EU4-31: Explaining a problem

Vocabulary

[SARAH] I need a coffee.[MARK] You want a hot coffee, now?[MARK] Sarah, it's like 115 degrees outside.[SARAH] I know.[MARK] Are you serious?[MARK] You know. you really should quit drinking coffee.[SARAH] But, I need it.[SARAH] Anyway, what's your problem?[SARAH] It's just a cup of coffee.[MARK] Sarah, when you drink coffee, you smoke.[SARAH] No, I don't.[SARAH] Mark, I stopped smoking.

Key words

• coffee
• addicted
• quit
• smoke

Grammar

1. Personal problems

如果你无法停止做某事，你就是对它addicted. 或者对它有了一种addiction。下面就是一些常见的沉溺。

He’s addicted to c igarettes.
She’s addicted to coffee.
They’re addicted to gambling.
He’s addicted to alcohol. He’s an alcoholic.

下面是一些其他常见的个人问题。

She has financial problems.
He has a weight problem. He’s overweight.
I have a problem sleeping. I have insomnia.
They have marital problems.

2. Reading for the main idea

找出文章大意是一项重要技巧。大意是指梗概，不是细节。了解大意后很容易理解全文。
你通常能够通过主题句确定大意。主题句通常位于文章段首，但也可以在任意位置。
如果你不确定主题句，你可以通过自己的语言总结主题，寻找重复的单词或者观点帮助概括。
确定大意时，不要太狭隘或者又太广泛。一个陈述即便是真实，但可能过于具体或笼统，不会是大意。

3. Talking about a problem

在确定一个问题后，你可能想详细加以解释，以下是一些帮助你进行解释的表达。

I have insomnia. The problem is that I can’t stop thinking about work.
She can’t quit smoking. One big problem is that her husband smokes, too.

that 可省略儿不会造成意义的改变。

He is very overweight. The trouble is he eats too much chocolate.
She can’t quit smoking. One big problem is her husband smokes, too.