新概念英语第二册笔记-第83课

Lesson 83 After the elections大选之后

【Text】

The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections. He is now retiring from political life and has gone abroad. My friend, Patrick, has always been a fanatical opponent of Mr. Lane's Radical Progressive Party. After the elections, Patrick went to the former Prime Minister's house. When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad. On the following day, Patrick went to the house again. The same policeman was just walking slowly past the entrance, when Patrick asked the same question. Though a little suspicious this time, the policeman gave him the same answer. The day after, Patrick went to the house once more and asked exactly the same question. This time, the policeman lost his temper. 'I told you yesterday and the day before yesterday,' he shouted, 'Mr. Lane was defeated in the elections. He has retired from political life and gone to live abroad!" 'I know,' answered Patrick, 'but I love to hear you say it!'

【课文翻译】

前首相温特沃兹.莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。他现在退出了政界，到国外去了。我的朋友帕特里克一直是莱恩先生的激进党的强烈反对者。大选结束后，帕特里克来到了前首相的住处。当他询问莱恩先生是否住在那里时，值班的警察告诉他这位前首相落选后出国去了。第二天，帕特里克再次来到首相的住处。昨天的那位警察正从门口慢慢走过，帕特里克上前问了和昨天同样的问题。虽然那位警察这次有点疑心，但还是对他作了同样的回答。第三天，帕特里克又去了，提出了同前两天完全一样的问题。这一次警察火了。“我昨天和前天都告诉过您了，”他大叫着，“莱恩先生在大选中被击败了，他已经退出了政界去国外了！”“这我都知道，”帕特里克说，“可我就是喜欢听你说出这些！”

New words and expressions 生词和短语

【生词讲解】

1. election n. 选举

1) election 指一般选举时用单数，指全国性的选举时用复数：

eg：An election will be held next month.

下月将举行一次选举。

eg：In America,presidential elections are held every four years.

美国总统选举每四年一次

eg：He hopes to defeat his rival in next year's elections.

他希望在明年的大选中击败对手。

eg：He is standing for election.

他是候选人。

elective subjects选修科目

a general election 大选

an election campaign 竞选活动

Election day 选挙日、投票日

2) elect v. 选举（某人）

eg：He was elected to the Senate （参议院） in the last election.

在上次的选举，他当选为参议员。

eg：We’d like to elect a chairperson now.

我们想现在选出一名主席。

eg：They elect him as mayor.

他们选他当市长

3) elect + sb + to …..选举（某人）担任（某职）

eg：We elect her to the Board of Education.

我们选她加入教育委员会。

4) elector n. 选举人、合格选民

2. former

1） adj. 从前的、以前的

my former English teacher我以前的英语老师

in former time ＝ in former days 以前、往昔

the former world champion前世界冠军

eg：Yesterday, he received a letter from his former wife/English teacher.

昨天他收到了他前妻／以前的英语老师的一封信。

2）（前述两者中的）前者的、前面的

the former 前者←→ the latter 后者

eg：I prefer the former design to the latter .

我比较喜欢前者的设计方案,不喜欢后者

eg：Kate and Jane are sisters. The former is a pianist ；the latter is a singer .

凯特和简是姐妹。前者是一个钢琴家，后者是一名歌手

formerly adv. 以前、原本

nowadays 现今，现在

eg：Formerly this neighborhood was a poor village .

以前这附近是一个贫穷的村庄

3. defeat

1） v. 打败

defeat an enemy 打败敌人, 战胜敌人

eg：Our team defeated our opponent by 5：0.

我队以5比零击败对手。

eg：The enemy was defeated in a decisive battle.

敌人在一场决定性的战斗中被击败。

2） n 挫折、失败

eg：Our baseball team has suffered another defeat.

我们的棒球队再遭失败

admit defeat 认输

a decisive defeat 一个决定性的失败

a crushing defeat 彻底失败＝ a total defeat ＝ an utter defeat

3) v.困惑，难倒

eg：I've tried to solve the problem, but it defeats me.