（课前预习）Unit1

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4. What do you think is the most important thing to achieve at college? Explain.

Unit1 College life

TextA Secrets of Straight-A Students

1 A professor of education who has conducted major studies of super-achieving students revealed that top grades do not always go to the brightest students. According to him, other education experts and top students themselves, it is far more important for a student to know how to make the most of his or her innate abilities. ? Content Questions(Para.1)

1. What did the professor of education find?

2. What is important for a student to bear in mind? ? Key Words and Expressions （Para.1） conduct vt.

carry out or direct; go with and guide or lead 进行；实施；经营；处理；陪伴；引导，带领 e.g. 1. These studies were conducted by four teams that coordinated their work. 2. We are conducting a survey to find out what the customers think of our service. 我们在进行一项调查以了解顾客对我们服务的看法。 Collocations:

conduct a meeting 主持会议

conduct an investigation 进行调查

reveal vt.

make known sth. that was previously secret or unknown 揭示，透露；使（事实等）显露出来 e.g. 1. Details of the murder were revealed by the local newspaper. 2. He didn’t want to reveal his real feelings. 他不想露出他的真实情感。 Collocations:

reveal sth. to sb. 向某人透露某事 reveal sb. to be 显示某人是

make the most of

get the best advantage from 最大限度利用

e.g. 1. Jim studied hard in the training class; he wanted to make the most of his chance to learn. 2. The occasion only comes once in five years, and they naturally make the most of it. 这个机会五年才有一次，他们当然会充分利用。 2 The students at the top of the class attain academic excellence by mastering a few basic principles that others can easily learn. To begin with, top students know how to set their priorities right. Study time is never compromised for phone calls, television programmes or snacks. In other words, it is always placed above recreation. In addition, top students make a point of studying anywhere or everywhere. A top student who is also a top athlete memorises biology terms as he works out every day. Another student learns a new word every morning while brushing his teeth. Among all the students interviewed, every one agreed that study times are strictly a matter of personal preference. Some thrive at night when all is silent. Others prefer to study as soon as they come home from school when the lessons are fresh in their minds. However, all agreed that consistency is a main factor if one is to perform well at all times.

? Content Questions(Para.2)

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1. What is the first basic principal for attaining academic excellence? 2. How does the writer illustrate what is meant by “set priorities right”? 3. What is the second basic principle?

4. What examples does the writer give to illustrate the second basic priciple? 5．What did all the students interviewed say about study times? ? Key Words and Expressions （Para.2） attain vt.

fml gain or arrive at, esp. after long effort; reach〖正式〗（长期努力后）获得，达到 e.g. 1. He attained fame through many years of hard work. 2. We need to identify the best ways of attaining our goals. 我们需要确定达到我们目标的最好方法。 CF: attain, achieve & accomplish 这三个动词均有“达到、完成”之意。

attain 指努力去达成或实现目标，常指事先没有确信会成功而去追求的目标。例如： * She finally attained her ends. 她终于达到了她的目的。

* Kacy attained the rank of deputy director. 凯茜当上副经理了。

achieve指由于付出努力而理所当然地实现目标、获得成功。例如：

* He will never achieve his objectives if he does not work harder. 如果不加倍努力的话，他永远也实现不了他的目标。

accomplish指完成规定的任务。例如：

* He accomplished the building of the bookcase. 他做完了一个书橱。

to begin with

in the first place; firstly 首先；第一点

e.g. 1. I’m not going; to begin with, I haven’t a ticket, and secondly I don’t like the play. 2. To begin with, John is too young for that kind of job. 首先，约翰做那种工作太年轻了。

in addition (to)

as well (as); besides 除??之外；另外

e.g. 1. In addition to giving a general introduction to computers, the course also provides practical experience.

2. In addition to my studies, I got involved in lots of other activities. 除了学习以外，我参加了许多其他活动。

make a point of doing sth.

take particular care about sth. 特别注意，重视；总是要做（某事）

e.g. 1. I always make a point of checking that all the windows are shut before I go out. 2. She makes a point of keeping all her shopping receipts. 她总是把所有的购物发票都留起来。

perform vi.

do; carry out (a piece of work, duty, ceremony, etc.), esp. according to a usual or established method; give, act, or show (a play, a part in a play, a piece of music, tricks, etc.), esp. in the presence of the public 履行，实行，完成；表演

e.g. 1. John has been training very hard and he hopes he will perform better for the 100-metre dash. 2. Some computers can perform over a billion computations a second.

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有些计算机一秒钟能完成超过十亿次运算。 CF: perform & conduct

这两个动词均有“做、在行动中执行任务”之意。

perform 指履行义务、职责或执行命令，所执行的任务一般比较困难和复杂。例如： * He wouldn’t promise what he could not perform. 他不会许下无法兑现的承诺。

conduct 指挥、实现、进行，词义接近perform，但强调指导、领导或监督。例如： * The interview was conducted in English. 面试用英语进行。

3 A student must also learn to be organised. For example, a top student who is actively involved in his school band, track and field, rugby association and debate team disclosed that he keeps his things in their proper places because he simply cannot afford time-wasting searches. Another student immediately files the day’s notes in colour-coded folders so that they are available for review nearing examination time. Another technique advocated by top students is to read effectively. This includes speed-reading, improving one’s memory or retention ability, and actively asking questions that will lead to a full understanding of the author’s message. ? Content Questions(Para.3)

1. What did the first student say about getting organized? 2. What did the second student say about getting organized?

3. What does reading effectively include according to some top students? ? Key Words and Expressions （Para.3） involve vt.

[(in, with)] (of a situation or action) have as the people or things taking part [常与in或with连用] （情况、行动）使陷入，使卷入；牵涉，涉及

e.g. 1. Fanny is actively involved in the drama association of our college. 2. I didn’t mean to get you so much involved in the matter. 我本不想让你这么深地卷入这件事中来。

file

1. vt. put (papers or letters) in a file 把（文件、信件）汇存起来，把??存卷（归档），存档 e.g. 1) These notes should be carefully filed away for future reference. 2) We file these reports under country of origin. 我们按照原籍国家把这些报告归档保存。

2. n. a box, folder, etc. for storing papers in an ordered way, esp. in an office （办公室内的）文件匣（夹）

3. n. a line of people one behind the other 纵列 4. vi. march in a file 排成纵队前进

e.g. They filed slowly past the grave of their leader. 他们排成一列缓缓地走过他们领袖的坟墓。

advocate vt.

speak in favour of; support (an idea or plan), esp. publicly 拥护，提倡，主张 e.g. 1. The committee doesn’t advocate the use of violence. 2. Many people advocate building more hospitals. 许多人主张增设医院。

4 It is also important for students to know how to schedule their time. They must know how to pace each assignment or project according to their daily timetable and work ability so that they might not be overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Being able to set timetables not only allows students more time to

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review and polish their work, it also prevents them from procrastinating. Top students believe that a secret of their success is the taking down of good notes during lessons and using them for revision. One student revealed that she writes notes from the text on one side of her notebook and those from her teachers’ lectures on the other side. This allows her to review both aspects of each lesson at once. The student also revealed that instead of wasting time whispering to friends and getting ready to rush out of the class just before the bell rings, she uses those few minutes to jot down a two or three-sentence summary of the lesson’s principal points. She then scans the notes to refresh her memory before the next day’s class. ? Content Questions(Para.4)

1. Why is it important for students to know how to schedule their time?

2. What are some of the learning strategies top students share about getting organized? ? Key Words and Expressions （Para.4） schedule

1. vt. [(for) usu. pass.] plan for a certain future time [常与for连用]［一般用于被动语态］排定；预定；把??安排在

e.g. 1) The opening ceremony (开幕式) is scheduled to take place on the coming Thursday. 2) He is scheduled to leave for London next Monday. 他预定下星期一动身去伦敦。

2. n. a planned list or order of things to be done, dealth with, etc. 预定要做事情的安排；计划（表）；程序表；日程表

Collocations:

on schedule 按照时间表，准时

ahead of / behind schedule 提前/落后于时间表

be scheduled for June / Monday, etc. 安排在六月/周一等

be scheduled for release / publication / completion, etc. 计划发布/出版/完成等 be scheduled to do sth. 计划做某事

overwhelm vt.

[usu. passive] give too much of a thing to sb. [常用于被动语态]使受不了，使不知所措

e.g. 1. We were all overwhelmed by grief when we heard the news that over 4000 people lost their lives during the earthquake.

2. I was quite overwhelmed by all the flowers and letters of support I received. 我收到的所有鲜花和支持信件使我激动得不能自已。

at hand

rather fml near in time or place 〖较正式〗即将到来，在手边，在近处

e.g. 1. When she writes, she always keeps a dictionary at hand so as to ensure that she uses every word correctly and appropriately.

2. Always have your reference books near at hand. 要经常把参考书摆在手边。

polish vt.

improve by practicing; make smooth, bright, and shiny by continual rubbing （通过练习）改进，改善；擦亮

e.g. 1. I’ll need to polish (up) my French if I’ m going to France for my holiday. 2. Please polish your shoes with a brush. 请用刷子把你的鞋擦亮。

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