Unit Three Why I Teach

I. New Words ： 1. puzzle: vt. (1) make unable to answer, solve or understand; fill with doubt and confusion 使困惑，使迷惑

What puzzles me is how the burglar got into the house without setting off the alarm. 使我迷惑不解的是盗贼如何 能进屋而没有触发警铃。

He puzzled his brain to find the answer. 他绞尽脑汁寻求答案。

(2) puzzle (over, about): to think deeply about sth. in order to understand it 深思，苦思

She’s been puzzling over his strange letter for weeks. 她几星期来一直琢磨他那封 奇怪的来信。

I’ve been sitting here puzzling about what to do. 我一直坐在这里冥思苦想 要干什么。

(3)派生词 puzzle: n.（游戏的）猜谜， 智力竞赛；难题，迷，无 法理解的事物

a crossword puzzle 纵横字谜 a jigsaw puzzle 拼图游戏 to find an answer to a puzzle 找到谜底

It’s quite a puzzle to us why he did that. 他为何做那样的事，我们 完全搞不懂。

puzzling: adj. 令人迷惑的，茫然不知 所措的

2. profession: n. （1）a job that needs special education and training 职业

What made you choose law as profession? 是什么使你选择了法律作为 职业？

In the last century there was a great social difference between business and the professions. 上个世纪，商界与专业界 在社会地位上有很大不同。

（2）派生词 professional: adj. 职业上的，专业的，行家 的；

You will need to seek professional advice about your claim for compensation. 有关索赔一事你需要征求内 行的意见。

3. convince: vt. （1）to make someone feel certain that sth. is true.   是信服，使确信

How can I convince you of her honesty? 我怎样才能使你相信她的 诚实？

What she said convinced me that I was mistaken. 她的话使我认识到我错了。

Her smile convinced him that she was happy. 她的微笑使他确信她是快乐 的。

（2）to persuade someone to do sth. 说服(某人)做……(美)

What convinced you to vote for them? 是什么使你投了他们的票？

I’ve been trying to convince him to come with me. 我一直在说服他与我一起过 来。

(3) 派生词 convinced: adj. 确信的，坚信的 I am convinced of his guilt. 我确信他有罪。

I was convinced that we were doing the right thing. 我坚信我们做的事是对的。

convincing: adj. 令人信服的，有说服力的 a convincing speaker 令人信服的演说家

4. compel: vt. to force someone to do sth. 强迫，迫使

We can’t compel you to do it, but we think you should. 我们不能强迫你做这件事， 可是我们认为你应该做。

I was compelled to acknowledge the force of his argument. 我们不得不承认他的论点有 说服力。

5. opportunity: n. favorable occasion or chance 机会，良机

catch / seize / take an opportunity 抓住机会（误：hold an opportunity）

give / offer an opportunity 提供机会 lose / miss an opportunity 错过机会

I have few opportunities of meeting interesting people. 我没有多少机会遇见有趣 的人。

我失去对那件事提出意见 的好机会。 I missed a good opportunity to give my opinion on it. 我失去对那件事提出意见 的好机会。

（1）(of surface) throw back (light, heat, sound); (of a 6. reflect: vt., vi. （1）(of surface) throw back (light, heat, sound); (of a mirror) send back an image of.  （指表面）反射（光、热、声）； （指镜）反映……之像

The sunlight was reflected from the water. 日光由水面反射出来。

Look at the trees reflected in the lake. 看湖中倒映的树影。

（2）reflect on / upon: consider; think on 考虑；思考

I must reflect upon how to answer that question. 我必须思考一下如何答复那 个问题。

I reflected on possible reasons for my failure. 我仔细思索导致我失败的种 种原因。

the reflection of light 光的反射 (3)派生词 reflection: n. 反射；（在镜中、水面上 等所映出的）映像，影像； 深思，考虑 the reflection of light 光的反射

The young couple looked at their reflection in the calm water. 那对年轻情侣在平静的水面 上看着自己倒映在水中的影 像。

She was lost in reflection on her future. 她为自己的未来而陷入深思 之中。

7. stimulate: vt. （1）to make sb. or sth. more active or alert; arouse sb. or sth. 刺激，激励；激发

Praise always stimulates him to further effort. 表扬总激励他更进一步努力。

The exhibition stimulated interest in the artist’s work. 这次展览引起人们对这位艺 术家作品的兴趣。

（2）to cause sth. to work or function 促进，起刺激作用

The discussions stimulated a free exchange of ideas. 讨论促进了观点的自由交流。

Light stimulates plant growth. 光能促进植物的生长。

（3）派生词： stimulating: adj. 刺激的，鼓舞的；有趣的， 激动人心的

 I find his work very stimulating. 我发现他的工作很有意思。

8. reliance: n. （1）[U] the state of being dependent on sth.  信赖，信任；依赖

A child has reliance on his mother. 孩子依赖母亲。

I place reliance on the testimony of the witness. 我相信证人的证词。

（2）派生词： reliant: adj. 信任的，信 赖的， 依靠的

In my view she’s far too reliant on her parents for financial support. 在我看来，她在经济上过 分依赖她的父母了。

9. renovate: vt. to repair and paint a building so that it is in good condition again 修理，修复

The house cannot be renovated. 这房子不能再修了。

They are living in temporary accommodation while their apartment is being renovated. 他们的公寓正在修理，只好住在临时的住处。

10. distribute:vt. （1）to give sth. such as food, medicine, books, etc. to a large group of people, especially in a planned way 分发，分配

The teacher distributed the handouts to the students. 那位老师发讲义给学生们。

Clothes and blankets have been distributed among the refugees. 已经向难民分发了衣物和毯 子。

This species of butterfly is widely distributed over our country. （2）to spread sth. over a large area 散布，分布 This species of butterfly is widely distributed over our country. 这种蝴蝶在我国分布很 广。

Baggage loaded on to an aircraft must be evenly distributed. 装到飞机上的行李必须摆 放均匀。

11. variety: n. （1）[U]the difference within a group, set of actions, etc. that make it interesting 变化性，多变性；多样性

There was little she could do to add variety to her daily routine. 她无法给她的日常事务增 添变化。

We all need variety in our diet. 我们的饮食需要变化。

(1)  various: adj. 不同的，各种各样的 tents in various shapes and sizes 各种不同形状和大小的 帐篷

12. challenge: n & vt. （1）[C] invitation or call to take part in game, contest, fight, etc., to prove who is better, stronger, more able, etc. 挑战；邀请比赛；（对于能 力、努力的）挑战（性）

I accepted [took up] his challenge to run a race. 我接受他提出的和我赛跑 的挑战。

This job offers me a real challenge. 这项工作对我构成真正的 挑战。

（2）give, send a challenge to 向……挑战

When I said I was faster, she challenged me (to a race). 当我说我跑得比她快时，她 向我提出挑战。

He challenged me to play chess. 他向我挑战下象棋。

13. energetic: adj. very active because you have a lot of energy 精力充沛的，干劲十足 的，有活力的

The more he worked, the more energetic he became. 他越干越有劲。

14. occasional: adj. happening sometimes but not often 偶尔的，偶然的

He pays me occasional visits. 他偶尔来看我。 He smokes an occasional cigar. 他偶尔抽雪茄。

15. switch: v. （1）to change from one thing to another, usually suddenly 使转变，改变（尤指突 然地）

He used to play tennis, but now he’s switched to golf. 他过去打网球，但现在 他改打高尔夫球了。

Computers are everywhere now---our firm is switching over soon. 现在到处都有计算机，我 们公司很快也要改用计算 机。

（2）to exchange positions; to change over 交换；转换 Husband and wife should switch roles with each other occasionally. 夫妻偶尔也应该互相换 换角色。

Someone must have switched suitcases at the airport. 肯定有人在机场掉换了 手提箱。

(3) 短语 switch off: 切断，关闭 Don’t forget to switch off when you have finished. 做完之后别忘了关掉。

switch on 接通 Switch on the light at the wall-socket. 把插座安在墙上的那盏灯 打开。

Don’t switch the radio on yet. 暂时不要打开收音机。

16. intuition: n. [U] the ability to understand or know sth. by using your feelings rather than by carefully considering the facts 直觉；直觉力

Intuition told me you are here. 我凭直觉知道你在这儿。

Nobody told me where to find you. It was sheer intuition. 没有人告诉我去什么地 方能找到你，全凭直觉 来的。

(2)[C] an idea about what is true in a particular situation based on strong feelings rather than facts  直觉知识，直觉之事

I had a sudden intuition about the missing jewels. 当时我就有一种直觉知道 了所丢失的珠宝的去向。

I had an intuition that we would find then there. 我突然有种直觉我们能 在那里找到他们。

17. point: n. use; purpose 目的，意义 What’s the point of studying after the exam? 考完试后再用功有什么意 义？

There’s not much point (in) arguing any further. 再讨论下去也没多大意义。

convince 使确信，指用言 语、行动或事实等使别人 排除疑虑、不解等，从而 相信某事是正确的。 18. 辨析 convince and persuade convince 使确信，指用言 语、行动或事实等使别人 排除疑虑、不解等，从而 相信某事是正确的。

I managed to convince my parents that I needed the money. 我到底让父母确信我需要 这笔钱。

In the end she convinced the jury of her innocence. 最终她使陪审团相信了她 的清白无罪。

Persuade 说服；劝说，一 般用语，指通过摆明理由 或利用感情因素等办法恳 求或规劝某人，使其愿意 去做某事。

After he had been ill for a week, we finally persuaded him to consult a doctor. 他病了，过了一周之后，我 们才最终说服他去看医生。

She finally persuaded her son to go to college. 她终于说服她的儿子上大学。

19. 辨析puzzle and confuse 用语，指事情复杂、困 难，使人困惑不 解，摸 不着头脑，且不知如何 处理。 难，使人困惑不 解，摸 不着头脑，且不知如何 处理。

He was puzzled by his neighbor’s odd looks. 他邻居古怪的神色使 他迷惑不解。

亨利的父亲喜欢问他一些 难解的问题。 Henry’s father was fond of asking him puzzling questions. 亨利的父亲喜欢问他一些 难解的问题。

confuse 困惑；混乱，指由于事 物复杂且容易混淆而使人糊涂； 或指将相似的事物混淆、弄乱， 但常指暂时现象。

These detailed directions only served to confuse me further. 这些详细的说明只不过是 把我搞得更加糊涂。

Another mistake is to confuse cause and effect. 另外一个错误就是因果混淆。