外研版高中英语选择性必修第二册Unit2 Improving（yourself词汇）
一、重点词汇
1. security [s"kjrti] n. 安全
Such security measures may be overkill.
如此安全措施可能是过分之举。
2. motivate ["mtvet] v. 激发，激励
How do you motivate people to work hard and efficiently?
你是如何激励人们努力而高效地工作的？
3. switch [swt] v.（用开关）改变，转换
Press these two keys to switch between documents on screen.
按这两个键就可以在屏幕上的文件之间进行切换。
switch on（用开关）开，打开
You switch on, push in the disk and there you are!
你打开开关，把磁盘推进去就行了！
4. occupy ["kjupa] v. 占用，占去（时间）
How much memory does the program occupy?
这个程序占用多少内存？
5. profile ["prfal] n. 概况
Below you will find a profile of each program.
下面你会看到每个项目的简介。
6. constantly ["knstntli] adv. 持续不断地，经常地
Surgical techniques are constantly being refined.
外科手术技术正在不断得到完善。
7. towel /"tal/ n. 毛巾
He flicked a wet towel at me.
他用湿毛巾轻打我。
throw in the towel 认输
I think if one were not optimistic, one would probably throw in the towel.
我认为，如果一个人不乐观，他很可能就会认输了。
8. access ["kses] n. 接触的机会
You need a password to get access to the computer system.
使用这个计算机系统需要口令。
9. rely [r"la] v.（为生活或生存而）依赖
We rely quite a bit on ready-made meals.
我们相当依赖现成的熟食。
rely on 依靠，依赖
I know I can rely on you to sort it out.
我知道我可以信赖你来处理此事。
10. deadline ["dedlan] n. 截止时间，最后期限
They were trying to beat the midnight deadline.
他们正在试图赶在午夜的最后期限前完成。
11. appropriate ["prprit] adj. 适当的，恰当的，合适的
The most appropriate strategy may simply be to walk away from the problem.
最恰当的策略也许就是回避这个问题。
12. clarify ["klrfa] v. 澄清，讲清楚，阐明
Thank you for writing and allowing me to clarify the present position.
谢谢你来信并允许我澄清目前的状况。
13. promote [pr"mt] v. 促进，增进
We need to promote an open exchange of ideas and information.
我们需要促进思想和信息的公开交流。
14. max out （钱）花光；（信用卡）刷爆
Did you Max out your credit cards?
你的信用卡刷爆了吗？
15. in contrast to 与……形成对比
This is in contrast to previous policies.
这和先前的政策成对比。
16. district ["dstrkt] n. 地区，区域
The new railway will benefit the district.
新铁路将使这地区得益。
17. item ["atm] n. 一件商品（或物品）
This item should be hand washed.
这件物品要用手洗。
18. personal finances（个人的）财务管理
Assess your personal finances.
评估您的个人财务状况。
19. objectively [b"dektvli] adv. 客观地
Can these effects be objectively measured?
这些结果能客观地衡量吗？
20. invest [n"vest] v. 投资
They had the foresight to invest in new technology.
他们有投资新技术的先见之明。
21. vision /"v()n/ n. 构想，设想，视野，视力
His vision inspired those around him.
他的想象力鼓舞了周围的人。
Our field of vision is surprisingly wide.
我们的视野令人惊奇地广阔。
22. nail [nel] n. 钉子
I tore my coat on a nail.
我的外套在一个钉子上挂破了。
二、常见表达方式
1. On average, Chinese Internet users each spend two hours a day on social media: a total of 730
hours each year. 中国互联网用户平均每天花在社交媒体上的时间为2小时：每年总计为730小时。
on average 平均；通常
The common cold is a good example: women, on average, get fewer colds than men.
普通感冒就是一个很好的例子：平均来看，女性比男性患感冒的次数要少。
social media 社交媒体
Constantly checking email, text messages, and social media all steal your valuable time.
不停地查看电子邮件、短信和社交媒体都会浪费你宝贵的时间。
a total of 共计……
A total of 58 people were injured. 共58人受伤。
in total 总共
2. At the start of the detox, over 100 students had been persuaded to stop using social media, in
ANY form, for seven days. This meant no messaging friends, no posting photos, no blogging -— nothing. 在戒瘾活动开始时，超过100名学生被说服停止使用任何形式的社交媒体7天。这意味着不能给朋友发信息，不能发布照片，不能写博客——什么都不行。
1) detox /ditks/ n. 脱瘾治疗 v.（使）脱瘾，戒酒，戒毒
He had tried to detox twice by himself, but couldn’t. 他曾两次试图自行脱瘾，但是没做到。
2) 过去完成时的被动语态
“had +been +过去分词”构成过去完成时的被动语态，表示动作在过去某一时间或某一
动作之前已经发生或完成，且主语与谓语动词之间存在被动关系。
The room had been cleaned when we came. 我们来的时候房间已经被打扫过了。
过去完成时被动语态的用法大致有下列几种：
a. 用在told, said, knew, thought等动词后的宾语从句中，表示宾语从句中的动作已被做完。
He said that the books had already been sold out. 他说书已经被卖完了。
b. 当before, when, by the time, until等引导的时间状语从句的谓语是一般过去时，以及by, before后接过去的时间时，主句的动作发生在从句的动作或过去的时间之前且表示被动时，要用过去完成时的被动语态。
By the end of last year, 120 bridges had been built. 到去年为止，120座桥被建造完成。
c. 在It was the first/second/... time that...从句中，主语是动作的承受者时，要用过去完成
时的被动语态。
It was the second time that his bike had been stolen. 这是他的自行车第二次被偷了。
d. 在虚拟语气中，条件句表示与过去的事实相反，且主语是动作的承受者时，要用过
去完成时的被动语态。例如：
If I had been invited earlier, I would have gone with you.
如果我早一点被邀请，我会和你一起去的。
3) be persuaded to do 被说服做某事
She was persuaded to change her mind. 她被说服改变了主意。
3. With the detox now finished, they"ve switched on their devices and they"re back online. 现在戒
瘾活动结束了，他们打开了自己的电子设备，又回到了网上。
1) With the detox now finished是“with+名词+过去分词”形式的with复合结构。
“with+宾语+宾补”在句中常作状语，表示时间、原因、方式、条件或伴随等。宾补的具
体形式主要有：
现在分词（主动或正在进行）
过去分词（被动或已经完成）
动词不定式（尚未发生）
形容词/副词/介词短语
I will have to buy a new pair with my glasses broken.
由于眼镜碎了，我不得不买一副新的眼镜。
2) switch on（用开关）打开
switch off（用开关）关上
switch...for... 把……换成……
switch sth. with sb. 与某人交换某物
switch (over) to 转换到……
Please switch the lights off as you leave. 你离开的时候请把灯关上。
Switch to another sport. 转向另一项运动。
4. And what, if anything, has been learnt from the experience? 如果从此次经历中学到了任何道理的话，那么是什么呢?
if anything为状语从句的省略，从句常省略的成分：主语和be动词；从句省略后的形式：
“连词+非谓语动词/形容词”（作状语）。这些状语从句常由 if, when, while, once, before,
whenever, as if/though, unless, though 等引导。
省略后的固定句式有：
if possible 如果可能的话
if necessary 如果必要的话
if any 如果有的话
if so 如果是这样的话
If not 不然，要不；如果没有
when necessary 当有必要时
5. But on reflection, I can see how much of my time had been occupied with checking my phone.
I’m now trying to spend less time online and more time picking up my hobbies. 但仔细一想，
我就知道我有多少时间都花在了查看手机上。我现在正设法少花点时间上网，多花点时间培养我的爱好。
1) on reflection 经过再三考虑，反思
At the time I thought I was right, but on reflection I think perhaps I wasn’t.
在那时我认为自己是对的，但是仔细一想我也许错了。
2) be occupied with sth. 忙于某事，专心于某事
He’s still fully occupied with writing his report. 他仍旧忙于写报告。
be occupied (in) doing sth. 忙于做某事
3) pick up （偶然）学会；得到
pick up some French 学会一些法语
pick up bad habits 染上坏习惯
其他意义：廉价购买到；（开车）接人，搭载捡起，拿起；接收（信号） ；好转；顺便去取
pick sb. up 开车接某人
pick up a coin 捡起一枚硬币
pick up a signal 接收信号
Things began to pick up. 情况开始有所好转。
6. I managed the whole week! At first, I really felt I was missing out. 我坚持了整整一周！开始，
我真的觉得我错过了什么。
miss out 错过；遗漏；省略
We will be repeating the questions later, so you won"t miss out.
一会儿我们会重复这些问题，所以你不会错过了。
miss out on 错失(获利或者取乐等的机会)
I don’t want to miss out on all the fun. 我可不想错失全部的乐趣。
7. Without our phones, we had a proper conversation for over two hours, without being distracted
by messages from other people. 没有了手机，我们进行了两个多小时的融洽交谈，没有被其他人的信息分散注意力。
be distracted by 被……分心
She was distracted by the sound of running water. 她被流水声扰乱了心思。
distract sb. from … 使某人从……上分心
distract attention from … 分散对……的注意力
8. By the fifth day, I wondered—was I really missing out by not constantly checking my phone to
see what everyone else was up to? 到了第五天，我想——我真的因为没有经常查看手机了解其他人的情况而错过了什么吗？
be up to 正在做；忙于
What’s she up to? 她在捣什么鬼？
be up to sb. 由某人决定；是某人的义务
It’s up to you. 取决于你。
9. but I did give my phone to my dad to avoid giving in. 但为了避免屈服，我还是把手机给了我爸爸！
did是助动词，用来强调谓语动词give。
give in 投降，屈服，让步
Officials say they won’t give in to the workers’ demands.
官员们表示他们不会向工人的要求让步。
give in to one’s fate 向命运低头
give in to others 屈服于人
never give in to the disaster 绝不屈服于灾难
10. My brother thought I should make full use of the time without my phone, so he took me to
check out our local sports centre. 我哥哥认为我应该充分利用没有手机的时间，所以他带我去看一看我们当地的体育中心。
make full use of 充分利用
make the most/best of 充分利用
We should make full use of time to learn English. 我们应该充分利用时间来学习英语。
check out 查看，观察，看一看
Check out the new website. It’s the bomb! 看一看这新网站。简直是太棒了！
11. I’m embarrassed to say that I threw in the towel on the first day! I knew there was a party
happening that evening, but without access to social media I couldn’t remember where it was!
我很不好意思地说，我第一天就放弃了！我知道那天晚上有个聚会，但是没有社交媒体，我就想不起来聚会在什么地方了！
1) be embarrassed to do sth. 不好意思做某事
He was embarrassed to admit making a mistake. 他十分难堪地承认犯了一个错误。
embarrassed adj. 感到尴尬的
embarass vt. 使尴尬
embarrassing adj. 令人尴尬的，令人难堪的
be/feel embarrassed about/at 因……而感到尴尬
be/feel embarrassed that... 对……感到尴尬
2) throw in the towel 认输
Don’t throw in the towel. 别认输！
认输的其他表达：
give up
admit defeat
fall by the way side
quit
3) without access to 不能接触，享受不到
There are still a lot of people without access to clean water in the world.
世界上仍然有大量的人无法接触到干净的水。
access to sth. 去……的通路
have access to 有权使用……；可以接近……
be accessible to 容易接近的，容易进入的
12. After reading the posts on this forum, it seems that something other than money has also been
raised through the detox. 在阅读了论坛上的帖子后，似乎通过戒瘾活动还筹集到了一些钱以外的东西。
other than 除了，除……之外（常用于否定结构中）。后跟名词、代词、动名词、不定式、从句等作宾语，表示例外，在句子中作状语。
The form cannot be signed by anyone other than yourself.
这一表格除了你自己外不能让其他人签字。
13. Awareness of just how much we rely on social media can help us step away from it and
communicate with each other better. 意识到我们对社交媒体的依赖程度，可以帮助我们远离社交媒体，更好地与他人交流。
1) awareness of 意识到
The 1980s brought an awareness of green issues. 20世纪80年代有了环保意识。
2) step away from 逃避；远离；摆脱
Step away from the computer. 远离电脑。
14. It helped students learn how to best communicate using Social media. 它帮助学生学会如何最好地使用社交媒体进行交流。
句中 how to… 为“疑问词how+ to best communicate…”的结构，在句中作learn的宾语。
“疑问词 +动词不定式”相当于一个由疑问词引导的从句，在句中可作主语、表语、宾语等。
常用的疑问词有 who, what (无选择范围), which(有选择范围)等疑问代词和 how, when,
where 等疑问副词。why 后不直接接不定式。
They always told me what to do and how to do it. 他们总是告诉我该做什么和该怎么做。
15. She can now see how much time had been taken up with checking her phone. 她现在可以知
道查看手机花了多少时间。
take up 占用（时间）
Reading novels takes up too much of his time. 读小说占用了他太多的时间。
其他意义：占据（空间）；拿起；开始从事；着手处理，接下去；带（某人）去；消耗；
采纳，接受
take up space/room 占空间
take up a post/a position 就任一个职位
16. What would you do if you had to give up social media for a week? 如果你不得不放弃使用
社交媒体一周，你会做什么？
本句是虚拟条件句，表示与将来事实相反的假设。从句谓语为一般过去时，主句谓语为
“would+do"。
与将来事实相反的虚拟条件句表示与将来事实相反的情况或对将来情况的一种假设。条
件从句的谓语用三种形式：
一般过去时；should do；were to do。主句的谓语形式为“would/should/could/might +do"。
If I knew her telephone number, I would tell you.
如果我知道她的电话号码，我会告诉你。
If it were to rain tomorrow, I would stay at home.
如果明天下雨，我会待在家里。
17. Before I turned over a new leaf, I had always been a very lazy student. 在我改过自新之前，
我一直是一个非常懒情的学生。
turn over a new leaf 重新开始；改过自新
turn over 翻转；翻身；仔细考虑；移交
The big wave turned over the boat. 巨浪弄翻了船只。
turn over in one’s bed 辗转反侧
turn sth. over in one’s mind 仔细考虑某事
turn the evidence over to the police 把证据移交给警方
18. Indeed, I would deliberately “lose” my homework in my incredibly messy room, so that I
could put off doing it! My parent soon worked out this trick, … 事实上，我会故意把我的家
庭作业“丢”在我非常杂乱的房间里，这样我就可以推迟做家庭作业！我的父母很快识
破了这个诡计，……
1) 该句中so that 引导目的状语从句。so that 引导目的状语从句，句中常有情态动词，可与
in order that 互换。
若主句和从句的主语一致的时候，还可以用 so as to 或 in order to 将其转换为简单句。
如：
我起得很早，以便能及时赶上早操。
I got up early so that I could be in time for the morning exercises.
→ I got up early in order that I could be in time for the morning exercises.
→ I got up early so as to / in order to be in time for the morning exercises.
so that 还可以引导结果状语从句，意为“结果，因此"，不能与 in order that 互换。
He spoke clearly, so that everybody understood him. 他讲话讲得很清楚，所以大家都听懂了。
2) put off 推迟，延期
相当于 delay/postpone。put off 是“动词+副词”型短语，人称代词作宾语时，要放在 put
与 off 中间。
put off doing sth. 推迟做某事
I put off going to the doctor but I wish I hadn"t.
我推迟了去看医生的时间，但真希望自己没有这样做。
3) work out 解决问题；弄懂；制定计划
work out the maths problem 算出那道数学题
work out a solution to 找到……的解决方法
其他意义：锻炼；进展；计算出（答案、数量、价格等）
work out a study plan 制订一份学习计划
work out at the gym 在健身馆健身
work out as planned 按计划进行
19. This is what his room looked like yesterday morning. 这是他的房间昨天早上的样子。
what 在此句中引导表语从句，what 意为“……的”。
what 引导名词性从句（主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句），在名词性从句
中可以充当主语、表语和宾语。
This is what they call “Heaven on Earth”. 这就是他们称为“人间天堂”的地方。（what引
导表语从句，并在从句中作宾语）
The deadlines and what you need to apply depend on the program.
截止日期和你需要申请什么取决于这个项目。（what 引导主语从句，并在从句中作宾语）
Our class had planted a large garden in what was once only a vacant lot.
我们班同学在曾经仅仅是一片空地的地方种植了一个大花园。（what 引导宾语从句，what在从句中作主语）
I have no idea what I will take up in the university. 我不知道我在大学里要学什么。
（what 引导同位语从句，what 在从句中作宾语）
20. Printed on each umbrella were short statements about... 每把伞上都印有关于……的简短声明。
过去分词置于句首引起的倒装
本句采用了完全倒装结构，printed 为过去分词，were 为 be 动词；short statements...为主语。
① 为保持句子平衡或使上下文衔接紧密，可把介词短语、形容词或分词提到句首，并把
句子的主语和谓语全部倒装。
On her left sat her husband. 她左边坐着她的丈夫。
Standing on the stage is a super star. 站在舞台上的是位超级明星。
② here, there 等方位副词及 now, then 等时间副词位于句首，句子谓语动词为 come, go,
leave, run 等表示动作趋向或状态（be）的动词时，句子主谓完全倒装。
Now comes your turn. 现在该你了。
③ there be 句型属于完全倒装结构，该句型中 be还可用 appear, lie, live, stand, remain,
exist 等表示存在的动词替换。
There lived a cruel king in the castle. 那座城堡里曾住着一位残忍的国王。
④ 副词 away, down, in, off, out, over, round, up 等位于句首时，其后也用完全倒装语序。
这类倒装句的谓语通常是表示动态的不及物动词。
Away went the runners. 赛跑选手们跑远了。
注意：在上述②和④情况中，若句子的主语是人称代词，则不能使用倒装语序。
21. The spending power of young people varies from person to person. 年轻人的消费能力因人而异。
vary from... to… 从……到……变化
vary from person to person 因人而异
These opinions will change with time, and vary from place to place.
这些观点会根据时间和地点的不同而改变。
22. Recent headlines have seen more and more teens maxing out their parents" credit cards on
games or other online activities. 最近的头条新闻已经报道，越来越多的青少年刷爆他们父
母的信用卡把钱花在游戏或其他在线活动上。
max out（钱）花光，（信用卡）刷爆
max sth. out 使达到最高极限
Your card is maxed out. = Your card maxes out. 你的卡被刷爆了。
I maxed them out to pay for my training. 我刷爆了这些信用卡，用来支付培训费了。
花光钱的表达法：
max out all the money
use up all the money
run out of all the money
23. In contrast to these big spenders, there are also teens that prove age is no barrier to making
good use of money. 与这些大手大脚的人形成鲜明对比的是，也有一些青少年证明，年龄
并不是好好利用钱的障碍。
1) in contrast to 与……形成对比
in contrast 与此相反(=on the contrary)；比较起来
by contrast 相比之下；与之相比
in/by contrast with/to 与……形成对比；与……相比
His public statements have always been in contrast to those of his son.
他在公共场合的发言总是和他儿子的话截然不同。
2) barrier to ……的阻碍/障碍
A lack of education is a barrier to many good jobs.
教育的欠缺是找到很多好工作的障碍。
24. On receiving a Kare Bag, one woman said, “You make me feel like a human being." 一位女
士一收到Kare包就说：“你让我觉得自已是一个人。”
on/upon+doing 一……就……
on/upon + n./v.-ing 是介词短语，表示“一……就……”，作时间状语。
on /upon her reaching the new place 她一到达这个新地方
“一……就……”的其他表达法：
at the sight/sound of... 一看见/听见……
the moment/minute/instant/second(名词用作连词)+句子
immediately/instantly/directly (副词用作连词)+句子
hardly/scarcely...when...
no sooner... than...
as soon as （引导时间状语从句）
例句：
I recognized Jack the moment he turned up in the meeting hall.
杰克一出现在会议室，我就认出他来了。
Watch out for injuries while exercising. Always stop as soon as you begin to feel any pain.
运动时要小心受伤。一旦你开始感到疼痛就立即停止。
25. However people intend to use their money, managing it seems to be unprecedentedly
important to younger generations. 不管人们打算如何使用他们的钱，理财对于年轻一代来
说似乎是前所未有的重要。
intend to do sth./doing sth. 打算做某事
intend sth. 想要某物
intend sb. to do sth. 打算让某人做某事
intend him to manage the company 打算让他经营该公司
26. It was from then on that his grandchildren started to be in control of what to do with the
money they receive: spend, save, invest or give? 从那时起，他们的孙辈们就开始管理如何
使用他们所收到的钱：消费、储蓄、投资还是捐赠？
in control of 控制，管理（主动）
Mr. Green is the person in control of all medical decisions at the hospital.
格林先生是控制医院所有医疗决定的人。
in the control of 在……管理/控制之下（被动）
The pressure of the steam in the engine is in the control of the button.
发动机中的蒸汽压力由这个按钮控制。
类似短语：
in charge of 主管……（主动）
in the charge of 由……主管（被动）
in possession of 拥有……（主动）
in the possession of 由……拥有（被动）
27. The value taught with the Spending jar is that you are responsible for your own happiness. 消费罐教给我们的价值观是要为自己的幸福负责。
that 引导表语从句
that/what 引导表语从句的区别
that 引导表语从句时，在从句中不作任何成分，也无实际意义，只起连接作用，但不可
省略。
One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories.
一种观点是睡眠可以帮助我们强化新的记忆。
what 引导表语从句时，在从句中可以作主语、宾语或表语，what 表示“……的事物”，
相当于the thing(s) that。
This is what my father has taught me—to always face difficulties and hope for the best.
这就是父亲教给我的一一永远面对困难，并且抱最好的希望。
28. While the Spending jar is about the here and now, the Saving jar gives you a vision for the
future. 消费罐着眼于当前，而储蓄罐则给你一个未来的愿景。
1) while 引导让步状语从句
本句中的 while 意为“虽然；尽管”，相当于though/although，位于句首，引导让步状语从句。
while 的其他用法：
a. while 意为“当……时”，引导时间状语从句。
从句中谓语动词用延续性动词。
While he worked in Beijing, he made several American friends.
在北京工作期间，他结交了几个美国朋友。
b. while 意为“而……；却”，位于句中，连接并列句。
Jane is fond of music, while Alice likes sports. 简喜欢音乐，而爱丽丝喜欢运动。
2) the here and now 眼前，现在，此时此地
Don’t get stuck in the here and now when what is happening at this moment is just a small
span in a long career.
人的生涯漫长，今天所发生的情况仅仅是一小段，不要因此而困扰。
29. Although this could likewise involve putting aside money for your university education, it also
means investing in yourself. 虽然这也可能涉及到为你的大学教育存钱，但这也意味着对你自己的投资。
put aside 撇开，把……放在一边
put aside money 存钱
She put at least 100 yuan a week aside for trips. 她每周为旅行存至少100元钱。
put aside 的其他意义：忽视；不理睬；忘记
They decided to put aside their differences. 他们决定搁置双方的分歧。
30. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must
hammer a nail into the back of the fence. 他的爸爸给了他一袋钉子，并告诉他，每次他发脾气时，他都要把一颗钉子钉进篱笆的后面。
every time 引导时间状语从句相当于 each time 意为“每次”，是名词词组，可用作连词，
引导时间状语从句。
The roof leaks every time it rains. 每逢下雨屋顶都会漏水。
下列名词词组也可以引导时间状语从句：
the first/second time 第一次/第二次……
(the) last time/ (the) next time 上次/下次……
any time 任何时候
the day/week/month/year... ……的那天/那星期/那个月/那年
the moment... 一……就……
He was so tired that he fell asleep the moment he went to bed. 他困得很，一上床就睡着了。