中级美国英语Lesson43:虚拟语气[三]

现在我们再来练习怎么表达跟过去事实相反的条件和结果.下面我们还是请 老师用过去时态说出美国历史上的一些事迹, 比方 "英国宣称北美洲部分土 地属于他们. 因此加拿大没有变成美国的一部分." England claimed part of North America.Canada didn't become part of the U.S. 请你用 might 把句子改成 "如果英国没有宣称北美洲部分土地属于他们, 加拿大就可能变成美国的一 部分." If England hadn't claimed part of North America, Canada might have become part of the U.S.这组练习里也有一些有用的词汇, 比方 "解决" settle, "歧见" difference, "妥协" compromise, "反对" oppose. "避免" prevent 等等,请 你在作练习的时候特别注意听. 你每作完一句老师就会念正确答案给你听.

现在我们开始.

M: England claimed part of North America. Canada didn't become part of the U.S.

F: If England hadn't claimed part of North America, Canada might have become part of the U.S.

M: England and the U.S. settled their differences.They didn't go to war.

F: If England and the U.S. hadn't settled their differences, they might have gone to war.

M: England and the U.S. compromised. They didn't fight against each other.

F: If England and the U.S. hadn't compromised, they might have fought against each other.

M: The South opposed President Lincoln's policy. The Civil War couldn't be prevented.

F: If the South hadn't opposed President Lincoln's policy, the Civil War might have been prevented.

M: The South was defeated. The U.S. didn't become two countries.

F: If the South hadn't been defeated, the U.S. might have become two countries.

三.听短文回答问题

今天我们要听的文章简单谈到美国建国的经过; 文章里许多词汇和句子都是 我们刚才练习过的.

现在请你注意听. 等一会我们要根据文章内容问你几个问题.

Compared to the history of China, the history of the United States is quite short. It began little more than 200 years ago. In 1776, 13 colonies located on the eastern coast of North America declared independence and fought a revolution against the British. In 1783 the colonists won the revolution and gained their independence.

After the revolution, the United States bought a large section of country from Napoleon of France. This purchase doubled the size of the United States. Napoleon needed money for his European wars. If he hadn't needed that money, the United States might have stayed a small country. Texas and most of what is now the southwestern part of the United States belonged to Mexico. The people of Texas fought a revolution against Mexico.

They became independent and joined the United States. Later, the United States and Mexico went to war. If Mexico had defeated the United States, in that war, California and New Mexico would have been part of Mexico today.

The British and the Americans both claimed the northwestern part of the country. They settled their differences with a compromise. South of the 49th parallel was the United States.

North of the 49th parallel was Canada which was controlled by England.

In 1861 one-half of the United States did go to war with the other half. This was the Civil War.

President Lincoln wanted to free slaves. He was supported by the North but opposed by the South. The South wanted to separate from the rest of the country and become independent. After 4 years of war, the South was defeated.

Following the Civil War, the United States bought Alaska from Russia. At that time many people didn't think Alaska was important, but today it is the largest state in the country and a very important one too.

现在请你回答下面三个问题. 你回答之后, 老师会念出正确答案给你听, 让你 作个比较, 看你答对了没有.

第一个问题是:

M: How did the United States become a country?

F: Colonists defeated the British in a revolution.

第二个问题是:

M: Which countries have sold land to the U.S.?

F: France and Russia have sold land to the U.S.

第三个问题是:

M: What was the outcome of the U.S.-Mexican War?

F: Mexico was defeated. California and New Mexico became part of the U.S.