第四十四讲
Section II Maintaining a Sharp Eye
Passage I The Way Americans Greet
Text-Related Information
1. Weather Forecasts and weather Reports
Information about the weather that’s likely to come is called a weather forecast, though it’s often included with information about recent weather in a weather report. As you could expect, there are regular local and national weather reports on television and radio during the day and in the evening, and in local and national newspapers too. You can also get weather reports by phone. (Dial 121 in China.) Even if you don’t understand everything, reading or listening to weather reports will always give you some idea of what the weather’s going to be like.
2.The Celsius System and the Fahrenheit System
There are two different systems of temperatures that are used in weather forecasts. There is the Celsius system (°C), which is the one used in most countries. Another name for this system is centigrade. In Western countries the Fahrenheit system (° F) is also used. 0 °C equals 32 ° F and 100 °C equals 212 °F. The Celsius system is always used in weather forecasting, but because many Westerners are more familiar with Fahrenheit, temperatures are very often given in both ways. And please note temperatures are always given in degrees (plural form). For example, 0 degrees.
3. Don’t complain when the weather forecast is not accurate enough.
Meteorology is a science of educated guessing, which means that one cannot tell for certain what weather conditions will be like, so the notions of expectation and prediction should always be kept in mind.
Text Explanation
Para. 1
A weatherman is giving the weekend forecast on the TV evening news:
… It’s still raining here in Chicago, and it looks like that rain is going to continue through the weekend. It will be cloudy tomorrow with scattered showers， and the outlook for Sunday — more rain and colder. The predicted high for tomorrow is forty-five degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature is expected to dip to the freezing point tomorrow night with thirty-two degrees. I’m afraid colder weather is on its way!
Language Points:
1． Important Words
1) look like: seem to be, seem as if…
It looks like we’re going to be late.
It looks like a good book.
It looks like to me that he is ill.
2) continue: v. remain, stay; keep doing something and do not stop; start again after stopping for a period of time
If the situation continues for one month, workers will probably go on strike
He continued talking (to talk).
The girls should continue with their English study.
The next day he continued building his model airplane.
3) through: prep. (esp. in expression of time) up to and including
We had no rain from March right through October.
The exhibition is on from Monday through Friday.
4) predict: v. see or describe (a future happening) in advance as a result of knowledge, experience, reason, etc.
He predicted a brilliant future for the child.
You can‘t predict what they are going to do.
5) expect: v. think that something will happen
I expect that he will pass the examination.
“Will she come soon?” “I expect so.”
6）dip: (cause to) drop slightly, perhaps just for a moment
Grain prices dipped yesterday.
The plane’s nose dipped.
Para. 2
Now let’s take a look at the weather across the country. Showers expected tomorrow down the West Coast as far south as San Francisco. Fair weather in the low seventies predicted for the Los Angeles area; fair in San Diego.
Language Points:
Explanation of Difficult Sentences
1) It will be cloudy tomorrow with scattered showers…
Analysis: “with” structure further explains the part of the weather that precedes it.
Translation: 明天多云，局部地区有阵雨。
Example: It is fine with the temperature of 20 degrees.
2）The predicted high for tomorrow is forty-five degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature is expected to dip to the freezing point tomorrow night with thirty-two degrees.
Analysis: “passive voice” is a commonly-used structure of a weather forecast .
Translation: 预计明天最高温度华氏45度，明天晚上温度会降至冰点，华氏32度。
Example: It is expected to snow tomorrow, please don’t forget to put on your heavy coat before going out.
Para.3
There is a cold front from Canada moving down through the western states. Thirty-eight degrees in Denver, Colorado, with thirty-mile-an-hour winds, and it’s expected to be cold and windy right through the weekend. Dallas is experiencing unseasonably cold weather—— forty-eight degrees.
Language Points:
Explanation of Difficult Sentences
1) Showers expected tomorrow down the West Coast as far south as San Francisco. Fair weather in the low seventies predicted for the Los Angeles area; fair in San Diego.
Analysis: “are” is omitted before expect
“is” is omitted before predicted
The full sentence should be “it will be fair in San Diego.”
Translation: 预计明天沿西南海岸向西海岸直至旧金山有阵雨；洛杉矶地区，天气晴好，气温70多华氏度；圣地亚哥，晴。
Example: Snow activities forecast in the mountain area, and frost in the Low Valley.
2. Important Words
1) experience: v. feel, suffer or know
Similar problems have been experienced by other students.
She has experienced a lot in her 30years of life.
Para.4
It is raining as far east as Detroit and Toronto, and rain is going to continue through tomorrow, when it may turn to snow. Currently, forty-three degrees in Detroit, forty-one degrees in Toronto. And temperature’s dropping.
Language Points:
Explanation of Difficult Sentences
There is a cold front from Canada moving down through the western states.
Analysis: “There be+ n.+ participle phrase” structure is often used in a weather forecast.
“moving down” is Post modifier.
Example: There are some students coming from the south.
2. Important Words
1) turn to:
a) become something different 变成，转为
b) (cause) (one’s intention, interest, mind, etc.) to be directed towards something （把）（注意力、兴趣等）转向
c) ask (someone) for help or advice 求助于（某人）
If you give more heat, the water will turn to steam.
Soon her sobbing turned to crying.
His attention turned to the pretty young girl.
I wonder if we can turn our conversation to something you mentioned earlier.
She’d turn to him for help.
Whatever happens, he will turn to his parents for advice.
2)currently: adv. at the present time, at the moment 目前，当前
Currently the prices are low and people are happy buying what they want.
Currently this product is still hand-made.
3)drop: v. let fall or lower 降低，下降
Prices dropped and everyone was happy.
His voice dropped and we could hardly hear him.