Unit 8 Learning a foreign language
Words and expressions
motivation n. the act or process of motivating; something that motivates动机；刺激
memorize vt. learn every word exactly 记住；熟记；背
In the meantime, consult dictionaries, memorize grammatical rules.
读书时，要查词典，记语法规则。
dictation n.[u] the act of dictating 听写
The pupils wrote at their teacher's dictation. 教师口授，学生听写。
n.[u] the act of giving orders; something commanded 命令；指示
I did it at my father's dictation. 我遵照父亲的话去做。
correction n.[u] the act of correcting 改正；修改
These papers are in need of correction. 这些卷子需要批改。
phonetic adj. representing or connected with the sounds made with the voice 表示发音的；语音(学)的
Each new word in this dictionary has phonetic symbols after it to show you how to say the word.
这部词典里，每个新单词后都有音标，告诉你如何发音。
alphabet n. the letters of the English language from A to Z字母表
There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet. 英语字母有二十六个。
stick v. become fixed or fastened; not be able to move 卡住；阻塞；使停止
（stuck; stuck）
He (was) stuck in the mud and couldn't move. 他陷在泥里，动弹不得。
v. protrude from, stand out from; or cause something to protrude from something 伸出；突出 Don't stick your head out of the window. 不要把头伸出窗外。
v. fix or fasten one thing to another thing with glue, etc. 粘贴；张贴
She stuck a stamp on to the envelope. 她在信封上贴上邮票。
make progress get better slowly 取得进步
He made no progress in learning to write. 他在学习写作方面没有进步。
effective adj. giving an effect working well 有效的
The new law has been very effective. 新的法律很有效。
acquirevt. to get by one's own efforts 取得；获得；学得
She acquired a knowledge of the English by careful study. 她认真学习而精通英语。
acquisition n. the act of acquiring; something acquired获/取/学得；获得物
This motor-scooter is my latest acquisition. 这辆摩托车是我最新购置的。
make sense of understand 弄懂；明白
We read it through, but could not make sense of it. 我们看了一遍，但不明白它说些什么。
in other words saying the same thing in another way 也就是说；换句话说
Joe doesn't like work -- in other words, he's lazy! 乔不爱劳动——换句话说，他懒惰！
awful adj. causing fear; terrible 恐惧的；可怕的
An awful accident has happened. 一件可怕的事故发生了。
adj. very great; ugly 非常；极为
The room is in an awful mess. 屋子乱七八糟。
instruct vt. to teach, to give information to 教；指导
My uncle instructs people how to drive cars. 我叔叔教别人开汽车。
vt. tell someone what he must do 指示；告诉
The teacher instructed the class to prepare for a test. 教师通知这一班学生准备测验。
efficient adj. work well and quickly 效率高的
He was efficient in his work. 他工作效率高。
data n. factual information; numerical or other information represented in a form suitable for processing by computer资料；数据 (datum 单数形式)
academic adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of a school, especially one of higher learning; based on formal education 学校的；学院的；学术的
n.[c] one who is a member of an institution of higher learning; a person who has an academic viewpoint or a scholarly background 大学生；大学教师；学究
comprehension n. the act or power of understanding理解（力）
Algebra is beyond the comprehension of lower-class pupils.代数是低年级学生所无法理解的。
anxious adj. afraid and worried 忧虑的；担心的；焦急的
John is very anxious about his exams. 约翰非常担心他的考试。
adj. wanting something very much 渴望的；焦盼的
He is anxious for her news. 他渴望知道她的消息。
secure adj. free from danger or attack; free from fear, anxiety, or doubt 安全的；安心的
I don't feel secure when I am alone in the house. 我一个人在家时感到不安全。
adj. assured; certain 确信的；一定的：
With three goals in the first period they had a secure victory, but somehow they lost.
在第一节他们进了三球，原以为准赢无误，孰料最后还是输了。
take a risk do something although there is a chance of danger, loss, etc. 冒险
I don't want to run (take) the risk of losing it. 我不想冒着失掉它的危险。
experiment with to conduct an experiment; to try something new 进行试/实验
They experimented with new methods of teaching and succeeded.
他们试验新的教学方法,获得了成功。
translator n. one that translates翻译家；译者（指笔译）
interpreter n. someone who can interpret 口译者；译员
Maria was my interpreter. 玛丽亚是我的翻译。
everyday adj. done or happening each day 每日的；日常的
I learn everyday English. 我学习常用英语。
patience n.[u] being calm when you are waiting or when you have trouble, problems, etc. 耐心；忍耐
The job needs a lot of patience. 这种工作需要极大的耐心。
adopt vt. take the child of another person into your family to become your own child 收养
Mr. and Mrs. Williams adopted a child whose parents were dead.
威廉斯先生和夫人收养了一个父母双亡的孩子。
vt. take and use; take over 采纳；采用
The government decided to adopt the plan. 政府决定采纳这个计划。
pile n. a lot of things lying one upon another; heap 堆
The pile of magazines should be picked up. 应该把那一堆杂志拾起来。
n. a large amount 大量；大数目；大堆
We have a pile of/piles of homework to do. 我们有许多作业要作。
easygoing adj. living without undue worry or concern; relaxed or informal in attitude or standards 悠闲的；随遇而安的；宽大的
Our manager's an easygoing person; she never gets angry.
我们的经理是个随和的人,她从不发怒。
PLA (=People’s Liberation Army) 中国人民解放军
tyre n. rubber ring, full of air, that fits round the wheel of a motorcar, bicycle, etc.轮胎
I have a flat tyre----it needs some air in it. 我的车胎瘪了——需要打气。
overweight adj. too heavy 超重的
He eats too much and is quite overweight. 他吃得太多，因此身体太重。
teens n. the ages from 13 to 19 十三岁到十九岁的年龄；青少年
boys in their teens 少男；十三到十九岁的男孩
put an end to v. stop sth. happening 结束；终止
Let's put an end to smoking. 让我们停止吸烟吧！
operation n.[c] the act of a surgeon who cuts the body of a patient（外科）手术
He has to have an operation to undergo at once. 他不得不马上动手术。
n.[u] working, the way something works 工作；运转
The machine came into operation. 机器开始运转了。
knock down strike to the ground with a blow, etc; shoot down 击倒；撞倒
I was almost knocked down by a motorcar. 我差点被一辆汽车撞倒。
level n. surface parallel with horizon; such a

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