新视野大学英语第一册第五单元section B 讲解

Language Point 1

menced the moves that would thrust me into the air.(Para.1)
Meaning: ... started to do the actions that would make me leap into the air.
commence: v. begin, start
Before we commence again, let me give you a word or two of advice. 在我们开始之前，我给你提一点建议。




Language Point 2

...that would thrust me into the air. (Para.1)
Meaning: ... that would make me jump into the air.
thrust: vt. push with force and suddenly
The muggers thrust him into the small room and tied him up. 抢劫犯把他推进小房间，绑了起来。
He thrust the gun into his pocket. 他把枪塞进口袋。




Language Point 3

I tried to correct myself as I turned, spreading my hands wide apart. (Para.1)
Meaning: I tried to correct my actions as I turned, and separated my hands as wide apart as possible.
apart: ad. separate by a distance
The two houses stand apart and there is a path between them wide enough for two cars to pass at the same time. 两栋房子隔着一段距离，中间有条道路，其宽度足可以同时通过两辆轿车。
The two sportsmen stood apart, waiting for the signal to fight.两个运动员分开站着，等待信号开始比赛。




Language Point 4

Initially, I felt embarrassment. (Para.2)
Meaning: At first, I felt ashamed.
embarrassment: n. feeling ashamed, uncomfortable or anxious
In embarrassment he couldn't remember the reasons for visiting Nancy.尴尬之中，他记不起来拜访南希的理由了。
"I beg your pardon," said he, with some embarrassment. "对不起，" 他有点尴尬地说道。




Language Point 5

Next, I felt intense fear. (Para.2)
Meaning: Next, I felt very full of fear.
intense: a. strong (in quality or feeling)
She did not go out because of the intense cold.天气很冷，他没有出去。
He felt intense happiness when he knew that he would attend the famous university. 知道自己将上这所名牌大学，他感到非常幸福。




Language Point 6

Was I bleeding? (Para.2)
bleed: vi. lose blood
His nose bled when the thief hit him in the face. 那个贼击中了他的脸，他鼻子出血了。




Language Point 7

In haste, I pushed him away, and everyone else who approached me.(Para.2)
Meaning: In a hurry I pushed him away and everyone else who came near to me.
haste: n. quick movement or action
William said that the work must be finished with all possible haste. 威廉说这项工作必须尽快完成。
In my haste I forgot to lock the door. 匆忙之中，我忘记锁门了。
approach: v. come near (to); begin to consider or deal with
The day of the holiday is approaching. 假期快来临了。
As we approached the house, we found a man going out of it.走近这栋房子时，我们看到一个人从屋内出来。
Workers, above all, should know how to approach the problem correctly. 工人们

首先应该知道如何正确处理这个问题。
The political official approached the group of people and began to talk to them.那个政治家走向人群，开始与他们交谈。




Language Point 8

These were the trials for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. (Para.3)
Meaning: These were a sequence of matches for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea.
Please note that the word "trial" is a special term for sports here. When it is used in this sense it is often used in the plural form. However, "trial" is often used in the following sense.
trial: n. 1) (an act of) testing to find quality, value, or usefulness
The trials show that the medicine is safe for most people. 实验表明这种药对大多数人而言都是安全的。
2) (an act of) hearing and judging a person or case in a court
After the trial they could meet their relatives. 审判之后他们可以同亲属见面。




Language Point 9

But now, something else was more significant than winning. (Para.3)
significant: a. of major importance
Newspapers print the most significant stories on the first page. 报纸把最重大的新闻放在头版。
After a long meeting of 3 hours, the government has made the most significant decision. 经过长达3个小时的会议之后，政府作出了重大的决定。




Language Point 10

I might have endangered other divers' lives if I had spilled blood in the pool. (Para.3)
Meaning: I might have put other divers' lives in danger if my blood had poured in the pool.
spill: v. pour out; allow sth. to fall out of its place
He fell and the peanuts in his hand spilled all over the ground.他摔倒在地上，手里的花生撒了一地。
During a flood, the water from a river flows over its banks and spills onto the land around it. 发洪水的时候，河里的水溢过河岸，流到四周的地里。




Language Point 11

According to my mother, my natural parents were Samoan… (Para.4)
Please pay attention to the following:
my natural parents: the parents who gave birth to me
my adoptive parents: the parents who adopted me as their child




Language Point 12

... so they gave me up for adoption. (Para.4)
Meaning: ... so they gave me away so others could adopt me.
adoption: n. the act of taking sb. into one's family and treating him as one's own child; the act of using sth.
The teachers are talking about the adoption of a new course of study for the high school. 老师们在讨论给高中学生开设一门新课程。
The boy's adoption by the kind old woman changed his whole life.这位善良的老妇人收养了这个男孩，从而改变了他一生。




Language Point 13

I explored doing gym exercise off the diving board at the pool. (Para.4)
Meaning: I had a try at doing gym exercises from the diving board at the pool.
explore: vt. travel into or through (a place) for the purpose of discovery; examine

carefully 探索, 探讨; 仔细研究
Mathematics is the instrument used by physical sciences to explore things and record results. 数学是在自然科学中用来探究现象、记录结论的工具。
We must explore all possible ways to increase food production. 我们必须尝试所有可能采用的方法来提高粮食生产。




Language Point 14

Because of my dark skin, kids at school called me names; ... (Para.5)
call sb. names: say bad or unkind things about sb.
You can make critical comments about him, but please don't call him names behind his back. 你可以批评他，但请不要在背后说他的坏话。




Language Point 15

I often got mugged coming home from school. (Para.5)
Meaning: I was often beaten or roughed up and stolen from when I came home from school.
mug: vt. steal from or beat or rough up
He has been mugged more than once. 他不止一次被人抢劫过。




Language Point 16

My diving made me feel good about myself when my peers made me feel stupid. (Para.5)
Meaning: My diving gave me a sense of being successful, but my peers made me
feel dumb.




Language Point 17

At sixteen, I knew I had a shot at the 1976 Olympics. (Para.6)
Meaning: At sixteen, I knew I had a chance to take part in the 1976 Olympics.
have a shot at: attempt to do sth.
I doubt whether I can solve the problem, but I'll have a shot at it. 我怀疑我能否解决这个问题，但我会试试看。
Why don't you have a shot at talking to her yourself? 为什么你不尝试着自己与她谈？




Language Point 18

At the trials, one month prior to the finals, ... (Para.6)
prior to: before; coming before in time or order
Prior to my marriage, I lived in New York; now I live in Florida. 我结婚前住在纽约，现在我住在佛罗里达。
I got the news prior to your call, but thank you just the same. 在你打电话之前，我已经得到了消息，但还是谢谢你。




Language Point 19

I took first place on the ten-meter platform … (Para.6)
take the first place: be the first or top, esp. in a match
Despite the bad weather and ill health, he took first place in the foot race. 尽管天气不好，身体又欠佳，他还是在赛跑中得了第一名。




Language Point 20

... because I trained mostly on the platform. (Para.6)
Meaning: ... because I spent most of the time training on the platform.




Language Point 21

Ron understood me and assisted my working more intensely. (Para.6)
Meaning: Ron knew what I wished for and helped me do a great deal of training.
assist: vt. help or support
These nurses assisted the doctor in performing the operation. 这些护士帮助医生做手术。
intensely: ad. strongly (in quality or feeling)
The fast-food business competes intensely. 快餐生意竞争十分激烈。
He sipped his drink, staring intensely at

me. 他呷着饮料，两眼直盯盯地望着我。



Language Point 22

I soon became an international leader in diving. (Para.6)
Meaning: I soon became a first-class diver in the world.




Language Point 23

This was an enjoyable triumph. (Para.6)
Meaning: This was a pleasant victory.
triumph: n. complete victory or success
The match ended in a triumph for the Chinese team.这场比赛以中国队获胜结束。
Winning the football cup was one of their greatest triumphs. 赢得足球杯赛的胜利是他们最伟大的胜利之一。
triumph：vi. win a battle against, defeat
He believed that he could triumph over the difficulties he met. 他相信自己可以战胜所遇到的困难。
Our team at last triumphed over theirs at yesterday's match. 我们队在昨天比赛中最后战胜了他们队。




Language Point 24

I feared being hated if people found out. (Para.7)
Meaning: I feared I would be hated by people if they found that I was sexually involved with men.
find out: learn or discover a fact that is hidden
Did you ever find out why he left his job? 你知道他为什么放弃自己的工作吗？
We must find out the truth of the accident. 我们必须查明这起事故的真相。




Language Point 25

When my HIV test results returned positive, I was shocked and confused. (Para.7)
Please pay attention to the verb "return" here. The verb is used here as a link verb, expressing the state of things or persons when they return.
They returned healthy and strong from their travel. 旅行归来，他们显得又健康又强壮。
She left her hometown only a girl of 13 but returned a well-trained doctor. 她离开家乡时，只是一个13岁的女孩，可回来时已是一位训练有素的医生了。




Language Point 26

Was my shot at the '88 Olympics vaporized? (Para.7)
Meaning: Was my effort at the '88 Olympics changed into nothing?
vaporize: vt. change into vapor
Here the verb is used in the figurative sense, meaning "become nothing".
He felt sad that all his efforts were vaporized.他感到很悲伤，因为他的努力全都白费了。




Language Point 27

I couldn't tell anyone for fear I wouldn't be able to compete in the Olympics if people learned I was HIV-positive.(Para.7)
Meaning: I couldn't tell anyone in case I wouldn't be able to take part in the
Olympics if people knew that I was infected with HIV.
for fear: for being afraid
"For fear" is often followed by a that clause.
He set off very early for fear that he might be late for the interview. 他早早就出发了，生怕面试迟到。
compete: vi. take part in (a game, match)
Our school competes against many other schools in baseball. 我们学校常同许多其他学校进行垒球比赛。
The boy was reluctant to compete for the first time in front of his parents. 那个男孩第一次当着父母的面比赛，心里有

点儿紧张。




Language Point 28

Regardless, I made it into the finals. (Para.8)
Meaning: Even though I hit my head on the board at the trials, I got a chance to compete in the finals.
make it: succeed in doing sth.
I believe that I have the ability to make it. 我相信我有能力做成此事。
He hadn't been able to make it to our dinner. 他还是没能赶上我们的宴会。




Language Point 29

At first, I was scared, ... (Para.8)
scare: vt. cause sudden fear to; frighten
The attack on the old woman scared many of the older people in the town. 那位老妇人受到袭击的事令城里年纪更大的老人们感到害怕。
Many people are scared to walk alone at night. 许多人不敢晚上单独走路。




Language Point 30

With each repetition, I felt more confident. (Para.8)
Meaning: As I repeated my actions, I became more and more sure of my success in the Olympics.
confident: a. having belief in one's power or ability
I'm confident that our team will win the match. 我相信我们队会赢得这次比赛的胜利。
He feels confident about passing the exam. 他相信自己会通过考试的。




Language Point 31

Suddenly he leaped into the air, ...(Para. 9)
leap: vi. jump through the air, often landing in a different place
The thief leapt/leaped from a window in the building and escaped. 那个贼从大楼的一个窗户上跳出去，逃走了。




Language Point 32

I had to quit diving professionally after the Olympics. (Para.10)
Meaning: I had to give up diving as a professional job after the Olympics.
quit: stop (doing sth.) and leave
Steve quit when he realized that he could not win. 知道自己不能获胜，史蒂夫退出了比赛。
Others made critical comments about him because he quit his duties. 他因为放弃自己的责任而受到批评。