Language Point 1
Misunderstandings (Title)
misunderstanding: n. [C;U] the act of putting a wrong meaning on sth. 误解
It was all a misunderstanding, but we’ve got it sorted out now. 那完全是个误会，不过现在我们已经弄清楚了。
Some misunderstandings in communication(交流) are caused by cultural differences. 人与人沟通所产生的某些误会是由于文化差异引起的。
Language Point 2
His hair wasn’t combed, his clothes were dirty, and he had only 35 cents in his pocket. (Para.1)
comb: v. tidy, esp. the hair 梳理（毛、发）
She spent hours in front of the mirror(镜子) combing through her long hair. 她在镜子前花了好几个钟头梳理她的长发。
n. [C] a strip of wood, bone or plastic with teeth used for tidying the hair 梳子
Although he has just a few hairs, he always carries a comb in his pocket. 尽管他只有那么几根头发，却总在口袋里带把梳子。
He used his fingers as a comb to set his hair before he went onto the stage. 登台之前，他用手指理了理头发。
Language Point 3
…his clothes were dirty, and he had only 35 cents in his pocket. (Para.1)
cent: n. [C] 0.01 of any certain units of money 分币; 分
She said that she hadn’t got a cent. 她说她已身无分文。
I’ve got a great idea and it won’t cost us a cent. 我有一个好主意，我们一分钱都不用花。
Language Point 4
…his clothes were dirty, and he had only 35 cents in his pocket. (Para.1)
pocket: n. [C] a small, open bag on a jacket for keeping small things in 口袋
He always walks with his hands in his trouser pockets. 他走路时总把双手插在裤兜里。
Language Point 5
… he got on a bus and headed straight for the bathroom. (Para.1)
head for: move toward 向前
After they got off the bus, they headed directly for the store. 他们下车后直奔商店而去。
Language Point 6
… he could ride to New York without paying. (Para.1)
ride: v.
1) travel or be carried on in a vehicle 乘……旅行
Many people can ride on this boat. 这条船上能乘坐不少人。
2) sit on and control 骑
Teach me how to ride a bicycle. 教教我怎么骑自行车。
n. [C] a journey on an animal or in a vehicle 旅程
It’s a 15-minute bus ride. 这段路程乘公共汽车需要15分钟。
Language Point 7
But a passenger at the back of the bus saw him. (Para.1)
passenger: n. [C] a person, not the driver, travelling in a vehicle 乘客
Fortunately, none of the passengers were hurt in the accident. 幸运的是，在那次事故中乘客中无一人受伤。
Language Point 8
But a passenger at the back of the bus saw him. (Para.1)
at the back of: 在……后部；在……后面
I hate sitting all the way at the back of the bus. 我讨厌一路都坐在后座。
There’s a garden at the back of the house. 这座房子后面有座花园。
Language Point 9
She said to the person in front of her. (Para.1)
in front of: before 在……前面
How dare you speak like this in front of strangers! 你怎么敢在生人面前这样讲话！
Note: 注意in front of 与 in the front of的区别。前者表示“在……前面”，后
者表示“在……的前部”。例如：
He is very angry because a new tall building has been built in front of his house. 他的房子前新建了一栋高楼，他很生气。
Unlike other teachers who always stand in the front of the classroom, he moves about while teaching. 不像别的老师总站在教室前面，他上课总是走来走去。
Language Point 10
“There's a bum in the bathroom. Tell the bus driver.” (Para.1)
bum: n. [C] a wandering person who lives by begging 流浪汉
The bum decided to finish his wandering(流浪) life and settled down in a small town. 那个流浪汉决定结束流浪生活，在一个小镇上定居下来。
Language Point 11
“There's a bum in the bathroom. Tell the bus driver.” (Para.1)
driver: n. [C] a person who drives 司机
The driver tried hard to return the money to its owner. 那位司机想尽办法把钱归还给了失主。
Language Point 12
The message was passed from person to person … (Para.2)
from person to person: 从一个人到另一个人
Latest news about the war passed from person to person. 最新的战况从一个人传到另一个人。
Language Point 13
But somewhere along the way, the message changed. (Para.2)
Meaning: But when the message was passed from person to person someone misunderstood the message and changed it.
Language Point 14
By the time it reached the driver … (Para.2)
by the time: when ……的时候
By the time I get home, Alex will have cooked the dinner. 我回到家里时，亚历克斯应该已经弄好晚餐了。
By the time we arrived, they had eaten all the food. 我们到的时候，他们把东西都吃完了。
Language Point 15
… but “There’s a bomb in the bathroom”. (Para.2)
bomb: n. [C] sth. that explodes with great force 炸弹
They planted a bomb in the post office. 他们在邮局里安放了一枚炸弹。
The enemy dropped bombs on the bridge. 敌人对桥梁投掷了炸弹。
Language Point 16
The driver immediately pulled over to the side of the road … (Para.2)
immediately: ad. at once 立即
Can you come home immediately after work? 你下班后可以马上回家吗？
He left immediately after he got the phone call. 他接到电话后立即离开了。
Language Point 17
The driver immediately pulled over to the side of the road … (Para.2)
pull over: move over to one side of the road 驶到路边
I was told to pull my car over to the side of the road because it was in the way.有人叫我把车子停到别处去，因为它挡道了。
The policeman asked him to pull over. 警察示意他靠边停车。
Language Point 18
… they told the passengers to get off the bus and stay far away. (Para.2)
get off: come down from 下来
Tom was in trouble; he couldn’t get off the roof. 汤姆有麻烦了，他在房顶上下不来了。
Language Point 19
… they told the passengers to get off the bus and stay far away. (Para.2)
far away: in a distant place; in the distant future远处；未来
The vacation is far away and nobody seems eager about it. 假期还远着呢，还没有人对它表现出渴望的心情。
Language Point 20
That soon caused a 15-mile-long traffic jam. (Para.2)
traffic: n. [C; U] the movement of people or vehicles 交通
Traffic in big cities is controlled by red and green lights. 大城市的交通由红绿灯管理。
Language Point 21
That soon caused a 15-mile-long traffic jam. (Paras.2)
jam: n. [C;U] a crowd of things pressed so close together that movement is difficult (交通)堵塞；堵车
Our car has been stuck in a traffic jam for hours. 我们的车已经堵了好几个小时了。
Traffic jam refers to a situation in which there is so much traffic on a road that it moves very slowly or doesn't move at all. 交通堵塞是指车辆过多，致使行车非常缓慢甚至是车辆无法行驶的一种情况。
Language Point 22
Two similar-sounding English words also caused trouble for a man … (Para.3)
Meaning: Two English words that sound similar also brought a man problems…
Language Point 23
He thought he heard his flight announced … (Para.3)
Note: “hear + 宾语 + 过去分词”的结构表示“听到……被……”。
Have you ever heard that song sung in Italian? 你可曾听到过有人用意大利语唱那首歌吗？
Suddenly, I heard my name called. 突然，我听见有人叫我的名字。
Language Point 24
… showed his ticket, and boarded the plane. (Para.3)
ticket: n. [C] a printed piece of paper or card given to sb. to show that he has paid for a service such as a journey on a bus, entrance into a cinema, etc. 票
I was offered a free ticket to the performance(演出). 别人送了我一张免费观看演出的入场券。
Language Point 25
… showed his ticket, and boarded the plane. (Para.3)
board: v. get onto a ship or public vehicle 登上（交通工具）
They boarded a small plane and headed for the capital immediately. 他们登上一架小型飞机，立即向首都飞去。
board: n. [U] on board 上船（车, 或其他公共交通工具）
As soon as I’m on board, I always feel sick. 我一上船（车）就老是想吐。
Language Point 26
Twenty minutes after taking off, the man began to worry. (Para.3)
take off: leave on a flight 起飞
This new plane is able to take off and land straight up or down. 这种新型飞机能够垂直升降。
Language Point 27
Oakland was northwest of Los Angeles, but the plane seemed to be going in the wrong direction. (Para.3)
northwest: a. somewhere between north and west 西北方向的
The little town is northwest of Oakland. 这个小镇位于奥克兰的西北部。
Language Point 28
… but the plane seemed to be going in the wrong direction ... (Para.3)
direction: n.
1) [C; U] towards which a person or thing moves, faces or is aimed 方向
Every eye followed the direction in which his finger pointed. 所有的人都朝他手指的方向看去。
2) [U] guidance 指导；指点
I feel the need of direction in my studies. 我感到学习上需要有人指导。
Language Point 29
… all he could see below him was ocean. (Para.3)
below: prep. under; in a lower place 在……下面
Shall I write my name above or below the line? 我该把名字写在横线上方还是下方？
Language Point 30
… all he could see below him was ocean. (Para.3)
ocean: n. [C] a great mass of salt water covering the Earth 海洋
To the west of these mountains all the rivers flow into the ocean. 这些山脉以西的所有河流都流入大海。
Language Point 31
… he asked one of the pilot’s assistants. (Para.3)
pilot: n. [C] sb. who controls an airplane while it is flying 飞行员
The pilot was still not found after the air crash(坠毁). 飞行失事后飞行员一直下落不明。
Language Point 32
… he asked one of the pilot’s assistants. (Para.3)
assistant: n. [C] sb. who helps another in a job and is under that person’s direction 助手
The director is away today. Would you speak to his assistant? 主管不在，你要不要同他的助理说话？
We have a new library assistant here. 我们这儿新来了个图书管理员。
Language Point 33
He was flying much farther — to a completely different continent. (Para.3)
farther: ad. a greater distance; further 更远地
They drove three miles farther down the road. 他们驾车又往前开了三英里。
Language Point 34
…to a completely different continent. (Para.3)
continent: n. [C] any of the seven main large masses of land on the Earth 洲；大陆
Some continents are connected by narrow land bridges. 有些大陆之间由狭窄的地峡连接。
In our last lesson the teacher touched upon(提到) the world’s continents and oceans. 老师在上节课上提到了世界七大洲和四大洋。
Language Point 35
Words with similar pronunciation can be especially difficult for people who speak English as a second language. (Para.4)
Meaning: Words that sound similar can cause trouble for people whose mother tongue is not English.
Language Point 36
Words with similar pronunciation can be especially difficult … (Para.4)
pronunciation: n.[C;U] the way in which a particular word is pronounced 发音
Look up the pronunciation of this word. 查查这个词的读音。
She speaks English with good pronunciation. 她的英语发音很准确。
Language Point 37
… wondering what he was referring to. (Para.5)
refer to:
1) mention; mean 提到；指称
This matter is finished, so please do not refer to it. 这件事已经结束，所以别再提了。
2) look at for information 参考
For more explanation, refer back to page 20. 若需进一步的解释，请参阅本书第20页。
Language Point 38
All day she wondered about her boss’s strange question. (Para.5)
wonder about:
1) not feel certain about; want to know 琢磨；想知道
Some stores don’t show prices of their goods and that makes customers wonder about the prices and finally not buy the goods. 有些商店不出示商品的价格，这样使得顾客反复琢磨价格，结果就不买了。
2) think sth. is not so 怀疑
I wondered about his stupid tale; perhaps he was just kidding. 我不相信他讲的愚蠢故事。也许他是闹着玩的。
Language Point 39
… when she was getting ready to go home … (Para.5)
get ready: prepared and able to do sth. 准备好
I can’t talk now；I’m getting ready to go out. 现在我没法谈，我正准备外出。
He hasn’t got ready for his driving test, for he hasn’t had enough lessons. 他上课的课数不足，还未准备好接受驾驶执照考试。
Language Point 40
“Please be on time tomorrow …” (Para.5)
on time: at the right moment 准时
The traffic was busy, but fortunately I arrived at class on time. 交通虽然拥挤，但很幸运我上课没有迟到。
Note: on time 是“准时”: My train was on time. 我坐的这趟火车正点运行。
in time 是“及时”: Don’t worry. We’ll get to the station in time for your train. 别担心，我们会来得及到达车站，赶上你搭乘的火车。
Language Point 41
“My car had a flat tyre, and …” (Para.5)
flat: a.
1) without enough air in 不足的
Seeing the flat balloon(气球), the child cried. 看到气球没气了，那个小孩大声哭了起来。
2) smooth and level 平的
I need something flat to write on. 我需要一块平的东西好在上面写字。
Language Point 42
“My car had a flat tyre, and …” (Para.5)
tyre(或tire): n. [C] a covering fitting round the rim of the wheel to absorb shocks 轮胎
The tyres of this car don’t have enough air in them. 这辆车的轮胎气不足了。
I can do nothing with the flat tyre. 车胎瘪了，我一点办法也没有。
Language Point 43
The man … didn’t feel like laughing. (Para.6)
feel like doing sth.: have the desire of doing sth. 想要做某事
Do you feel like going out? 你想出去吗？
I feel like raising a pet at home. 我很想在家里养一只宠物。
Language Point 44
… turned out all right in the end. (Para.7)
in the end: finally; at last 最后；终于
He wanted to go home early, but in the end he left after midnight. 他本来想早些回家，可是动身的时候已经是午夜时分了。
Language Point 45
The airline paid for the man’s hotel room … (Para.7)
airline: n. [C;U] a company which provides aircraft services for passengers and goods 航空公司
The airline has suffered a great loss after the accident. 事故发生后，航空公司蒙受了很大的损失。
Language Point 46
The airline paid for the man’s hotel room … (Para.7)
pay for: give money in exchange for goods one has bought 付钱
I’m going to pay for the trip with my own money. 我将用自己的钱付路费。
Language Point 47
“It was a cheap way to see New Zealand.” (Para.7)
cheap: a. low in price 便宜的
Fresh(新鲜) vegetables are very cheap in the summer. 夏天，新鲜蔬菜很便宜。
It’s cheaper to buy a return ticket than two singles. 买往返票比买两张单程票要合算。
