黃永林

一、 詞語例解

1. diet

n. （1）飲食，食物（usual food）

Cows have a diet of grass. 牛的食物是草。

Their diet chiefly consists of grain and vegetables.他們的飲食主要是谷類和蔬菜。

A balanced diet is a healthy diet.均衡的飲食是有利于健康的飲食。

（2） (適合某種疾病的)特種飲食（special programme of food for people who are ill, etc.）

He began his diet a week ago. 他在一星期前開始節(jié)食。

No chocolate, please. Im on a diet.請不要放巧克力，我在節(jié)食。

v. 節(jié)食；吃限定食物 （make a person or oneself eat special food for reasons of health）

The doctor has dieted the patient strictly.醫(yī)生嚴(yán)格規(guī)定病人的飲食。

No sugar in my coffee, please; Im dieting.請不要給我的咖啡放糖，我在節(jié)食。

【搭配】 go on a diet節(jié)食；吃限定食物 be on a diet 在節(jié)食中

2. energy

n. (1) 活力；精力 （power to do a lot of work）

Young people usually have more energy than the old. 年輕人通常比老年人有活力。

They are working with energy.他們正在干勁十足地工作。

They devoted all their energies to the job.他們把自己的全部精力投入這項工作。

(2) 能；能源（force or power to make things, machines, etc. move or work）

The light energy comes from the sun. 光能來自太陽。

Each year Americans consume a high percentage of the worlds energy.每年美國人消耗掉世界能源的很大比例。

【辨析】 energy指物理學(xué)上的能的概念或生理上的精力；force著重力產(chǎn)生的實際效果； power著重行動所根據(jù)的職權(quán)或能力，還指人開發(fā)出來的動力，如power station（發(fā)電站）；strength指人或物所固有的體力，強度或力量。

3. function

n. (1) 官能；功能；作用（special work done by someone or something）

The function of the heart is to send blood round the body. 心臟的功能就是向全身輸送血液。The function of an adjective is to describe or add to the meaning of a noun.形容詞的作用就是修飾名詞。

(2) 職務(wù)；職責(zé)（what something is used for）

What is his function on the committee? 他在委員會里擔(dān)任什么職務(wù)?

vi. (1)(機器等)工作；運行（run）

I couldnt ring you because the phone wasnt functioning. 我沒法給你打電話，因為電話機壞了。

The old machine wont function properly if you dont oil it regularly.那臺舊機器如果不經(jīng)常加油就不能正常運轉(zhuǎn)。

(2) 起作用（work）

The sofa functions as a bed at night.這沙發(fā)在夜里可以當(dāng)床。

4. contain

vt. 1) 包含；容納（to have something inside；to hold）

The jar contains ten glasses of water.這只大口瓶能裝十杯水。

The pill contains vitamins.這藥丸中含有多種維生素。

2) 控制；抑制（情緒）（keep oneself or ones feeling under control; restrain）

He could not contain himself for anger. 他因生氣而不能控制自己。

I couldnt contain myself for joy. 我喜不自禁。

【辨析】 contain與include

include指作為整體的一部分或其要素之一而被包含在內(nèi)，例如：

The health club includes a gym, swimming pool, and locker room. 健身俱樂部包括體操房，游泳池和更衣室。

Our ten-day tour includes a visit to New York. 我們十天的旅行包括參觀紐約。

contain指一個較大事物中容納比其小的部分，常用于表示容器或空間含有某物，也可用來表示某物體含有另一物質(zhì)。例如：

The case contains my clothes. 箱子里裝有我的衣服。

Pig iron may contain 4％ of carbon. 生鐵可含百分之四的碳。

The speech contained some interesting ideas. 這個講演包括一些有趣的思想。

5. balance

n. (1) 平衡；均衡（when two sides are the same; being steady）

The child couldnt keep his balance on his new bicycle.孩子騎在他的新自行車上不能保持平衡。

The growth of the new political party upset the balance of power.新政黨的壯大打破了力量的均勢。

He lost his balance and fell over.他失去平衡，所以跌倒了。

(2) 天平；秤（instrument for weighing things; scales）

In what way is a laboratory balance different from a balance found in a store? 實驗室的天平與商店里的秤在什么方面有所不同?

(3) 收支差額；余額 （the money that is left when you have paid out some of it）

If you earn ￡100 and spend ￡60, your balance is ￡40. 如果你掙一百鎊，花掉六十鎊，那么結(jié)余是四十鎊。

May I take the balance of my holidays next month?我能否在下個月使用還沒休完的假期?

You may keep the balance.找頭你留著吧。

vt. (1) 使平衡；保持……的平衡（make or keep something steady, so it does not fall; stay steady）

In order to balance their trade, they would have to buy less goods in the United States.為了平衡貿(mào)易，他們將不得不減少在美國購貨。

My accounts balance for the first time this year! 我的帳上今年第一次出現(xiàn)收支平衡！

(2) 權(quán)衡；比較

The judge balanced the contention of both parties.法官權(quán)衡了雙方的論點。

You have to balance the advantages of living downtown against the disadvantages. 你必須權(quán)衡住在市中心的利弊。

【搭配】 in the balance（命運）未定，在危急中；不確定 off balance不穩(wěn)on balance總的來說

二、 短語精析

1. a bit有點兒；稍微

We need a bit more time.我們需要多一點的時間。

Your article is a bit long.你的文章長了一點。

【比較】 a bit與a little

兩者都可作程度副詞，表示“稍微；一點兒”的意思，修飾動詞、形容詞、比較級等，二者可以互換。例如：

Will you please turn down the radio a bit/a little?請你把收音機音量調(diào)小一點好嗎？

Shes a bit / a little afraid of the teacher. 她有點怕老師。

Her mother feels a bit/a little better today.她母親今天感覺好一些。

for a bit和for a little意思相同，相當(dāng)于for a while或for a short time，可互換。例如：

Lets rest for a bit / a little.讓我們休息一下。

不同之處：

1. a little可以直接修飾不可數(shù)名詞，而a bit修飾不可數(shù)名詞時，只能用a bit of。例如：

Tom has a little money.

＝ Tom has a bit of money. 湯姆有一點錢。

但是，當(dāng)a little修飾的名詞前有this, that或所有格等限定詞時，也要用a little of結(jié)構(gòu)。例如：

I want to drink a little of that drink.我想喝點那種飲料

2. not a bit和not a little的意義正好相反。not a bit相當(dāng)于not at all，意為“根本不”；not a little作“very much”解釋，意為“很；非?！?。試比較：

He is not a bit tired.他一點也不累。

He is not a little tired他相當(dāng)累。

2. plenty of 許多，大量

No need to hurry—youve got plenty of time.沒必要著急，你有的是時間。

There are plenty of eggs in the house. 家中有很多雞蛋。

【特別關(guān)注】 plenty of修飾不可數(shù)名詞或可數(shù)名詞，一般用于肯定句。在否定句或疑問句中用many, much或enough替代。用來修飾可數(shù)名詞復(fù)數(shù)的短語有a great good many, a number of；修飾不可數(shù)名詞的有a large amount of。

3. go for對……適用；去找

What he said about you goes for me too.他關(guān)于你的一席話對我也適用。

She thinks its expensive, and that goes for me, too. 她認(rèn)為這很貴，我也有同感。

He is going for a job.他正在求職。

4. lose weight減肥

Now more and more girls hope to lose weight and become slim. 現(xiàn)在越來越多的女孩希望減肥而變得苗條。

I think she might have lost a bit of weight.我想她體重可能減輕了一些。

【拓展】 by weight按重量計算 feel the weight of sth.感到……的壓力gain weight增加體重give weight to重視；加強……；為……提出強有力的證據(jù) lay weight on sth.強調(diào); 認(rèn)為……具有特殊意義lift [take] a weight off sb.s mind解除某人的心理負(fù)擔(dān)put on weight體重增加；發(fā)胖under the weight of在……重壓下, 迫于……

三、 句式點睛

1. Our eating habits have changed, as has our way of life, and the fuel we need for our bodies is also different.正如我們的生活發(fā)生了變化一樣，我們的飲食習(xí)慣也已經(jīng)發(fā)生了變化，而且我們所需要的營養(yǎng)也不同了。

as has our way of life是一個倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)，相當(dāng)于and our way of life has changed。as用來承接前句，意為“同樣；與……一樣”。例如：

David works hard，as does my brother戴維工作勤奮，我的兄弟也一樣。

As I explained on the phone, your request will be considered at the next meeting. （2005浙江）正如我在電話中所解釋的，你的要求將在下次會議上考慮。

2. Only in that way will we be ready for the challenges and opportunities in life. 只有用那種方法我們才能對生活中的挑戰(zhàn)和機遇有所準(zhǔn)備。

Only引導(dǎo)的介詞短語或狀語置于句首時，句子需要部分倒裝，即將助動詞或情態(tài)動詞等置于主語之前。例如：

Only in this way are you able to do it well. 只有用這種辦法你才能把它做好。

Only when he returned home did he know what had happened. 當(dāng)他回到家中，他才知道發(fā)生了什么事情。

Only then did she realize how much damage had been caused. （2006陜西）直到那時她才意識到造成的危害有多大。

3. Even if we choose nutritious food for our main meals, we probably still need to refuel now and then.即使我們選擇有營養(yǎng)的食品作為我們的主餐，我們也還要不時地補充能量。

句中even if表示“即使；盡管”，也可作even though，引導(dǎo)讓步狀語從句。例如：

Even if he is poor, he looks happy.即使他窮，他看上去很快樂。

Even if you lose the match, you shouldnt lose heart.即使你輸了比賽，你也不應(yīng)灰心喪氣。

Allow children the space to voice their opinion, even if they are different from your own.（2005湖南） 給孩子們發(fā)表他們自己意見的機會，即使他們的看法與你的不同。

4. Most fruits are naturally sweet and we can eat them just the way they are—all we have to do is clean and peel them.大多數(shù)的水果天然是甜的，我們拿來就可以吃。我們惟一要做的就是把它們洗干凈去皮。

way表方式時，后接定語從句，常用in which或that來引導(dǎo)，也可省略掉引導(dǎo)詞。句中的just the way they are可以看成just the way in which /that they are.。例如：

The way （that / in which ）he answered the question was surprising.他回答問題的方式令人吃驚。

I dont like the way （that / in which） you laugh at her. 我不喜歡你嘲笑她的方式。

What surprised me was not what he said but the way he said it.（NMET2004 ）使我感到驚訝的不是他所說的話，而是他說這些話的方式。

四、語法細(xì)解

情態(tài)動詞had better, should, ought to

had better的意思是“最好，還是……為好”，表示勸告，建議或間接命令，后跟動詞原形。例如：

You had better hurry up if you want to get home before dark. 如果你想在天黑之前到家，你最好快點。

I think youd better speak to Mr Smith immediately about this matter. 我認(rèn)為你還是立刻和史密斯先生談?wù)勥@件事為好。

had better的否定形式是had better not do sth.，意思是“最好不要做某事”。例如：

Youd better not wake me up when you come in. 你進(jìn)來時，最好不要吵醒我。

ought to通常指客觀上有義務(wù)、有責(zé)任或由于道義的約束而“應(yīng)當(dāng)”，“應(yīng)該”做某事或處于某種狀態(tài)，語氣比should要強。例如：

You ought to go and see Mary tomorrow. 明天你應(yīng)該去看瑪麗。

You ought to have an operation at once. 你應(yīng)該馬上去動手術(shù)。

He knows he ought to pay the money. 他知道他應(yīng)該付錢。

注意： 表示疑問時，只把ought提前；表示否定時，可用ought not to或oughtnt to。而否定疑問句則要把oughtnt提前或用“ought ... not to”形式。例如：

Ought he to pay the money?

He oughtnt / ought not to pay the money.

Oughtnt he to pay the money?

Ought he not to pay the money?

should則多指主觀上覺得有責(zé)任，有義務(wù)“應(yīng)該”，“應(yīng)當(dāng)”做某事或處于某種狀態(tài)；常用于表示驚訝、遺憾、勸告、建議、命令等意思。語氣不及ought to強。例如：

You shouldnt judge a man always by the clothes. 你不應(yīng)該總是以衣著取人。

We should speak more English. 我們應(yīng)該多講英語。

Why should I go there while she stays home? 為什么我得去那兒，而她卻呆在家里？

另外，should（ought to）+ have done結(jié)構(gòu)如果用于肯定句，則表示過去本應(yīng)該做某事而實際上沒有做，含有“遺憾、責(zé)備、建議或指正”等意味；如果是否定句，則表示本不應(yīng)該做某事而實際上做了。例如：

You should / ought to have told him the paint on that seat is wet. 你本應(yīng)告訴他座位上的油漆未干。

They shouldnt / oughtnt to have left so soon. 他們不該這么早就離開。