Do you like English?

1. Do you like English? difficult interesting mysterious not easily understood

2. The Mysteries of the English Language What’s so mysterious about the English language? words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings 1 words that are spelled the same, but are pronounced differently and have different meanings 2 words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have different meanings 3 4 there are at least seven ways to pronounce “ough”: 5 there are the words that make no sense at all but most Americans speak yet another language 6

3. CH TextB_P1 Text B The Mysteries of the English LanguageKelley Hunsicker 1 What’s so mysterious about the English language? Let’s take a look. 2 Why do we have so many words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings? Words like: Way — weigh, hear — here, stair — stare, do — dew, red— read, ate — eight ?

4. CH TextB_P2 Text B 3 Why do we have words that are spelled the same, but are pronounced differently and have different meanings? See how many of these you can pronounce right. 1. Billy will present Tom with his present. 2. I object to that object being here. 3. I estimate that the estimate will be too high. 4. The dove dove quickly from the sky. 5. The judge will convict the convict today. 6. Since you are so close, please close the door. N N ?

5. CH TextB_P3 Text B 4 How many did you get right on your first try? Let’s look at words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have different meanings. 1. I walked across that board to board the ship. 2. I tried to shoo the bat away with my bat. 3. I caught a cold from the cold weather. 4.This bug is really starting to bug me. 5. Some towns actually border the border. 5 Get the idea? How about this one? There are at least seven ways to pronounce “ough”: Dough, cough, hiccough, plough, through, rough, thorough ?

6. CH TextB_P4 Text B 6 And then there are the words that make no sense at all, such as: 1. Where’s the “corn” in “corned beef”? 2. Where’s the “egg” in “eggplant”? 3. Why isn’t a “grapefruit” a “fruit from a grape”? 4. Why is a “boxing ring” square? 5. How can someone be “beside himself”? 7 Once you have learned the basics of the English language, you may think that’s all there is to it, but most Americans speak yet another language. 8 The following is a short story about a foreign exchange student arriving at the home he will be staying at. Having learned basic English, imagine his confusion. N N N ?

7. CH TextB_P5 Text B 9 “Welcome to the Big Apple. I hope you don’t feel like a fish out of water here. We’ve been on pins and needles waiting for you. We thought you might have gotten cold feet or something. Oh, don’t mind my little brother Jason; he’s just got ants in his pants today. Mom would have sent him out to play, but she figured he could help to break the ice. He can be so funny sometimes. Here’s your room; it’s clean as a whistle. I had so many plans for us today, but then it dawned on me, you’ll probably need some time to catch your second wind.” N ?

8. CH TextB_P6 Text B 10 Still think there’s no mystery in the English language? The mystery is that anyone can learn at all ! How many of these “word mysteries” can you think of ? (476 words) ?

9. Language Points Billy will present Tom with his present. TextB_P2_LP_ Billy … verb noun 比利将把自己的礼物赠送给汤姆。 这一组句子中拼写相同的词除了读音不同、意思不同外，有的还重读音节不同，如present, object和convict等： present vt. / / present n. // object vi. // object n. // convict vt. // convict n. / /

10. Why is a “boxing ring” “square”? TextB_P4_LP_ Why … 为什么“拳击台”是“方的”？ 英语中ring通常为环形物，但是方形的拳击台却用了ring这个词。

11. TextB_P4_LP_ How … Language Points How can beside someone be “beside himself”? 某人怎么会“在他自己旁边”（“神志失常”）？ 英语中beside 原意为“在…旁边”。

12. TextB_P4_LP_ … but Language Points … but most Americans speak yet another language. ……但是大多数美国人讲的又是另一种语言。 世界各地的英语在发音、拼写、语法等方面存在着或多或少的差异。美国英语与英国英语差异尤大，特别是在口语中。

13. TextB_P5_LP_ Welcome… Language Points Welcome to the Big Apple. 欢迎来到大苹果城。 英语中人们常用the Big Apple来指纽约市。

14. TextB_P1_Questions • How many groups of interesting English words has the writer talked about in the text? Five. 2) What kind of words are those that are talked about in the first group? They are those that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings.

15. TextB_P1_Chinese Chinese Version 英语之奥秘 凯利•亨西克 英语有何奥秘之处？让我们来瞧瞧。 为什么我们有这么多发音相同，但是拼写不同、意义也不同的词？ 如: way（路）— weigh（称…的重量), hear(听见) — here (这里), stair(梯级) — stare(凝视), do(做）— dew（露水), red(红的）— read（读过), ate（吃过）— eight(八）。

16. T T TextB_P1_LP_ mystery Language Points 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. 她认为生命充满了神秘。 他的发现将有助于揭示许多海洋之谜。

17. TextB_P1_LP_ Kelly Language Points Kelly Hunsicker//:凯利 • 亨西克 （American author, freelance journalist and photographer 美国作家、自由撰稿的记者和摄影师）

18. T T TextB_P1_LP_ mysterious Language Points mysterious //:a. full of mystery; not easily understood 神秘的，不可思议的；难以理解的 e.g. You are a mysterious girl why won’t you tell me your name? He died under mysterious circumstances, but nobody knows if it was murder. 你是一个神秘的女孩——你为什么不把你的名字告诉我呢？ 他死得蹊跷，但无人知道是否是谋杀。

19. T T TextB_P1_LP_ take a look Language Points 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? 我的车坏了。你能看一下吗？ 我对老房子有着特殊的兴趣。你是否介意我随处看看？

20. T T TextB_P1_LP_ meaning Language Points meaning//:n. what sth. expresses or represents 意义，意思；含义 e.g. This expression has two very different meanings in English. Now that he is a college student, life has new meaning for him. 这个短语在英语中有两个截然不同的意思。 现在他是大学生了，生活对他而言有了新的意义。

21. T T TextB_P1_LP_ weigh Language Points weigh //:v. find the weight of, esp. by using a machine; have the stated weight 称…的重量，称；称得重量 e.g. Every time I weigh myself I seem to have got heavier! These potatoes weigh nearly 5 kilos. 我每次称体重都好像更重了。 这些土豆差不多重5公斤。 n. weight

22. Language Points stare//:v. look steadily for a long time 盯着看；凝视 TextB_P1_LP_ stare 辨析 gaze, glare, stare, peer, glance gaze指出于羡慕、感兴趣、关心或惊异而长时间目不转睛地看。 glare指用愤恨、凶狠或含敌意的眼光死死看着某人。 stare侧重因惊奇、好奇、粗鲁无礼等而睁大眼睛看。 peer  指眯着眼睛仔细地或略为吃力地看。 glance指匆匆地或粗略地一看，侧重心不在焉地、匆忙地看一眼。

23. T TextB_P1_LP_dew Language Points dew /;/:n. the small drops of water which form on cold surfaces during the night 露，露水 e.g. When he walked in the garden early in the morning, his shoes became wet with dew. 当他清晨在花园里散步时， 他的鞋被露水打湿了。

24. TextB_P2_Questions 3) What is the main difference in the pronunciation of the words given in the second group? Most of the words being compared are pronounced almost the same except that they stress different syllables.

25. TextB_P2_Chinese Chinese Version 为什么我们有拼写相同但发音不同、意义也不同的词？看看这些词中你能读对几个？ 1. 比利将把自己的礼物赠送给汤姆。 2. 我反对把那样东西留在这里。 3. 我估计这一估计数会太高。 4. 那只鸽子很快地从空中俯冲而下。 5. 法官今天将宣判那名囚犯有罪。 6. 既然你靠得那么近，那就请你关上门吧。

26. T T TextB_P2_LP_ pronounce Language Points pronounce//:vt. make the sound of (a letter, a word, etc.) 发（字母、词等的）音 e.g. How do you pronounce your last name? This word is difficult to pronounce. 你的姓怎么念？ 这个词很难读。

27. object TextB_P2_LP_ object • v. be against sb. or sth.; feel or show opposition or disapproval反对，不赞成 • 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 In their beautiful bedroom, the children are surrounded by familiar objects. He made it his object in life to be a good doctor.

28. T T T estimate TextB_P2_LP_ estimate 1.//n. 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. 这颗树估计至少已有700年的树龄。 我们估算我们的顾客中妇女超过75％。 2.//v. calculation or judgment of the nature, value, size, amount, etc. of sth. 估计 e.g. My estimate of his abilities was wrong. 我对他的能力估计错了。

29. n. Pigeon 鸽子 v. dive 的过去式 T T dove TextB_P2_LP_ dive dive //: （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. 马克从桥上跃入河中。 飞机冲向地面，紧接着就爆炸了。

30. 1. :vt. declare that (sb.) is guilty of a crime after a trial in a court 宣判（某人）有罪 T T T convict TextB_P2_LP_convict 2. n. person who has been declared guilty of a crime and sent to prison 已决犯；囚犯 e.g. The two men were convicted of murder.　 The judge found that there was not enough evidence to convict him. 那这两个人被判谋杀罪。 法官发现没有足够的证据判他有罪。 e.g. The search for the escaped convict went on for days. 对逃犯的搜捕持续了几天。

31. TextB_P2_LP_ Since… Language Points Since you are so close, please close the door. 既然你靠得那么近，那就请你关上门吧。 句中前一个close读作//，第二个close读作//。

32. TextB_P3_Questions 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. He plans to study chemical engineering and he wants to be a chemical engineer. 5) How many ways are there to pronounce “ough” in English? What are they? There are at least seven, e.g. dough, cough, hiccough, plough, through, rough and thorough.

33. TextB_P3_Chinese Chinese Version 在第一次尝试中你读对了多少？让我们来看看拼写相同、读音相同但意义不同的词。 1. 我走过那块跳板登上船。 2. 我试图用我的球拍把那只蝙蝠赶走。 3. 我因为天气寒冷而感冒了。 4. 这一只虫子真的开始烦扰我了。 5. 一些城镇实际上跟边界接界。 明白了吗？下面这个又怎么样呢？“ough”至少有七种发音方法： dough(//生面团),cough (/f/ 咳嗽), hiccough // 打嗝儿), plough (//犁), through (// 通过), rough (// 不平滑的), thorough (// 彻底的）。

34. T T TextB_P3_LP_ get Language Points 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. 我大多数题目都答对了。 发邀请函时，要确保把人家的姓名写对。

35. T T T n.a long thin flat piece of cut wood; plank木板 board TextB_P3_LP_ board v. get onto (a ship) or into (a public vehicle) 上（船、火车、公共汽车） e.g. blackboard The walls of their room were made up of several boards only. 他们房间的墙仅由几块木板组成。 e.g. At 7:30 I boarded the train for New York. Before boarding the plane, Jenny tried once more to call home. 7点半，我登上了去纽约的火车。 登机前，珍妮试着再一次给家里打电话。

36. T TextB_P3_LP_ shoo Language Points shoo//:vt. drive away (as if) by saying “shoo”用“嘘”声赶走 e.g. I shooed him out of the room. 我用“嘘”声把他赶出了房间。

37. T T n. any small insect 虫子 bug TextB_P3_LP_ bug 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? 我生那种病好多年了，它真把我烦透了。 肯尼，你有什么烦恼？

38. T T T vt. form a border to; have a common border with形成…的边界，毗邻；与…接壤 border TextB_P3_LP_ border n. the dividing line between two countries edge; part near the edge of sth. 国界；边境; 边缘，边 e.g. Shanghai borders the East China Sea. Ten years ago in this place there was a garden that bordered the river. 上海毗邻东海。 10年前，这个地方的河边有一个花园。 e.g. Jomolungma lies on the border between China and Nepal. 珠穆朗玛峰位于中国和尼泊尔的边界。

39. T T T 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? 我感到饿了，你怎么样？ 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? 中午吃些面条如何？ 今天下午去海滩如何？

40. T T T TextB_P3_LP_ at least Language Points 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. I don’t know where he is, but at least I know he is still alive. At least you should listen to his explanation. 事故中至少有7个学生受伤。 我不知道他在哪里，但是至少我知道他还活着。 你至少应该听听他的解释。

41. dough TextB_P3_LP_ dough n. flour mixed with water ready for baking 生面团

42. T TextB_P3_LP_ hiccough Language Points hiccough//:n.（也可拼作hiccup）打嗝儿，打嗝声 e.g. Don’t drink so fast — you’ll get hiccups. 别喝得那么快——你会打嗝的。

43. T TextB_P3_LP_ thorough Language Points thorough//:a. complete in every way彻底的 e.g. The police have made a thorough search of the area. 警察彻底搜查了这一区域。 A Thorough Cleanup 大扫除.

44. Language Points TextB_P3_LP_ plough plough //:n. a farming tool with a heavy cutting blade which is used to break up and turn over the earth, esp. before seeds are planted 犁

45. TextB_P4_Questions 6) Why does the writer say that words such as “eggplant”, “grapefruit”, etc. make no sense at all? Because some parts of these words have nothing to do with the things that the words refer to. 7) What does the writer think of the difference between British English and American English? The writer thinks that they are very different. American English is said to be a different language from British English. 8) Who is the next to last paragraph spoken to and where is it spoken? This paragraph is spoken to a student who has learnt British English and has just arrived in New York City in the United States.

46. TextB_P4_Chinese Chinese Version 还有一些完全没有道理的词，如： 1. “corned beef”（咸牛肉）中的“corn”（ “玉米”） 在哪里? 2. “eggplant”（“茄子”）中的“egg”（“蛋”） 在哪里? 3.为什么“grapefruit”(“柚子”)不是“fruit from the grape”(“葡萄的果实”)? 4.为什么“boxing ring”(“拳击台”)是“square”(“方的”)? 5.某人怎么会“beside himself”（“神志失常”）? 一旦你学到了英语的基础的东西，你可能认为英语就是这样了，但是大多数美国人讲的又是另一种语言。 下面是一个外国交换留学生抵达他将住宿的家时的一个小故事。在学过基础英语之后，想象一下他的困惑吧。

47. T T T T TextB_P4_LP_sense Language Points sense/ /:n. good practical understanding and judgment; feeling; meaning 见识，判断力；感觉；意义 e.g. My grandmother’s good sense comes from years of experience. I like Pam — she has a sense of humour. He did his work out of a sense of duty. This noun usually has two senses. 我祖母的正确判断力来自于多年的经验。 我喜欢帕姆——她有幽默感。 他出于责任感而工作。 这个名词通常有两个意思。

48. T T T TextB_P4_LP_ make sense Language Points make sense: have an understandable meaning 有意义；有道理；讲得通 e.g. This word doesn’t make sense in this sentence. It made sense for Sam to live near the college. There are parts of the plan that simply don’t make sense. 句子中的这个词讲不通。 萨姆住在学校附近是有道理的。 这个计划的有些部分简直毫无意义。

49. T T beside oneself TextB_P4_LP_ beside having lost one’s self-control because of the intensity of the emotion one is feeling（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. 当他听到这个好消息时，他欣喜若狂。 汤姆丢了工作，愤怒得难以自持。

50. T T TextB_P4_LP_ basics Language Points basics:英语中basics一般以复数形式作为名词用，意思为“基础、要素”。 e.g. I still haven’t mastered the basics of English grammar. You have to understand the basics before you can do more advanced work. 我还没有掌握英语语法的基础。 你必须懂得基础知识然后才能做进一步的工作。