VOA中级美国英语

一.本课要点及示例

在这一课里, 我们继续学习用虚词 it, i-t, it 作句子, 我们也要学习一些跟住房
有关系的词汇.
首先我们还是按照惯例听一段对话, 内容是说凯特的父母退休之后从美国东
北部搬到南部的事情. 请你注意英文老师的发音和语调.
M: Kate, where have you been?
F: I've been out shopping. Why Henry?
M: Your folks just called. It's taken so long but they finally sold their house.
F: Well, it's about time. Did they get a good price?
M: They didn't get the price they were asking, but it seems that they got a good deal.
F: Well, now they can move into their new place in Florida.
M: Yes, I think it is good that they bought a place there. They will like being free from the
big house and cold weather.
F: I hope you're right.
M: They'll be OK, Kate. Let's go to visit them as soon as they are settled.
现在我请英文老师用慢速度再把整段对话念一遍.
M: Kate, where have you been?
F: I've been out shopping. Why Henry?
M: Your folks just called. It's taken so long but they finally sold their house.
F: Well, it's about time. Did they get a good price?
M: They didn't get the price they were asking, but it seems that they got a good deal.
F: Well, now they can move into their new place in Florida.
M: Yes, I think it is good that they bought a place there. They will like being free from the
big house and cold weather.
F: I hope you're right.
M: They'll be OK, Kate. Let's go to visit them as soon as they are settled.
现在老师把对话里包含了 it 的句子挑出来, 再念一遍给你听.
M: It's taken so long, but they finally sold their house.
F: Well, it's about time.
M: It seems to me that they got a good deal.
M: It is good that they bought a place there.

二.IT

听了上面的句子,你或许已经注意到 it 的用法,比方 "是作练习的时候了." 这句
话英文可以这样说: It's time to do the exercises. 再举一个例子,"是他们卖房子
的时候了", 或是 "他们该卖房子了" 这句英文可以这样说: It's time for them to
sell their house.
现在我们作一组练习, 学学这种说法, 练习的内容都跟凯特的父母应该退休有
关系, 比方他们搬到暖和一点的地方去享受老年生活等等. 练习的作法是老师
先念一个句子, 接着老师念一个词组, 比方 "退休" retire,"找房地产代理人"find
a real estate agent, "搬到热带地区" move to a tropical area 等等, 学生就把他听
到的词组代换到原来的句子里.在学生作练习的时候, 请你也一起作.
M: It's time for them to enjoy life.
M: relax
F: It's time for them to relax.
M: retire
F: It's time for them to retire.
M: pay off the mortgage
F: It's time for them to pay off the mortgage.
M: sell their house
F: It's time for them to sell their house.
M: find a real estate agent
F: It's time for them to find a real estate agent.
M: move away from New Jersey
F: It's time for them to move away from New Jersey.
M: move to a tropical area
F: It's time for them to move to a tropical area.
M: move to a warmer region
F: It's time for them to move to a warmer region.
M: buy a condominium in Florida
F: It's time for them to buy a condominium in Florida.

三.IT'S ABOUT TIME

现在我们学习 It's about time 的用法. 这句话可以用来表示某件事总算发生了,
比方你等人等了半天, 这个人终于来了, 你就说: It's about time. 意思就是 "你
总算来了!" 有的时候 It's about time. 也有催促人快点作某件事的意思, 比方
你的朋友忙了半天, 一直没时间吃饭, 你就说 It's about time that you eat. 意
思就是 "你也该吃饭了."
现在我们作一组练习, 学习用 It's about time. 催促别人作某件事情. 练习的内
容都跟凯特的父母有关系的. 练习的作法是老师用刚才学过的句型提出一个
问题, 比方 Is it time for them to move? 你就肯定的回答说: Yes, it's about time
that they move. 现在我们开始作练习. 练习里的词汇都是我们刚才学过的.每
作完一句就请你听老师念正确答案.
M: Is it time for them to enjoy life?
F: Yes, it's about time that they enjoy life.
M: Is it time for them to relax?
F: Yes, it's about time that they relax.
M: Is it time for them to retire?
F: Yes, it's about time that they retire.
M: Is it time for them to pay off the mortgage?
F: Yes, it's about time that they pay off the mortgage.
M: Is it time for them to sell their house?
F: Yes, it's about time that they sell their house.
M: Is it time for them to find a real estate agent?
F: Yes, it's about time that they find a real estate agent.
M: Is it time for them to move away from New Jersey?
F: Yes, it's about time that they move away from New Jersey.
M: Is it time for them to move to a tropical area?
F: Yes, it's about time that they move to a tropical area.
M: Is it time for them to move to a warmer region?
F: Yes, it's about time that they move to a warmer region.
M: Is it time for them to buy a condominium in Florida?
F: Yes, it's about time that they buy a condominium in Florida.

四.IT TAKES TIME TO

下面我们学习用 It takes time 加上 to 再加上动词词组来表示作某件事情需要
时间. 比方 "适应新环境需要时间." 这句话英文可以这样说: It takes time to
adapt to the new environment.
现在我们作一组代换练习, 学学这种说法, 练习的内容是说到凯特的父母搬到
南部去之后需要花时间作的事情, 比方适应新的生活方式, 熟悉新社区等等.
在这组练习里你还可以学到一些有用的词, 比方 "重新安顿下来" resettle, "老
年人俱乐部" the senior citizens club. "气候" climate 等等. 现在我们开始作代
换练习,每作完一句就请你听老师念正确答案.
M: It takes time to adapt to the new environment.
M: resettle
F: It takes time to resettle.
M: become familiar with local community
F: It takes time to become familiar with the local community.
M: join the senior citizens' club
F: It takes time to join the senior citizens' club.
M: get used to a different climate
F: It takes time to get used to a different climate.
M: adapt to the new life style
F: It takes time to adapt to the new life style.
下面我们换一个方式作练习. 这次老师提出问题, 比方 "他们花了多少时间才
重新安顿下来?" How much time did it take for them to resettle? 接着老师说:
"一段时间" a period of time, 你就肯定的回答说: "他们花了一段时间才重新安
顿下来." It took them a period of time to resettle. 现在我们开始作练习, 每作完
一句, 就请你听老师念正确答案.
M: How much time did it take for them to adapt to the new environment?
M: a while
F: It took them a while to adapt to the new environment.
M: How much time did it take for them to resettle?
M: a period of time
F: It took them a period of time to resettle.
M: How much time did it take for them to become familiar with the local community?
M: about two months
F: It took them about two months to become familiar with the local community.
M: How much time did it take for them to join the senior citizens' club?
M: one week
F: It took them one week to join the senior citizens' club.
M: How much time did it take for them to get used to a different climate?
M: a few days
F: It took them a few days to get used to a different climate.
M: How much time did it take for them to adapt to the new life style?
M: a while
F: It took them a while to adapt to the new life style.

五.动名词和不定式

下面我们作一组练习, 由老师用动名词作主语说个句子, 比方 Moving south is
good for them. 请你用 it 把句子改成 It's good for them to move south. 在这个句
子里 it 指的就是 to move south. 这组练习的内容都是说作什么事情对凯特的
父母有好处. 在作练习的时候你可以学到一些有用的词汇, 比方 "人口稠密的
地区" a densely populated area. "工业区" an industrial area, "零度以下" below
zero temperature 等等. 现在我们开始作练习, 每作完一句就请你听老师念正确
答案.
M: Moving south is good for them.
F: It's good for them to move south.
M: Having tropical weather is good for them.
F: It's good for them to have tropical weather.
M: Moving away from a densely populated area is good for them.
F: It's good for them to move away from a densely populated area.
M: Moving away from an industrial area is good for them.
F: It's good for them to move away from an industrial area.
M: Getting away from the below zero temperature is good for them.
F: It's good for them to get away from the below zero temperature.

六.主语从句

下面我们换个方式再把刚才学过的词汇练习一下. 这次老师用 it 加上从句说
一句话, 比方 It's good that they can move south. 接着老师提出一个词组, 学生
就把词组代换到原来的句子里. 请你跟学生一起作练习.
M: It's good that they can move south.
M: enjoy a better climate
F: It's good that they can enjoy a better climate.
M: move away from a densely populated area
F: It's good that they can move away from a densely populated area.
M: move away from an industrial area
F: It's good that they can move away from an industrial area.
M: get away from the below zero temperature
F: It's good that they can get away from the below zero temperature.

七.听短文回答问题

今天我们要听的文章是说美国哪些地区人口稠密,人们为什么纷纷的搬到西部
和南部, 老人退休之后多半迁居到什么地方等等.
现在请你注意听.
The northern parts of the United States get very cold in the winter. It snows a great deal and
the temperature often goes below zero degrees in January, February and March. But the
northeastern and northcentral regions of the country have been financial and industrial
centers, and they are heavily populated.
In recent years, people in these regions have begun to take vacations during these cold
winter months. They go to southern parts of the country where it is warmer. Many go to
Florida where the weather is tropical. Others go to the south western states of Arizona, New
Mexico and Texas where they find dry desert climates. It has become common, nowadays,
for older people to move south to these places when they retire. Typically these people
sell their houses in their home communities and move south to begin a new life as senior
citizens. Their children likely have homes of their own, and many of them are moving south
away from communities where they were raised.
The southern and south western parts of the country are now growing faster than any other
parts. Business and industry have opened many new offices and factories in the south.
California is already the most popular state in the country. Texas and Florida are growing
fast too. They may soon replace such states as New York and Pennsylvania in population.
等一会儿老师会把整篇文章再念一遍给你听. 现在我们先来听今天测验的三
个问题.
第一个问题是:
M: What is winter weather like in the northern part of the United States?
第二个问题是:
M: Why do a lot of Americans move south when they retire?
第三个问题是:
M: How have American business and industry developed in the South?
现在我们听英文老师用慢速度再把文章念一遍.
The northern parts of the United States get very cold in the winter. It snows a great deal and
the temperature often goes below zero degrees in January, February and March. But the
northeastern and northcentral regions of the country have been financial and industrial
centers, and they are heavily populated.
In recent years, people in these regions have begun to take vacations during these cold
winter months. They go to southern parts of the country where it is warmer. Many go to
Florida where the weather is tropical. Others go to the south western states of Arizona, New
Mexico and Texas where they find dry desert climates. It has become common, nowadays,
for older people to move south to these places when they retire. Typically these people
sell their houses in their home communities and move south to begin a new life as senior
citizens. Their children likely have homes of their own, and many of them are moving south
away from communities where they were raised.
The southern and south western parts of the country are now growing faster than any other
parts. Business and industry have opened many new offices and factories in the south.
California is already the most popular state in the country. Texas and Florida are growing
fast too. They may soon replace such states as New York and Pennsylvania in population.
现在请你回答刚才听过的三个问题. 每回答一个问题老师就会念出正确答案
让你作个比较, 看你答对了没有.
第一个问题是:
M: What is winter weather like in the northern part of the United States?
F: It snows a great deal and the temperature often goes below zero degrees.
第二个问题是:
M: Why do a lot of Americans move south when they retire?
F: They want to begin a new life as senior citizens and to enjoy warmer weather.
第三个问题是:
M: How have American business and industry developed in the South?
F: They have opened many new offices and factories in the South.