Unit 8理解：要点诠释单词1.prepare讲：v.使作好准备；把……预备好；防范；准备常见搭配有:+sth./sb.(for sb./sth.)；+for sth.；+to do sth. preparation n.准备例：The whole class is working hard preparing for the exam. 全班都在用功准备考试。
I was preparing to leave.我正准备离开。
He was in the kitchen preparing lunch.他在厨房做午饭。
We made preparations to move to new offices.我们已准备好搬到新办公室。
The country is making preparations for war.这个国家正在进行备战。
链接·拓展(1)in preparation(for)（为……）准备(2)be prepared(for sth.)准备好；有所准备(3)be prepared to do愿意练：—Hi,Mary,what are you doing these days?—I am _______the examination.A.preparing forB.preparingC.prepared forD.preparing to提示:选用A项，句意为:我正在为考试作准备；选用C项，句意为:我为考试准备好了。
依据问句判断，应该用表示动作的A项。
答案:A2.point讲：v.指；指向；瞄准；对着；朝向n. 观点；论点；要点；重点；目的；意图；时刻；关头；得分；小数点例：She pointed(her finger)in my direction.她（用手指）指向我这个方向。
He pointed the gun at her head.他举枪对准她的头。
I wish she would get to the point and tell us what she wants us to do.我希望她能快点说正题，告诉我们她要我们做什么。
The climber was at/on the point of death when they found him.当他们发现那个登山者时，他已奄奄一息。
Australia finished 20 points ahead.澳大利亚队终局领先20分。
链接·拓展(1)to the point简明恰当；简洁中肯The letter was short and to the point.这封信简短扼要。
(2)to the point of(doing)sth.达到某种程度；近乎He was rude to the point of being aggressive.他粗鲁到蛮不讲理的程度。
(3)up to a point在某种程度上I agree with you up to a point.我在某种程度上同意你的看法。
(4)point out指（给某人）看；（向某人）指出I should point out that not one of these paintings is original.我应当指出，这些画中没有一幅是真迹。
练：We must figure out how to solve the problem as soon as possible.So_______,we haven’t got much time.A.arrive at the spotB.have an ideaC.get to the pointe to an end提示:get to the point 意为“快点说正题，直入主题”。
答案:C3.present讲：v.把……交给；提出；给予；显示；表现；引起；构成n.当前；现在；礼物；礼品adj.当前的；现在的；出席的；到场的例：She presented her idea for a new product at the last sales meeting.在上次营销会上她提出了开发新产品的想法。
The teachers were presenting us with a picture of history.老师们正向我们描述一幅历史画面。
You’ve got to forget the past and start living in the present.你必须忘掉过去，开始现在的生活。
Who is the present owner of the house?谁是现在的房主？He wasn’t present at my birthday party.他没参加我的生日晚会。
There were 200 people present at the meeting.有200人出席会议。
链接·提示(1)at the present time=at present 目前We don’t have any more information at the present time.目前我们没有进一步的消息。
(2)for the present 就目前来说；暂时His name escaped from my lips for the present.我一时想不起他的名字。
(3)up to the present直到现在；至今He hasn’t received any birthday presents up to the present.到目前为止，他还没收到任何生日礼物。
练：This habit is hard to form ________,but in the long run,it will do yougood.A.in futureB.at presentC.in presentD.at the present提示:in the long run意思是“终究”。
如:Honesty will pay in the long run.(诚实终究会得到报偿。
)A项不能与后半句形成比较，故排除；C、D项结构错误。
全句意思是:这种习惯目前不容易形成，但是它终究对你会有好处。
答案:B短语1.every four years讲：every 与数词连用，表示时间或空间的间隔。
(1)every+基数词+复数名词，意为“每隔……”；2)every+序数词+单数名词，意为“每第……”。
例：I go there every three days.每三天（或每隔两天）我去那里一次。
He comes to see his uncle every third Sunday every month.他每月第三个星期天来看他的叔叔。
链接·提示(1)every+other+单数可数名词，指“每隔一……”(2)every+few+复数名词，意为“每隔几……”He goes to town every other day.他隔天去一次城。
Write on every other line.要隔行写。
He stopped and turned round every few minutes.每隔几分钟他都停下来回头看看。
练：She watches TV ______evening and changes channels(频道)________few minutes.A.in；everyB.every；everyC.every；eachD.every；in提示:“every+单数名词”是“每个……”之意；“every+few(two,three...)+复数名词”是“每（隔）几（两、三……）”之意。
例如:He comes to see me every Sunday.他每个星期天都来看我。
They move on to a new place every two or three years.他们每隔两三年就要搬到一个新的地方。
答案:B2.make sure确保；一定要；保证做到；核实；弄清楚例：Make sure that you turn off all the lights before leaving the lab.在你离开实验室前一定要关掉所有的灯。
You’d better make sure of the time and the place.你最好核实时间和地点。
链接·拓展(1)be sure of或be sure that有把握；确信主语是人，表示主语感到“有把握、确信”。
I’m sure of his success.=I’m sure that he will succeed.我确信他会成功。
(2)be sure to do一定要；必然会主语可以是人或物，表示说话人推测主语“一定要、必然会”。
He is sure to succeed.他一定会成功。
It is sure to rain.天准会下雨。
练：I remember his telephone number is 8666888,but you’d better _________.A.be sureB.make sureC.find outD.look out提示:根据语境排除C、D两项，因为前文已说出了电话号码，不需要去查找。
be sure意为“对……有把握”；make sure意为“一定要，保证做到，核实，弄清楚”。
从句意看，说话者只是要求对方去核实，故选B。
答案:B3.rather than讲：该短语意为：而不是……；与其……宁愿……例：The colour seems green rather than blue.这个颜色像是绿色而不是蓝色。
I’d prefer to go in August rather than in July.我宁愿8月去，不愿7月去。
I always prefer starting early,rather than leaving everything to the last minute.我总是愿意早开始，而不愿把所有事情都留到最后才做。
I decided to send an email rather than(to)telephone.我决定发电子邮件，而不是打电话。
链接·拓展(1)rather than经常用在“平行结构”里:即与两个形容词、两个状语词组、两个名词或代词、两个动词不定式、或两个v.ing形式连用。
(2)rather than后的动词要和主句中与之相当的动词在形式上一致。
(3)rather than位于句首时，其后的动词必须用v.-ing形式。
