选修八_Unit1_Language_points_in_reading

1. California is the third largest state in the USA but has the largest population. population (1) 对人口提问用what, 不用how many, how much。 What’s the population of the city? 这个城市有多少人口？

(2) population作主语时用单数，但前有 分数，小数，百分数时，谓语动词用复 数。 The population of China is larger than that of America. 中国人口比美国人口多。 80% of the population are farmers. 百分之80的人口是农民。

(3) 人口的增加或减少用grow (increase) 和 fall (decrease); 人口的多少用large 和small。 The population of China ___ large. And is 70% of the population of China _____ are peasants.

2. However, it is likely that Native Americans were living in California at least fifteen thousand years ago. [考点] 此句中的it是形式主语, 真正的 主语是后面的that从句。另外, what, how, where, who等也常用作主语从句 的引导词。

[考例1] __ is our belief that improvements in health care will lead to a stronger, more prosperous economy. (浙江2006) A. As B. That C. This D. It [点拨] It 是形式主语，that引导的从句 为主语从句，作真正的主语。

[考例2] ______ he referred to in his article was unknown to the general reader. (上海2007) A. That B. What C. Whether D. Where [点拨] 分析句子结构可知，谓语动词was 前是主语从句，主语从句中的谓语动词 referred to后缺宾语，故用what引导。

3. … these settlers crossed the Bering Strait in the Arctic to American by means of a land bridge. means n. 方式, 手段(单复数相同)。 The quickest means of travel is by plane. Every possible means has been tried, but none has worked. Are there any possible means of getting there? Some means are practical while others are not.

◆联想记忆： 1) by no means 决不，一点也不 She is by no means poor; in fact, she is very rich. 2) by this means (in this way); 用这方式 by means of 用……方式 He succeeded by means of hard work. 3) by all means 当然可以, 没问题 ----Can I see it? ----By all means.

4. Of the first Spanish to go to California, the majority were religious men,… majority 大多数 n. 1) the majority of the people: most of the people 大多数人 2) majority常与a /the 连用; most后接名词或of + n. The majority were/was for the plan. The majority of the people / Most people/ Most of the people are against the idea of building a new factory here.

The majority ____________ for the budget. was / were The majority of students _____ hardare working. The majority of the damage ___ easy to is repair. 单独做主语时, 若强调整体, 谓语动词用 单数, 强调个体时, 谓语动词用复数 。 a/the majority of + n. 后可用不可数名词， 也可用 可数名词复数, 谓语动词由后面的 名词决定。

◆发散记忆： major adj. 主要的, 重要的 a major road v. (+in sth.)主修(科目) minority n. 少数人，少数 e

g. Only a small minority of students are interested in politics these days.

-- What’s the boys’ favorite sport? -- ___ of boys like playing football. A. None B. The most C. The majority D. Every 【解析】C 考查majority的用法。问句 问的是男孩们最喜欢的运动是什么， 即：多数男孩喜欢的，所以选择：the majority of + 名词(……的大多数)。most 当“大多数”讲时，其前通常无冠词, of 后

5. In the 16th century, after the arrival of Europeans, the native people suffered greatly. 在16世纪, 欧洲人到来之后, 当地人陷 入了极大的苦难。 suffer vi. 受痛苦；受损害 vt. 遭受；忍受

辨析：suffer与suffer from suffer (vt.) 和suffer from的区别: suffer 指一般的损害、痛苦等等, 其宾语为pain, loss, grief, insult, punishment, wrong, hardship, injustice, discouragement, disappointment, setback (挫折),但suffer from表示遭受战争，自然灾害带来的苦 难及患病之意。

suffer the result /heavy losses /injuries 承受结果/遭受大损失/负伤 suffer from headache/illness/war/the

flood遭受头痛/疾病的困扰/战争/ 洪水