生活英语对话 Episode 95: A letter from Poland

本单元是关于来自波兰的信件的对话。

Helen: Dear Helen,
I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Remembering our good and bad times. You coming into the kitchen and thinking something was going on with me and Alice. That huge fight we had about John cheating in his exam.
So many memories - more sad than happy - but you'll always have a special place in my heart.
Helen, time moves on and so have I. It's difficult to tell you this, especially in a letter, but I've got to let you know. I've fallen in love here in Poland. I'm sorry to hurt you. We need to let each other go now.
Please don't write back.
Michal


Vocabulary 字汇

something was going on 不好的事
something wrong was happening

cheating 欺骗
behaving dishonestly

you'll always have a special place in my heart 你在我心中占有一席之地
you will always be important to me and I will remember you very fondly

to let each other go 分手
to not be in a relationship anymore and not see each other again

本单元的语言点是反身代词，请看下面的解释和例句

Reflexive pronouns²

The reflex pronouns 反身代名词
When the subject and the object in a sentence are the same, we use a reflexive pronoun¹.

Examples: When you go to university, you need to look after yourself. He's very big headed. He has a very high opinion of himself. It's lovely to see you both. Come in and make yourselves at home.


Reflexive pronouns for emphasis³ 反身代名词强调与其用法
We can use reflexive pronouns to highlight⁴ or emphasise⁵ the subject or object. It makes it clear that we are talking about this person or thing and nobody or nothing else.

She's only two but she loves trying to feed herself = She's trying to be independent at a young age.

He likes to save money by cutting his hair himself = He doesn't get the hairdresser⁶ to cut his hair (as most people do).

Examples:
The queen herself is coming to visit our school next year.
They designed their house themselves. They said it was cheaper that way.
The match itself was really good, it's just a pity it ended in a two-all draw.

Comparing -selves and each other: "-selves" 和 "each other"的用法

Themselves/yourselves/ourselves and each other can refer to two people but they are used in slightly different ways.

Kate and Mike are both a bit crazy. You know, they' talk to themselves = Kate talks to herself and Mike talks to himself.

Kate and Mike talk to each other = Kate and Mike have a conversation together.

Examples:
They decided⁷ to treat themselves and have dinner in that new restaurant.
They treated each other for their wedding anniversary⁸ - he gave her chocolates and she gave him a new shirt.
They looked at each other and instantly⁹ fell in love.
The actress tried on the dress and the actor tried on the shirt for the play and then they looked at themselves in the mirrors.
Michal said 'We need to let each other go now'


When no reflexive pronoun is needed: 不需要反身代名词的用法
We don't use reflexive pronouns with some verbs¹⁰: feel, relax, hurry, concentrate¹¹, meet, get up, wash, shave, dress

Examples:
I love to relax by just lazing on the beach doing nothing.
She needs to concentrate more if she want to pass his exam.
He gets up, washes and shaves early and then has breakfast.

1 pronoun   

n.代词

参考例句：

• The relative pronoun is often dropped if it is the subject.关系代名词做受词时常被省略。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

2 pronouns   

n.代词( pronoun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce attributive clauses. 关系代词和关系副词引导定语从句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "I", "you"and "he" are all personal pronouns. I，you和he都是人称代词。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 emphasis   

n.强调，重点，重要性

参考例句：

• The emphasis has shifted markedly in recent years.最近几年重点已经明显改变了。
• Particular emphasis will be placed on oral language training.将会特别强调口语训练。

4 highlight   

n.加亮区；v.加亮，强调；[计算机]醒目

参考例句：

• Her performance was the highlight of the show.她的表演是那场演出中最精彩的部分。
• The highlight of this term is the school trip to Austria.这学期最重要的活动就是去奥地利的校外旅行。

5 emphasise   

vt.加强...的语气，强调，着重

参考例句：

• What special feature do you think I should emphasise? 你认为我该强调什么呢？
• The exercises heavily emphasise the required readings.练习非常强调必须的阅读。

6 hairdresser   

n.理发师，美容师

参考例句：

• My hairdresser has opened a new salon.我的理发师新开了一家理发店。
• The hairdresser made a good job of my hair.理发师把我的头发理得很好。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

9 instantly   

adv.立即，立刻

参考例句：

• She was used to having her orders instantly obeyed.她习惯了让人即刻服从她的命令。
• Though he slept soundly,he awoke instantly.他虽然睡得很香，但是马上就醒了。

10 verbs   

动词

参考例句：

• I have to swot up on phrasal verbs for a test tomorrow. 我不得不为明天的测验努力温习短语动词。
• Verbs that do not take object are called intransitive verbs. 不带宾语的动词称为不及物动词。

11 concentrate   

vt.集中；聚集；浓缩；vi.集中；全神贯注

参考例句：

• You should concentrate on the road when you're driving.开车时注意力应集中在路上。
• Concentrate your mind on study,Don't look around.专心学习，别东张西望的。