课文

Dentists always ask questions when it is impossible for you to answer. My dentist had just pulled out one of my teeth and had told me to rest for a while. I tried to say something, but my mouth was full of cotton-wool. He knew I collected birds' eggs and asked me whether my collection was growing. He then asked me how my brother was and whether I liked my new job in London. In answer to these questions I either nodded or made strange noises. Meanwhile, my tongue was busy searching out the hole where the tooth had been. I suddenly felt very worried, but could not say anything. When the dentist at last removed the cotton-wool from my mouth, I was able to tell him that he had pulled out the wrong tooth.

dentist
n. 牙科医生
I'm going to the dentist's this afternoon.
go to the dentist's (office) 省略了office
go to see the dentist

pull
v. 拉，拔
push and pull
pull sb.'s leg 耍弄某人
pull together v. 同心协力，一起去做
If we all pull together, we'll win the game.
( Maybe a tug-of-war game?) 拔河比赛
pull yourself together：
控制自己（的感情），振作起来

collect
v. 搜集
collection：n. 收藏品、收集品
collect salary 领工资
collect (money) for sb./sth. 为... 募捐

nod
v. 点头
shake one's head 摇头
nod one's head 点头
a nodding acquaintance 点头之交，略知一二

meanwhile
adv. 同时
at the same time=in the meantime 同时

课文讲解

Dentists always ask questions when it is impossible for you to answer.

when引导时间状语从句
it: to answer

My dentist had just pulled out one of my teeth and had told me to rest for a while.

过去完成时
had pulled out
had told me…

rest for a while 一会会儿

He knew I collected birds' eggs and asked me whether my collection was growing.

He knew (that) I collected…宾语从句，省略that
whether…间接引语
直接引语为一般疑问句，转换为间接引语用whether or if
'Will you come or not?' she asked.
She asked me whether I would come or not.

In answer to these questions I either nodded or made strange noises.

In answer to 作为....的回答
either… or… 要么……要么……

Meanwhile, my tongue was busy searching out the hole where the tooth had been.

be busy doing sth. 忙于做...
*I'm busy preparing for the GRE test. *
(GRE: Graduate Record Examination) 美国研究生入学考试

search out 找出来
…the hole where the tooth had been. 牙齿还在不在

When the dentist at last removed the cotton-wool from my mouth, I was able to tell him that he had pulled out the wrong tooth.

when引导时间状语从句
remove…from…
be able to：强调有能力完成，有能力做

句型演练

定语从句
关键词：先行词&关系词
分类：限制性定语从句 （无逗号）
非限制性定语从句 （有逗号）
关系代词：起代词和连词作用 who / whom, which, that, whose
关系副词：起副词和连词作用 when, where, why

状语从句
关键词：9大类
分类：时间、地点、原因、目的、结果、条件、让步、比较、方式
时间连词：when, while, until
地点连词：where
原因连词：because, for, as, since
目的连词：so that, in order that, that
结果连词：so … that ..., such … that …
条件连词：if, unless
让步连词：though, although, even though, even if
比较连词：as, than, the more … the more …
方式连词：as, like, as if, as though, the way …

*Too many people spend money which(that) they haven't earned, to buy things which(that) they don't want, to impress people who(that) they don't like. * -------Will Smith
都可以用that替代，也都可以省略，因为做的是宾语