1. High school is a time of discovery, learning and hard work.
   discover  v. 发现 ;  discoverer  n. 发现者 ;  discovery  n. 发现
e.g. Columbus was a great discoverer and he discovered America in 1492. It is said that his discovery took place by accident.
2.  low-rise ：（of a building ）having few storeys （指建筑物）低的，层数少的
e.g.  low-rise buildings 
high-rise ：（of a building ）very tall, with many storeys （指建筑物）高层的 
e.g.  high-rise office block （高层办公大楼）
3.  at ( one’s ) ease = ( be / feel ) comfortable and unworried 自在，随便，不拘束
    e.g.  The students are quite at ease with the foreign guests.
    with ease = without difficulty   毫不费劲地
e.g. The wall is so low that they can jump over it with ease.
4.  a very enjoyable and exciting experience
  (1) enjoy + able = enjoyable  -able 后缀, 表示“可以……的”
   　 readable ; eatable ; thinkable ; suitable ; comfortable ; laughable ;
respectable ; washable ; lovable ; usable ; …
  (2) excite  v.  使激动；excited  adj.  激动的；excitedly  adv.  激动地；
exciting  adj.　使人兴奋的，激动人心的
     e.g. The story excited the little boy very much.
        She was too excited to say a word.
        It’s the most exciting news.
        Then he went on excitedly to tell us what he had seen in the village.
  (3) experience   n. (不可数)：经验；(可数)：经历；
　  e.g.  She has no experience of life at all.
        Have you had much experience in teaching English?
        The best way to learn is to learn by experience.
        I’ve just read your article about your experiences in the UK.
     experience   v. 经历
e.g. I was very lucky to experience this different way of life.
        Our country has experienced great changes in the past ten years.
experienced  adj. 有经验的
e.g. We have a modern medical centre and experienced nurses.
She was an experienced teacher.
5.  attend  v.  be present at 出席，上（学，课）
e.g. attend assembly ; attend school ; attend a meeting ; attend a lecture ; …
He decided to attend the Conference in person.
The meeting was well attended, ie Many people were there.
( 有很多人出席会议。 )
attend  v.  take care of , look after (医生，护士等) 看护，治疗，照顾
e.g. Dr. Smith attended her in hospital.  （ Dr. Smith在医院里给她治疗。）
6.  He also told us about the best way to earn respect from the school was to work hard and achieve high grades.
      (1)  earn : 挣得，赢得，获得
e.g. --- How much does he earn a week?    --- He earns $ 300 a week.
earn one’s living = make one’s living  谋生
　　　　　e.g. They made their living by begging / fishing.
          He has spent all his earnings. (赚得的钱)
(2)  respect  v.  尊敬, 尊重
e.g. All children should respect their parents.
Mr. Thomas is much respected in our school.
In spite of his opinion, he respected his son’s point of view.
（ 尽管他有自己的想法，但是他尊重他儿子的观点。）
respect oneself : 有自尊心，自重：
e.g. If you don’t respect yourself, how can you expect others to respect you?
respect  n.  （ 不可数）尊敬, 尊重, 爱护，重视
e.g. The new teacher soon earned the respect of her students.
I had much respect for him.   ( have respect for sb.)
The young should always show respect to(/ for) the old.
( show respect to/ for sb. )
We must show respect for school buildings, parks and other public property.
The teachers must pay respect to the wishes of our students.
respect  n.  （复数）敬意， 问候：
e.g. Give my respects to your parents.
Please send my respects to your family.
(3)  achieve: 取得 （胜利，成就，成功等）；实现（目标，目的等）
e.g.  He hopes to achieve his goal by hard work.
  Nothing would stop us from achieving our success.
achievement  n.  成就
e.g.  They have got one achievement after another.
        (4)  grade  n. 分数级(如A,B 等), 等级，（美国）年级（英国：form）
e.g. She has got a grade of eighty-eight on the test.
The boy got a grade B in the spelling test.
Radio broadcasts said a sixth-grade wind was on the way.
There are many grades of officers in the army.
The play was presented by the third grade.
make the grade : 成功 （ succeed , be successful ）
e.g. It was clear that Mr Baker made the grade in business.
It takes hard study to make the grade in school.
grade  v. 分等级， 评分
e.g. Apples are graded according to size and quality(质量).
He graded the students according to ability.
The teacher spent all weekend grading the examination papers.
                         ( grade test papers 批阅试卷)
7.  This is about the average size for British schools.
          On average how many students are there in a class in the UK?
     average  adj. 平均的， 一般的 ;
       e.g.  What’s the average temperature in Suzhou during August?
            The average age of the boys in our class is fifteen.
     average  n. 平均数， 一般水平 ;
       e.g.  Tom’s work at school is above the average, Harry’s is below the average and Jim’s is about up to the average.
     on (the) average : 一般说来，平均起来
       e.g.  On average I receive 5 e-mails each day.
     average  v. 平均为
       e.g.  The cost of my lunch at school averages thirty yuan a week.
8.  I found the homework was not as heavy as what I used to get in my old school, but it was a bit challenging for me at first….
(1)  what  : 所……的
e.g.  I didn’t catch what you said.
As a friend of yours, I want to tell you what I hear.
This is what I want to tell you.
What you want is a good rest.
(2)  used to do sth.  :  过去常常…… (现在已不如此)
be used to do sth. : 被用来干某事  ( 被动语态 )
be used to ( doing ) sth.  : 习惯于( 干 ) 某事
 She used to get up late, but now she gets up very early.
You used to live in London, usedn’t you?/ didn’t you?
There used to be some big trees on the campus.
 Soap can be used to wash clothes.
             ( We can use soap to wash clothes.)
 We are used to living here (/the life here).
I’m not used to being treated like this. (我不习惯人家这样对待我。)
        (3)  challenging  adj. 具有挑战性的, 促使人思考（动脑筋，感兴趣）
            e.g.  This new book is full of challenging ideas.
                 Today’s homework is a bit challenging for us students.
             challenge   n. 挑战， “难题”、“考验”
            e.g.  I have received Tom’s challenge to swim across the river.
                 To build a bridge in a day was a real challenge.
9． My English improved a lot as I used English every day and spent an hour each day reading English books in the library. 
      (1)  improve :  vi.  get / become better ( 有改进 ，好一些 )
         e.g.  My French improved after a summer in Paris.
              I feel certain that things will greatly improve with you in a month or so. ( 我肯定在一个月左右时间里你的情况将有极大的改进。)
          improve :  vt.  make … better  ( 改进, 改善，提高 )
         e.g.  You must improve your handwriting; I can’t read this.
              You must try your best to improve your spoken English (/ your habits ).
(2)  spend some time on sth. ;  spend some time ( in ) doing sth.
e.g.  The foolish boy spent all his money yesterday. ( 花费 )
He doesn’t spend much time on his homework. ( 花时 )
He doesn’t spend much time ( in ) doing his homework.
10. … I could e-mail my family back home for free.
for free = free = free of charge （免费）
e.g. Babies are allowed to travel free on buses.
He was given another MP3 free of charge.
11.  I also had an extra French class on Tuesday evenings.
extra  adj. 额外的，另加的 ； adv. 额外地，特别地
e.g.  I don’t think they need extra help.
We have got a lot of extra work to do recently.
There they got extra-good food.
an extra strong box ;  an extra high price;  an extra large size
12. … but they can drop some subjects if they don’t like them,…
 drop  vt. & vi.
e.g.  I’m trying to drop that bad habit.  ( give up放弃 )
     The glass dropped out of her hand.  ( 掉下，落下 )
     She dropped the glass.
     The price of oil will drop soon.   ( 下降 )
The temperature dropped to freezing point last night.
13.  Though it didn’t look like a table …, I still like it very much.
       though 引导的让步状语从句“虽然 …… 但是……”不能与but连用，但可用still, yet , 
        e.g.  Though he is a child, he knows a lot.
             They are generous ( 慷慨的) although they are poor.
14.  Sometimes I just relaxed under a tree or sat on the grass.
 relax :  vi. & vt. 放松，（使）不紧张
  e.g.  Let’s stop working and relax for half an hour.
       He needed a good book to relax him.
       He’s feeling relaxed now.
15.  way of life  生活方式
e.g.  Do you think my way of life suit ( 适合 ) you?
  16.  We do not need to read the whole text word by word (/ word for word ).
       word for word ： 一字不差地，逐字逐句地, 一个字对一个字地（翻译）
      e.g.  He told me what you said, word for word.
           It’s often a mistake to translate word for word.
17. I’m preparing to travel to China with my parents next summer.
prepare sth.   准备……
e.g. … I learned how to buy, prepare and cook food 
We will return in time for you to prepare dinner.
Our teachers are busy preparing their lessons.
prepare for：  为…… 作准备
e.g. We are busy preparing for the coming exams.
The children stood side by side washing and preparing for breakfast.
prepare to do sth. ：准备做某事
e.g. Have you prepared to go on a trip?   
你已准备好去旅行了吗？
         prepare sb. /oneself for sth. : prepare sb. /oneself to do sth.
使（某人）做……的准备（心理准备）
         e.g. I prepared him for the bad news. 
我叫他做好接受那坏消息的心理准备。
            He prepared himself to accept defeat. (接受失败)
         prepared   adj. 
(1) 有准备的， 准备好的
           e.g.  Our monitor read out his prepared speech at the meeting.
                Philip was not prepared for the question.
         (2) 乐意的 （ willing ）
           e.g.  I’m prepared (/ ready / willing) to do anything for you.
我乐意为你做任何事。
18. He donated most of them to our school library.
donate … to… :  捐献…… 给……
e.g.  donate blood to a blood bank    捐血给血库
     donate books to the school library
19. Write a notice to inform your classmates of the programme.
inform v. : tell sth. to sb. 把某事告诉某人， 通知 
inform sb. of sth. ； inform sb. that…
e.g. You should inform the police of the accident.
你应该向警方报告这起事故。
I informed her mother of her safe arrival. (= I informed her mother that she had safely arrived.)  我通知她母亲她已平安抵达。
       information  n. 情报，信息  
       e.g.  Can you give me any information about the spaceship?
            你能给我介绍有关这艘宇宙飞船的知识吗？
20… and decide which group members will be responsible for what tasks.
     be responsible for : 对……负责
     e.g.  The driver is responsible for the lives of the people on the bus.
          Parents are responsible for their children’s safety.
          We should be responsible for our own actions.
          The boy is responsible for feeding the chickens.
          那个男孩负责喂鸡。