Language Point 1
Keep Alive Your Sense of Humor (Title)
alive: a.
1)continuing to exist 继续保持的
Many customs are very much alive in this country. 这个国家依然保留着许多风俗。
The relatives of the missing girl kept hope alive. 失踪女孩的亲属对找到女孩仍充满希望。
2) full of life 充满生机的；充满活力的
In the evening the street really comes alive. 晚上，这条街就变得生机勃勃了。
Although he’s old, he’s still very much alive. 他虽然年事已高，但仍然充满活力。
3) living; not dead 活的
The fish we caught is still alive. 我们捉的鱼还活着。
I’m alone, but lucky to be alive. 我孤单一人，但所幸还活着。
Note: alive 修饰名词时只能用于名词后，名词前的修饰词可以用 living：
Who’s the greatest man alive? 当今最伟大的人物是谁？
Are her parents still alive? 她父母仍然健在吗？
Does she have any living relatives? 她还有亲戚在世吗？
Language Point 2
Keep Alive Your Sense of Humor (Title)
humor: n. [U]
1)ability to understand or create sth. funny 幽默感
People like him because he has a good sense of humor. 人们喜欢他，因为他很幽默。
He is a man without a sense of humor. 他是个缺乏幽默感的人。
2) being funny 幽默；诙谐
The father told the boy a story full of humor. 父亲给男孩讲了一个非常幽默的故事。
It is sometimes hard to understand the humor of another country. 外国的幽默有时很难领会。
v. keep sb. happy by doing what he or she wants 迁就
She knew that he was only humoring her. 她知道他只不过在哄她。
It is better to humor him for he is old and sick. 最好顺着他，因为他岁数大了，身体也不好。
Language Point 3
And when we do, the result is usually pain, fear, and anger. (Para.1)
Meaning: And as a result of taking ourselves and our own problems too seriously, we usually feel unhappy, worried and angry.
fear: n. [C; U] the feeling one has when one thinks that sth. bad might happen 恐惧；害怕
I have a great fear of snakes. 我十分害怕蛇。
They must have seen the fear in my eyes. 他们一定看到了我眼中的恐惧。
vt.
1)be afraid of sb. or sth. 害怕
We all fear illness and death. 我们都害怕生病和死亡。
He feared marrying a girl so much younger than himself. 他害怕和比他年轻这么多的姑娘结婚。
2)feel that sth. bad might happen 恐怕；担心
I feared that what she had said might be true. 我担心她说的是真的。
Language Point 4
We believe that the bad things that happen are directed at us and against us. (Para.1)
Meaning: We believe that the bad happenings are always aimed at us and will bring trouble to us.
be directed at: turn or aim one’s attention or actions to sb. or sth. 针对；把……作为重点
The advertisement is directed at women. 这则广告的对象是女性。
The public attention was directed at this event. 公众的注意力都集中到这一事件上。
direct: v.
1)tell sb. how to get to a place 为某人指路
Can you direct me to the station, please? 请问到车站怎么走？
I was directed to an office near the classroom. 有人领我去了教室附近的一间办公室。
2)tell or show sb. how to do sth.; control sb. or sth. 指导；管理
He has directed many plays. 他导演了很多出话剧。
The police officer was in the middle of the road, directing the cars. 警察站在路中间指挥车辆。
a.
1)as straight as possible, without turning or stopping 直通的；直达的
What is the most direct way to the station from here? 从这儿到车站哪条路最近？
There is a direct flight to Hong Kong. 有直达香港的航班。
2)saying what you meant 直截了当的
He never gives a direct answer to a direct question. 他从不直截了当地回答直接的问题。
I like a direct way of speaking. 我喜欢直截了当地说话。
Language Point 5
We drown in our problems, we lose sight of other humans, and ... (Para.1)
drown in: be overwhelmed by sth. too many or too much陷于……之中
He drowned himself in work. 他埋头工作。
After a day’s hard work, he was drowned in sleep. 劳累了一天，他睡得很沉。
drown: v.
1) die in water because it is not possible to breathe 淹死；溺死
She drowned in the river. 她淹死在河里。
Do cats drown easily? 猫容易淹死吗？
I did feel like I was drowning. 我的确感到我要被淹死了。
2) be strong enough to prevent another sound from being heard （声音）淹没
The noises in the street drowned out the teacher’s voice. 街上的喧闹声压过了老师的声音。
Language Point 6
…we lose sight of other humans, and ... (Para.1)
lose sight of:
1) forget忘记
We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that a large number of wild animals are dying. 我们不可忽视大量野生动物濒临死亡这一事实。
2) no longer be able to see 看不见；失去联系
After an hour at sea, we lost sight of land. 我们在海上航行了一小时后就看不见陆地了。
He lost sight of his classmates after graduation. 毕业后他和同班同学就失去了联系。
Language Point 7
…we lose sight of other humans, and ... (Para.1)
human: n. [C;U] a man, woman, or child 人；人类
He is not supposed to be an ordinary human. 他不算是个普通的人。
It is all too easy for humans to make mistakes. 人很容易犯错误。
Language Point 8
In short, we become too serious. (Para.1)
in short: put in a few words 总而言之；简单地说
In short, we went home angrily. 总之，我们气乎乎地回了家。
I was going shopping, cooking the food, and washing the dishes; in short, it was a busy day. 我采购，煮饭，洗碗；总之，这是忙忙碌碌的一天。
Language Point 9
All of this feeds into fear, doubt, and anger, and can only make us unhappy. (Para.1)
Meaning: All of this causes fear, doubt, and anger, and can only make us unhappy.
feed in /into: put sth. into sth. else 添入；送入
Can you feed this information into the computer? 你能把这些资料输入计算机吗？
You feed in the money here and the coffee comes out there. 你在这里投入硬币，那里就会有咖啡出来。
Language Point 10
All of this feeds into fear, doubt, and anger, and can only make us unhappy. (Para.1)
doubt: n. [C;U] (a feeling of ) uncertainty 怀疑；不确定
If you have any doubts, feel free to ring me. 如有疑问，请来电。
I have doubts about whether he is the best man for the role. 我怀疑他是不是演这个角色的最佳人选。
v. consider unlikely; be uncertain 怀疑；不确定；不信任
We may have it ready by tomorrow, but I very much doubt it. 我们也许明天能把它准备好，但我认为可能性不大。
I doubt his honesty. 我对他的诚实表示怀疑。
She did what she said — I’m sorry I ever doubted her. 她信守诺言，我对自己曾经怀疑过她感到抱歉。
Language Point 11
What’s more, have you noticed how dull people are when they’re too serious? (Para.2)
what’s more: also and more importantly 而且；更重要的是
I didn’t know the country and what’s more, I couldn’t speak a word of the language. 我对这个国家不了解，而且那里的语言我一句也不会说。
Language Point 12
…how dull people are when they’re too serious? (Para.2)
dull: a.
1) not interesting or exciting 乏味的；沉闷的
To some people life in the countryside is dull. 对有些人来说乡下的生活很乏味。
The film was too dull for words. 这部电影枯燥无味得无法形容。
2) slow in thinking, learning and understanding 迟钝的；愚蠢的
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. (谚) 只学习, 不玩耍, 聪明孩子也变傻。
He said that he had a dull mind. 他说自己头脑迟钝。
3) not sharp 钝的
The pencil has a dull point. 铅笔不尖了。
The knife is too dull to cut. 这把刀太钝，没法儿切。
Language Point 13
They’re no fun to be around — you feel their heaviness. (Para.2)
Meaning: They are not interesting people to be with — you feel they are too serious.
Language Point 14
Sometimes you want to scream out, “Lighten up already!” (Para.2)
scream: v. cry out loudly 尖声大叫
She screamed for help. 她高声呼救。
She saw a dog hiding in the corner of the room and screamed. 她看见房间的角落里躲着一条狗，吓得尖叫起来。
Language Point 15
With a good sense of humor, our load is lightened. (Para.2)
load: n.
1)stress or worries 思想负担；忧虑
It takes a load off my mind to see the children safe at home. 看到孩子们安全在家我就放心了。
It’s a big load off my mind to hear you say that. 听你这么一说我就大大放心了。
2) the amount of work that must be done by a person 工作量
His work load was limited to four hours a day because of his illness. 由于生病，他的工作量被限制在每天4小时。
v.
1)put a load on or in 把……装上(车、船等)
We loaded the truck with wood. 我们把木材装上卡车。
They loaded a big box into his car. 他们把一个大箱子装到他车上。
2)put sth. into 装上
The gun was loaded with four bullets (子弹). 这支枪装了4粒子弹。
You should load a film into it. 你应该给它装上胶卷。
Language Point 16
While it’s easy to see … (Para.3)
while: conj.
1) although 尽管
While I understand what you say, I can’t agree with you. 我理解你所说的话，但我并不赞同。
While the work was difficult, it was interesting. 虽然这工作很困难，但很有意思。
2) during the time that；at the same time as 当……的时候；与……同时
They came while we were eating. 他们来时，我们正在吃饭。
While she read the paper, I did my homework. 她看报纸的时候，我在做作业。
n. (sing.) some time 一段时间
Please wait here for a while. 请在这里等一会儿。
I’ll be back in a little while. 我马上就回来。
Language Point 17
I’m fortunate in that I have two kids whom I can depend on to remind me when I fall into this habit. (Para.3)
in that: because
He didn’t accept the job in that it would take him too much time. 他没有接受这份工作，因为它占时间太多。
Language Point 18
…I have two kids whom I can depend on to remind me when I fall into this habit. (Para.3)
depend on:
1)trust 相信；信赖
You can’t depend on John — he nearly always arrives late. 你可不能指望约翰——他总是迟到。
2) need sb. or sth. 依赖
The little girl depends on her parents for everything. 这个小女孩什么事都要靠父母。
We depend on cars to move us around. 我们靠汽车到处活动。
3)change according to 取决于；根据……而定
Whether we will go into town depends much on the weather. 我们是否进城主要取决于天气。
Whether a film can win the prize depends on many factors. 一部电影能否获奖取决于许多因素。
Language Point 19
…to remind me when I fall into this habit. (Para.3)
remind: v.
1) tell sb. to remember 提醒
I must write to mother. Will you remind me? 我得给母亲写信，你提醒我好吗？
I reminded her to buy today’s newspaper. 我提醒她买今天的报纸。
2) (of) cause someone to remember sth. or sb. 使想起某事或某人
The film reminded him of what he had seen in Africa. 这部电影使他回想起在非洲所看到的一切。
This hotel reminds me of the one we stayed in last year. 这家旅馆使我想起了我们去年住过的那一家。
Language Point 20
…when I fall into this habit. (Para.3)
fall into: become or pass into 陷于；陷入
Don’t fall into the bad habit of smoking. 别沾染上吸烟的坏习惯。
Language Point 21
My older daughter, Jazzy, used to call me … (Para.3)
Note: used to 表示“过去常常”，用在否定句和疑问句中时，通常要用 did：
I didn’t use to like the song. 我过去不喜欢这首歌。
Did she use to be in your class? 她以前在你班上吗？
Language Point 22
… being able to laugh at yourself … (Para.4)
laugh at: laugh to show that one thinks sb. or sth. is silly 嘲笑
You shouldn’t laugh at unfortunate people. 你不应该嘲笑不幸的人。
Don’t laugh at him. He can’t help the way he speaks. 别笑他，他实在改不掉那种说话的方式。
Language Point 23
… and I work as hard as anyone I know. (Para.4)
as … as: the same as 与……相同
It is not as cold as it was yesterday. 今天没有昨天那么冷。
Modern computers can be as small as a book. 现代的计算机可以像一本书那样小。
I haven’t got as many clothes as you have. 我没有你的衣服多。
Language Point 24
I know that some people won’t like me or will criticize me. (Para.4)
criticize: vt.
1) say sb. or sth. is wrong or bad批评
Please don’t think I am criticizing you. 请不要认为我是在批评你。
2) tell if sth. is good or bad 评论
It’s hard to criticize one’s own work. 评价自己的作品很难。
Please criticize my photographs. 请对我的摄影作品提些意见。
Language Point 25
I’m not too strict with myself … (Para.4)
strict: a. be serious, hard and demanding 严格的；严厉的
Tom is always very strict with his children. 汤姆一向对孩子严格要求。
Language Point 26
I try not to be careless … (Para.4)
careless: a. not taking enough care 不小心的；疏忽的
It was very careless of you to lose the money. 你居然把那笔钱丢了，实在太大意了。
Here is another careless mistake — you’ve forgotten the full stop at the end of the sentence. 又是一个粗心大意的错误——你忘了在句尾加句号。
Language Point 27
You have to admit that it’s a little funny when people get worried about stupid little things. (Para.5)
admit: vt.
1) agree that sth. is true承认
He admitted his crime. 他招认了罪行。
I have to admit that I was wrong. 我必须承认我错了。
2) let sb. or sth. go into a place 允许进入
This ticket admits two people to the basketball match. 这张票供两人入场看篮球赛。
We don’t admit children to this film. 我们禁止儿童看这部电影。
Language Point 28
… that it’s a little funny when people get worried about stupid little things. (Para.5)
funny: a.
1) making people laugh有趣的；滑稽的
He told me such a funny joke last night. 昨晚他给我讲了一个非常有趣的笑话。
He is a very funny man. 他是一个很滑稽的人。
2) strange or unusual 奇怪的；不寻常的
Did you hear the funny noise? 你听到那奇怪的声音了吗？
It’s funny how English people never talk on trains. 不明白为什么英国人从来不在火车上交谈。
Note: funny 形容事物滑稽、古怪，含义与 fun 不同：
The party was fun (= it was enjoyable). 这次聚会很好玩。
The film was funny (=it made us laugh). 这部电影很好笑。
Language Point 29
…when people get worried about stupid little things. (Para.5)
stupid: a. silly or foolish 愚蠢的；糊涂的
What a stupid question! 多蠢的问题!
Don’t be so stupid; of course I’ll help you! 别傻了，我当然会帮助你！
Language Point 30
The advantage I have is that … (Para.5)
advantage: n.
1) [C] sth. that may help one to do better than other people do 有利条件；优势
Her teaching experience gave her a big advantage. 她的教学经验使她具有很大的优势。
When you’re travelling in America, it’s a great advantage if you speak English. 在美国旅行，要是会说英语很有用。
2) [C;U] sth. that helps one or will bring one a good result 优点；好处
This method has the advantage of saving a lot of equipment. 这一方法的优点是能节省很多设备。
In his speech, he talked about the advantages of the plan. 他在讲话中谈到了该计划的优点。
Language Point 31
… will keep you from burning out. (Para.5)
keep … from: stop sb. from doing sth. 不让某人做某事
No one can keep me from carrying on the research. 谁也不能阻止我继续这项研究。
I know you’re busy; I won’t keep you from your work. 我知道你是个大忙人，不来打扰你了。
Language Point 32
… will keep you from burning out. (Para.5)
burn out:
1)become too tired and break down as a result of too much work, stress, etc. 耗尽精力；大伤元气
I know you’ve got a lot of work to do, but you mustn’t burn yourself out. 我知道你有很多活儿要干，但别把自己累垮了。
2) completely destroy sth. by fire 烧毁
The building was burnt out, leaving only the walls. 房屋被烧得仅剩四壁。
Language Point 33
… when you suggest to people that they take themselves less seriously… (Para.6)
Note: 在suggest, order, demand等动词后的宾语从句中，谓语动词用“should+动词原形”或仅用动词原形，表示愿望、建议、命令等，如：
He suggests that we (should) all go to see the film. 他建议我们都去看这部电影。
She demanded that I (should) pay her at once. 她要求我立即付钱给她。
I ordered that the boy be in my office this evening. 我命令那个男孩晚上到我的办公室来。
Language Point 34
…that they take themselves less seriously…(Para.6)
take sb. or sth. seriously: treat sb. or sth. as important 重视；认真对待
He was angry in that no one there had taken him seriously. 他很生气，因为那里没有人把他当回事。
You take everything too seriously! You should rest and enjoy yourself. 你凡事太认真了！应该好好休息，享受一下。
Language Point 35
… ignoring their troubles and frustration. (Para.6)
frustration: n.[C;U] a feeling of anger or sth. that causes it 沮丧；灰心
The young man felt frustration at not being able to continue his study. 这个年轻人因为不能继续他的学业而感到很沮丧。
Every job has its frustrations. 做什么工作都会有不如意的地方。
Life is full of frustrations. 人生充满了挫折。
Language Point 36
Life can be very hard and very painful. (Para.6)
painful: a. causing pain 使痛苦的；疼痛的
It must be very painful for you to tell her the truth. 要你把真相告诉她，一定是件很痛苦的事。
Those days were painful for Tom. 那些日子对汤姆来说是很痛苦的。
I’ve cut my leg — it’s very painful. 我割伤了腿——疼极了。
Language Point 37
It makes life interesting and fun during easy times, and will cheer us up when life is difficult. (Para.6)
cheer up: cause to become happier or more cheerful 使高兴；使愉快
He gave Mary a gift to cheer her up. 他送给玛丽一件礼物，想让她高兴起来。
Cheer up! The new isn’t too bad. 振作起来吧！消息并不算太坏。
Language Point 38
I hope that with all the serious problems around, you can keep alive a good sense of humor. It will serve you well. (Para.7)
Meaning: I hope that with all the serious problems in your life, you can always have a good sense of humor. It will do you good.
serve: v.
1)do work for other people为……工作；为……服务
He served in the navy (海军) in the 1950s. 他20世纪50年代在海军服役。
You should serve your country. 你应该为国家服务。
2)give food or drink to sb. 提供食物或饮料
Breakfast is served from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. 早餐供应时间是上午7时30分至9时。
3) give help or sell goods to customers 招待；接待
Are you being served? 有人接待你吗？
I had a line of customers waiting to be served. 我有一队顾客等着接待。
