English Intensive Reading 吉林大学远程教育学院    
Introduction
Text
Language Points
 
  Lesson 5 Language Points  ( Page 7)
   
         
   
in common: for or by all of a group
共同（的）；共有（的）；共用（的）
1. I have nothing in common with Tom. 我与汤姆毫无共同之处。
2. Land owned in common by the residents. 居民公有的土地。
waste away : grow unhealthily thin or weak ( 指人) 消瘦; 衰弱
1. He wasted away for lack of food. 由于吃不饱，他越来越消瘦。
2. She is wasting away with her illness. 她给病折磨得越来越虚弱了。
The nation-state is not on the verge of extinction.
Meaning: The nation-state is not dying out.
但主权国家并未面临消逝。
on the verge of sth: close to sth; on the border of sth
在某事即将发生之际；接近出现某事物之点
1. She was on the verge of tears. 她难过得快要哭了。
2. The country is on the verge of a revolution. 这个国家即将爆发一场革命。
Comparing the following words
cooperate, assist, collaborate
cooperate (v) : work or act together with another
通常义为 “合作”， 指与任何一方的相互合作以达成某任务，指事件之间的配合。
1. The PLA cooperated with the villagers in working out a plan.
解放军与村民合作定出一项计划。
2. Everything cooperated to make the evening party a success.
各种因素配合起来，晚会非常成功。
assist (v) : help 意为 “帮助” 一些人和群体，含有“帮忙” 的意思， 帮助者能做部分工作，但无力做全部工作，需要别人的帮助
1. Will you please assist me to move the box? 你能帮我挪一下这箱子吗？
2. I assist him in compiling a dictionary. 我帮他编写词典。
collaborate (v) : work together with sb esp to create or produce sth
是指与某人合作，协作，尤指创造或生产某种事物， 有时用作贬义，指与敌人勾结。
1. Mary and her sister collaborated on a biography of their father.
玛丽与她姐姐合作撰写她父亲的传记。
2. The young man was suspected of collaborating.
这个年轻人被怀疑与敌人勾结。