NCE4 L2 Spare That Spider

Lesson 2 Spare that spider

How much of each year do spiders spend killing insects?

​ Why, you may wonder, should spiders be our friends? (开门见山)

you may wonder 你或许奇怪

When, I wondered aloud[adv.], had she found the time to complete such an impressive project?

我非常奇怪，她是如何找到时间来完成如此艰巨的工程呢？

---

1. It’s surprising that this plant should live in such a climate.

令人吃惊的是，这种植物竟然生存在这种环境下

2. It’s a pity that she should fail in the entrance exam.

很遗憾，她居然在入学考试失利了

3. Why should you be worrying?

Because they destroy so many insects, and insects include some of the greatest enemies of the human race.

because 不能单独出现，此处是因为前面有 why

destroy: kill / slay / get rid of / dispose of / eat / devour(吞噬) / wipe out

humanity 单独使用，不加 the

mankind

the human species/race

human beings

正面回答蜘蛛是人类的朋友

Insects would(虚拟语气) make it(形式宾语，代替后面的不定式) impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were(虚拟语气) not for the protection(that) (we get from insect-eating animals). **** 反面回答问题

1. His few material possessions make it possible for him to move from place to place with ease. N3L27

emigrate | migrate | immigrate

numerous

2. Radio and television have made it possible for advertises to capture the attention of millions of people in this way. N3L26

3. The shop assistants must have found(对过去的肯定推测) it impossible to resist the temptation(抵制诱惑) to say “it serves him right”(活该，咎由自取).

4. A Frenchman might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.

---

flock n. 🐏|鸟|人 群，vi. 聚集

a flock of birds | sheep | visitors

Birds (of a feather) flock together 物以类聚，人以群分

herd n. 牛|兽群

a ~ of cattle | elephants

flock

herd

school n. 群（🐟） a school of fish

流派 the French Impressionist school

shoal 群（🐟） a shoal of fish

colony n. 殖民地 / 群（同居） a colony of ants / bees

horde n. 熙熙攘攘的一群 a horde of dogs / locusts(蝗虫) / children / hooligans(阿飞，小流氓)

band: a jazz band; band of soldiers

gang: n. 帮（不好） Gang of Four 四人帮 gangster 匪徒 gangster films

---

English-speaking nations

time-consuming

time-saving

labor-consuming

labor-saving

pains-taking preparation 努力地准备

take pains to do sth.

虚拟语气： If s’ + v’ 从句 s + v 主句

现在 v’ed would/should/might + v

过去 had v’ed would/should/might have + v’ed

将来 v’ed {were to + v’; should + v’} would/should/might +v

现：If I were you, I would fly to you.

过：If I had adopted your advice, I would have succeeded.

将：If she telephoned/were to telephone/should telephone me, what should I answer?

虚拟条件句的倒装（were/should/had 中任一个出现）：

if it were not for = were it not for 要不是因为

= had it not been for = if it had not been for

= without = but for

We owe a lot to the birds and beasts who eat insects but all of them put together kill only a fraction of the number destroyed by spiders.

owe vt. 1. 感激

owe sb. sth.

owe sth. to sb.

I ~ you a lot. 我欠你很多 / 我非常感谢你

I ~ a lot to you.

I owe an apology to you. 我该向你道歉

I really appreciate your help(vt. + sth.)

I am grateful to you.

I am indebted to you. （较正式）

2. owe => 归功于

He ~d his success to good luck.

owe / attribute / credit / ascribe

that / who /

---

put sth. together = assemble

piece n. a ~ of glass

piece together vt.

to ~ together the fragments of the cup

---

fraction

fragile adj. 脆弱的 ~ china, ~ health虚弱的身体

fracture vt. 弄碎 to ~ one’s leg

fragment n. 碎片

fraction n. 一点，一小点

to open the window a fraction 把窗户打开一小点

a fraction of

Each month, I can only pay off a ~ of my loan.

All of us put together only earn a ~ of the money made by Bill Gates in one minute.

fraction a fraction of

proportion 比例 a high/low proportion of

percentage 比例/百分比 a large/small percentage of

Moreover, unlike some of the other insect eaters, spiders never do the least harm to us or our belongings.

Moreover/Besides/Furthermore/Further/What’s more/In addition

trouble makers

news makers

decision maker

lady killer 美男子

peace maker 和事佬

match maker 媒婆，月老

cheese maker 奶酪制造者

boot licker 舔靴子的人，卑躬屈膝的人，溜须拍马的人

apple polisher 溜须拍马的人

---

do harm to = do sb./sth. harm

owe sb. sth. = owe sth. to sb.

do good to = do sb./sth. good

do more good than harm to …

We have been brought up to fear insects. 我们从小到大害怕昆虫

We regard them as unnecessary creatures that do more harm than good.

do the least harm to

not … the least

I don’t have the least interest in English. 我对英语没有丝毫兴趣

I don’t have the slightest interest in English.

I don’t have the remotest idea of what you mean.

I don’t have the faintest idea of what you mean.

not … the least/slightest/remotest/faintest + n.

not … at all

not … in the slightest/least

I don’t care at all = I don’t care in the least/…

It doesn’t matter …

---

belong -> belongs -> property -> possessions

gainings 收入

earnings 收入

savings 储蓄

cleanings n. 垃圾

---

第一段逻辑分析

s1: 提出问题

s2: 正面回答

s3: 反面回答

s4: 比较

s5: moreover 比较

---

​ Spiders are not insects, as(比较状语从句引导词) many people think, nor(省略了are they) even nearly related to them. *****(比较结构之否定转移)

s + not + v, as s’ + v’ 如果要表达 “正如许多人想象的那样”: As s’ + v’, s + not + v (因为not只能向后转移，不能向前转移)

not 向后转移

people, many, the public, etc. => 作者否定的对象

不像许多人想象的那样

His behavior is not so unreasonable as it seems(比较状语从句). 他的行为并不像看上去那样的不合理

It’s not so easy as you think. 这并不像你想象得那样容易

He’s not so approachable as you imagine. 他并不想你想象的那样和蔼可亲

---

He went to the cinema yesterday.

So did I.

He didn’t go to the cinema.

Nor did I. / Neither did I.

I didn’t give up, nor shall I do in the future.

I don’t know, nor do I want to know.

not nearly

It’s not nearly easy as you think.

not nearly -> 否定

not a little -> 肯定

not a bit -> 否定

He doesn’t care a little. 他非常在乎

He doesn’t care a bit. 他一点也不在乎

One can tell the difference(省略了 between a spider and an insect) almost at a glance, for a spider always has eight legs and an insect never more than six(并列结构之省略).

tell the difference between A and B 辨别 A 和 B 的不同

distinguish A from B 区别出 A 和 B

discern A from B 辨认出 A 和 B 的差异

draw a dividing line between A and B 在 A 和 B 之间画一条分界线

---

at a glance

He fell love with her almost at a glance.

glance -> sight

at the sight of 一看到

at the sound of 一听到

at the idea of 一想到，一有什么想法

at the thought of 一想到

---

because / as / since -> 原因状语从句

for -> 并列句（做并列连词 and/but/or/etc.）

s1 + v2 for s2 + v2

for s2 + v2, s1 + v1 是错的

如果 for 在句首，必定是一个短语

---

1. My office is on the first floor, and hers(代词避免重复) (省略 is 避免重复) on the second (省略 floor 避免重复).
2. To some life is pleasure, and to others suffering.
3. Some books are to(应该) be tasted(浅尝), others to be swallowed(吞咽，快速浏览), and some few to be chewed and digested(细细咀嚼然后消化). 主系表结构
4. Reading makes a full man(渊博的人); conference(探讨，商议，交谈) a ready man; and writing an exact(严谨) man. 阅读使人渊博，交谈使人敏捷，写作使人严谨

one … another

some … others

critical thinking 理性思维，批判性思维

complex reasoning 综合论证

written expression 写作表达

Until these issues are resolved(时间状语从句), a technology of behavior will continue to be rejected, and with it possibly the only way to solve our problems. 在这些问题得到解决之前，行为技术将会持续得到拒绝，并且随之可能唯一解决问题的方法也会被持续拒绝。

​ How many spiders are engaged in(从事于/忙于) this work on our behalf(代表…/为了…, on behalf of us)?

engage: vt. 占据 The line is engaged. 占线了。 be ~d to sb. 订婚。be ~d in doing sth. 从事于/忙于

be occupied with sth./ be busy with sth./ be immersed in sth. 沉浸于/ be absorbed in sth. / be buried in sth. bury oneself in the countryside 折戟于乡间

be involved in sth. 参与某事

behalf 代表：on behalf of sb. / on sb’s behalf.

Don’t be uneasy on our behalf. 不要为我们担心。

On ~ of my colleagues and myself, s+v. 兹代表我的同事和本人

Don’t trouble to do it on my ~. 不要再为我去麻烦了。

represent（个体代表群体） vt. 代表；representative n. 代表；stand for vt. 代表：V stands for victory. symbolize vt. 象征，代表：A peach symbolizes(只能用这个代表) long life in China. The dark clouds signify(意味着，代表) a storm. 注意这几个“代表”的语境差异

One authority on(关于什么的权威) spiders made a census of(进行了统计) the spiders(特指) in a grass field(后置定义) in the south of England(层层限定，英格兰南部), and(先后) he estimated that there were more than 2,250,000 in one acre(英亩);(分号表示本句为上句的解释) that is something like(approximately/roughly) 6 million spiders of different kinds on a football pitch(足球场，现在用法罕见，主要用 a football field/ground).

author n. 作者，authority [u]n. 权力（right 是权利）authority [c]n. 权威，an ~ on English/law ，an organization with authority. the authorities 当局/政府；authorize vt. 授权。authoritarian adj. 中央集权的 an ~ government

an expert in/at; an authority on; an specialist in/at

make a census of the local people 对当地人口进行统计

field n. 1.田野 2. 领域 3. 场地** （开阔的）a flying field / a landing field / a football/cricket/baseball field 飞机场/着陆场/足球场/板球场/棒球场 a grass field 草场

ground n. 1. 大地 2. （某一目的）场地 a play ground / a parade ground / a recreation ground / a sports ground 操场/阅兵场/娱乐场/运动场

court n. 1. 天井 2. 宫廷，朝廷 3. 法庭 4. （有围栏的）场地 a tennis court （不开阔）a basketball court

course n. （非常大的）场地：a golf course / a race course 高尔夫球场/跑马场

field / ground / court / course

套语包装：Data show that s’ + v’ 数据表明 ； A recent survey / inquiry / study suggests that s’ + v’

1. Is she your girlfriend or something? 2) He is really something. 他真的很了不起

something like 像…的东西：This building is something like an apple. 这个建筑物有点像一个苹果

approximately / roughly 大约的 He left (something like/approximately)10,000 dollars to his wife.

pitch n. 1. 漆，沥青 as dark as pitch 漆黑 2. a football pitch （不常用）

this kind of snakes == snakes of this kind 后置定语

all kinds of snakes == snakes of all kinds

my own house == a house of my own

letters of a personal nature 私人性质的信函 == personal letters

books of an erotic nature 色情书籍 == erotic books

Spiders are busy for at least half the year in killing insects.

at least 至少； at most 至多； at best 最好，充其量； at worst 大不了，最坏；At worst, I quit. 大不了我辞职。 He is a second-class teacher at best. 他充其量是一个二流的老师

for at least half the year 时间状语提前，强调时间长。

be busy with sth. / be busy in doing sth.

spend … on sth / spend … in doing sth.

busy 可以改成 engaged （近义词替换改写）

It(形式主语) is impossible to make more than the wildest guess at(短语搭配**) how many they kill, but they are hungry creatures, not (省略being) content with(***) only three meals a day(一日三餐).

make a census of / make a study of == study / make a survey of / make a guess at == guess

前面的形式更“有型”

The car stopped. The car came to a stop. 用动词的名词性短语

emphasize vt. == place/put/lay great emphasis on 非常重视，极为强调

make a wild guess 瞎猜 wide imagination 瞎想（前面不加 a，因为不可数） a wild dream 春秋大梦

more than (1). (基本用法，超过) He’s more than 12.

(2)* more than + adj./v. He rise in status more than compensates(more than + v.) for the loss of money. 他社会地位的提高远远地弥补了金钱的损失。

You must be more than careful in doing the experiment. 在做这个实验地时候你务必格外小心。

creature(人/动物) -> create vt. 指人的时候往往有感情色彩。The child is a lovely creature. (感情色彩：真可爱)

She’s a poor creature now. (感情色彩：可怜)

be content(表语形容词) with / be contented with 对… 感到满意 / be satisfied with / be gratified with

*** 形容词短语相当于非谓语结构作状语（其中省略了 being 实际上是非谓语ing作状语）。 动词只能做谓语，谓语只能是动词。非谓语就是非动词结构(v.ing, v.ed, to v.)

The jailer(狱卒) looked on eagerly, (省略了being) anxious to see(伴随状语) if his fellow actor had learned his lines.

fellow citizens 同胞们 distinguished guest 显贵的客人们 fellow doctors 医生同事们 fellow lawyers 律师同事们 fellow teachers

He used to sleep during the day and work at night, (being) quite unaware of the fact that he had become the ghost of the Endley. 白天睡觉，夜里出来干活，一点不知道自己已成了恩得利家场的活鬼。

It(形式主语) has been estimated that the weight of all the(特指) insects (可以加that are，但是就罗嗦了)destroyed by spiders in Britain in one year would(表推测，很可能) be greater than the total weight of all the human beings in the country.

It has been estimated that 据估计

It is said that 据说 It is (roughly) estimated that 据(粗略)估计

It is (widely) rumored that 据(普遍)谣传 It is (universally) believed that 人们(普遍)相信

可以改成现在完成时：It has been said that / It has been estimated that / It has been rumored that / It has been believed that 截止到现在，据说/…

N3L27 It has been said that everyone lives by selling something. 据说人人都是靠出售某种东西来维持生存的。 Teachers live by selling knowledge and priests (省略live) by selling spiritual comfort.

gross weight 毛重 net weight 净重 GDP gross domestic product 国内生产总值

总体篇章结构：三段十二句

P1: s1: why… ?

s2: because … (正面回答)

s3: would …; … would … if it were not for … (反面回答)

s4: we owe a lot to … but … (类比 beasts+birds <-> spiders)

s5: moreover(表示逻辑递进), … never do the least harm to … (类别)

P2: s6: not insect but insect-eaters lady-killer(魅力男士)/man eater(女妖精)

s7: difference: 6 legs <=> 8 legs 论据

P3: s8: How many spiders …

s9: census / estimated / numerous spiders 头两句话一体

s10: How long (at least half the year)

s11: How many insects they kill

s12: the estimated weight is greater than … 后两句话一体

New Words and expressions 生词和短语

spare vt. 宽恕

spare that spider （动宾短语）命令，建议，要求，祈使

1. adj. 余下的，多余的，业余的

~ money

a ~ room 闲置的房间

a ~ wheel 备胎

in one’s ~ time

Could you ~ me a few minutes? 留出一部分时间

Could you spare me a few liters of petrols ? 能不能匀几升油给我？

2. to ~ sb. his life 饶恕某人性命

to ~ sb’s life

to ~ sb’s feelings 不伤害某人的情感

to spare a spider 不伤害蜘蛛

3. spare no efforts/ pains to do 不遗余力

spare no expense to do 不惜代价去做某事

spare nothing to do 不惜一切代价做某事

beast /bi:st/ n. 野兽

corner vt. 逼到角落使陷入困境

野兽 -> 凶残之人

beaver n. 海狸 -> 勤奋之人

to work like a beaver 勤奋地工作

gorilla n. 大猩猩 -> 保镖

shark n. -> 凶残之人

a beast of prey(猎物) 猛兽，肉食动物

a bird of prey

beastly adj. 野兽的，凶残的

acre /ˈekɚ/ n. 英亩
census /ˈsɛnsəs/ n. 统计数字

人口统计 => 数字统计

to make a ~ of the people in the rural 对农村人口进行统计

census n. 人口统计

censor -> n. (人) 新闻检察员

acre n. 英亩

God’s acre = church yard 教堂

massacre 屠杀 n. Nanjing Massacre

content /ˈkɑnˌtɛnt/ adj. 满足的

con’tain vt. 容纳

container n. 容器，集装箱

content n. 内容

the ~s of the room 房间里地家当

the ~s of a child’s pockets 小孩子衣兜里的小玩意儿

the ~s of the book 书的目录

con’tent adj/ 满意的 -> 表语形容词，只能做表语

只能 be ~ with

表语形容词：alive adj. alone adj. exempt asleep

content n./adj./vt. 使满意 ~ing ~ed

There is no denying the facts that … 人们无法否认

There is no doing => 特殊句型

There is no accounting for taste. 爱是无法解释的

There is no contenting[vt. 使满意] some people. 有些人是无法满足的

Notes on the text 课文注释

1、you may wonder 是这个疑问句的插入语。
2、if it were not for the protection we get from inscet-eating animals 这是一个非真实条件状语从句，were表示虚拟语气。
3、almost at a glance 几呼一眼（就能看出）。

参考译文

你可能会觉得奇怪， 蜘蛛怎么会是我们的朋友呢？因为它们能消灭那么多的昆虫，其中包括一些人类的大敌，要不是人类受一些食虫动物的保护，昆虫就会使我们无法在地球上生活下去，昆虫会吞食我们的全部庄稼，杀死我们的成群的牛羊。我们要十分感谢那些吃昆虫的鸟和兽，然而把它们所杀死的昆虫全部加在一起也只相当于蜘蛛所消灭的一小部分。此外，蜘蛛不同于其他食虫动物，它们丝毫不危害我们和我们的财物。

许多人认为蜘蛛是昆虫，但它们不是昆虫，甚至与昆虫毫无关系。人们几乎一眼就能看出二者的差异，因为蜘蛛都是8条腿，而昆虫的腿从不超过6条。

有多少蜘蛛在为我们效力呢？一位研究蜘蛛的权威对英国南部一块草坪上的蜘蛛作了一次调查。他估计每英亩草坪里有225万多只蜘蛛。这就是说，在一个足球场上约有600万只不同种类的蜘蛛。蜘蛛至少有半年在忙于吃昆虫。它们一年中消灭了多少昆虫，我们简直无法猜测，它们是吃不饱的动物，不满意一日三餐。据估计，在英国蜘蛛一年里所消灭昆虫的重量超过这个国家人口的总重量。