Grammar in Context

Observe the following sentences from both Text A and Text B, paying special attention to the anticipatory (先行词) “it”. Then do the following two tasks.

1) It’s a biological law of human efficiency: to achieve your best with the least effort,… (Para. 6, Text A)

2) We must break the silence, making it safe for you to reach out for compassion. (Para.12, Text B) Task 1

Examine each of the following sentences and underline the real object or subject that is replaced by it.

1) It proved difficult to reach an agreement in such a delicate situation.

to reach an agreement in such a delicate situation

2) It worries me the way he keeps changing his mind.

the way he keeps changing his mind

3) It never occurred to me that perhaps he was lying.

that perhaps he was lying

4) ―I felt it a great honor to be asked to speak here,‖ said Mr. Johnson.

to be asked to speak here

5) Do you find it pointless buying so much food when the children are all away?

buying so much food when the children are all away Task 2

Complete the following sentences, using it as an anticipatory. 1) It is disappointing (令人失望) to see so many university students indulging themselves in computer games.

2) I find it useless /pointless (我觉得没用) trying to explain to him again — He’s not interested at all.

3) It is not possible/ It is impossible (不可能) to write a book or make a film that suits every individual.

4) They kept it a secret/ kept it quiet (他们一直保密) that the President was dead.

5) It is still not clear (仍然不明朗) how far the globalization process will go. Cloze

Complete the following passage with words and phrases chosen from this unit. The initial letter of each is given.

AIDS is a terrible disease. It poses a threat (1) to all the human beings without caring whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. But what is at risk (2) now is not just the people infected (3) with the disease. Human civilization itself is being threatened. This is because the whole society tolerates both ignorance of and prejudice (4) against HIV or AIDS. Once diagnosed (被诊断) as HIV-positive, the victims are isolated (5) or treated as outcasts. They are believed to have contracted (6) something evil or to have entered some alien state of being. As a result, these poor people have to shelter (7) the flickering candle of life from the cold wind of rejection by their family members. When they die of the disease, their families dare not whisper the word AIDS. They just grieve (8) silently. Thus, our prejudice and silence have helped the disease along (9). Now HIV marches firmly towards AIDS in more than a million American homes, littering its pathway (10) with the bodies of the young. To guard against the disease effectively, we must take this issue (11) seriously. People should be educated to bring (12) those negative attitudes to an end. We should not see AIDS as something evil (13) and the patients as alien. Instead, we should concern ourselves with (14) the prevention of the disease and render strong support (15) to the patients with more compassion. Only in this way can we have a better chance of winning the war against AIDS.

Translation

1 Translate the following sentences into English, using the words and expressions given in brackets.

1) 由于不了解艾滋病，以前人们称HIV感染者为―祸害‖。(ignorance; label; evil)

Owing to ignorance of AIDS, people used to label HIV infected/carriers/victims as evils.

2) 普及艾滋病知识的活动需要继续开展，这个阶段的重点放在这种病的传播途径。(contract)

The campaign of Knowing More About AIDS needs to be carried on, and for/at this stage the emphasis is put on the way (how) the disease is contracted.

3) 我们真切地向青年人呼吁：请保重身体，良好的健康将使你能最好地应对生活中的任何困难。(appeal; equip)

We appeal to the young earnestly: Take care of your health, with which you’ll be best equipped to handle any tough problems in your life.

4) 众多杰出科学家们将于本周五齐聚日内瓦(Geneva),讨论主要源于现代社会激烈竞争的诸多问题。(largely; leading)

The leading scientists will be meeting in Geneva on Friday to discuss problems largely caused by the fierce competition in modern society.

5) 他的恐高归因于童年时期一次非常痛苦的经历。他曾经被迫独自一人站在10米跳台上长达10分钟。(attribute...to...)

His fear of heights was attributed to an extremely painful experience in his childhood. He was once forced to stand alone on the 10-meter diving board for up to 10 minutes.

6) 我们相信新发布的关于改善农村医疗系统的文件必将终结农村地区缺医少药的时代终将结束。(issue; bring sth. to an end)

We believe that with the newly issued document on improving the medical system in rural areas, the era is to be brought to an end when such areas are always short of doctors and medicines.

2 Translate the following paragraph into English, using the words and expressions in the box below.

authority capacity coincide coordinate demanding efficiency familiarize interval plot at one’s best by contrast set aside

我们都想要健康，在应付各种严峻挑战时想要自己处于最佳状态。健康方面的好建议并不少。例如：均衡饮食、睡眠充足以及每周安排一些时间做运动。一门新学科—时间生物学—为我们提供了一个能取得最佳效率的新方法。这个方法就是协调我们的日常活动与自身身体能力。我们将一天中每隔四小时所测得的六个体温读数标记在坐标纸上，让自己熟悉以下信息：我的体温何时开始上升，何时体温升到最高，何时降到最低。然后，我们遵照时间生物学权威人士的指示来规划我们的日常活动。例如，体力要求最高的工作要在我们体温最高时去做。而与之不同的是，像读书和思考这样的脑力脑力劳动就要在体温下降时去做。这样，