Detailed explanation of the text of New Concept English Volume 2

Detailed explanation of the text in the second volume of New Concept English

Introduction: Detailed explanation of the text in the second volume of New Concept English. I hope it can help you. Thank you for reading.

Further notes on the text

1.Last week I went to the theatre. Last week I went to the theatre.

(1) The word "Last week" at the beginning of the sentence indicates that the time of the narrated thing happened last week. Therefore, the tense of the entire text should basically be past tense (including past continuous tense), except for the tense in the direct quotation part.

(2) The original meaning of the verb go is to leave one place and go to another place. When used with the preposition to, the destination where the subject is going is often added to represent the purpose of the subject's action.

In the text, go to the theater = go to the theater to see a play, that is, go to the theater to see a play. Similar words include go to the cinema = go to the cinema to see a film (go to the cinema to see a film). This expression is concise and to the point.

Please note that in the following phrases, there is usually no article before the noun:

go to school go to school

go to bed go to bed

Go to church Go to church, go to church (cf. Volume 1, Lesson 68 at school, at church; Volume 1, Lesson 85 have been to school/church)

2. had a very good seat The seat is very good

Seat generally refers to a fixed seat in a theater, car, etc. It can also abstractly represent the concept of "seat" or "seat":

the front seat of a car The front seat of a car

Take a seat, please. Please sit.

3.The play was very interesting.

Interesting is an adjective in the form of the present participle, meaning "interesting".

It is usually used with an impersonal subject or to modify something:

This is an interesting book/idea.

This is an interesting book/idea. An intriguing idea.

4.?were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly. ?Sitting behind me, talking loudly.

The tense of these two sentences is past continuous tense. (cf. Lesson 7 Grammar)

5.I got very angry. I became very angry.

Get here has the meaning of "gradually becoming", which is close to become. It is a verb that expresses process and indicates a change of state. And I was very angry only means that the state at that time was angry, and does not imply the process.

6. in the end finally, finally

Indicates after a long period of time or some kind of effort:

She tried hard to finish her homework by herself. In the end, she had to ask her brother for help.

She tried to complete her homework by herself, but in the end she had to ask her brother for help.

7. none of your business is none of your business

(1) sb. p>　It is my business to look after your health.

　I must take care of your health.

This is none of his business.

This is none of his business.

(2) The negative pronoun none is equivalent in meaning to not any or no one, but in a stronger tone:

She kept none of his letters.

She kept none of his letters.

None of my friends left early.

None of my friends left early.

　The phrase none of can sometimes express a decisive, even rude tone,

especially in imperative sentences:

None of your silly remarks! < /p>

Don’t say stupid things!

8.a private conversation private conversation

In Western culture, people think of private (private, personal). Concepts are important. The noun form of this word privacy means "privacy (right)". So the young man in the text would plausibly say, "This is a private conversation!" But he forgot that he was in a public place, and they spoke too loudly, which affected others.

Further notes on the text

1. It was Sunday. It was Sunday.

In sentences, we often use it to refer to time, weather, temperature or distance. This it is sometimes called an empty subject because it has no real meaning. It exists because English sentences must contain a subject and a predicate. Please note the following examples:

Indicating time:

It is 8 o'clock.

It is 8 o'clock.

Indicates the weather:

It's raining again.

It's raining again.

It is cold.

It is cold.

Indicates the environment:

It was dark outside.

It was dark outside.

As a neuter pronoun in the third person singular, it can refer to a thing, an event, or a person:

It was my aunt Lucy.

It’s my aunt Lucy. (Caller)

It is a lovely baby.

What a lovely baby.

　2.on Sundays on Sundays

　(1) The plural form refers to every Sunday, or most Sundays, and is used with the present tense to express regular actions:

We do not go to school on Sundays.

We do not go to school on Sundays.

I never get up early on Sundays.

I never get up early on Sundays.

(2) The preposition on is generally used in phrases indicating the time of a certain day:

on Monday Monday

on Friday Friday

on Monday morning on Monday morning

on that day on that day

When we use last, next and this, that, the preposition (as well as the definite article) must be omitted:

I'll see you next/this Friday.

See you next/this Friday.

Last Sunday I got up very late.

Last Sunday I got up very late.

3.I sometimes stay in bed until lunchtime.

(1) When expressing the meaning of lying in bed, no article is needed before bed:

You must stay/remain in bed for another two days.

You Had to stay in bed for two more days.

What time did you go to bed last night?