新概念第三册
Lesson 60 Too early and too late
单词精讲
punctuality /'p kt u' liti/ n.准时
【释义】严格遵守约定的时间,按时到达或完成某事的品质。例如:Punctuality is an important trait in business.(在商业活动中,准时是一种重要的品质。)
【词源】源自“punctual”(adj. 准时的),而“punctual”来自拉丁语“punctus”(点),表示在某个特定的点(时间点)上,引申为准时的,其名词形式为“punctuality”。
【短语】punctuality rate(准时率);be noted for punctuality(以准时著称)。
【例句】His punctuality at work has earned him a good reputation.(他在工作中的准时性为他赢得了良好的声誉。)
puncture(v. 刺破(轮胎))
【释义】用尖锐的物体刺穿或扎破(尤指轮胎、气球等)。例如:A nail on the road punctured my tire.(路上的一颗钉子刺破了我的轮胎。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“punctura”,由“pungere”(刺、戳)的过去分词“punctus”+“ - ura”(名词后缀,表示动作或结果)演变而来,动词形式表示刺破的动作。
【短语】puncture a balloon(刺破气球);puncture wound(穿刺伤)。
【例句】Be careful not to puncture the plastic bag.(小心不要刺破这个塑料袋。)
rural(adj. 农村的)
【释义】与乡村、农村地区有关的,具有乡村特色的。例如:Rural areas often have beautiful natural scenery.(农村地区往往有美丽的自然风光。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“ruralis”,由“rus”(乡村)+“ - alis”(形容词后缀)构成,表示与乡村相关的。
【短语】rural life(乡村生活);rural development(农村发展)。
【例句】Many people prefer the peace and quiet of rural living.(许多人更喜欢乡村生活的宁静。)
diversion(n. 改道;绕道)
【释义】使某物(如交通、水流等)改变原来的路线或方向;也可指转移注意力的事物。例如:There was a diversion of traffic due to the accident.(由于事故,交通改道了。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“divertere”(使转向)的名词形式,“di - ”(分开)+“vertere”(转),表示转向、改道。
【短语】traffic diversion(交通改道);create a diversion(制造转移注意力的事)。
【例句】The diversion of the river was a huge engineering project.(河流的改道是一个巨大的工程项目。)
disregard(v. 不顾,无视)
【释义】故意不注意、不理会或不重视某事或某人。例如:He disregarded the warning signs and continued walking.(他无视警告标志,继续前行。)
【词源】由“dis - ”(不)+“regard”(v. 关注、重视)构成,表示不关注,即不顾、无视。
【短语】disregard for(无视…);in disregard of(不顾…)。
【例句】His disregard for the rules got him into trouble.(他对规则的无视使他陷入麻烦。)
trial(n. 讨厌的事、人)
【释义】除了表示审判、试验等常见意义外,还可指令人烦恼、讨厌的人或事。例如:That noisy neighbor is a real trial.(那个吵闹的邻居真是个讨厌的人。)
【词源】源自古法语“triel”,最初源自拉丁语“triallum”,表示考验、磨难,进而引申为讨厌的事或人。
【短语】a trial to someone(对某人来说是个麻烦);put someone to trial(考验某人)。
【例句】Cleaning up after the party was a great trial.(聚会后的清理工作是一件很讨厌的事。)
intellectual(n. 知识分子)
【释义】指那些具有较高智力水平、从事脑力劳动(如学术研究、教育、文化创作等)的人。例如:Many intellectuals attended the academic conference.(许多知识分子参加了这次学术会议。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“intellectus”(理解、智力)+“ - al”(形容词后缀),再转化为名词形式表示有智力的人,即知识分子。
【短语】intellectual community(知识分子群体);intellectual property(知识产权)。
【例句】The country needs more intellectuals to promote scientific research.(这个国家需要更多的知识分子来推动科学研究。)
fraction(n. 很小一点儿)
【释义】表示一个整体的一部分,数量很少;也可指数学中的分数。例如:Only a fraction of the students passed the difficult exam.(只有一小部分学生通过了这次困难的考试。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“fractio”,由“frangere”(打破、折断)的过去分词“fractus”+“ - io”(名词后缀,表示动作或结果)演变而来,表示打破后的一部分,即很小一点儿。
【短语】a fraction of(一小部分);common fraction(普通分数)。
【例句】She ate only a fraction of her meal.(她只吃了一小点儿饭。)
abstruse(adj. 深奥的)
【释义】难以理解的,因为涉及到复杂、高深的概念或知识。例如:The abstruse theory is hard for most people to understand.(这个深奥的理论对大多数人来说很难理解。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“abstrusus”,由“ab - ”(远离)+“trudere”(推)构成,原意为被推到远处的,引申为深奥的、难以理解的。
【短语】abstruse knowledge(深奥的知识);abstruse concept(深奥的概念)。
【例句】The philosopher's ideas were too abstruse for the general public.(这位哲学家的思想对普通大众来说太深奥了。)
flourish(n. 挥舞(打手势))
【释义】以一种夸张、引人注目的方式挥动(手、手臂或其他物体),通常是为了表达情感、引起注意或强调某事。例如:With a flourish of his hand, he announced the start of the show.(他挥了一下手,宣布演出开始。)
【词源】源自拉丁语“florere”(繁荣、茂盛),最初表示像花朵盛开一样的挥动动作,后来专指挥舞(打手势)。
【短语】with a flourish(华丽地、夸张地);flourish of the pen(大笔一挥)。
【例句】He made a flourish with his sword to show his courage.(他挥舞着剑以显示他的勇气。)
coordinate(v. 协调)
【释义】使不同的事物或人之间相互配合、和谐运作,以达到共同的目标。例如:The manager needs to coordinate different departments to complete the project.(经理需要协调不同部门来完成这个项目。)
【词源】由“co - ”(共同)+“ordinate”(排列、秩序)构成,表示使共同处于一种有秩序的状态,即协调。
【短语】coordinate with(与…协调);coordinate efforts(协调努力)。
【例句】We should coordinate our schedules to meet more often.(我们应该协调我们的日程安排以便更频繁地见面。)
microscopic(adj. 微小的)
【释义】非常小的,只能通过显微镜才能看到的;也可比喻极小的、微观的。例如:Microscopic organisms live in the water.(微小的生物生活在水中。)
【词源】由“micro - ”(小)+“scopic”(与看有关的,源自希腊语“skopein”)构成,表示通过显微镜才能看到的,即微小的。
【短语】microscopic size(微小的尺寸);microscopic analysis(微观分析)。
【例句】There are some microscopic cracks in the glass.(玻璃上有一些微小的裂缝。)
reproach(v. 责备)
【释义】因某人做错事或没有达到期望而批评、指责他们。例如:His mother reproached him for not doing his homework.(他的母亲责备他没有做家庭作业。)
【词源】源自法语“reprocher”,来自拉丁语“re - ”(回)+“prope”(近),原意为带回近前(以便指责),引申为责备。
【短语】reproach someone for(因…责备某人);beyond reproach(无可指责)。
【例句】She reproached herself for being so careless.(她责备自己太粗心了。)
adamant(adj. 坚定的,不动摇的)
【释义】坚决的,坚定不移的,不会被劝说或改变想法的。例如:He was adamant about his decision to quit his job.(他对辞职的决定非常坚定。)
【词源】源自希腊语“adamas”(最坚硬的金属,钻石),表示像钻石一样坚硬、坚定。
【短语】be adamant in(在…方面坚定不移);adamant refusal(坚决拒绝)。
【例句】The company was adamant that they would not change their policy.(公司坚决表示不会改变他们的政策。)
二、课文精讲
Punctuality is a necessary habit in all public affairs in civilized society. Without it, nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in a state of chaos.
-punctuality / p nk.t u l. .ti/ n.准时
-in a state of 在... 的状态下。
译文:在文明社会中,准时,是社交活动中必要的行为准则。没有这个准则,任何事情都无法取得一个成果,所有的事情都会陷入混乱。
Only in a sparsely-populated rural community is it possible to disregard it. In ordinary living, there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality.
-Only in a sparsely-populated…is it possible…,这是一个倒装句,因为only放在句首。
-sparsely /spɑ sli/ adv.稀少地
-disregard / d s.r ɡɑ d/ v. 忽视,漠视,无视
-tolerance / t l. r. ns/ n.宽容;忍受;容忍
译文:只有在人烟稀少的农村社区,才有可能忽略这项准则。在普通的日常生活中,稍许不准时是可以被容忍的。
The intellectual, who is working on some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organized for the matter in hand. He is therefore forgiven if late for a dinner party.
-intellectual / n.t l ek.t u. l/ n.知识分子,脑力劳动者
-abstruse / b stru s/ adj.难解的;深奥的
-coordinate /k .d .ne t/ v.协调;使相配合
-for the matter in hand,为手中的事。
-if late for a dinner party,在以if,when,though等连词引导的从句中,当其谓语为be时,而主语又与主句的主语相同,从句中往往可以将主语和谓语省去。上句if后就省略了he is。
译文:那些钻研深奥问题的知识分子会把所有与手中相关的事情,都协调组织好。如果他在晚宴上迟到,就会得到原谅。
But people are often reproached for unpunctuality when their only fault is cutting things fine. It is hard for energetic, quick-minded people to waste time, so they are often tempted to finish a job before setting out to keep an appointment.
-reproach /r pr t / v.(尤指因为某人没成功或没达到预期目标而)责备,责怪,批评
-cut things fine,把时间安排得不留余地。
-energetic / en. d et. k/ adj.精力充沛的;充满活力的
-be tempted to do sth, 想要(某物);想做(某事)。
-setting out to keep an appointment 赴约。
译文:人们经常因为迟到而受到责备,而迟到的原因恰是把时间安排的太紧。让精力充沛,头脑敏捷的人浪费时间是很困难的,因为他们总是想在赴约前,试图把某件事情做完。
If no accidents occur on the way, like punctured tyres, diversions of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time. They are often more industrious, useful citizens than those who are never late.
-descent /d sent/ n.不期而至,突然到达
译文:假如途中没有爆胎、交通管制、突然起雾的意外的话,他们一定会准时到达。他们通常比从不迟到的人更勤劳,更有用。
The over-punctual can be as much a trial to others as the unpunctual. The guest who arrives half an hour too soon is the greatest nuisance.
-as much as,和……一样。
-trial /tra l/ n.惹麻烦的人;令人伤脑筋的事物;考验
-nuisance / nju .s ns/ n.恼人的事物(或人);麻烦的事物(或人)
-half an hour too soon(= half an hour earlier),早到半个小时。
译文:过早和迟到一样,也会令人讨厌。提前半小时到达的客人就是最讨厌的。
Some friends of my family had this irritating habit. The only thing to do was ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.
-irritating / r. .te .t / adj.恼人的,令人厌烦的
译文:我家有几个朋友,就有这个烦人的习惯。唯一的办法,就只好让他们比别人晚半个小时再来。于是他们就会和别人一起,在我们希望的时间到达。
If you are catching a train, it is always better to be comfortably early than even a fraction of a minute too late.
-fraction / fr k. n/ n.极小的部分
译文:如果你正要赶火车,那舒舒服服地提前到达车晗,总是比迟到要好,哪怕只是迟到一分钟。
Although being early may mean wasting a little time, this will be less than if you miss the train and have to wait an hour or more for the next one; and you avoid the frustration of arriving at the very moment when the train is drawing out of the station and being unable to get on it.
-frustration /fr s tre . n/ n.(因不能满足需求而)沮丧;令人沮丧的事物
-draw out of the station 火车离站。
译文:虽然,早到意味着浪费时间,但好过错过火车,不得不在车站花一个小时甚至更久等待下一班火车。也可以避免刚到车站,看到火车正驶离车站而又无法赶上的沮丧。
An even harder situation is to be on the platform in good time for a train and still to see it go off without you. Such an experience befell a certain young girl the first time she was travelling alone.
-befall /b f l/ v.(坏事)降临(于),发生(在…身上)
- in good time,作“适当地”、“及时地”讲。
-go off 离开。
译文:更令人沮丧的情况还可能是你已经及时到了月台,但还是看到火车开走了,自己却没上。这样的情况就发生在一个第一次独自旅行的年轻女孩身上。
She entered the station twenty minutes before the train was due, since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be unforgivable to miss it and cause the friends with whom she was going to stay to make two journeys to meet her.
-impress sth on/upon sb 使(某人)明白…的重要性(或价值)
-due /d u / adj.预计的,预期的
译文:她在火车出发前20分钟抵达车站,因为她的父母再三提醒她,如果错过火车是难辞其咎的, 还会让与她要同住的朋友,特地去接她两次。
She gave her luggage to a porter and showed him her ticket. To her horror he said that she was two hours too soon. She felt in her handbag for the piece of paper on which her father had written down all the details of the journey and gave it to the porter.
-horror / h r. r/ n.恐惧;震惊;(…的)震惊性,恐怖性
译文:她把行李给了搬运工,给他看了车票。没想到他说,她早到了2个小时。她从包里摸出了一张纸,上面有她爸爸提前写好的行程单,给了搬运工。
He agreed that a train did come into the station at the time on the paper and that it did stop, but only to take on mail, not passengers. The girl asked to see a timetable, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake.
-did come ,did 强调作用。
译文:他说这辆火车的确会来也会停下,但只载邮件,不载乘客。女孩问他要时间表看一看,因为她确信她的父亲不会犯这种错误。
The porter went to fetch one and arrived back with the station master, who produced it with a flourish and pointed out a microscopic ‘o’ beside the time of the arrival of the train at his station; this little ‘o’ indicated that the train only stopped for mail.
-with a flourish 动作夸张地.
-microscopic / ma .kr sk p. k/ adj.极小的;需要用显微镜才可看见的
译文: 搬运工拿来了一份时间表,与他一起的,还有站长,站长夸张地拿出了时间表,指着火车抵达时刻表边上一个微微小的, 这个小o表示这辆车只载邮件。
Just as that moment the train came into the station. The girl, tears streaming down her face, begged to be allowed to slip into the guard's van.
-slip /sl p/ v.溜走;迅速地做;悄悄地做
-guard /ɡɑ d/ n.列车长
-just as that moment 正在那时。
译文:就在那个时刻,火车来了。而女孩哭着央求站长,能不能允许她溜进列车长的车厢。
But the station master was adamant: rules could not be broken. And she had to watch that train disappear towards her destination while she was left behind.
-adamant / d. .m nt/ adj.固执的;坚决的,坚定不移的
译文:站长坚持说:规则不能打破。于是她不得不看着火车在自己目的地的方向渐渐消失,而自己却被拉下了。