中級美國英語虛詞 it的用法（一）
在這一課里, 我們學習虛詞 it, i-t, it 的用法, 比方: "買房子不容易" It isn't easy to buy a house. "買房屋保險是必需的" It's necessary to buy house insurance等等. 另外我們要學習許多有關買賣房屋的詞匯.
現(xiàn)在我們來聽今天這一課的對話, 內容是說亨利跟凱特談起了鄰居賣房子的事情. 請你注意聽兩位英文老師的發(fā)音和語調.
F: Henry, the Fishers finally sold their house.
M: Well, it's good to hear that.
F: It hasn't been easy to sell a house these days. I was worried.
M: So was I. And the Fishers were so anxious to move. Did they get their price?
F: They got five thousand dollars less than they were asking for the house.
M: It isn't bad. It's expected to get less than what is asked.
下面我請英文老師把整段對話再用慢速度念一遍, 請你注意聽.
F: Henry, the Fishers finally sold their house.
M: Well, it's good to hear that.
F: It hasn't been easy to sell a house these days. I was worried.
M: So was I. And the Fishers were so anxious to move. Did they get their price?
F: They got five thousand dollars less than they were asking for the house.
M: It isn't bad. It's expected to get less than what is asked.
現(xiàn)在老師把包含了it 的句子用慢速度再念一遍給你聽.
M: It's good to hear that.
F: It hasn't been easy to sell a house these days.
M: It's expected to get less than what is asked.
二.IT
聽了上面幾個句子, 我想你已經注意到 it 的用法. 比方 "擁有一幢房子很困難"It's difficult to own a house. 在這個句子里 it 指的就是 to own a house.現(xiàn)在我們作一組練習, 學學這種用法. 練習里的句子都是跟買房子, 租公寓有關系的. 練習的作法是老師念一個句子,接著老師給你一個動詞詞組, 比方 "買公寓" to purchase a condominium, 老師也可能給你一個形容詞, 比方 "經濟實惠" economical, 請你把聽到的代換到句子里.
M: It's difficult to own a house.
M: purchase a home
F: It's difficult to purchase a home.
M: costly
F: It's costly to purchase a home.
M: purchase a condominium
F: It's costly to purchase a condominium.
M: practical
F: It's practical to purchase a condominium.
M: economical
F: It's economical to purchase a condominium.
M: rent an apartment
F: It's economical to rent an apartment.
M: common
F: It's common to rent an apartment.
我希望剛才那組練習你都作對了. 下面我們再作一組練習, 用剛才那種句子構造學學買房子或是租房子應該注意的事情, 比方 "選擇合適的地點" select the right location, "有好鄰居" have good neighbors, "有個講理的房東" have a reasonable landlord 等等. 練習的作法是老師提出一個問題, 請你作肯定的答覆. 每作完一句還是請你聽老師念正確答案.
M: Is it important to select the right location?
F: Yes, it is important to select the right location.
M: Is it important to live in a good neighborhood?
F: Yes, it is important to live in a good neighborhood.
M: Is it important to have good neighbors?
F: Yes, it is important to have good neighbors.
M: Is it important to have a reasonable landlord?
F: Yes, it is important to have a reasonable landlord.
下面一組練習談到買房子必須作的事情, 比方 "借錢" get a loan, "貸款" get a mortgage, "查利率" check the interest rate. "按期付款" make regular payments,"買房屋保險" buy house insurance, "付清貸款" pay off the mortgage 等等. 練習的作法是老師念一個句子, 接著老師念一個詞組. 請你把你聽到的代換到原來的句子里, 每作完一句就請你聽老師念正確答案.
M: It is necessary to pay for the house.
M: get a loan
F: It is necessary to get a loan.
M: get a mortgage
F: It is necessary to get a mortgage
M: check the interest rate
F: It is necessary to check the interest rate.
M: repay the bank
F: It is necessary to repay the bank.
M: make regular payments
F: It is necessary to make regular payments.
M: buy house insurance
F: It is necessary to buy house insurance.
M: pay off the mortgage
F: It is necessary to pay off the mortgage.
在下面一組練習里, 我們把兩種意思相同但是句型不同的句子作個比較. 比方我們剛才練習過的一個句子: It is necessary to pay for the house. 這句話也可以這樣說: Paying for the house is necessary. 現(xiàn)在我們開始作練習, 由老師用it 作一個句子, 比方 It is necessary to get a loan.請你把句子改成Getting a loan is necessary. 每作完一句, 就請你聽老師念正確答案.
M: It is necessary to pay for the house.
F: Paying for the house is necessary.
M: It is necessary to get a loan.
F: Getting a loan is necessary.
M: It is necessary to get a mortgage.
F: Getting a mortgage is necessary.
M: It is necessary to check the interest rate.
F: Checking the interest rate is necessary.
M: It is necessary to repay the bank.
F: Repaying the bank is necessary.
M: It is necessary to make regular payments.
F: Making regular payments is necessary.
M: It is necessary to buy house insurance.
F: Buying house insurance is necessary.
在剛才的幾組練習里我們學到了在美國買房子必須作的事情. 現(xiàn)在我們還是用 it 作句子, 學學在郊區(qū)買房子有什么好處和壞處. 練習的作法是老師提出一個問句, 比方 "住在郊區(qū)比較安全嗎?" Is it safer to live in the suburbs? 接著老師提出一個形容詞, 比方 "麻煩" troublesome, 你就用這個形容詞的比較級把問句改成 Is it more troublesome to live in the suburbs? 好, 現(xiàn)在我們開始作練習, 每作完一句, 老師就把正確答案念給你聽.
M: Is it safer to live in the suburbs?
M: quiet
F: Is it quieter to live in the suburbs?
M: economical
F: Is it more economical to live in the suburbs?
M: interesting
F: Is it more interesting to live in the suburbs?
M: comfortable
F: Is it more comfortable to live in the suburbs?
M: expensive
F: Is it more expensive to live in the suburbs?
M: troublesome
F: Is it more troublesome to live in the suburbs?
M: dangerous
F: Is it more dangerous to live in the suburbs?
M: convenient
F: Is it more convenient to live in the suburbs?
下面一組練習是說到住在城里的好處和壞處; 比方老師問學生 "住在城里比較不舒服嗎?" Is it less comfortable living in the city? 接著老師念出一個形容詞,學生就把形容詞代換到原來的句子里, 請你在學生作練習的時候也一起作.
M: Is it less economical living in the city?
M: interesting
F: Is it less interesting living in the city?
M: comfortable
F: Is it less comfortable living in the city?
M: expensive
F: Is it less expensive living in the city?
M: troublesome
F: Is it less troublesome living in the city?
M: dangerous
F: Is it less dangerous living in the city?
M: convenient
F: Is it less convenient living in the city?
下面一組練習是由老師用疑問詞 what 問你一個問題, 比方: What has become necessary? 接著老師念一個詞組, 比方: "有收入" having an income. 請你用這個詞組來回答問題,所以答案就是:Having an income has become necessary.然后你再用 it 把句子改成 It has become necessary to have an income. 每作完一個句子就請你聽老師念正確答案.
M: What has become difficult?
M: purchasing a home
F: Purchasing a home has become difficult.
F: It has become difficult to purchase a home.
M: What has become costly?
M: buying a condominium
F: Buying a condominium has become costly.
F: It has become costly to buy a condominium.
M: What has become expensive?
M: renting an apartment
F: Renting an apartment has become expensive.
F: It has become expensive to rent an apartment.
M: What has become common?
M: paying high interest rate
F: Paying high interest rate has become common.
F: It has become common to pay high interest rate.
M: What has become important?
M: getting a mortgage
F: Getting a mortgage has become important.
F: It has become important to get a mortgage.
三.聽短文回答問題
今天我們要聽的文章是談到美國人的住房問題. 文章里不但說到美國人民怎么樣貸款買房子, 還談到租房子或是租公寓有什么好處.
請你注意聽, 等一會兒我們要根據文章問你幾個問題.
In the U.S. today, the cost of housing is very high. It is common to pay one fourth to one third of a family's income on a place to live. The price of a house depends on its size and location. Big houses are more expensive than smaller ones. And houses closer to the center of big cities are more expensive than ones in the suburbs or in small towns. Regardless of the cost, it is usual for people to buy their houses over a period of time. When a family buys a house, it is necessary to borrow money from a bank to pay for it. Then they repay the bank in regular payments. This kind of bank loan is called a mortgage. Families can take 30 years to pay-off the mortgage. Without a mortgage it would be impossible for most people to own their houses. Many Americans don't own their own homes. They pay landlords to live in their homes. The money they pay for this is called rent. Usually, it is cheaper to rent than it is to buy and to pay a mortgage. Also, when something needs to be repaired, it is easy for the renter to ask the landlord to fix it. Some people rent houses, but most renters live in apartments. Apartment buildings are located in cities where it is too costly to build houses. Recently it has become common for renters to buy their apartments. When this happens, the cost usually increases but the money goes to pay off the mortgage. Apartments bought this way are called condominiums.
剛才那篇文章如果你沒有全部聽懂, 沒有關系, 等一會兒老師會再念一遍給你聽. 現(xiàn)在我們先來聽老師把今天測驗的問題念一遍.
第一個問題是:
M: How much do most Americans pay for a place to live?
第二個問題是:
M: How do most Americans pay for a house?
第三個問題是:
M: What are some of the advantages of renting an apartment?
現(xiàn)在我請英文老師用慢速度再把整篇文章念一遍.
In the U.S. today, the cost of housing is very high. It is common to pay one fourth to one third of a family's income on a place to live. The price of a house depends on its size and location. Big houses are more expensive than smaller ones. And houses closer to the center of big cities are more expensive than ones in the suburbs or in small towns. Regardless of the cost, it is usual for people to buy their houses over a period of time. When a family buys a house, it is necessary to borrow money from a bank to pay for it. Then they repay the bank in regular payments. This kind of bank loan is called a mortgage. Families can take 30 years to pay-off the mortgage. Without a mortgage it would be impossible for most people to own their houses. Many Americans don't own their own homes. They pay landlords to live in their homes. The money they pay for this is called rent. Usually, it is cheaper to rent than it is to buy and to pay a mortgage. Also, when something needs to be repaired, it is easy for the renter to ask the landlord to fix it. Some people rent houses, but most renters live in apartments. Apartment buildings are located in cities where it is too costly to build houses. Recently it has become common for renters to buy their apartments. When this happens, the cost usually increases but the money goes to pay off the mortgage. Apartments bought this way are called condominiums.
現(xiàn)在請你回答下面三個問題.
第一個問題是:
M: How much do most Americans pay for a place to live?
F: Most Americans pay one fourth to one third of their income for a place to live.
第二個問題是:
M: How do most Americans pay for a house?
F: They get a mortgage.
第三個問題是:
M: What are some of the advantages of renting an apartment?
F: It is cheaper and easier to get repairs
