Section III
Maintaining a Sharp Eye
Passage I : Read the Text
I knew it was going to be a bad day when, on the way to the airport, the taxi driver told me he was lost.
I had booked my flight over the telephone, so when we finally arrived, I had to rush to the reservations desk to pay for my ticket. The woman at the desk told me that my name was not on the passenger list. It took fifteen minutes for her to realize that she had spelled my name incorrectly. She gave me my ticket and told me I’d better check in my luggage quickly or I’d miss my flight.
I was the last person to get on the plane.
I found my seat and discovered that I was sitting next to a four-year-old boy who had a cold. I sat down and wondered if anything else could go wrong.
I hate flying, especially take-off, but the plane took off and everything seemed to be all right. Then, a few minutes later, there was a funny noise and everything started to shake. I looked out of the window and ----oh my God --- there was smoke coming out of the wing. All I could think was “The engine is on fire. We’re going to crash.”
Almost immediately, the captain spoke to us in a very calm voice, “Ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We are having a slight technical problem with one of our engines. There is absolutely no need to panic. We will have to return to the airport. Please remain seated and keep your seat belts fastened.”
Well, you can imagine how frightened I was, but the crew were fantastic. The flight attendants were really calm and told us everything would be all right.
A few minutes later, we were coming in to land. The pilot made a perfect landing on the runway. It was over. We were safe.
That day, I decided not to fly again. I caught another taxi and went home. But as I closed the front door, I looked down at my suitcase. Somehow I had picked up the wrong one.
Difficult Sentences
“it took her fifteen minutes to realize that ...” It是形式主语。真正主语是不定式 “to realize” “for her ” 是动词“realize”的逻辑主语
that 引导的宾语从句
Translation:花了15分钟她才搞清楚是把我的名字搞错了。
Example: It took several hours for me to under－ stand that I was wrong.
2.(Para. 2) She gave me my ticket and told me I’d better check in my luggage quickly, or I’d miss my flight.
“Or” 连词相当于 “if not，otherwise ”表示建议或推测.
“I’d better check ... my flight”是动词“told” 的宾语从句。
Translation: 她把票给了我，说最好快点办理托运行李，否则就会误了班机。
Example: He looked at me and told me I’d better apologize to Jane, or she would be very angry.
3. (Para. 4) I found my seat and discovered that I was sitting next to a four-year-old boy who had a cold.
restrictive relative clause modifying boy。
Translation: 她把票给了我，说最好快点办理托运行李，否则就会误了班机。
Example: He looked at me and told me I’d better apologize to Jane, or she would be very angry.
4. (Para. 5) I looked out of the window and “oh my God” there was smoke coming out of the wing.
present participle clause modifying smoke. This clause can also be rewritten as “smoke that was coming out of the wing”
Translation: 她把票给了我，说最好快点办理托运行李，否则就会误了班机。
Example: He looked at me and told me I’d better apologize to Jane, or she would be very angry.
5. (Para. 6) We are having a slight technical problem with one of our engines.
Preposition “with”, when used with problem, shows where the problem arises.
Translation: 发动机出了点技术故障。
Example: They have a financial problem with one of their projects.
6.(Para. 6) Please remain seated and keep your seat belts fastened.
keep takes an object complement, which mean “to continue to be or maintain in an unchanged state”.
Translation: 请坐在座位上别动，系好安全带。
e.g. On his way to the office, he realized he had left the report at home.
I usually stop by the supermarket on my way home.
2. reservation n. a booking (of a room, seat, etc); a doubt in one’s mind
e.g. My travel agent has made all the reservations for my journey.
I have some reservations about the truth of his story.
3.check in v. to report one’s presence or arrival (as at a hotel, an airport etc.)
办理( 旅馆入住、登机等) 手续
e.g. We must check our luggage in immediately.
You must check in at the airport an hour before your plane leaves.
4. flight n. the act of flying; a trip by plane 飞行；航班
e.g. Flight 586 will arrive on schedule.
He will take the 10:15 flight to Boston
5. next to prep. close beside; almost 贴近, 靠近; 几乎
e.g. I’d like a seat next to the window.
He earns next to nothing.
6.go wrong to make a mistake; to stop working properly 出错; 出故障;
e.g. The sum isn’t right and I can’t see where I went wrong.
Something has gone wrong with the computer.
7. take off v. to remove (esp. clothes); (esp. of a plane) to rise into the air
去掉；脱(衣); 起飞
e.g. Take off your coat and put it here.
When will your plane take off?
8. seem v. to give the impression of being; to appear to be 似乎; 显得; 好像;
e.g. He seems to be angry after hearing the news.
It seems that you are mistaken.
Everyone seems to be well prepared.
9. crash v. to break noisily; fall or strike something noisily and violently
碰撞, 撞击; 坠落, 坠毁
n. a violent vehicle accident (飞机等)撞坏; 坠毁
e.g. The plates crashed onto the floor.
The two cars crashed into each other on the highway.
All passengers died in the air crash.
10.absolutely ad. completely 完全地, 绝对
e.g. It is not absolutely impossible to cross the desert by car
This tape recorder is absolutely useless
11.somehow ad. in some way not yet known 以某种方式；不知怎么地
e.g. Somehow I lost my way.
We have to work it out somehow.