生活英语对话 Episode 39: A friend of a friend

本单元是关于朋友的朋友的对话

Helen:Well, you see, I have this friend. And, she has a problem. She saw a friend of hers doing something wrong and now she doesn't know what to do. If she reports him, he'll know it was her and probably won't ever speak to her again. But if she doesn't report him, he'll just get away with it.
Prof. Lewis:What do you think your 'friend' should do?
Helen: I haven't got a clue!
Prof. Lewis:Well, you can tell your 'friend' that I'm very suspicious about someone's unusually high test score recently and I also overheard some very worrying comments about photocopying¹ being 'very easy'.
Helen: Really?
Prof. Lewis:Yes really. Now what's your friend of a friend's name?
Helen: It's ...it's John.


Vocabulary:（词汇）

get away with something:（侥幸逃脱）
to do something wrong or illegal and not get caught or found out

本单元语言点是省略号，请看下面关于省略号的用法和例句

Apostrophes

Uses:（用法）

We can use an apostrophe (') to:

1. show possession, show that something belongs or is owned by someone.
Someone's high test score
Your friend's name

2. show a contraction² show where a letter has been missed out when words are shortened
He'll know it was me (He will)
If she doesn't report him (does not)


Possession:（所有格）

If it's a singular noun, the apostrophe goes before the 's'. It doesn't matter if thing or person owned is singular or plural³
The boy's shirt = one owner, the boy
The doctor's patients = one owner, one doctor

If it's a plural noun, the apostrophe goes after the 's'
The boys' shirts = more than one boy or owner
The doctors' patients = more than one doctor or owner

If it's an irregular plural noun, the apostrophe goes before the 's' The men's newspapers
The mice's footprints

If a noun ends in an 's', we usually put the apostrophe + s after the first 's'
James's house
Dennis's friends

Although this rule is flexible and nowadays you might see:
James' house
Dennis' friends

Another exception to this rule is with literary or classical references:
Dickens' novels
Socrates' writings

If the context is clear, we don't always have to mention the thing that's owned:
Is that my pen or Paul's? = Paul's pen
That top is my sister's = my sister's top

We don't use an apostrophe to show possession with these determiners:
mine - That's mine
yours - I've got my money, have you got yours?
his - Those shoes are his
hers - That bike is hers
its - My dog isn't well, its temperature is very high
ours - That house is his and that one is ours
theirs - Don't touch those cakes, they're theirs and they don't like to share


Contraction:（缩写）

The apostrophe is used to show where a letter or letters have been left out:
She hasn't replied to my letter = has not
He's my brother = is

We can make contractions⁴ with:

1. nouns and pronouns
She's a teacher
There's nobody here

2. auxiliary⁵ verbs (would, could, will, should) as well as sometimes with be and havewhen they aren't being used as auxiliary verbs:
They would've come if you'd invited them = would have/you had
I haven't got any money = have not

We can't use double contractions in English:
'She'sn't from France' is wrong.
Instead we'd say 'She isn't from France' or 'She's not from France'

1 photocopying   

v.影印，照相复制（photocopy的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• All photocopying machines need careful usage, and regular cleaning and maintenance. 所有照像复制机都需要小心使用、定期擦洗和维修。 来自辞典例句
• A trademark used for a photocopying process or machine employing xerography. 商标名，用于采用静电复印术的影印过程或机器。 来自互联网

2 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

3 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

4 contractions   

n.收缩( contraction的名词复数 )；缩减；缩略词；（分娩时）子宫收缩

参考例句：

• Contractions are much more common in speech than in writing. 缩略词在口语里比在书写中常见得多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Muscle contractions are powered by the chemical adenosine triphosphate(ATP ). 肌肉收缩是由化学物质三磷酸腺苷(ATP)提供动力的。 来自辞典例句

5 auxiliary   

adj.辅助的，备用的

参考例句：

• I work in an auxiliary unit.我在一家附属单位工作。
• The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of blackout.这家医院装有备用发电系统以防灯火管制。