1、Text A Learning, Chinese-Style1. attach: fasten or join (one thing to another) (used in the pattern: attach sth. to sth.)Examples: Scientists discovered they could measure wind speed by attaching a wind meter to a kite and sending it up.Attached to this letter you will find a copy of the document yo
2、u asked for.四级大纲中动词后跟 to 的类似词组还有：adaptto 使适应于addto 加到上adjustto(使) 适应于admit to 承认agree to 同意( 某一建议、安排等)amount to 总计达, 相当于, 等于apologize to 向(某人) 道歉appeal to 向 呼吁; 诉诸于 ; 对有吸引力apply to 向(某人 )申请attend to 处理, 料理; 照顾, 照料belong to 属于challengeto 向 挑战, 要求(比赛、决斗等)communicateto 向传达compareto 把比作confess to 承认, 忏悔
3、confineto 把限制在consent to 同意, 答应contribute to 捐献, 捐赠; 有助于correspond to 相当于; 相符, 符合devoteto 为而奉献entitleto 给权利(或资格 )lead to(路等) 通向; 导致limitto 把限制到object to 反对occur to 被想到, 出现在脑海中oweto 把归功于preferto 喜欢胜过propose to 向求婚react to 对作出反应refer to 提到, 涉及; 查阅, 参考relate to 有关, 涉及reply to 对作出回答resort to 诉诸, 求助于resp
4、ond to 回答, 响应see to 处理stick to 坚持; 忠于, 信守subject to 使遭受 , 使服从submit to 服从, 听从surrender to 投降 , 屈服turn to 找( 某人寻求帮助等)yield to 投降, 让步2. not in the least: not at allExamples; I am not in the least touched by the Marilyn Monroe kind of beauty.Ann didnt seem in the least concerned about her study.3. find
5、 ones way: reach a destination naturally; arrive atExamples: Shanghai is not an easy city to find your way around.Drunk as he was, Peter still found his way home.Similar phrases:struggle ones way; elbow ones way; make ones way; push ones way, etc.4. phenomenon: (pl. phenomena) sth. that happens or e
6、xists and that can be seen or experiencedExamples: Hurricanes are a relatively common phenomenon in the Caribbean.Stress-related illness is a common phenomenon in big cities.Thunder and lightening are natural phenomena.5. Initial: of or at the beginning, first (adj., used only before n.)Examples: If
7、 a car suddenly pulls out in front of you, your initial reaction may include fear and anger.Their initial burst of enthusiasm died down when they realized how much work the job involved.6. assist: help (used in the pattern: assist sb. to do sth., assist sb. with sth.)Examples: The professor was assi
8、sting his students to prepare their project.The college student decided to assist the boy with his study.Word choice: help, assist, give/lend a hand, help out, come to sbs aid/assistance, aid, give/send aidHelp and assist can both describe people or institutions helping each other do a job. However,
9、 assist is more formal and often suggests that the person assisting is doing a simple or unimportant part of what has to be done, e.g. My company assists businesses in all their office cleaning requirements. You will assist the administrative officer with day-to-day organization.In more informal Eng
10、lish people often use give/ lend a hand or help out, especially where there is something practical to do and not enough people to do it: Can you give me a hand with the drinks? I sometimes lend a hand / help out at eh old folks home.If someone is in danger or trouble, you may help them or more forma
11、lly come to their aid/ assistance:My cars broken down, can you help?If you get into difficulties, the lifeguard will come to your assistance.If a person, charity, or government helps with money or other necessary things, aid (formal) or often give/ send aid may be used; help would be used informally
12、:Many projects are aided by Oxfam. Aid will be sent to the area as soon as possible.Please help the homeless.7. insert: put, fit, place (in, into, between)Examples: Wait for a couple of minutes with your mouth closed before inserting the thermometer.The doctor carefully inserted the needle into my l
13、eft arm.8. somewhat: to some degree, a little Examples:It is reported that conditions in the village have improved somewhat since November._ “Are you concerned about your exam results?“_ “Somewhat.“9. await: (fml) wait forAwait is a fairly common word in formal writing, but you do not usually use it
14、 in conversation. Instead you use “wait for.“ Examples: We must await the results of field studies yet to come.After I sent the letter asking for a job, I had nothing to do but await the answer.10. on occasion: now and thenExamples. I was usually the only foreign participant, although on occasion I
15、brought other Americans in as guests.Steve spent almost all his time doing his research, but, on occasion, he would take his son to see a film.11. neglect: give too little attention or care toExamples: He gave too much attention to his career, working long hours and neglecting his wife.Their investm
16、ent turned out to be a failure and the manager was accused of neglecting his duties.Cf.: ignore: pay no attention to sb./sth. on purpose, or as if sth. has not happened Example: I said “Good morning“ to her, but she just ignored me and walked on.12. relevant: directly connected with the subject (fol
17、lowed by to , opposite irrelevant) Examples:Only a few people feel the debate about the cloning of human beings is relevant to their daily lives.While writing my term paper I was able to borrow all the relevant books from the school library.13. investigate: try to find out information about (used in
18、 the pattern: investigate sth., investigate + wh-clause) Examples:Police are still investigating how the car accident happened.We can assure you that your complaint will be fully and properly investigated.14. exception: sb./sth. that a comment or statement does not apply to Examples:Normally, parent
19、s arent allowed to sit in on the classes, but in your case we can make an exception.We feel that all the students in this class, with one or two exceptions, support the educational reforms.Without exception all our youngsters wanted to leave school and start work.When you are mentioning an exception
20、, you often use the expression “with the exception of”.Example: We all went to see the film, with the exception of Otto, who complained of feeling unwell.15. on ones own: 1) without anyones helpExamples; You neednt give me any help. I am able to manage on my own.There are jobs your child can do on h
21、er own.2) aloneExamples: The child was left on her own for hours as her mom had to deal with the emergency.Id rather not go to dance on my own. I do wish youd come with me.四级大纲中以 on 开始的类似词组还有:on a large (small) scale 大（小）规模地on account of 由于， 因为on an/ the average 平均，通常on behalf of 代表，为了on board 在船（车、
22、飞机）上on business 因公，因事on condition that 如果on duty 当班，值班on earth 究竟，到底on fire 起火，着火on foot 步行on guard 站岗，值班on hand 在场，在手边on ones guard 警惕，提防on purpose 故意，有意on sale 出售；廉价出售on schedule 按时间表，准时on second thoughts 经重新考虑，继而想on the contrary 正相反on the grounds of 根据，以 为理由on the point of 即将的时候on the road 在旅途中，在
23、过程中on the side 作为兼职，作为副业，正事以外on the spot 在场，到场；马上，当场on the whole 总的来说，大体上on time 准时16. accomplish: manage to do (sth.)Examples: Unless you practice youll accomplish nothing.Considering their capacity, the possibility of accomplishing the task is not high.If I work hard, I think I can accomplish my g
24、oal of getting 6 As at the end of the semester.17. in due course: at the proper time; eventuallyExamples. Your book will be published in due course.Be patient. Youll get your promotion in due course.18. critical: 1) very importantExamples; Environmentalists say a critical factor in the citys polluti
25、on is its population.How well you accomplish this task will be critical to the success of your career.2) very serious or dangerousExamples: In yesterdays car accident, ten people were killed and five people are still in a critical condition.As the situation in Afghanistan became critical, the UN Sec
26、retary-General appointed a special representative to tackle it.19. principal: adj. (rather fml) main, chiefExamples; The couples principal concern is to earn enough money to send their children to school.Her principal interest in life was to be a world-renowned pianist.n. The principal of a school o
27、r college is the person in charge of it.Example: Complaints from the students began arriving at the principals office.Cf.: principle (see Confusable Words p.16 )A principle is a basic rule that explains or controls how something works or a guiding rule for behaviour.Examples: These machines work on
28、the same principle.Mr. Ward is a man of high principles.20. make up for: repay with sth. good, compensate forExamples- I didnt travel much when I was younger, but Im certainly making up for lost time now.Her husband bought her a present to make up for quarreling with her the day before.21. in retros
29、pect: on evaluating the past; upon reflectionExamples: The young man knew in retrospect that he should have married his first love Emily.In retrospect, I wish that I had chosen biology as my major.四级大纲中以 in 开始的类似词组还有 :in a sense 从某种程度上，从某点上看in any case/ event 无论如何，不管怎样in brief 简单地说in common 共同的，共有的i
30、n consequence 因此，结果in debt 欠债，欠情in detail 详细地in difficulty 处境困难in effect 实际上，事实上in favor of 支持，赞成in general 一般来说，大体上in hand 在进行中，待办理in honor of 为庆祝，为纪念in itself 本质上，就其本身而言in line 成一条直线， 成一排in line with 与 一致；与 符合in memory of 纪念in no case 无论如何不， 决不in no time 立即，马上in no way 决不in order 按顺序，按次序；整齐in part
31、 部分地in particular 特别，尤其in person 亲自，本人in place 在合适的位置in place of 代替，取代，交换in practice 在实践中，实际上in proportion to 与成比例in public 公开地，当众in quantity 大量in question 正在谈论的in regard to 关于，至于in relation to 有关，与相比in return 作为报答in sight 看得见，被见到；在望，在即in step 齐步，合拍；一致，协调in tears 流着泪，在哭着in the course of 在期间, 在过程中in
32、the event of 如果 发生, 万一in the face of 不顾, 即使; 在前面in the least 丝毫, 一点儿in (the) light of 鉴于,由于in the way 挡道, 妨碍人的in the world 究竟 , 到底in touch 联系, 接触in vain 陡然 , 白费力22. extreme: very greatExample: The girls were afraid of snakes and walked along the mountain trail with extreme caution.n. the furthest po
33、ssible limit, an extreme degreeExample: I know I always say that you eat too much, but there is no need to go to the other extreme.(phrase: go to extremes: do sth. so much, state sth. so strongly, that people consider your actions unacceptable and unreasonableExamples: John went to such extremes to
34、get his promotion that everyone at the office hates him now.The film is not very good, but some critics have gone to extremes, saying it is the worst of the decade. )23. performance: 1) the standard achieved by a person or group of people in carrying out a particular job or activityExamples: The ath
35、lete was awarded $10,000 for his good performance in the Olympics.After several bad performances, the soccer team found their form again.2) sth. performed in front of an audience, e.g. a play, a dance or other entertainmentExamples; Stevie Wonder fought back from the shadow of death and went on to g
36、ive more performances.His performance in the new production of Hamlet received much praise.24. so much so that: to such an extentExamples; Americans treat their children as separate individuals, so much so that someone who remains dependent on their parents longer than the norm may be thought to be
37、“immature.“Some parents spoil their children, so much so that they never ask them to do an studying.25. Continual: happening again and again, repeated Examples: The construction of the airport continued despite continual complaints from local residents.The dogs continual barking disturbed the whole
38、neighborhood.Word choice: continual(ly), continuous(ly)Continual describes separate actions (often annoying actions you do not like) which are repeated over a period of time, e.g. :These continual interruptions are driving me mad.Shes continually flying off to different places.Continuous especially
39、describes things and events that go on without a break, e. g. :The police formed a continuous line round the building.This product is the result of years of continuous development.We landed after flying continuously for 16 hours.26. apply: 1) be relevant (to sb./sth.); have an effect (used in the pa
40、ttern: apply to sb./sth.)Examples: The new pension arrangements wont apply to people born before 1960.The advice given by the professor only applies to some of the college students.2) write a letter or fill in a form in order to ask formally for sth. (used in the pattern: apply for sth., apply to do
41、 sth.)Examples: How many jobs had you applied for before you were offered this one?We went to the sports club so often that we decided that we might as well apply to join.27. work on/at: try hard to achieve or improve (sth.)Examples: Sophia needs to work at/on her typing speed.John came back ahead o
42、f time to continue working on his thesis.28. priority: 1) sth. that one must do before anything elseExamples: Being a qualified teacher is her first priority.Earning enough money to maintain his family is a high priority.2) sth. that holds a high place among competing claimsExamples: The school will
43、 give priority to English and computer studies.The proposals deserve support as they give priority to the needs of children.29. evolve: (cause to) develop gradually (followed by into/from)Examples; The story evolves into a violent tragedy.Popular music evolved from folk songs.As knowledge of genetic
44、 engineering evolves, beliefs change.If you want to be a poet, you must evolve your own style of writing.30. summarize: make a short account of the main points of (sth.)Examples: Basically, the article can be summarized in three sentences.The workers demands can be summarized as follows: shorter hou
45、rs and more pay.31. contrast: compare (two people or things) so that differences are made clear (used in the pattern: contrast A and/with B)Examples; Carrie contrasted the situation then with the present crisis.Students were asked to contrast Ernest Hemingway with Mark Twain.n. action of contrasting
46、Examples: I was always reading when I was a kid, but my daughter, in contrast, just watches TV all day.In contrast to the hot days, the nights are bitterly cold.32. on the one hand . on the other hand: to introduce two contrasting circumstances Examples: On the one hand her temper was likely to caus
47、e trouble, but on the other hand we needed her expertise.On the one hand, we have good reason to feel pleased with our progress. On the other hand, we mustnt get complacent.33. promote: help to grow or developExamples: You dont have to sacrifice environmental protection to promote economic growth.Re
48、gular exercise will help promote physical and mental health.34. emerge: come out (followed by from)Examples: The postman emerged from his van soaked to the skin.The magician emerged from behind the curtain.n. emergence (pay attention to the difference between emergence and emergency)35. pick up: gai
49、n, learnExamples: He picked up quite a lot of English during his one-year stay in America.I had picked up a bit of data-processing from my son.36. enormous: extremely large (same as huge, immense)Examples: Catherine inherited an enormous fortune from her parents.The New Years concert was an enormous success.37. exaggerate: make (sth.) seem larger, better, etc. than it really isExamples; In her resume, she has clearly exaggerated her talents a little. “I am bleeding to deat
