brush up on
释 practice回顾，复习，重温
例 You'll need to brush up on your English for tomorrow's exam.
为了明天的英语考试，你要好好复习一下。
4. need a hand
释 need help需要帮忙
例 I'll need a hand with the washing-up later.
晚点我需要有人帮我刷刷碗。
5. Will do!
释 I will do it！ 我会的！
例 Bob: Make sure you look after the house while we're gone.
鲍勃：我们不在时，你一定要看好房子。
Tina: Will do Mom!
蒂娜：我会的，妈妈。
实用对话场景
Bob: I heard somewhere that electricity was one of the single biggest discoveries ever.
Tina: I'd say that's true. I can't imagine a world without it. You can thank Faraday for that.
Bob: Who?
Tina: Michael Faraday. You know, the guy discovered electro-magnetic induction—the principle behind the electric transformer and generator.
Bob: Oh. Right! Our physics teacher was talking about him the other day. To be honest, it all went in one ear and out the other.
Tina: That's basic stuff. You've got to know that.
Bob: I'll brush up on it tonight.
Tina: If you need a hand, let me know.
Bob: Will do.
鲍勃：我在哪儿听过，电是最伟大的发现之一。
蒂娜：我得说，这句话是对的。我无法想象一个没有电的世界。我们要谢谢法拉第呢。
鲍勃：谁？
蒂娜：迈克尔·法拉第。他就是发现电磁感应定律的那个人。变压器和发电机运用的就是这一定律。
鲍勃：噢，对！我们物理老师前几天才说起他。说实话，一个耳朵进一个耳朵出，什么都没有记住。
蒂娜：那是基本知识，你应该要知道的。
鲍勃：我今晚会复习的。
蒂娜：如果你需要帮忙，告诉我吧。
鲍勃：我会的。
跨文化交际小常识
在英语中，回答“Thank you”和“Sorry”时使用的很多语句也都是相同的，比如“Not at all”“That's all right” “That's OK” “It's nothing” “Don't mention it”以及“Forget it”等。不过值得注意的是，有一些回答只能用来回答“Sorry”，比如“It doesn't matter”和“Never mind”。事实上，根据一些调查，这两句话对于许多英语学习者来说误用率非常高。在此，希望读者朋友们在口语表达过程中切忌因“show off”而弄巧成拙。
读书笔记__________________________________________________________________________________________
Section 3 Advanced高级飞跃
万用表达一览
□power 供能，为……提供动力，发电/ 供电
□If you think about it 如果你仔细想想，如果你认真考虑
□take for granted 想当然
□not a pretty picture 不是一幅好的景象，不是一个好的想法
□It's scary to think… 不敢想，想到……多可怕
□in case of an emergency 在紧急情况下，在危险情况下
□Your life comes to a halt. /Your way of life would be over． 生活就会进入停顿状态。
□I get the picture． 我明白了。
□You got it． 你明白了。
□Any time． 随时欢迎。/不客气！
万用表达详解
1. power
释 generate power/supply the power供能，为……提供动力，发电/ 供电
例 You'll need a six-cylinder gas engine to power the truck.
你需要一个六缸的燃气发动机给这辆卡车提供动力。
2. If you think about it
释 If you consider sth. for a moment如果你仔细想想，如果你认真考虑
例 If you think about it, where else can we get a deal like this?
你仔细想想，我们还能在哪里拿到这么好的价格？
3. take for granted
释 think that something/someone will always be there/available想当然
例 We shouldn't take these things for granted. A time will come when we won't have them.
我们不该把这些想得理所当然，将来总有一天我们会失去它们的。
4. not a pretty picture
释 not a nice thought不是一幅好的景象，不是一个好的想法
例 Imagine being Robinson Crusoe on a lonely Pacific island and nobody around for hundreds of miles. Not a pretty picture, right?
想象一下，假如你是鲁滨孙·克鲁索，孤单一人待在太平洋小岛上，方圆几百里都没有人烟。这不是一幅好景象，对吧？
5. It's scary to think…
释 It's scary/frightening to consider不敢想，想到……多可怕
例 It's scary to think that we would be helpless without these things. But it's true.
想到没有这些东西我们会很无助，这该有多可怕呀，但这是真的。
6. in case of an emergency
释 If something bad/unfortunate/unforeseen happens在紧急情况下，在危险情况下
例 Here's my mother's number, in case of an emergency.
紧急情况下，可以打我妈妈这个电话。
7. Your life comes to a halt. /Your way of life would be over.
释 Life as you know it ceases/stops． 生活就会进入停顿状态。
例 My life would come to a halt if I didn't have it.
如果没有它，我的生活会停滞不前的。
8. I get the picture.
释 I understand． 我明白了。
例 Bob: You see, if this happens again, you'll be in deep trouble.
鲍勃：你瞧，如果这件事再次发生，你就会深陷麻烦。
Tina: I think I get the picture.
蒂娜：我想我懂了。
9. You got it.
释 You understand． 你明白了。
例 Bob: So, as I understand it, there won't be any time off over the weekend.
鲍勃：依我看，这个周末没有休假。
Tina: You got it.
蒂娜：是这样的。
10. Any time.
释 You're welcome． 随时欢迎。/不客气。
例 Bob: Thank you very much for all you've done.
鲍勃：非常感谢你所做的一切。
Tina: No worries. Any time.
蒂娜：没事，别客气。
实用对话场景
Bob: What can I say? Electricity is all around us. We can't see it, but it's there. It moves around in cables, heats our water and powers our homes.
Tina: Right. We use it to cook and to travel. Without electricity, our world would be very different, and a very difficult one to live in.
Bob: If you think about it, we're so lucky to have electricity. We take it for granted, because we've never known a time without it. But just think about what you couldn't do without electricity or battery power, and then think of what you'd have to do without it.
Tina: Yeah. Not a pretty picture, right? It's scary to think there are still places in this world without electricity. The people who live in these places haven't known anything else, so they don't feel as though they need it.
Bob: Nor do they miss it. But when a storm hits our homes and we're left in the dark, we're seldom ready for alternatives.
Tina: Do you still have candles at home in case of an emergency?
Bob: No… Now, do you see what I mean?
Tina: So, if your TV and computer don't work, or you have no back-up generator, your life comes to a halt. I get the picture. We're so dependent on electricity that without it we're helpless.
Bob: You got it.
Tina: Wow. I can't thank you enough. It's been really interesting talking to you.
Bob: Anytime.
鲍勃：我该怎么说呢？我们身边到处都有电的存在。我们看不到它，但它的确存在。它们通过电缆进行传输，加热我们用的水，给我们的家园供能。
蒂娜：对，我们用电来煮饭和旅行。没有电，我们的世界就会截然不同，生活将会非常困难。
鲍勃：如果你仔细想想，就会发现我们能有电用是多幸运的一件事。我们总以为用电是理所当然的，因为我们从未经历过没有电的日子。但你想想，如果没有电或电池，你有什么事是不能做的，而什么事，即使没电你也必须做。
蒂娜：是啊！情景并不如意，是吧？很难想象在这个世界上竟然还有没有电的地方。生活在那些地方的人不知道其他人有电的生活，所以他们并不觉得需要它。
鲍勃：他们也不想它。但是，当暴风雨袭击我们的家园而我们只能待在黑暗中时，就几乎没有替代品了。
蒂娜：你家里还有以防停电而备用的蜡烛吗？
鲍勃：没有。现在你懂我的意思吗？
蒂娜：所以是说，如果电视和电脑坏了，或者没有备用发电机，你的生活就会陷入停止状态。我明白了。我们太依赖于电力以至于没有了它，我们会束手无策。
鲍勃：你终于懂了。
蒂娜：哇，我不知如何感谢你才好。跟你聊天真有趣。
鲍勃：不用谢！
跨文化交际小常识
在汉语里，表达歉意时会说“对不起”或者“很抱歉”。但是在英语中，很多看似“道歉”的表达并不一定表示歉意。比如，regret这个词与我们所期待的apologize就相去甚远，甚至可以说两者有本质的区别。regret的主要意思是“遗憾，后悔”，它在表示歉意的层面上其实是十分轻微的。事实上，任何非当事人对受害者的遭遇表示同情时都可以使用这个词。尤其是在政治和外交场合里，regret这个词更是被政治家们当作文字游戏来使用，企图逃避或推卸责任。
读书笔记__________________________________________________________________________________________