[第16讲]lesson36-a61cbb99bb4f_学而思刘飞飞新概念一二三册_刘飞飞新概念三_新概念英语第三册L21-L40（主讲刘飞飞）_[第16讲]lesson36

LESSON 36 A CHANCE IN A 
MILLION
•
We are less credulous than we used to be In the nineteenth century
MILLION
We are less credulous than we used to be. In the nineteenth century, 
a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his 
readers with a series of coincidences --most of them wildly y
improbable.
•
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid-servant was 
really the hero's mother.
•
A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the 
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's down- fall.
•
And so on.
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally 
unacceptable.
credulous
•
太容易相信的，轻信的，易受骗的
•
credulous people who believe what the advertisements say 
•
incredulous
coincidence
•
巧合
•
巧合
•
真巧啊
Wh t
i
id
•
What a coincidence
•
'I'm going to the airport tomorrow.' ' What a coincidence !I'm going 
up there too ‘
up there too.‘
•
巧合的是
B
i
id
•
By coincidence
•
By coincidence, we happened to be travelling on the same train.
B
t
i
id
I
t th
I
t
d
•
By a strange coincidence, I met the person I saw yesterday
•
We are less credulous than we used to be. In the nineteenth century, 
a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his 
readers with a series of coincidences --most of them wildly 
improbable
improbable.
•
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid-servant was 
really the hero's mother
really the hero s mother.
•
A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the 
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's down- fall
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero s down- fall.
•
And so on.
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally 
unacceptable.
1
obscure
•
1)不易看清的:
1)不易看清的: 
•
an obscure corner of the garden 
•
The view was obscured by mist
•
The view was obscured by mist
Is the meaning still obscure to you? 
•
2)不易理解的，费解的
)
易
解
，费解
•
obscure legal phrases
•
an obscure poet
an obscure poet
•
3）不出名的
•
an obscure village in the country 在乡下的一个不出名的村子.
an obscure village in the country 在乡下的
个不出名的村子.
•
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid-servant was 
pp y
p
really the hero's mother.
•
A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the 
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's down- fall.
•
And so on.
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally 
unacceptable.
presume
1）认为
自认为
•
1）认为，自认为
•
I presume (that) they're not coming, since they haven't replied to the 
i
it ti
invitation.
•
`Are the neighbours away on holiday?' `I presume so.‘
•
=
•
2）认定，假定
•
be presumed dead/innocent 
•
Twelve passengers are missing, presumed dead. 
•
In English law, a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty
•
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid-servant was
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid servant was 
really the hero's mother.
•
A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the 
g
,
p
,
y
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's down- fall.
•
And so on.
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally 
unacceptable.
2
•
（戏剧或小说的）故事情节（的构思或布局）:
•
The plot was too complicated for me I couldn't follow it. 
•
密谋（做某事）
•
plot with sb against sth
•
伙同他人阴谋反对政府
•
plot with others against the government
•
plot to do sth
p
•
They  plotted to blow up the White House.
•
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid-servant was
Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maid servant was 
really the hero's mother.
•
A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the 
g
,
p
,
y
time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's down- fall.
•
And so on.
•
Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally 
unacceptable.
naive
•
幼稚的人
幼稚的人
•
幼稚的话
•
it is naive to think/presume that
it is naive to think/presume that …
•
认为英语很容易是很幼稚的
•
It is naive to presume that English is easy
•
It is naive to presume that English is easy
•
认为粉丝都很脑残（brain-impaired)是很幼稚的想法
•
Yet, in real life, circumstances do sometimes conspire to bring about 
coincidences which anyone but a nineteenth century novelist would 
find incredible.
（指事情）同时发生(结果对某
[某事物]
利)
•
（指事情）同时发生(结果对某人[某事物]不利)
•
conspire to do sth
•
Pollution and traffic jam have conspired to ruin the city.
•
events conspired to bring about his downfall
•
下雨和堵车一起来了结果导致我的迟到
•
The rain and traffic jam conspired to bring about my late arrival
3
SECTION 2:
•
A German taxi-driver, Franz Bussman, recently found a brother who 
th
ht t h
b
kill d t
t
b f
was thought to have been killed twenty years before.
•
While on a walking tour with his wife, he stopped to talk to a 
orkman
workman.
•
After they had gone on, Mrs Bussman commented on the workman's 
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might 
be his brother.
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea pointing out that his brother had
Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had 
been killed in action during the war.
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she 
thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
•
It is said that she works 16 hours a day.
It is said that she works 16 hours a day.
•
It is expected that the meeting will end soon
It is expected that the meeting will end soon
•
It is believed that the boy is wearing a white coat
•
It is believed that the boy is wearing a white coat 
•
It is reported that he kicked a policeman
•
It is reported that he kicked a policeman.
It is said that…
•
thought
thought
•
believed
•
considered
considered
•
reported
•
known
•
known
•
expected
•
understood
•
understood
•
It is said that she works 16 hours a day.
•
It is expected that the meeting will end soon
•
It is believed that the boy is wearing a white coat 
•
It is reported that he kicked a policeman.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) ___ birds kept in cages in order to 
have the pleasure of setting them free. 
A. is said to be buying B. is said to have bought 
C. had said to buy D. has said to have bought
4
•
The crowd cheered wildly at the sight of Liu Xiang, who was 
reported_______ the world record in the 110-meter hurdle race.
A. breaking      B. having broken 
C. to have broken     D. to break
•
A German taxi-driver, Franz Bussman, recently found a brother who 
h
h
h
b
kill d
b f
was thought to have been killed twenty years before.
•
While on a walking tour with his wife, he stopped to talk to a 
k
workman.
•
After they had gone on, Mrs Bussman commented on the workman's 
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might 
be his brother.
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea pointing out that his brother had
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had 
been killed in action during the war.
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story she
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she 
thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
resemble
•
像=
•
她和她弟弟长得很像
•
她和她弟弟长得很像.
•
She resembles her brother in looks. 
It'
i
h
l
l B i
d St
bl
h th
•
It's amazing how closely Brian and Steve resemble each other.
bear a (close/striking/) resemblance to sb/sth
•
(=look like)
( look like)
•
Tina bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
5
•
A German taxi-driver, Franz Bussman, recently found a brother who 
h
h
h
b
kill d
b f
was thought to have been killed twenty years before.
•
While on a walking tour with his wife, he stopped to talk to a 
k
workman.
•
After they had gone on, Mrs Bussman commented on the workman's 
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might
close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might 
be his brother.
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea pointing out that his brother had
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had 
been killed in action during the war.
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story she
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she 
thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
scorn
•
鄙视; 轻蔑: 
b/ th
•
pour scorn on sb/sth
•
你为什么总是瞧不起我的建议
Wh d
l
i
?
•
Why do you always pour scorn on my suggestions?
•
我鄙视那些幼稚又爱上当的人
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea pointing out that his brother had
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had 
been killed in action during the war.
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story she
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she 
thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
acquainted adj
•
be familiar with
•
be/become acquainted with sth
•
你跟他熟悉么
•
Are you acquainted with him?
•
Are you acquainted with the works of Shakespeare? 
•
你很快就会完全熟悉这个游戏了
•
You will soon become fully acquainted with this game. 
•
Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had 
been killed in action during the war.
•
Though Mrs Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she 
thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
•
A few days later, she sent a boy to the workman to ask him if his 
name was Hans Bussman Needless to say the man's name was Hans
name was Hans Bussman, Needless to say, the man s name was Hans 
Bussman and he really was Franz's long-lost brother. When the 
brothers were reunited, Hans explained how it was that he was still 
,
p
alive.
•
After having been wounded towards the end of the war, he had been 
sent to hospital and was separated from his unit.
•
The hospital had been bombed and Hans had made his way back 
into Western Germany on foot. Meanwhile, his unit was lost and all 
records of him had been destroyed.
H
d
hi f
il h
b
h h
h d b
b
b d
•
Hans returned to his family home, but the house had been bombed 
and no one in the neighbourhood knew what had become of the 
inhabitants
inhabitants.
6
•
While/when I was reading the book, I found a mistake on the front 
page 
•
After Joe finished breakfast, she left the house
•
After Joe had finished breakfast, she left the house
•
A few days later, she sent a boy to the workman to ask him if his 
name was Hans Bussman Needless to say the man's name was Hans
name was Hans Bussman, Needless to say, the man s name was Hans 
Bussman and he really was Franz's long-lost brother. When the 
brothers were reunited, Hans explained how it was that he was still 
,
p
alive.
•
After having been wounded towards the end of the war, he had been 
sent to hospital and was separated from his unit.
•
The hospital had been bombed and Hans had made his way back 
into Western Germany on foot. Meanwhile, his unit was lost and all 
records of him had been destroyed.
H
d
hi f
il h
b
h h
h d b
b
b d
•
Hans returned to his family home, but the house had been bombed 
and no one in the neighbourhood knew what had become of the 
inhabitants
inhabitants.
•
inhabit=live in
•
Many animals live in the wood
•
Only 100 people inhabited the village
•
inhabitant
•
Assuming that his family had been killed during an air-raid, Hans 
settled down in a Village fifty miles away where he had remained
settled down in a Village fifty miles away where he had remained 
ever since.
7