参考词典：Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary 。
今日学习单词：help 。
终于，终于，学到了help。别看它很简单，但是搭配用法奇多无比，特别灵活，口语中有特别常用。不只Can I help you? 这么简单。今天主要学习help的高频用法，也是外刊上经常会用到的。
1. To make something less severe: to make some thing more pleasant or easier to deal with
简言之就是”帮助“的引申义，使变得不严重，更简单，更容易。可以联想到得到了上天的”帮助“。依据上下文可以翻译为”顶事，管用，有益“等。
Rest helps a cold.
休息有助于感冒康复。
Humor often helps a tense situation.
幽默常可以缓解紧张的气氛。
以上是help作为及物动词。还有作为不及物动词的用法。
Yelling doesn’t help.
叫喊是没有用的。
It’s not much money, but every little bit helps.
这是没多少钱，可比没有强啊！
2. To take something for (yourself) without permission
He saw the money lying on the table, and he helped himself.[=he took the money]
经常与 to 连用：
He help himself to the money.
他擅自把钱拿走了。
Help 的这层意思与 help yourself 中的意思差不多。只不过 help yourself 更专指给自己或别人提供食物或者饮品。
由此带来很多常用的短语搭配：
can help： If you can help something, you can prevent it from happening.
cannot help：
1）If you cannot help yourself, you cannot control your actions or stop yourself from doing something.
I know I shouldn't eat any more, but I can't help myself
我知道我不能再吃了，但是我忍不住。
2）If you cannot help something, you cannot control your actions or stop yourself from doing something.
I can't help loving you.
我就是爱你。
3）If you cannot help doing something or cannot help but do something, you cannot stop yourself from doing it.
I couldn't help having some dessert.
我忍不住想吃点点心。
4）Something that cannot be helped cannot be avoided.
It's too bad that we have to leave, but it can't be helped.
很遗憾我们不得不离开，但没有办法。
今日造句作业：
1. 更少的作业和更多的反馈会有效。
Less homework and more feedback will help.
2. 在健身过程中，不仅要会练，更要会吃。有一句话：健身三份靠练，七分靠吃。所以可以说吃的合理比单纯大量锻炼更有效。
Healthy diet helps more than working out hard.
