Unit 3 Inventors and inventions
KEY WORDS AND PHRASES
1．call up给……打电话；使想起；回忆
When I called up my mother in the countryside on the telephone she was very upset.
(教材P20)
当我打电话给乡下的母亲时，她显得焦躁不安。
call back召唤某人回来；再访；回电话 call for需要；要求；接(人或物)
call in邀请；请来 call on拜访(人)；号召
call in on简短拜访 call at拜访(某地) call off取消
The government calls on the youth to donate their blood voluntarily.政府号召青年义务献血。
He is ill；you should call in the doctor right away.他病了，你应该立即请大夫来。
2．now and then偶尔；有时(＝sometimes，but not often)
Snakes come near the house now and then，and they seem to have made their home here，not far from the walnut tree.(教材P20)蛇时不时地爬到屋边来，可见这几条蛇似乎是在胡桃树附近安家了。
We haven't seen each other for years，but we chat online now and then.我们已有多年未见过面了；但是我们有时会上网聊一聊。
表示“有时、偶尔”的词语有：
(every) now and again from time to time at times once in a while
occasionally a little now and a little then
【提示】 from time to time强调经常性；now and then等强调间歇性。
3．Here was a chance for me to distinguish myself by inventing something merciful that
would catch snakes but not harm them.(教材P20)
这回我有机会来表现一下自己，我要发明某种仁慈的东西，既可以把蛇抓住又不会伤害到它们。
(1)distinguish vt.& vi.显出……的差别；使……有所不同；辨别
People who can not distinguish between colours are said to be colourblind.不能辨别颜色的人称为色盲
①distinguish oneself (as) (作为……)表现突出；使自己与众不同；使自己成名
distinguish between...and...区分/辨别……和……
distinguish...from...使……有别于……；使……具有区别于……的特征 distinguish...by...以……为特征
②distinguished adj.卓越的；杰出的；著名的 ③distinguishable adj.可区别的
④distinction n．区别
(2)merciful adj.宽大的；仁慈的
They asked him to be merciful to the prisoners. 他们要求他对犯人要以慈悲为怀。
①mercy n．仁慈，宽容
show/have mercy to sb.对某人仁慈 show no mercy to sb.对某人无情
at the mercy of任由……摆布，在……掌握中 It's a mercy...[口语]……真是幸运！
②mercifully幸运地；宽大地
They were lost at sea at the mercy of wind and weather.他们在海上迷失，任由大风和天气摆布。
It's a mercy that the accident happened so near the hospital.幸亏事故发生在离医院很近的地方。
4．The first thing I did was to see if there were any products that might help me，but_there_only_seemed_to_be powders designed to kill snakes.(教材P20)
我所做的第一件事就是看有没有什么产品能帮助我。但是，似乎只有用来毒死蛇的药粉能用。
(1)there seemed to be是there be句型的变体，表示“似乎有……”。there be句型中的be有时还可以换成其他表示“有，存在”的词，如：live，stand，lie，remain，appear，seem to
be，come等。there be结构是一个看似简单但命题空间很大的知识点。
【提示】 在“there be...”句型中，be动词前可以加can，may，must，ought to，used to，happen to，seem to，appear to等情态动词或动词短语。
There happened to be no one in the room. 碰巧房间里没有人。
5．set about开始；着手(about是介词，其后常接名词或动名词)
I set about researching the habits of snakes to find the easiest way to trap them.(教材P20)我着手研究蛇的习性，以便能找到捕蛇的最简易的方法。
She set about the business of cleaning the house. 她动手打扫起房子来。
After the earthquake，the people set about rebuilding their homes.地震过后，人们开始重建家园。
set out 出发，启程；开始 set off 出发；动身 be set in 以……为背景
set back 阻碍某事物发展；把(钟表指针)往回拨 set aside 留出；对……不予考虑
set down 记下；写下 set up 树立(榜样)；设立；创立 set free 释放；使……获得自由
【对接高考】
(2012·浙江)Armed with the information you have gathered，you can________preparing your business plan.
A．set out B．set about C．set off D．set up
6．They abruptly disappeared into a convenient hole in the wall.(教材P20)
它们一下子就消失在墙壁附近的洞里了。
(1)abruptly adv.突然地，意外地；唐突地
The train stopped abruptly，nearly tipping me out of my bunk.火车突然停住，我差点儿从床位上摔下来。
abrupt adj.突然的，意外的；粗鲁的，唐突的，生硬的
an abrupt turn 急转弯 in an abrupt manner 无礼的态度 an abrupt change 突然改变
(2)convenient adj.方便的；适宜的；合适的；在近处的；近便的
Will it be convenient for you to start work tomorrow
你明天开始工作方便吗
Our house is convenient for the shops.
我们家到商店很方便。
①It is convenient (for sb.) to do sth. (某人)干某事是方便的
convenient (for sb.) 某事(对某人来说)是方便的
if/when it is convenient to sb. 如果某人方便的话
②convenience n．方便，便利 at one's convenience 在某人方便时
It is very convenient to pay by credit card.
用信用卡付款非常方便。
Can you telephone me at your convenience to arrange a meeting
你能不能在你方便时给我来个电话，安排见一次面
【提示】 convenient主语不能是人。例如：“如果你方便的话”英语应表达为：if it is
convenient to/for you，而不应表达为：if you are convenient。
【对接高考】
(2012·天津高考)The secretary arranged a(n)________time and place for the applicants
to have an interview.
A．important B．Spare C．public D．convenient
7．caution n．小心；谨慎；警告
This time with great caution I bent down to examine the snakes and I found them very
sleepy.(教材P20)
这一次我小心翼翼地蹲下去检查的时候，发现蛇都是睡意浓浓的。
Dad always drives with caution. 爸爸开车一直十分小心。
①with caution小心地；谨慎地
②cautious adj.小心的；谨慎的 be cautious of/about...对……很小心/谨慎
8．expectation n．预料；期待；期望
This was in the expectation that the snakes would bite again.(教材P21)这是因为我预料蛇还会再咬人。
It's our expectation that you will do it well.
我们期待你干得出色。
She looked at me with expectation.
她满怀期待地看着我。
①come up to one's expectations达到某人的期望 live up to one's expectations不辜负某人的期望
in expectation of/that...预料 beyond expectations出乎意料 against expectations与预期相反
②expect vt.预料；预计；期待；期望 expect that...预料……
expect(sb.)to do sth.期望(某人)做某事；预料(某人)做某事
【提示】 expectation意思为“期望的事物，前景”时，常用复数。
9．seize vt.抓住；捉住；夺
Pressed by my friends and relations，I decided to seize the opportunity to get
recognition for my successful idea by sending my invention to the patent office.(P21)由于亲戚和朋友的敦促，我决定抓住这次机会把我的发明送到专利局去，请他们对我这次成功的思路给予认可。
He seized her by the arm/wrist.他抓住她的胳膊
seize a chance/an opportunity抓住机会/时机
seize the arm抓住某人的手臂
seize on/upon 突然大为关注，抓住(可利用的事物)
seize up停止运转，发生故障；(身体)发僵
【提示】 表示“抓住/打在某人的某个部位”时常用：seize/hit in/by the＋身体部位
10．Only_after_you_have_had_that_recognition_can_you_say that you are truly an
inventor.(教材P21)
只有你已经获得了那种认证，你才能说自己是一个真正的发明者。
only＋状语(副词、介词短语或状语从句)位于句首时，句子需部分倒装。
Only then did I know the importance of learning. 直到那时我才知道了学习的重要性。
