每课一词：新概念英语第1册第125课

【往期回顾】

每课一词：新概念第1册第123课

接下来我们继续来看第125课的“每课一词”：

Lesson 125 Tea for two

Can't you come in and have tea now, Peter?

Not yet. I must water the garden first.

Do you have to water it now?

I'm afraid I must. Look at it! It's terribly dry.

What a nuisance!

Last summer it was very dry, too. Don't you remember? I had to water it every day.

Well, I'll have tea by myself.

That was quick! Have you finished already?

Yes. Look out of the window.

It's raining. That means you don't need to water the garden.

That was a pleasant surprise. It means I can have tea, instead.

——选自《新概念英语》第一册，外语教学与研究出版社，1997年10月第1版

二、每课一词

mean

【源】

直接源自古英语的mnan；最初源自西日耳曼语的mainijanan，意为“说，告诉，抱怨”。

【音】

[miːn]

【义】

mean常用作动词，表示“意思是；意味着；打算”，其名词为meaning。当表示“意思是；意味着”时，是及物动词；当表示“打算”时，是不及物动词，常后接to do。如：

I mean that's his own decision to resign or not.我的意思是说，辞不辞职是他自己的决定。Becoming a millionaire didn't mean an end to his money worries.成为百万富翁并不意味着他不再被钱困扰。I mean to call on you tomorrow.我打算明天看望你。

mean也可用作形容词，常用的意思是“吝啬的，小气的”。如：

Her husband is very mean about money.她的丈夫在金钱上很吝啬。

三、更多拓展

That was a pleasant surprise.

注意句中的a pleasant surprise表示“惊喜”。比如：

It's a pleasant surprise when you find a shop that undercharges.当发现要价低的商店时，你会感到惊喜。