Unit Two

　　accident n. 事故，意外

　　例：His left knee was hurt in a traffic accident. 他的左膝在一次交通事故中受傷了。by accident 偶然，意外的：We met by accident at the airport. 我們在機場不期而遇。拓展：accidental a. 事故的，意外的

　　聽力擴展：

　　A: I’m so sorry I failed to take part in the match yesterday, but I wasn’t able to, I’m afraid.

　　B: Well, don’t you think it’s a bit late to be sorry now?

　　A:I know that, but there was very little I could do about it.

　　B: It’s all very well saying that there was very little you could do about it, but because of you we lost the game!

　　A: Yes, I heard, and I am sorry, but there was an accident on the way and I got stuck in the traffic.

　　B: But why the hell didn’t you phone us to let us know?

　　A：很抱歉我沒有參加昨天的比賽，但是恐怕我當時沒法參加。

　　B ：哦，難道你不認為現在道歉有點晚了嗎?

　　A：我知道，但是我當時真是無能為力。

　　B：說起來好聽，你當時無能為力，但是就因為你我們輸掉了比賽。

　　A：是的，我聽說了，我很抱歉。但是當時在路上碰上了一樁交通事故，我陷入交通堵塞了。

　　B：但是你為什么不打電話告訴我們呢?

　　account v. 解釋;n. 記述，描述

　　例：In English law a man is accounted innocent until he is proved guilty. 根據英國法律, 一個人未經證實有罪仍視為無罪。His illness accounts for his absence. 他因為生病，所以才缺席。搭配：account for 解釋：The poor weather may account for the small crowd. 天氣不好可能是人來的少的原因。take into account 考慮：We should take this factor into account. 我們應該考慮這個因素。拓展：on account of 由于，因為：She retired early on account of ill health. 她體弱多病，所以提前退休。accountant n. 會計師

　　聽力擴展：

　　Husband: Hi, honey, here’s my last month’s salary.

　　Wife: OK, darling. How about this? From now on we’ll put all your salary into our savings account and set aside 20% of my salary as Daniel’s education fund.

　　Husband: That’s not a bad idea. But do you think the rest of your salary will be enough to cover our daily expenses?

　　Wife: I got a raise. Have you forgotten it? It should be OK.

　　Husband: Alright, dear. It’s up to you. I get a headache when it comes to figures.

　　Wife: That’s why you need a wife like me.

　　丈夫：親愛的，這是我上個月的工資。

　　妻子：好，親愛的。這樣吧，從現在開始，我們把你的工資都存到存折里，另外拿出我工資的20%作為丹尼爾的教育資金。

　　丈夫：這個主意不錯。但是你剩下的工資足夠支付日常開支嗎?

　　妻子：我加薪了，你忘了啊?應該差不多。

　　丈夫：好極了。你決定吧。提到數字我就頭疼。

　　妻子：這就是為什么你需要一個像我這樣的老婆了。

　　act v. ①扮演，表演 ②行動;n. ①行為 ②法令

　　例：Think well before you act. 三思而后行。Parliament has passed an act forbidding the killing of rare animals. 國會通過了一項法令, 禁止捕殺珍稀動物。搭配：act as 擔任，充當：Lucy acts as a monitor in her class. 露茜在班里當班長。act for 代表：John will act for his boss to have the meeting. 約翰將代表他老板參加會議。in the act of 正做……的過程中：He made great efforts in the act of saving the victims. 在救援過程中，他幫了大忙。拓展：action n. 行為，行動;acting n. 演技

　　聽力擴展：

　　W: Your child has above�瞐verage ability in reading.

　　M: Really? I’ve seen her act like a professional on the soccer field, but I was worried about her performance in school.

　　W: Well, I was a little worried that she might be biting off more than she can chew. But she is doing OK.

　　M: Her mother and I don’t want her to bury her talents.

　　W: Your daughter is a can-do person but no person should overdo it.

　　M: I see your point, Ms. Johnson. I must say that your teaching is quite exceptional. With your perfect skill, you’ve brought the best out of our daughter.

　　女：你孩子的閱讀能力超群。

　　男：真的嗎?我曾看到她在足球場上表現得像個職業球員，可是我擔心她在學校的表現。

　　女：是啊，我也曾擔心她力不從心，可她確實做得不錯。

　　男：她的媽咪和我都不想埋沒了她的才能。

　　女：你的女兒是個能人，但別作過頭。

　　男：我明白你的意思，約翰遜小姐。我得說你的教學能力很強。你用完美的技巧完全把我女兒的潛能發揮出來了。

　　【注】bite off more than one can chew 力不從心;overdo it 作過頭;exceptional a. 杰出的

　　action n. ①行動 ②作用;v. 采取適當行動，采取措施

　　例： The action lasted three hours. 戰斗持續了三個小時。Your request will be actioned. 你的要求會處理的。搭配：take action 采取行動：Firefighters took action immediately to stop the blaze spreading. 消防隊員立即采取措施制止大火蔓延。in action 在活動中，在運轉：Just press the button to see your favorite character in action. 只要按一下電鈕，就可以欣賞你喜歡的角色的表演。into action 實行，實施：The new plan for traffic control is being put into action on an experimental basis. 新的交通管理方案正處于試運行階段。

　　聽力擴展：

　　A: There is a Beijing Opera show tonight. Let’s go and watch it together, all right?

　　B: I’m afraid that I don’t understand it.

　　A: It doesn’t matter. It’s an acrobatic fighting drama. Even if you don�餿 understand the words, you can definitely understand it just by watching the action.

　　B: Are the actors famous?

　　A: I can’t recall their names, but according to the newspaper, they are all very famous.

　　B: Can you get the tickets?

　　A: No problem. I can definitely get them.

　　A：今天晚上有一場京劇，咱們一起去看吧!

　　B：我恐怕聽不懂吧。

　　A：沒關系，是武打戲。你聽不懂，一定看得懂。

　　B：演員出名嗎?

　　A：我說不出他們的名字。不過報紙上說，那些演員都挺有名的。

　　B：票買得到嗎?

　　A：沒問題，肯定買得到。

　　【注】acrobatic a. 雜技的

　　actually ad. 實際上，事實上

　　例：He seems to be doing nothing, but actually he is just biding his time. 他看上去無所事事, 其實卻在等待良機。This tree looks high and strong but actually its trunk is hollow. 這棵樹看起來又高又壯, 實際上樹干是空的。拓展：actual a. 實際的

　　聽力擴展：

　　A: Working for four hours at a stretch really makes me tired. Why can’t we have a break like many other companies? We need at least a tea break.

　　B: Our boss is dead nuts on work. Keeping on working and making money is what he has in his mind. Nothing else.