Unit 1 Making a difference
同步教学
一、重点单词与词组
1．undertake vt. & vi. (undertook, undertaken)
（1）着手工作[start on (work)]，担任职位（take up a position）.
He undertook a revolutionary task then.
他当时从事一项革命工作.（undertake. sth.）
He undertook a journey.
他准备旅行。（undertake sth.）
（2）承担；接受；同意；保证
We should undertake the responsibility for changes.
我们应该承担起改革的责任。（承担）
He undertook to be our guide.
他同意做我们的向导。（undertake to be …同意）
（相当于promise /agree）
He undertook to improve the working arrangements.
他答应改善工作方式。
（undertake to do sth.相当于promise /agree to do sth.）
I will undertake that all the cattle will grow well.
我保证所有的牲畜都能长得好。（undertake that…保证…）
2． curious adj.
（1）好奇的；好求知的（eager to know /learn）.
A good student should always be curious to learn.
好学生应有求知欲。（be curious to do sth）
（2）好管闲事的，爱打听隐私的（having /showing too much interest in other people's affairs）
He was so curious to know what was in the letter that he opened it; even though it was addressed to his father.
虽然，信是寄给他父亲收的，但他对信的内容十分好奇，就把它折开看了。（be curious to do sth）
（3）古怪的；奇怪的；奇特的；不寻常的（strange, unusual）
This is a curious piece of 19th century art.
这是一部稀罕的十九世纪艺术品。
派生词：curiously adv.
Curiously (enough), he seemed to know that already.
真奇怪，那件事他好像知道了。
3． branch n.（学科）分科；树枝；支流；支线；分支机构
Some birds settled on the branches of a big tree.
一些鸟栖息在一棵大树的枝头上。（树枝）
The Han River is a branch of the Changjiang River.
汉水是长江的支流。（支流）
You can find a branch road /railway in front of you.
你可在眼前发现一个道路/铁路支线。（支线）
Physics is a branch of science.
物理学是一门科学。（分科）
Our business has branches in many cities.
我们在许多城市设有分店。（分支机构）
He comes from a branch of our family that settled in America.
他来自我们定居美国的家族的一支。（分支）
相关搭配：
a Party branch 党支部
a League branch团支部
a general Party branch党总支
a branch office分局；分店
4． debate n. 辩论；争论
vt. 与……辩论；争论
vi.辩论；争论；参加辩论
There will be a long debate before the new law is passed.
新法令通过以前要先作一次长的辩论。（n.）
I debated upon /about the question with Mary.
我跟玛丽辩论这个问题。（v.）
与upon /about 连用，构成词组：
debate upon /about sth with sb或debate with sb upon /about sth.
与某人辩论某问题
They debated the question at the meeting yesterday.
昨天他们在会议上辩论了这个问题。（vt.）
另外，此词也可指心理的思想的斗争，可作“考虑，思考”讲，如：
I debated the idea in my mind until I fell asleep.
我入睡前心中一再思考这个问题。
派生词：debater n.好争辩者；精于争辩者
5． work on
（1）继续工作 例如：
They have been working on the problem these five years.
这五年来他们一直致力于解决这个问题。
（2）对……做工作，对……施加影响例如：
Work on your father until he agrees.
做做你父亲的工作，直到他同意为止。
（3）影响
A child's tears always work on his mother's feeling.
孩子的眼泪总是影响其母亲的情绪。
6． research vt. & vi.调查、研究、探索（into, on）
They researched on /into the effects of cigarette smoking.
他们研究了抽烟的影响。（research on /into sth. vi.）
We are researching a subject.
我们正在研究一个专题。（research sth. vt.）
This book has been very well researched.
这本书的研究做得很深入。（vt.）
n.（1）研究，探讨（[ U ]）
They will do some research on disease of the blood.
他们将研究血液疾病。（do research on /into sth.）
They are working on a piece of research.
他们正从事一项研究。
（2）一项研究成果（[ C ]）
They carried out a research into the causes of brain damage.
他们进行了脑伤原因的研究。
My researches were directed towards finding a cure for headaches.
我的研究目标是治头疼的方法。
7． seek vt. & vi.(sought, sought) 寻找，探索，追求（after, for）
We sought after the truth in the matter.
我们寻找事情的真相。（seek after sth.. vi.）
They were seeking among his untidy papers for the right one.
他们正在杂乱的文件堆中找寻着要的那一份。（seek…for… vi）
You could seek shelter from the rain.
你能寻找避雨之所。（seek sth vt.）
You should seek advice from your lawyer on this matter.
这件事情你应该请教你的律师。（请求，要求）
They sought to punish him for his crime but he escaped.
他们试图将他治罪，但他逃走了。（尝试，试图，try）
其它用法：
（1）自然地移往（to move naturally towards）
Water seeks its own level.
水自然往下流。
The compass pointer always seeks the north.
罗盘的指针总是指向北方。
（2）not far to seek不难了解的；浅近的（easily seen /understood; at hand）
The reason for his failure was not far to seek, he was ill during the examination.
他不及格的原因不难理解，他在考试时病了。
8． observe vt.观察，看到，注意到（see and notice; watch carefully）
She has observed the stars all her life.
她一生观察星体。
They observed the thief stealing /steal the money.
他们看见这个小偷偷了钱。（observe sb do /doing sth.）
二、重难点句子
1． Scientists, on the other hand, Hawking writes, know that their job is never finished and that even the best theory can turn out to be wrong.
霍金写道，从另一个方面说，科学家知道他们的工作永远是无止境的，即使是最好的理论也可能被证明是错误的。
（1）on the other hand 与Hawking writes 均为本句的插语，原句应为：
Hawking writes scientists, on the other hand, know that…, scientists know that…是writes 的整个宾语主句，that their job… 则又是宾语从句中的谓语动词 knows 所引导的另一个宾语从句。
（2）…and that even the best theory can turn out to be wrong 是writes 引导的宾语从句中谓语动词know引导的第二个并列宾语从句。在英语中，宾语从句的引导词that可以被省略，但如果一个动词引导两个以上并列的宾语从句时，第二个及以后的宾语从句中的that不可省略。例如：
He said that he would come back soon and that he would continue to learn drawing.
他说他马上就会回来的，而且会继续学习绘画的。
（3）turn out“结果（是）；证明（是）；原来（是）”（to happen to be in the end）往往指结果与所预想的或表面上的不一致。例如：
His answer turned out to be wrong.
他的答案被证明是错误的。（turn out to be…）
The party turned out a success.
聚会很成功。（turn out sth）
He turned out to live in Hastings.
原来他住在黑斯廷斯。（turn out to do）
It's turned out nice and sunny again.
（天气）终于又是阳光普照了。
2． By asking why, how and what if, curious mind find new ideas and solutions.
通过不停地问自已为什么，如何运作和盘根究底的假设，这个求知的人终于找到新的主意及方法了。
what if倘使…将会怎样；即使…又有什么要紧。
例如：
What if we move the picture over here? Do you think it'll look better?
把画移到这儿会怎样？你看会不会好看一点？
What if you should fail?
假如你失败了，该怎么办呢？
What if he fails?
如果他失败又有什么关系？