Unit 8
Fourteen Steps
Hal Manwaring
Lesson 1: Contents
1
Word Study
2
Background
3
Warm-up
Word Study
Pronunciation
Meaning & Use
Derivation
Differentiation
Expansion
Meaning & Use
Split-level Townhouse
Meaning & Use
Split-level Room
Meaning & Use
Hobble 跛行
 Tina was ~ing around on
crutches.
 Johnson was still ~d
slightly by an ankle injury.
Differentiation
Hobble: <v./n.> walk in an awkward
way with small steps, esp because
one’s foot is injured
Cripple: <n./v.>
a physical disability
or a serious
permanent injury
 Crutch T字形拐杖
Meaning & Use
Gusty winds 阵阵大风
 I don't want to go out
in this ~ day.
 It is blowing a gale.
Slash
 The rain ~ed against
the window.
Sweep
 The storm swept the
region. (席卷全区)
Meaning & Use
Blowout: a flat tyre
 On the way back home, we had a
~.
Jack
Horn→
Meaning & Use
Jerk
Bang
急刹
 The bus ~ed to a stop.
Slick

Honk
Thump
 The road was ~ with ice.
Sweep
 A huge wave swept over
the deck.
Fumble
Clank
 She is ~ing the light
switch
Meaning & Use
Peninsula 半岛
Word Expansion
prairie
basin
plain
oasis
landform
s
delta
iceberg
glacier
gulf
gorge
marsh
plateau
Word Derivation
V.
paralyze
jerk
sweep
N.
paralysis
jerk
sweep
A.
paralytic
jerky
sweeping
V.
slacken
penetrate
gust
penetration
gust
N. slackness/slack
A.
slack
penetrating
penetrative
gusty
Word Derivation
V.
N.
slick
disillusion
slick/slicker disillusionment
afflict
affliction
A.
slick
disillusioned
V.
install
slash
thump
slash
thump
N. installation
afflictive
V.
honk
tilt
fumble
N.
honk
tilt
fumble
Word Derivation
V.
overflow
cripple
N.
overflow
cripple
jack
N.
peninsula
enormity
indifference
A.
peninsular
enormous
N.
prophet
sanity
A.
prophetic
sane
frail
N.
frustration
awfulness
clank
A. frustrated
awful
jack
indifferent
frailty
<v.> clank
Word Differentiation
Installation vs. Installment
We agreed to pay for the car in
installments
__________.
Do you have to pay extra for _________?
installation
The novel has been serialized for radio in
five ___________.
installments
The Americans still have several military
bases and __________
installations on the island.
(=military base)
Word Differentiation
Hobble vs. Cripple
Some of the runners could only manage
to ________
over the finishing line.
hobble
I hurt my foot while getting off the bus,
and had to __________
home.
hobble
The driver ________
hobbled around on crutches
for a month after the accident.
The accident _______
crippled him for life.
Word Differentiation
Jerk vs. Jack
Once the tourists arrive, the restaurants
______
jack up their prices.
The car made a strange noise and then
_______
jerked to a halt.
The alarm went off and he woke up with a
______.
jerk
You need a car ______
jack in order to change
a wheel.
jack up the car?
Do you know how to ______
Word Differentiation
Slacken vs. Slash
He stooped to pick it up, without slacken
______
his pace.
The pace of trading _______
slackenedduring the
winter months.
slashing
She tried to commit suicide by _______
her wrist.
slacken
Most people _________
off/up at the end
of a day’s work.
The museum was broken into last night
slashed
and several paintings were ________.
Word Differentiation
Thump vs. Thumb
She stood outside his room, her heart
thumping
__________.
We _________
thumbed a lift to London.
thumped on the door but nobody
He ________
came.
If he does that again I’m going to give
him a _________.
thump
thumbs up for Brighton’s
So it’s the ________
latest night club.
Word Differentiation
Fumble vs. Tumble
She _______
fumbled about in her handbag,
looking for her key.
I lost my footing andtumbled
______ down the
stairs.
He lost his balance and _______
tumbled over.
They fumbled
________ around/about in the dark,
trying to find their way out of the cinema.
Word Differentiation
Honk vs. Horn
The driver sounded his ______
horn when the
child stepped in front of the car.
He gave us a ______
honk on his horn as he
drove off.
The driver blew/honked (infml.) her
________.
horn
He honked
_______ his ______
horn as he went past.
Word Differentiation
Gusty vs. Ghastly
The forecast was for gusty
______ winds and
rain.
Today’s newspaper gives all the _______
ghastly
details of the murder.
It was all a _________
ghastly mistake.
A sudden gust of wind blew his umbrella
inside out.
Winds gusting to 50 mph brought down
power cables.
Synonyms & Antonyms
inclined (a .) 
(syn)
likely, apt, prone
(anto)
disinclined
disillusioned (a.) 
(syn)
disenchanted
(anto)
illusioned
Synonyms & Antonyms
frail (a.)
(syn)
weak, feeble; fragile, delicate
(anto)
strong, robust, vigorous
indifference (n.) 
(syn)
unconcern, disinterest, apathy
(anto)
interest, concern, empathy
Synonyms & Antonyms
afflict (v.) 
(syn)
torture, agitate
sanity (n.) 
(anto)
insanity
selfish (a.) 
(anto)
unselfish
Background Info
Can you name some common disabilities?
失明 Blindness
失聪/听觉障碍 Deafness (hearing impairment)
抑郁症 Depression
Learning Disability 学习障碍
Communication disorders 沟通障碍症
Attention Deficit 注意力缺陷
Hyperactivity Disorder 多动症
Background Info
Dwarfism 侏儒症
Dyslexia 诵读困难
Epilepsy 癫痫
Motor disabilities 运动机能障碍
Muscular Dystrophy (MD) 肌肉萎缩症
Autism 自闭症
Down Syndrome唐氏综合症
A Global Picture
1. What is the main idea of the text?
2. What are the writer’s “three lives”? What was
the turning point of each life?
3. How many parts can Text I be divided into?
What is each part about?
Theme
Life’s value lies not only in one’s struggle
against adversity, but also in one’s readiness to
help others.
Structural Analysis
Part 1 (para.1-2): The author’s first life
 Phase 1: a hard struggle
 Phase 2: “a pleasant dream”
Part 2 (para.3-5): The author’s second life—a
life afflicted by the disease and with the
yardstick of 14 steps
Structural Analysis
Part 3 (para.6-8): The beginning of the
author’s third life—having a flat tire on a stormy
night taught him a most unforgettable lesson in
life
Part 4 (para9-10): (conclusion) The author’s
reflection on the incident and his life philosophy,
from which he discovered the true value of life.
We can do no great things,
only small things with great love.
Thank you.
To be continued
Lesson Two: A Close Reading
1
Comprehension
2
Language Work
3
4
Difficult Sentences
Appreciation
Part I (para. 1—2)
“My” first life fell into two phases—a hard struggle
to make a living because of Father’s early death, and
then “a pleasant dream” about happy married life.
Comprehension Check
1. When was the period of time the author
considered happiest in his life?
2. When was his first life ended?
Language Work
1. They say a cat has nine lives, and I am inclined
to think that possible since I am now living my
third life and I’m not even a cat. (para. 1)
A cat has nine lives.: Cats can survive things
that are severe enough to kill them.
be inclined to: to be likely or tend to
 Middle-class victims are more ~d to contact the
police.
Expansion
Idioms about “cat”
let the cat out of the bag: 泄露秘密
like a cat on hot bricks (hot tin roof): 象热锅上的蚂蚁
as weak as a cat: 身体非常虚弱
a cat in the pan: 叛徒
to rain cats and dogs: 倾盆大雨
to agree like cats and dogs: 完全合不来
to see how the cat jumps: 见风使舵, 随机应变
to watch sb. as a cat watches a mouse: 死死盯着某人
to put / set the cat among the pigeons: 引起麻烦
Expansion
Proverbs about “cat”
A cat in gloves catches no mice. 四肢不勤 / 一事无成。
Has the cat got your tongue? 为什么不吭声?
That’s like putting the cat near the goldfish bowl. 引狼入
室
The cat did it. 不是我干的 (推脱责任)
The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream. 掩耳盗铃。
The scalded cat fears cold water. 挨过烫的猫连冷水都怕。
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
猫儿不在,老鼠乐坏。(大王外出,小鬼跳梁)
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. 有多种途径可
以达到目的。
Sentence Highlight
… and I am inclined to think that possible
since I am now living my third life and I’m
not even a cat. (para. 1)
…and I tend to believe that the proverb tells
the truth, because I’m living my third life now
even if I am not a cat.
Language Work
care for (para.1):
If you care for someone or something, you
look after them and keep them in a good state or
condition.
Expansion
If you care for someone, you feel a lot of affection for
them.
If you care about something, you feel that it is
important and are concerned about it.
Language Work
2. As the children grew up, they married, leaving
only one sister and myself to support and care for
Mother, who became paralyzed in her last years
and died while still in her 60s. (para. 1)
paralyze: to make unable to move or act
 Many of the greatest artists in history were ~d
from neck below.
 To fear in such circumstances is understandable,
provided that fear does not ~ us with inaction.
Language Work
I had a good job in San Jose and a beautiful home
up the peninsula in San Carlos. (para.2)
San Jose (/ˌsænhoʊˈzeɪ/) (meaning St. Joseph in
Spanish) or San José is the third-largest city in
California and the tenth-largest in the United States.
Language Work
I had a good job in San
Jose and a beautiful home
up the peninsula in San
Carlos. (para.2)
San Carlos is a city in
California, USA on the San
Francisco Peninsula, about
halfway between San
Francisco and San Jose.
Up: towards the north or a more important place
e.g. On Tuesday she’ll be traveling up to Newcastle from
Birmingham.
Language Work
3. I became afflicted with a slowly progressive
disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my
right arm and leg, and then my other side. (para. 2)
afflict v.
--The old man was ~ed with blindness / arthritis /
gout, etc
progressive: adj.
--For example, ~ muscular relaxation has been
shown to help promote sleep.
Sentence Highlight
3. I became afflicted with a slowly progressive
disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my
right arm and leg, and then my other side.
(para. 2)
I suffered from the disease that affects my
motor nerves, and is becoming more and more
severe in slow pace.
Part II (para. 3—5)
In “my” second life, “I” fought a hard battle against a
disease progressively damaging “my” motor nerves, and
“my” success was measured by the 14 steps at home.
Comprehension check
1. What was the author most afraid of after
he was afflicted with a disease?
2. How did the author view the 14 steps?
3. Why does the writer called himself
a bitterly disillusioned cripple?
Do you agree?
Language Work
1. I managed to keep my health and optimism, to
a degree, because of 14 steps. (para. 3)
to a degree: to some / a certain extent, in a
limited way, partly
Paraphrase
In a way, the daily exercise of climbing the 14
steps helped me retain my physical strength,
which in turn made me keep my positive outlook
on life and thus could continue living.
Language Work
2. Our home was a split-level affair with 14 steps
leading up from the garage to the kitchen door. (para.
4)
affair: [C] an object or a contrivance (esp. when you
want to direct others’ attention to a particular feature)
--Martin’s bed was an iron affair with brass knobs.
Paraphrase
Our home was a house with floors of different heights
in different parts. There were 14 steps connecting the
garage with the kitchen door.
Illustration
a split-level house
Language Work
3.Those steps were a gauge of life. (para.4)
Gauge = gage: a device for measuring the amount
or size of sth
 a fuel/rain/temperature gauge
 The fact that the play has transferred to New York
is a ~ of its success. (=a way of judging)
Language Work
They are my yardstick, my challenge to continue living.
(para. 4)
yardstick: n. a standard for comparison
--The best ~ was to measure traffic against the 2008
figures.
--He continues to say that is the fundamental ~ of our
nation's economic success.
--We don’t have a common ~ by which to compare the
two cases.
Synonyms:
criterion; standard
Language Work
4. I would be through—I could then admit defeat
and lie down and die. (para. 4)
through: adj. completed, finished (especially applied
to sth. that you will never do again)
 Training as a marriage counsellor would guarantee
her some employment once her schooling was
through.
 Sean is happy to announce that he is through with
his duties in Hong Kong and is now in Beijing to stay.
Language Work
5. You might think that here walked a man of
courage and strength. (para. 5)
Paraphrase:
You might think I am a courageous and
strong-minded man.
Language Work
6. Here hobbled a bitterly disillusioned cripple, a man
who held on to his sanity and… (para. 5)
disillusion: v. to free or deprive of illusion 醒悟；幻想
破碎
 He has got increasingly ~ed with Brown's stance on
Iraq.
hold on to: to continue to believe in a belief, idea or
principle even if others try to influence you or
circumstances cause you to doubt it
 He was imprisoned for 20 years yet held on to his
belief in his people.
Language Work
6. Here hobbled a bitterly disillusioned cripple, a man
who held on to his sanity and… (para. 5)
Paraphrase:
Here walked a sad man with little hope for his
future, and everything he owned at that time (his
home, his job, his wife and his normal life) depended
on his painful effort to climb these 14 steps.
Part III (para. 6—8)
“I” had a flat tire on a stormy night, and a
blind old man and his granddaughter gave “me”
timely help.
Comprehension check
1. What had happened on a dark night in
August 1971?
2. Why did the author dismiss the thought at
once that anyone would offer help at the
moment?
3. How did the writer feel when
the man and the little girl were
working in the storm?
Comprehension check
4. Was there any hint that indicates
something unusual about the man?
5. Why did the old man refuse to accept the
writer’s payment?
6. When did the author realize that the old
man was blind?
Language Work
 1. …gusty wind and slashing rain beat down on the car as I
drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads. (para. 6)
gusty: adj. (of wind) very strong and irregular
--Weather forecasts predict more hot weather, ~ winds
and lightning strikes.
slash: v. to whip viciously, lash
-- a ~ing hailstorm 猛烈的冰雹
a ~ing rain 一阵倾盆大雨
steer v. to control (the direction of) 掌舵，控制(方向)
--I’m an expert on ~ing.
--She has ~ed the company away from financial ruin.
Language Work
1. …gusty wind and slashing rain beat down on the
car as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled
roads. (para. 6)
Paraphrase:
The strong wind and dashing rain lashed on the car
when I drove slowly down one of the roads where traffic
was light.
Language Work
2. I fought the car to stop on the rain-slick shoulder of
the road and sat there as the enormity of the situation
swept over me. (para. 6)
enormity n. great wickedness; immense size
--It’s difficult to grasp the sheer ~ of the tragedy.
slick: adj. slippery
--the sidewalks ~ with ice
Paraphrase:
I managed to pull over the car on the slippery edge of
the road, gripped by the seriousness and helplessness of
the situation.
Illustration
road shoulder
road with a wide shoulder
Language Work
3. I started the engine and thumped slowly along,
keeping well over on the shoulder until I came to the
dirt road. (para. 6)
 thump: If you ~ something somewhere or if it
~s there, it makes a loud, dull sound by hitting
something else.
 She dashed out through the door, her
stockinged feet ~ing softly as she ran up the
stairs.
Language Work
 4. I rolled down the window and called out that I had a flat tire
and needed someone to change it form me because I had a
crutch and couldn’t do it myself. (para. 7)
a flat tire: (Br E: flat tyre) a deflated pneumatic tire
Paraphrase of the underlined part:
…I shouted that my tire had no enough air and needed
changing
Illustration:
a flat tire
Illustration
crutch (pl. ~es)
Language Work
I sat there comfortable and dry,… (para.7)
Verb + Adjective
sit; stand; lie (the state sb./sth. is in)
 The principle stands good even in relations
between organizations.
 The farmer lay quiet in the shadow of the
tree.
 The children sat bolt upright, waiting for
the teacher to dismiss the class.
Language Work
Verb + Adjective
be; seem; appear; look; sound; taste; feel; smell
(usu. as link verbs)
 The question appears sudden.
 A question suddenly appeared in the calculation.
 The floor feels rough.
 The butcher felt the edge of the knife carefully.
 The medicine tastes bitter.
 The girl tasted the medicine unwillingly.
Language Work
Verb + Adjective
become; fall; get; go; turn (the change of the
subject from one state to another)
 It’s becoming much more expensive to travel
abroad.
 The room fell quiet all at once.
 He went red with embarrassment.
 Her hair has turned grey.
 Fish soon goes bad in hot weather.
Language Work
…I rolled down the window all the way to watch
(para.7)
All the way: from the beginning to the end
 Since she is as light as a feather, I had no problem
in carrying her all the way to the hospital.
 Prices vary all the way from $50 to $500.
 I’m with you all the way.
 He ran like greased lightning all the way from the
starting gate to the finishing line.
Language Work
5. She was answered by the murmur of the man’s
lower voice and the slow tilting of the car as it was
jacked up. (para. 7)
tilt: v. to (cause to) slope or slant
--The dentist ~ed the mirror, inspecting my teeth.
Paraphrase:
The old man answered her in a low voice. And then
the body of the car sloped slowly when it was lifted by a
jack.
Illustration
jack-handles
Language Work
6. There followed a long interval of noises, jolts and
low conversation from the back of the car, but finally
it was done. (para. 7)
interval: [C] space or time in between
--The train leaves at an ~ of 30 minutes.
--It rained at intervals this week.
Paraphrase of the underlined part:
There was a long time between noise and shaking,
low voice of talking…
Language Work
7. He was an old man, stooped and frail-looking
under his slicker. (para. 8)
Paraphrase:
He was an old man, whose back was bowed with age,
and looked very weak in his raincoat.
Illustration
slicker
Illustration
bolts
Language Work
8. This is a bad night for car trouble, but you’re all
set now. (para. 8)
be set: be ready, be prepared
 We are set to leave early tomorrow morning.
Paraphrase of the underlined part:
…you are ready to move on now.
Part IV (para. 9—10)
To live a meaningful life,
a disabled person should
not only try hard to keep
his/her own optimism but
also take pains to help
others in his/her limited
way.
Comprehension check
1. How did the writer react to the girl’s
words?
2. What did the author learn from the autorepair incident?
3. How did the writer reevaluate the 14 steps?
Language Work
1. In the next few frozen seconds the shame and horror of that
moment penetrated and I was sick with an intensity I had
never felt before. (para. 9)
intensity: n. exceptionally great concentration, power
or force
--to go mad at the ~ of one’s grief
Paraphrase:
In the following few seemingly never-ending seconds,
I was overwhelmed by shame and horror I’d never
experienced before. / In the next few seconds I was filled
with such great shame and horror that I was speechless. I
had never been so sick about what I had done before.
Language Work
2. I realized that I was filled to overflowing with selfpity, selfishness, indifference to the needs of others
and thoughtlessness. (para. 9)
overflow with: to be very full of
--a heart ~ing with gratitude
--Kerry handed me a glass ~ing with wine, trying not
to let it to spill on the carpet.
thoughtlessness: inconsideration, carelessness
Paraphrase:
I used to be selfish and lacking in interest in helping
others.
Language Work
3. …this Scriptural admonition is more than just
a passage in the Bible. (para. 10)
admonition: mild, kind, yet earnest reproof
(here an admonishing act)
Paraphrase:
This advice from the Bible is no just a chapter in
the book.
Language Work
5. Someday, perhaps, I will change a tire for a
blind man in a car—someone as blind as I had
been. (para. 10)
What is your understanding of the two
“blind” s here?
Homework
Presentation Topic
Do you believe in power of belief? Please
illustrate your point with examples.
There is more happiness
in giving than in receiving.
Thank you.
To be continued.
Lesson Three: Contents
1
Duty Report
2
Vocabulary
3
Translation
4
Exercises
Proverbs concerning Animals
Dog
 Dog doesn’t eat dog. 虎毒不食子。
 To help a lame dog over a stile 雪中送炭。
Rat
 A rat in a hole 瓮中之鳖。
 As wet as a drowned rat 湿如落汤鸡。
Lion
 To beard the lion in his den. 太岁头上动土。
 A lion in the way 拦路虎
Proverbs concerning Animals
Fish
 Never offer to teach fish to swim 切莫班门弄斧。
 Fish begin to stink at the head. 久住招人嫌。
Horse
 To put the cart before the horse. 本末倒置。
 Never swap horse while crossing the stream.
渡到河中别换马。
Pig
 Pigs love that lie together. 臭味相投。
 Teach a pig to play on a flute. 对牛弹琴。
Interesting Numbers
It’s a public relations office, a press office
and a private office all in one. 三位一体
And no, Bill, I wasn’t talking about sex --you’ve got a one-track mind! 单一思维
You can’t put all the blame on him. It takes
two to make a marriage. 一个巴掌拍不响
Are you sure he’s not two-timing you? 欺骗
Four-letter words are often edited out of
films before they are shown on television.
The old man gave the thief a bunch of fives.
Interesting Numbers
“I’m tired!” “That makes two of us!” Me too.
John an Helen make a nice twosome, don’t
天生一对
you think?
There’s no point worrying about it --- we’ll
both be six feet under by then. Be buried
He’s in his seventh heaven when he’s
watching football. 快活似神仙
The characters in his novels are always
three-dimensional. Lifelike
The doorbell rang and there was Chris, all
dressed up to the nines. 盛装
Bible and the Scriptural
Admonitions
The Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious
writings comprising two parts：
 the Old Testament:
about God and the Laws of God
 the New Testament
about the doctrine of Jesus Christ
The word "Testament" means
"agreement" 一namely，the
agreement between God and Man．
The Old Testament
The Old Testament consists of 39 books，
the oldest and most important of which
are the first five books，called Pentateuch.
The Pentateuch（五经）
 Genesis 《创世纪》
 Exodus 《出埃及记》
 Leviticus 《利未记》
 Numbers 《民数记》
 Deuteronomy 《申命记》
Parable from the Bible
A parable is a simple story
illustrating a moral or
religious lesson.
Jesus once said:
 You shall not kill.
 You shall not commit adultery.
 You shall not steal.
 You shall not bear false witness.
 Honor your father and mother.
 You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Some Parables Told by Jesus Christ
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous
wolves
Why do you see the speck that is in your
brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in
your own eye?
A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a
bad tree bear good fruit.
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of
a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God.
Words in Focus: invalid
1. An ________
invalid is someone who needs to be cared for
because they have an illness or disability. (n.)
2. An _______
invalid argument or conclusion is wrong because it
is based on a mistake, while a _______
valid one is based on
sensible reasoning.
3. If a document is ________,
invalid it cannot be accepted,
because it breaks the law or some official rule.
4. To invalidate
________ a conclusion means to prove that it is
wrong.
invalidity of the marriage
5. The document proved the _________
ceremony.
6. Shocked by the results of the elections, they now want to
challenge the validity
_________ of the vote.
Words in Focus: incline
1. I ________
incline to the view that she is right. (v.)
2. I ______________
am inclined to believe that he supports the plan.
(passive form)
3. Young people seem more _______
inclined to save money than
their parents. (adj.)
4. Someone who is artistically _________
inclined has a natural
talent for art.
5. The military government has shown little ___________
inclination
to restore democracy. (n.)
6. People with artistic _____________
inclinations are encouraged to
illustrate their writing. (n. a natural tendency to behave
in a particular way or have a particular interest)
Words in Focus: paralyze
1. If someone is
___________
paralyzed by an accident or an illness,
they have no feeling in their body, or in part of their
body, and are unable to move. (v.)
2. If an organization is
____________
paralyzed by something, it
becomes unable to function properly.
Paralysis is the loss of the ability to move and feel in
3. _________
all or part of one’s body, or the state of being unable to
function properly.
paralytic disease in
4. We were able to reverse _________
laboratory animals. (adj. suffering from or related to
paralysis)
Words in Focus: disillusion
1. If a person or something ___________
disillusions you, they make
you realize that something is not as good as you thought.
Disillusion (or disillusionment
2. __________
_____________ ) is the disappointment
that you feel when you discover that something is not as
good as you had expected or thought.
3. As she grew older, Laura grew increasingly
____________
disillusioned with politics. (adj.)
illusion is a false idea or belief.
4. An ________
illusory seems true or possible, but in fact
5. Something ________
is false or impossible.
Words in Focus
pull out
pull in
pull over pull up
pulls in
1. When a vehicle or driver _____________
somewhere,
the vehicle stops there.
pulls up the vehicle
2. When a vehicle or driver ____________,
slows down and stops.
pulls over the vehicle
3. When a vehicle or driver _____________,
moves closer to the side of the road and stops there.
pulls out
4. When a vehicle or driver _____________,
the vehicle
moves out into the road or nearer the centre of the road.
Translation
disillusion
I hate/I’m sorry to ~ you, but traveling in Tibet is not
always wonderful --- I was sick every day for two
weeks.
我实在不愿把实情告诉你，但是……
He’s very ~ed at the government’s handling of the
economy.
对……感到非常失望/不再抱有幻想
If the king had hoped for peace, he was to be sadly
~ed.
Translation
我实在不愿把实
情告诉你，但并
非人人都像你那
样诚实。
我不久便对这个
计划不再抱幻想
了。
我实在不愿把实
情告诉你，但是
他帮助你的真正
原因是为了得到
你的钱。
I hate to disillusion
you, but not
everyone is as honest
as you.
I soon became
disillusioned with the
plan.
 I hate to illusion you,
but his real reason
for helping you was
that he was after
your money.
Translation
Penetrate
The dust had ~d to all corners of the room.
She could penetrate what I was thinking.
她能懂得我在想什么。
The sunshine could not penetrate where the
trees were thickest.
阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。
He had a false beard on, but we soon ~d his
disguise.
Translation
雨水透过了她的衣服  The rain had
penetrated right
渗进皮肤。
through her clothes to
战争波及到了全国国
her skin.
民生活的各个领域。  The war penetrates
every area of the
今年这家公司一直试
图打入新的海外市场。 nation’s life.
 This year the company
None of my
has been trying to
advice seems to
penetrate new
have ~d his thick
overseas markets.
skull.
 他那木瓜脑袋似乎一点也听不
进我的劝告。
Translation
be inclined to
Some people are ~ to jump to hasty
conclusions.
I’m half ~ to believe you.
They’ll be more ~ to listen if you don’t shout.
He writes only when he feels ~ to.
Translation
她愿意相信他。
他喜欢偷懒。
我倾向于同意
你的观点。
最近物价很可
能上涨。
我倾向于相信
与传说相反之
事。
She was inclined to
trust him.
He is inclined to be
lazy.
I’m inclined to agree
with you.
Prices are inclined to
rise recently.
I’m inclined to believe
the counter of what
was said.
Translation
with the aid of
He was breathing only with the ~ of a
ventilator/an oxygen mask.
He gets about with the ~ of a walking stick.
The refugees could survive with the ~ of the
Red Cross charity.
The students from the poverty-stricken area
could continue their education with the ~ of
the fund.
Translation
to a degree
Most pop music is influenced, to a ~ , by the
blues.
I think that’s true to a ~, but the situation is
not quite so simple.
The boss sometimes follows his instinct to a
dangerous ~.
To what ~ can parents be held responsible for
a child’s behavior?
Translation
hold on to
Hold onto the rope and don’t let go.
The drowning man struggled to ~ on to a piece of
plank.
We should ~ on to the house and sell it later when
prices are higher.
She took an early lead in the race and held onto it for
nine laps.
The old lady had only her religion to ~ onto when all
her family had gone.
Translation
风太大了，我一路上不得不用手抓着帽子。
It was so windy that I had to ~ on to
my hat all the way along the street.
把票拿好，一会用得着。
Hold on to your ticket --- you’ll need
it later.
我能把这本书再留一周吗？
Can I ~ on to this book for another
week?
Translation
be all set
I’m all ~, so we can go now.
Are you all ~ for the journey?
She seems ~ on/upon marrying him.
I was all ~ to leave the house when the
telephone rang.
The starter of a race often says: “On your
marks --- get set --- go!”
Translation
lead up to
A row of lights ~s visitors up to the front door.
His flattering words led up to a request for
money.
The newspapers faithfully reported the events
that led up to the Minister’s dismissal.
In the months ~ing up to the great ceremony,
many people took part in the preparations.
Translation
你觉得他接下来会说些什么？
What do you suppose he’s ~ing up to?
哪条路能通向山顶？
Which path will ~ us up to the top of
the hill?
你所说的一切表明这个人就是个白痴。
All you have said leads up to the fact
that the man is an idiot.
Translation
peer at / through / into
He ~ed at me over the top of his glasses.
Even after ~ing at the letter, I still could not
recognize the signature.
Excuse me for ~ing at you, but you are so like my
cousin.
There’s a hole in the wall where you can ~ through.
The driver was ~ing into the distance trying to read
the road sign.
Translation
overflow with
The streets were ~ing with the crowds.
The pan ~ed with boiling milk.
The room is ~ing with books.
Her heart ~ed with love/gratitude.
They were ~ing with emotion at the birth of
their baby.
Translation
1. 你有义务照顾她 (care)
You are under obligation to care for her.
2. 他晚年饱受疾病和贫困的折磨。(afflict)
He was afflicted with the illness and poverty in his
later years.
3. 我工作一做完就来找你们. (through)
As soon as I get through with my work I'll join you.
4. 患近视的人不戴眼镜时常常眯起眼睛看人。
(peer)
Near-sighted people often peer at you when they
are not wearing their glasses.
Translation
5.他的生意日渐清淡。 (slacken)
His business begins to slacken.
工作完成前别松劲。
Don't slacken your efforts till the work is done.
6. 他们每隔4小时记录一次温度。(interval)
They recorded the temperature at intervals of 4 hours.
Rain fell at intervals throughout the night.
雨断断续续地下了一整夜。
Textbook Exercises
Grammar Exercises (pp. 110—111)
Integrated Skills (II) (pp. 111—112)
What does the word “but” mean?
I never go past my old school but I think
of the old schoolmaster.
I could not choose but go. 我不得不去。
Nothing but disaster would come from
such a plan.
There was never a new theory but
someone objected to it. 一……总会/就
He is not such a fool but he knows this.
他尽管笨，这个还是知道的。
No one is so old but that he may learn.
What does the word “but” mean?
I don’t doubt but you are surprised. =that
I don’t question but you are correct.
Things will get into a mess but you will go
只有……才能/除非……否则
there.
He was all but killed. 他几乎被打死。
I have written all my letters but one.只差一封
He is anything but a scholar. 绝非，一点也不
It is nothing but a joke. 不过是
There is no student but like Professor
Wang. =there is no student that does not like…
Differentiation
torture vs afflict
weak vs frail
enter vs penetrate
jump, leap vs leap
torture vs afflict
Torture implies the unbearable pain or suffering, either
physically or mentally.
-- Shocking and detailed accounts have emerged of how
the detainee was tortured to death the prison guards.
Afflict applies to the causing of any pain or suffering or
of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.
(anto: comfort)
--The old man was afflicted with arthritis. （患关节炎）
-- Severe drought has afflicted the countryside.（受害）
weak vs frail
Both adjectives can mean “not strong enough to endure
strain, pressure, or strenuous effort”.
Weak, the broader one, basically implies a lack or
inferiority of physical, mental, or moral strength
--a weak muscle / mind / character/ foundation/ excuse
Frail suggests an inherent or constitutional delicacy or
weakness, so as to be easily broken or shattered
--a frail body / conscience
--It seemed impossible that these frail boats could
survive in such a storm.
enter vs penetrate
Enter is the more general of the two. It may imply
either going in or forcing a way in.
--I saw him enter the room and unlock the drawer.
Penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling
force or compelling power that achieves entrance.
--This fungus has the ability to penetrate deep into
the center of large trees.
--The headlamps penetrated the fog.
--Nothing we say penetrates his thick skull!
无论我们说什麽他都不懂。
jump, leap vs hobble
Jump, the most general one, refer to the movement of
springing or bounding upward from or as if from the
ground.
--The burglar jumped out of the window when he
heard the footsteps.
If you leap, you jump high in the air or jump a long
distance.
--The salmon leaped out of water and landed on the
shore.
Dictation
With the invention of the radio, / newspaper publishers
wondered / how broadcasting would affect them. / Many feared /
that the radio as a quick and easy means of keeping people
informed / would displace the newspaper industry altogether. /
Others hoped / that the brief newscast heard on the air / would
stimulate listeners' interest in the story / so they'd buy the paper to
get more information. / This second idea turned out to be closer to
the truth. / Radio and print actually supported each other. /
However, this is not always the case. / Take television and motion
pictures for example. / With the popularization of TV, / the motion
pictures suffered greatly. / Movie attendance dropped / when
people chose to stay at home and be entertained.
Homework
Presentation Topic
Do you believe in power of belief? Please
illustrate your point with examples.
Great opportunities to help
others seldom come, but small ones
surround us every day.
Thank you.