Lesson 36:A chance in a million 百万分之一的机遇
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What was the chance in a million?
We are less credulous than we used to be. In the nineteenth century, a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his readers with a series of coincidences -- most of them wildly improbable. Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maidservant was really the hero's mother. A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's downfall. And so on. Modern readers would find such naive solution totally unacceptable. Yet, in real life, circumstances do sometimes conspire to bring about coincidences which anyone but a nineteenth century novelist would find incredible.
When I was a boy, my grandfather told me how a German taxi driver, Franz Bussman, found a brother who was thought to have been killed twenty years before. While on a walking tour with his wife, he stooped to talk to a workman. After they had gone on, Mrs. Bussman commented on the workman's close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might be his brother. Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had been killed in action during the war. Though Mrs. Busssman fully acquainted with this story, she thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right. A few days later, she sent a boy to the workman to ask him if his name was Hans Bussman. Needless to say, the man's name was Hans Bussman and he really was Franz's long-lost brother. When the brothers were reunited, Hans explained how it was that he was still alive. After having been wounded towards the end of the war, he had been sent to hospital and was separated from his unit. The hospital had been bombed and Hans had made his way back into Western Germany on foot. Meanwhile, his unit was lost and all records of him had been destroyed. Hans returned to his family home, but the house had been bombed and no one in the neighbourhood knew what had become of the inhabitants. Assuming that his family had been killed during an air raid, Hans settled down in a village fifty miles away where he had remained ever since.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
credulous
adj. 轻信的
improbable
adj. 不大可能的
obscure
adj. 不起眼的
maidservant
n. 女仆，女佣
presume
v. 假定
wickedly
adv. 心眼坏地，居心叵测地
plot
v. 密谋
downfall
n. 倒台，垮台
naive
adj. 天真的
unacceptable
adj. 不能接受的
conspire
v. （事件）巧合促成
incredible
adj. 难以置信的
scorn
n. 嘲弄，挖苦
acquaint
v. 使了解
reunite
v. 使团聚
assume
v. 假定，认为
参考译文
我们不再像以往那样轻易相信别人了。在19世纪，小说家常在小说结尾处给读者准备一系列的巧合——大部分是牵强附会，极不可能的。当时的读者却愉快地接受这样一些事实，一个低贱的女佣实际上是主人公的母亲；主人公一位长期失散的兄弟，大家都以为死了，实际上一直活着，并且正在策划暗算主人公；如此等等，现代读者会觉得这种天真的结局完全无法接受。不过，在现实生活中，有时确实会出现一些巧合，这些巧合除了19世纪小说家外谁也不会相信。
当我是个孩子的时候，我祖父给我讲了一位德国出租汽车司机弗朗兹。巴斯曼如何找到了据信已在20年前死去的兄弟的事。一次，他与妻子徒步旅行。途中，停下来与一个工人交谈，接着他们继续往前走去。巴斯曼夫人说那工人与她丈夫相貌很像，甚至猜测他可能就是她丈夫的兄弟。弗朗兹对此不屑一顾，指出他兄弟已经在战争中阵亡了。尽管巴斯曼夫人熟知这个情况，但她仍然认为自己的想法仍有百万分之一的可能性。几天后，她派了一个男孩去问那人是否叫汉斯.巴斯曼。不出巴斯曼夫人所料，那人的名字真是汉斯.巴斯曼，他确实是弗朗兹失散多年的兄弟。兄弟俩团聚之时，汉斯说明了他活下来的经过，战争即将结束时，他负伤被送进医院，并与部队失去联系。医院遭到轰炸，汉斯步行回到了西德。与此同时，他所在部队被击溃，他的所有档案材料全部毁于战火。汉斯重返故里，但他的家已被炸毁，左邻右舍谁也不知原住户的下落，汉斯以为全家人都在空袭中遇难，于是便在距此50英里外的一座村子里定居下来，直至当日。
新概念英语正版图书购买
自学导读
课文详注 Further notes on the text
1．…she hopes to set up a new world record．……她希望创一项新的世界纪录。
set up 是个固定短语，它的含义之一为“创立”、“建立”，可以指某个具体的事物，如set up a school（创建一所学校），也可以指
抽象的，如某个机构、组织等。 a world record 常用于指体育方面的世界纪录。
2．…many people fee that she is sure to succeed．……很多人认为她一定能成功。
（1） feel在此处为及物动词，表示“认为”、“相信”等：
Tom feels that he can pass the examination.
汤姆认为他能通过这次考试。
My parents feel that they can believe in you.
我父母认为他们可以信赖你。
（2） sure在这里表示“一定会”、“必定会”，
后面通常跟带to的不定式：
Billy is sure to win the race.
比利一定会赢得这场比赛。
If you don't work hard, you are sure to fail in the next exam.
你如果不用功学习，下次考试肯定会不及格。
3．Tomorrow he will be watching her anxiously as she swims the long distance to England. 明天他将焦急地注视着女儿游过这段漫长的距离到达英国。
这句话中主句的时态为将来进行时（cf．第13课语法），时间状语从句表示的虽然也是将来的动作，但用的是一般现在时，再如：
I'll be meeting her at the station when she arrives tomorrow.
她明天到达时我将在车站接她。
When you come back to the village next year, you'll have a great surprise.
等明年你回村时，你会大吃一惊的。
4．Debbie intends to take short rests every two hours. 黛比计划每
两小时休息一下。
（1） rest作“休息”讲时，可以是可数名词，也可以是不可数名词：
Today is my day of rest.
今天是我的休息日。
After a long rest, he went on with his work.
在好好休息一下之后，他又继续工作了。
（2） every用在表示时间的名词之前时可译为“每”：
Debbie phones her mother every three days.
黛比每隔两天给她母亲打次电话。
语法 Grammar in use
将来时
going to和will 一样也常用来预言将发生的事。口语里经常用going to，
尤其指不久即将发生的事，但在正式的书面语中通常
用will而不用 going to。在非正式语体中，要表示意图、打算时，一般多用going to而不用will；going to 有时可以表示说话人也许对即将发生的事预先有所了解：
He has decided not to buy a house because he's going to leave the country soon.
他决定不买房子，因为他不久将离开这个国家。（可能预先有所了解）
They're going to be married soon.
他们不久将结婚。（表示预先有所了解）
如果表示说话时决定去做某事，或者表示建议、请求、肯定或不肯定等含义时，要用will而不用 going to：
Ask him again. Perhaps he'll change his mind.
再问他一次，也许他会改变主意。
词汇学习 Word study
1．watch, look at与 follow
look at 可以表示“仔细看”、“（留意）看”等含义，经常用于表示命令的句子：
Look at this card that John's just sent!
看约翰刚寄来的这张卡！
Look at this!
请看这个！
watch 表示“看”、“注视”、“注意看”
等，通常持续时间较长：
How long have you been watching the race?
这场比赛你看了多久了？
Do you have to watch me eating my supper?
你非得看我吃晚饭吗？
Tomorrow he will be watching her anxiously.
明天他将焦急地注视着她。
follow 通常指“跟随”这个动作：
The dog followed me all the way home.
在我回家的路上这只狗一直跟着我。
When she was a girl, she followed her sister everywhere.
她小的时候，
她姐姐走到哪儿她就跟到哪儿。
在特定的时候， follow也可以表示注视，
即用目光“跟随”：
Have you ever seen a cat follow/ watch a bird's every movement?
你有没有见过猫注视鸟的一举一动？
2．solid, firm与 stable
（1）形容词 solid的含义之一是“固体的”（相对于液体的、气体的而言）：
She will not eat any solid food.
她将不吃固体食物。
它还可以表示“结实的”、“坚固的”（指家具、建筑物等）：
This is a solid table.
这张桌子很结实。（指质地）
（2） firm 可以表示“牢固的”、“稳固的”：
This table is firm. You can stand on it.
这桌子结实。你可以站在上面。
firm 可以表示态度、
信念等“坚定的”、“坚决的”：
He is firm about going abroad.
在出国这件事上他态度很坚决。
firm 用于针对孩子时，可表示“严厉的”、“严格的”：
Mary isn't very firm with her children.
玛丽对她的孩子们要求不严。
（3） stable表示“稳定的”、“稳固的”等含义时，可以用于指抽象的
事物（如工作、机构、环境等），也可用于指具体的事物：
I'm glad that you've got a stable job now.
我很高兴你现在有了稳定的工作。
它用于指人时，表示“可靠的”、“可信赖的”、“稳重的”等含义：
He is not a very stable person.
他不太稳重/可靠。
练习答案 Key to written exercises
1．关键句型练习答案
A What will happen: will set out (1.5); will have(1.9); will not eat (1.9)
What is going to happen: is going to swim (1.1); is going to set out(1.2)
What will be happening: will be watching(1.7); will be waiting(11.9-10)
C 1 We are going to leave at six o'clock.
2 I am going to pay these bills tomorrow.
3 Are you going to write to him?
4 She is not going to look for a new job.
5 When are you going to buy a new car?
2．难点练习答案
1 firm 2 watched 3 look at 4 solid/firm 5 firm
3．多项选择题答案
1 a 2d 3d 4c 5d 6c
7 c 8 b 9a 10 d 11 c 12c
新概念英语第二册课堂笔记
record n. 记录
strong adj 强壮的
swimmer n 游泳运动员，游泳者
succeed v 成功
train v 训练
anxiously adv 焦急
intend v 打算
solid adj 固体的，硬的
如果同一词音节落在第一个音节的重音，肯定是名词，重音落在第二个音节肯定是动词
recorder 录音机
如present/desert
break the recorder破记录
set up a new recorder创记录
hold the recorder保持记录
keep the recorder保持记录
equal等号，等于
equalize the recorder 平记录
as strong as horse想牛一样壮
strong wind 大风 heavy rain 大雨
strong girl（隐示不是很瘦，结实）
strong mind意志坚强
out of sight out of mind
sturdy ：结实的
robust ：身体结实
strong swimmer：
strong ＋运动员：获胜把握比较大，强有力的
athlete：运动员（运动会上常说的运动员）
swimming athlete游泳运动员
success n 成功，成功的人
successful adj 成功的
succeeding in doing sth
be successful in doing sth
fail v
failure n
train sb to do sth（教，而且有让人形成某种技能）
teach sb to do sth
trainer教练
be to/be about to/be going to:表将来
intend to do sth＝be going to do sth打算做某事
plan计划
plan to do sth 计划作某事
mean to do sth 打算做某事
what do you mean to do（intend to do）
aim to do sth 打算做某事
aim n 目标
i am going to have a company
i intend to have a company
i intend to do sth＝i will do sth
hope to do
want to do
the ice is solid冰很硬
ballet dancers/football player
1 work as＋地点
2 工作怎么样
（1）interesing/boring/exciting
（2）人对工作的喜欢程度，she/he likes the job very much
channel 海峡
the Channel＝the English channel
across 横渡，across the Channel
hope 希望
hope to do：希望自己做
hope that＋从句：希望别人做
she hope to set up a new recorder
feel （that），宾语从句中的that 可以省略
must ＋ 动词原形 表示一定
be sure to do ：一定能够
sure
are you sure sure 肯定
be sure of（对某件事情名词做宾语）
be sure to do（对某件事情动词有把握）
be sure that（对某件事情某人做某事有把握）
i am sure that i can do sth＝i am sure of sth＝i am sure to dosth
i am sure of my success
i ma sure to succeed
i am sure that i can succeed （be successful）
by boat/ in a boat乘船
for years 几年
will be doing
as＝when
swim＋距离：游过多长距离
will be watching sb anxiously as：当...的时候人们会密切（焦急）关注
the war broke out战争爆发
all the world will be watching anxiously as the war broke out
meet the parents
we will be watching anxiously as you went（go） out
plan to/intend to
have（take) a break（rest）休息
take short rests休息短时间
every two hours
i will plant another tree every three trees
something to drink：可以喝的东西
have something to eat/read/do
most/most of
most直接用：most of ＋the
will be waiting
i will be right here wating for your
on the coast在海边
among them在他们当中
oneself放在动词或一句话的后面，往往起强调的作用
定语从句中的关系词往往指代的含义是前面的先行词
限定性定语从句/非限定性定语从句
如果是有逗号的是非限定性定语从句，没有逗号的是限定性定语从句
限定性定语从句可以做，非限定性
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