Unit 2 Attitude
Study Focus
1. Understand why it is unwise to save what is dear to you for a special occasion.
2. Practice using the “It’s… that…” structure.
3. Explain why people should let go of (放弃) the negative things in life.
4. Learn how to write Telephone Messages.
5. Explain what is meant by “Change ‘if only’ to ‘next time’”.

Everyday Is a Gift—A Story to Live By
                                                                 By Ann Wells

Para. 1
1. My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package.
brother-in-law 姐（或妹）夫，大伯子，小叔子
bureau 衣柜
tissue-wrapped 绵纸包着的
译文：
姐夫打开姐姐衣柜最下面的抽屉，拿出一个用纸包着的东西。
Ann Wells
安 ? 韦尔斯：美国加利福尼亚州 (California) 拉古纳 ? 尼克市 (Laguna Niguel) 人，退休秘书，自由撰稿人。
    1985年4月，在其姐姐意外亡故几年后，曾在《洛杉矶时报》发表一篇关于珍惜生活时光的专栏文章，后在互联网上广泛流传，并被改名为《生活的原则》(A Story to Live By)。
2. “This,” he said, “is not a slip. This is lingerie.”
slip: n. “无袖衬裙”,它的常用词义还有:小纸条(n.); 疏漏(n.); 滑倒(vi.)”
e.g.
    He wrote my address on a slip of paper.
    他在一张纸条上记下我的地址。
    He claimed that “recieve” was a slip of the pen for “receive”.
    他声称recieve是receive的笔误。
    She slipped while she was getting out of the bath.
    她从浴缸出来时滑倒了。
译文：
“这个，”他说，“不再是条什么衬裙了，现在只能当睡裙了。”
3. He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.
discard: vt. to get rid of something because you no longer need it “丢弃”
e.g.
    Some students discard objects because they don’t know how to fix them.
    有些学生丢弃东西是因为不会修理它们。
译文：
他扔掉裹在外面的纸，把衬裙递给我。
同义词
abandon
desert
discard指 “扔掉无用或多余的具体物品”，用于人时，有强烈的轻蔑意味，用于思想、信仰时指 “断然放弃”, 如：
e.g.
    He discarded his illusions and regained his senses.
    他抛弃了幻想，恢复了理智。
    They were just using him, and were prepared to discard him if he no longer served their purpose.
    他们只是在利用他，并准备在他不再有用时抛弃他。
辨析
abandon和desert指“遗弃物品或人，或离弃某地”，abandon含有“出于需要而不是很情愿地或通过逃避责任最终彻底放弃”的意思，如：
e.g.
    The stolen car was abandoned only five miles away.
    被盗汽车被遗弃在仅5英里之外的地方。
    After the war, many Londoners abandoned the city
    for good, starting a population decline.
    战后，许多伦敦人永远离开了伦敦，导致该市人口开始下降。
    desert 含有“故意背叛誓言、不履行职责和义务”，如：
e.g.
    He deserted his wife and child for another woman.
    他为另一个女人抛弃了妻儿。
    Many New Orleans police officers deserted the city in the days before the storm.
    在暴风雨到来之前，新奥尔良多许多警察都弃城而去。
4. It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace.
trim
vt. 修剪, 整修，镶边
e.g.
    The gardener trimmed the hedge.
    那位园林工人修剪了树篱。
装饰
    to trim or decorate with lace
    用花边来装饰或点缀
    exquisite adj. 精致的，精美的
    cobweb n. 像蜘蛛网似的东西
译文：
    裙子做工精美。真丝质地，手工制作，镶着轻盈透明的花边。