Unit 5 Learning a language

Unit 5 Learning a language(2008-09-24 18:39:28)转载▼标签： unit5课文要点练习答案校园 分类： 综合英语3
Summary of the text
The article discusses three aspects of language learning, while trying to clear up three related misconceptions, which are: language can be learned systematically with clear ultimate success; words have clear-cut and fixed meanings; people of the same language background speak the same variety everywhere. The message of the article is that learners should be aware that language is not a fixed unchanging thing, therefore learning a language is, in fact, a lifelong task.


该掌握的语言点

in question: under discussion, being talked about被谈的, 正在谈论的 有问题; 被怀疑 辩论中的; 审议中的
out of the question: impossible不可能, 不容讨论
out of question: without doubt, beyond (all) question毫无疑问 的确;

ultimate adj. 最后的；最终的most extreme or important because either the original or final, or the best or worst:
最终的事物 the ultimate
subsequent adj. happening after something else: 后来的

embark v. to go onto a ship/plane: （常与for连用）上船，乘船
We embarked at Liverpool for New York.
[disembark]
embark on/upon sth: to start something new or important:
We're embarking upon a new project later this year.

metaphor noun [C or U]
'The mind is an ocean' and 'the city is a jungle' are both metaphors.
Metaphor and simile are the most commonly used figures of speech in everyday language.

mingle v. [I or T] to mix or combine, or be mixed or combined: 混合(with)
hybrid noun [C] n.杂种, 混血儿crossbreed /half-breed /mongrel混合源物;

subject sb/sth to sth phrasal verb [often passive] 受...支配的, 附属的
易受[遭, 患]... 的to make someone or something experience an unpleasant or worrying thing:
The inquiry调查 found that they had been subjected to unfair treatment.
"I didn't want to subject him to such a long journey," she said.

acquire verb [T] to obtain something:
acquisition noun [C or U] 获得, 获得物
acquisitive adj. eager to possess and collect things:
We live in an acquisitive society贪婪的社会 which views success primarily in terms of material possessions.

bits and pieces (UK ALSO bits and bobs)

core (IMPORTANT PART) noun [S or U] the basic and most important part of something:
core value/belief/issue
core business/operations/activities
core curriculum/subjects/courses

legitimate adjective allowed by law:/ reasonable and acceptable:
the legitimate government.
He claimed that the restaurant bill was a legitimate business expense.
legitimacy n.合法(性) --- legitimize (legalize)

deviant: See note 7. this slight “misuse” of words:
deviant adjective (US ALSO deviate) n.变异性, 偏差; 越轨行为describes a person or behaviour that is not usual and is generally considered to be unacceptable

nevertheless adverb (FORMAL nonethe