沈阳职业技术学院 公共外语教研室
Maintaining a Sharp Eye
I Am a Bit Nervous
About My English
Related Information
Intensive Study
Practice
Text-related Information
TOEFL stands for the Test Of
English as Foreign Language. The
purpose of the test is to evaluate
the
English
proficiency
of
nonnative speakers of English who
wish to study in American colleges
and universities. TOEFL scores are
used
by
more
than
2
300
institutions in the U.S. and
Canada.
There
is
no
single
“passing score” for this test.
The minimum score for admittance
to an institution is set by that
institution. TOEFL is administered
by ETS --- the Educational Testing
Service.
The full name for GRE is the Graduate
Record Examination, which is a multiplechoice examination designed to measure the
verbal,
quantitative,
and
analytical
skills one has developed in the course of
his
academic
scholastic
General
career.
ability
Test.
The
is
The
general
measured
Advanced
by
Test
the
(also
Subject Test) deals with specific subject
matter
corresponding
to
the
specific
graduate study. Because there is a strong
correlation between high GRE scores and
the probability of success in graduate
school,
many
graduate
and
professional
schools require that their applicants take
GRE. GRE is also administered by the ETS,
Text
Difficult Sentences
Important Words
Passage I
I Am a Bit Nervous About My English
(Para. 1) I'm Robert Lee, a senior at a Chinese
university. I am planning to study Electronic Engineering
in the United States this coming summer if I am lucky
enough to be admitted to Miami University. However,
I am
1
a bit nervous about my English, so I'm spending a lot of
time studying it hard. I think my pronunciation isn't
accurate enough to make myself understood, and I might
easily get confused. 2 I'm embarrassed when people lose
me in the middle of a conversation or vice versa. 3 Also, I
find the grammar very difficult. Sometimes, I know every
word in an expression, but I don't know what it implies.
Honestly, I understand very little.
Passage I
(Para. 2-1) It is funny because I used to study
English just for entertainment, to kill time, but now I have a
particular purpose for it, so I have found a tutor for myself. 4
My tutor holds her master's degree in education and is
very helpful. She assigns me quite a lot of homework, and
wants me to memorize all the phrases and expressions.
She says it is necessary to practice as much as possible
until they are fixed in my mind. 5 And the more I apply
them in real situations, the more natural they will become. 6
Passage I
(Para. 2-2) However, I find it so boring to practice
so much and I'm getting discouraged. My tutor also says
language is a tool, and people use it to express their
ideas,
thoughts
and
feelings,
and
all
these
are
determined by culture. As a result, when I understand
the cultural background, I can use the language better.
She also asks me to read a lot. My tutor sounds like a
professor, and I feel lucky to have her as my tutor.
Passage I
(Para. 3) My American friend Burt helps me a
lot, too. He knows my problem because I have
exchanged my ideas with him. He told me to relax.
He said actually the most efficient way to reach my
goal would be to have a tape recorder or a CD player.
Either the CDs or tapes have native voices, and I can
study them by listening again and again and
imitating the sounds as many times as I wish. 7 I
think this is a good idea. That way I'm not only
training my listening comprehension but also my
speaking ability.
Passage I
(Para. 4) Luckily, I have
already passed both the Test of
English
as
(TOEFL)
and
Foreign
Graduate
Language
Records
Exam (GRE), but I feel I still have a
long way to go in English study.
1.
(Para. 1) I am planning to study
Electronic Engineering in the United Sates
this coming summer if I am lucky enough to be
admitted to Miami University.
“accepted
by”
Translation
Example
“adjective + enough”
structure
如果我能够幸运地被迈阿密大学录取, 我打算
今年夏天去美国学电子工程。
I would compete for Mayer if I were famous
enough to be known by the whole town.
2.
(Para. 1) I think my pronunciation isn’t accurate
enough to make myself understood, and I might easily
get confused.
V+O+OC
structure
get-type passive
voice
Translation
“adjective +
enough”
structure
我觉得自己的发音不准, 说英语别人听不懂,
我自己也很容易搞糊涂。
She had great fear that she wasn’t worldly
Example enough to make herself accepted by her future
parents-in-law, and she might get irritated.
3.
(Para. 1) I’m embarrassed when people
lose me in the middle of a conversation or
vice versa.
adv.
反之亦然
Translation
Example
当在谈话中人们无法理解我或是我听不懂别
人的话时,我觉得尴尬极了。
The couple both feel awkward when the
husband starts to argue with the wife or vice
versa.
“过去（常常）”
4.
(Para. 2) It is funny because I used to study English
just for entertainment, to kill time, but now I have a
particular purpose for it, so I found a tutor for myself.
都表示“目
的”
Translation 说来好笑, 因为我过去学英语只是觉得好玩, 为
了消磨时间；但是现在我却有特定的目的,所以
我为自己找了一位家教。
Example I used to read bestsellers for entertainment,
to kill time.
形式主语
5.
(Para. 2) She says it is necessary to drill as much
as possible until they are fixed in my mind.
引导时间状语从句
修饰动词
不定式
Translation 她说我必须尽可能多地练习,直到它们刻印在
我的脑海中。
Example
It is exciting to swing as high as possible
until you become scared.
6.
(Para. 2) And the more I apply them in real
situations, the more natural they will become.
“the more … the more…”
structure
Translation 而且在实际情况中应用得越多,英语就越自然。
Example
The more I contact him, the more I understand
him.
7.
(Para. 3) Either the CDs or tapes have native
voices, and I can study them by listening again and
again and imitating the sounds as many times as I wish.
Correlative conjunction
“either ... or …”
无论是影碟还是录音带都有原声，我可以一遍
Translation 又一遍地听,随心所欲地一遍又一遍地模仿这些
声音, 学习它们。
Example Either work or entertainment brings fun to your
life, and you can enjoy it by working as hard as
you can and relaxing as much as possible.
senior n.
[AmE.] a student in the last year of a school or university
(美)（普通学校或大学）最高年级（毕业班）的学生
FOR EXAMPLE
Being seniors, everyone is busy looking for a job.
He worked as a teacher's assistant when he was a senior
at high school.
Related Words
freshman 大学一年级学生 sophomore 大学二年级学生
junior
大学三年级学生 senior
大学四年级学生
admit v.
permit (a person or thing) to enter, let in
许可进入；录取
FOR EXAMPLE
I cannot admit you into the theatre.
He was admitted to the best university of the
country.
accurate
adj.
careful and exact 准确的
FOR EXAMPLE
This is an accurate description of
what had happened.
The writing is praised
accurate choice of words.
for
its
confuse
v.
make less clear; make more difficult to understand
使混乱；使迷惑
 confusing adj.
令人迷惑的
 confused adj.
觉得迷惑的
FOR EXAMPLE
You must be confusing me with someone else.
I get more confused after your explanation.
The situation at present is rather confusing.
kill time
make time pass quickly by doing something
消磨时间，打发时间
FOR EXAMPLE
He likes playing
puzzle to kill time.
crossword
She used to kill time by making
dresses.
assign
v.
give someone the work to do 分配(任务)
FOR EXAMPLE
The general manager called him to assign him
the new task.
She has been assigned to take care of kids.
 assignment
n. 任务，（课外）作业
memorize
v.
记住，记忆
learn and remember
FOR EXAMPLE
The girl is so clever that she can memorize the
poem after hearing it only twice.
How I wish I could memorize all the rules and
their exceptions of the English grammar.
 memory
n.
记忆
apply
v.
bring or put it into use 使用，应用
# apply … to…
把……应用到……
FOR EXAMPLE
You must be able to apply what you learnt at
school to your future work.
This scientific
industrially.
discovery
can
be
applied
determine
v.
be the cause of, control, be depended on
确定，限定，控制
FOR EXAMPLE
Whether he will go or stay is determined by the
girl he loved.
What kind of weather we will get determines
whether we can go out for a picnic.
exchange
v.
to give and receive (sth.) in return for (sth. else);
交换，交易
FOR EXAMPLE
Couples need to exchange ideas frequently in
order to understand each other.
She exchanged her opinion on this event with
him and found surprisingly he shared her view.
relax
v.
(make) become less active and stop worrying
（使）放松，轻松
FOR EXAMPLE
The music will certainly relax you, come and
listen to it!
Sit down and relax, leave the work till tomorrow.
efficient
adj.
working well and fast
效率高的
FOR EXAMPLE
She is a very efficient
secretary and runs the office
well.
This is an efficient method to
cut down the cost.
 Read and Think
 Read and Complete
 Read and Translate
 Read and Simulate
Read and Think
Read the passage carefully and do
the multiple choice exercise.
1. Robert Lee is ________.
a. an American student studying in a Chinese university
b. an American student planning to study in a Chinese
university
c. a Chinese student admitted to Miami University
d
d. a Chinese student planning to study at Miami University
2. Robert Lee feels embarrassed for ________.
a. his poor English pronunciation
b. spending a lot of time learning English
c. not being able to find people to have a conversation with
d
d. failing to follow people in a conversation
Read and Think
3. The phrase “to kill time” (Line 1, para. 2) means ________.
a. to spend a lot of time
b. to save time by every means
c to pass time by doing useless things
c.
d. to study for fun
4. Robert Lee thinks his tutor sounds like a professor because
________.
a. she holds a master's degree in education
b. she assigns a lot of homework
c her view on language and culture is quite academic
c.
d. she uses English to express her thoughts and feelings
Read and Think
5. Which of the following statements is true according to the
passage?
a
a. Language is a tool for people to communicate with each
other.
b. Too much language practicing is useless.
c. Cultural background can be ignored in learning a foreign
language.
d. Extensive reading should be discouraged in learning a
language.
6. According to Lee's friend, listening to CDs and tapes
________.
a
a. is a relaxing way to learn a language
b. only helps to improve her listening comprehension.
c. is good only for training one's speaking ability
d. is the only way to imitate the native voices
Read and Complete
 Fill in the blanks without referring back to the passage.
Robert Lee is studying English very hard and hopes to
Miami University He wants to study
be admitted to 1 ______________.
2 ___________________
Electronic Engineering there, but he is still worried about his
poor English. Though he has already passed 3 ___________
TOEFL and
_____
has a long way to go in his English study. He
GRE he still 4 __________________
a professor in
finds a 5 _____
tutor to help him, who sounds like 6 __________
language teaching and who helps him a lot. He also has
an American friend who offers him good advice in improving
7 ________________
his listening comprehension and speaking ability.
Read and Complete
 Complete the following statements according to the passage.
1. Robert Lee has
__________
passed both TOEFL and GRE and is
planning to study in the U.S.
pronunciation is not accurate
2. He still thinks his English ____________
grammar
enough and he has trouble in using English ________.
kill time but now he
3. Robert Lee used to study English to _______,
special purpose
has a ______________.
4. His tutor says language is a tool with which people
ideas, thoughts and feelings
express their ________________________.
5. The tutor wants him to memorize all the
phrases and expressions
_____________________.
6. His American friend says that listening to ____________
CDs or tapes
can help him a lot in improving both listening comprehension
and speaking ability.
Read and Complete
 Fill in the blanks with the proper words and expressions given
below, changing the form if necessary.
admitted
efficient
confuse
apply
determine
exchange
relax
assign
discouraged
being admitted to
1. As long as I work hard, my dream of _____________
Harvard University will come true.
exchanging business cards with
2. People have been used to __________
each other when they first meet.
3. Having taken the intensive training course for a whole
month, Robert Lee decided to go and see a movie to _____
relax
a bit.
Read and Complete
4. The teacher _________
assigned us so much homework that
almost every one of us felt _____________.
discouraged
5. To be able to communicate _________
with native
efficient
speakers is always the final goal of my English study.
apply
6. University graduates often find it hard to ________what
they have learned at college to their jobs.
confused
7. Too many choices at one time __________her,
and she
couldn't __________
determine which job to take.
Read and Translate
Translate the following sentences
into English.
say the wrong thing
embarrassed
1. 面试时她说错了话，感到很尴尬。
She felt embarrassed when she said the wrong thing at
the interview.
lucky
2. 她觉得自己很幸运，一下子考过了托福和GRE。
She felt lucky to have passed TOEFL and GRE at one time.
Read and Translate
again and again
opening ceremony
relax
3. 露丝一遍又一遍地提醒波特, 在开幕式上要放松。
Ruth reminds Burt again and again to relax at the
opening ceremony.
reach one’s goal
go out
4. 完成了目标，拿到了毕业文凭，克里斯想外出娱乐一下。
Having reached his goal and got his diploma, Chris
wants to go out for entertainment.
Read and Translate
weather report
5.只要拨打121，你就可以在电话里听到最新的气象信息，而且你
想听几遍都可以。
as many times as … wished
Dial 121, and then you can hear the latest weather report
on the phone as many times as you wish.
Read and Simulate
Pay attention to the italicized parts in the English sentences
and translate the Chinese sentences by simulating the
structure of the English sentences.
1. I'm planning to go to the U.S. if I'm lucky enough to be
admitted to Miami University.
My pronunciation isn't accurate enough to make me
understood.
如果我有幸被派到欧洲，那么我一定不会放过这个机会。
If I’m lucky enough to be sent to Europe, I surely
won’t let this opportunity go.
如果汤姆有幸入选国家队，他一定不会让球迷失望。
If Tom is lucky enough to be selected for the National
Team, he will definitely not disappoint the fans.
Read and Simulate
2. I used to study English for entertainment.
He used to smoke for relaxation.
以前他学弹钢琴是为了打发时光。
He used to learn to play the piano for killing time.
以前他帮助这个孤独的老妇人是为了好名声。
They used to help this lonely old lady for good
reputation.
Read and Simulate
3. It is necessary to practice as much as possible until they
are fixed in my mind.
It is necessary to practice as much as possible until you
can use them.
有必要尽可能地多听，直到你能马上识别(identify)这些声音。
It is necessary to listen as much as possible until you
can identify the sound immediately.
有必要尽可能地多记生词，直到你能与外国人交流。
It is necessary to memorize as many words as
possible until you can communicate with native
speakers.
Read and Simulate
4. The more I apply the rules in real situations, the more
natural it will be.
The closer I got to her house, the more nervous I became.
有时候，规则记得越多，我就越糊涂。
Sometimes the more rules I memorize, the more
confused I become.
中国的人口越多，我们需要面临的问题就越多。
The larger population we have in China, the more
problems we’ll have to face.
Read and Simulate
5. I find it so boring to practice so much that I'm getting
discouraged.
I found it helpful to talk often with native English speakers.
我发现每天重复做同一件事真是太枯燥了。
I find it really boring to repeat the same thing every day.
我发现游览这么多城市真是太令人兴奋了。
I find it exciting to visit so many cities.
Read and Simulate
6. My tutor sounded like a professor.
What he says about the job sounds like a manager.
别说了, 你听起来像个傻子。
Stop talking like that. You sound like a fool.
她关于那件事的描述听起来像是一个滑稽的故事。
What she said about that matter sounded like a
funny story.
Read and Simulate
7. I feel lucky to have her as my tutor.
I feel happy to have him as my husband.
让格林太太做我的考官我感到真倒霉。
I feel unfortunate to have Mrs. Green as my examiner.
让这么不讲实际的人做我的搭档，我觉得真别扭。
I feel awkward to have such an impractical person as
my partner.
Read and Simulate
8. I feel I still have a long way to go in the English study.
She said she would have a long way to go in her career.
在学会如何与人相处方面，我还有很长的路要走。
I still have a long way to go in learning how to get on
well with others.
在住房改革方面，中国还有很长的路要走。
China still has a long way to go in the housing reform.