Hot snake ^触电的蛇

• get a electric shock ^触电

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California.

put out a fire ^{扑灭火（put out 扑灭，熄灭，关掉）}

• Please put the light on / out ^{请开/关灯(put off 推迟、延期; put sb. off 反感、分心)}
• fire out. ^{射出：发射出。}
• a fire ^{一场(堆)火}

Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began.

find out ^{（经过研究、努力等）找出，发现，查出…}

• I’ll try and find out the name of the person who saved my life yesterday.

一般过去时通常与一个表示确切的时间的状语连用，现在完成时则有时与表示一段时间的状语连用， 有时不需要时间状语，而现在完成进行时则有时与表示一段时间的状语连用，有时与 all+表示时间的名词连用。现在完成时与一般过去时中既可以用状态动词（表示存在、拥有、感情、思想、需求等的动词）也 可以用行为动词，现在完成进行时则通常与行为动词连用。

* Forest fires are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends  which people carelessly throw away.

Forest fires ^{名词修饰名词，复数：后变前不变}

• two men teachers ^{两位男教师}
• three women doctors ^{三位女医生}
• cigarette ends ^{烟屁股(们)}
• broken glass ^{被打碎的玻璃片}

They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire.

start a fire＝cause a fire ^{引起火灾，引发火灾}

• It could cause a fire. ^{那会引起火灾呀！}
• We collected dry sticks to start a fire.^{我们捡了些枯枝生起火来。}

quite(＝completely) → rather → fairly ^{程度一个比一个轻}

This morning, however, a firemen accidentally discovered the cause.

accidentally = by chance ^偶然地

• The damage couldn't have been caused accidentally. ^{这次损毁不可能是偶然因素造成的。}
• Why are the chickens crying? By chance?^{这些鸡为什么在叫？是偶然的吗？}
• The site came to light only by chance.^{这个地点偶然间才被发现。}

discover ^{本身含有偶然发现（某个已经存在的东西）的含义}

• I don’t know who discovered America.
• I was tickled to discover that we'd both done the same thing. ^{我高兴地发现我俩在做同样的事。}
• What you immediately discover makes sense. ^{你马上发现的是有意义的。}

He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line.

notice ^{注意别人没注意的东西}

• Luckily, I'd noticed where you left the car. ^{幸好，我注意了你停车的地点。}
• If he thought no one would notice, he's wrong. ^{如果他认为无人察觉，那他就错了。}

the remains ^{表示“尸体，残骸”，必须用复数形式}

• The villagers were surprised to see the remains of an aeroplane near the lake.

wind ^{vt. 缠绕，卷在…上；盘旋，蜿蜒}

• He had forgotten to wind his watch. ^{他忘了给表上发条了。}
• I regularly have a drink to wind down. ^{我经常喝点酒来放松一下。}
• Glass motioned to him to wind down the window. ^{格拉斯示意他摇下车窗。}

In this way, he was able to solve the mystery.

in this way ^就这样 §

• In time, all Sam's money was paid back in this way. ^{以这种方式}
• Tazieff has often risked his life in this way.^{以这种方式}
• He performed in this way for many years.^{他就这样表演了很多年。}

A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires.

drop on ^落到…上

• Drop it on the Data Table. ^{将其拖拉到数据表之上。}
• He lifted a stone only to drop it on his own feet. ^{他搬起了石头却砸了自己的脚。}

on to ^向...

• We all herded on to the bus.^{我们全都涌上了公共汽车。}
• I pushed through the crowds and on to the escalator.^{我挤过人群，上了自动扶梯。}
• They hurried on to the plane.^{他们匆忙登上了飞机。}

When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

sent sparks ^{摩擦或碰撞时产生火花}

• The wind sent sparks and cinders flying.^{风把火星和炉渣吹得飞了起来。}
• Peter kicked the fire and sent up a shower of sparks.^{彼得用脚踢了一下火堆，扬起一阵火花。}

do so ^这么做

• I refuse to do so. ^{我拒绝这么做}

so ^{(代词) 常用于一些动词之后，代指前面提过的某个动作/某件事，以免重复}

• I think so. ^{我认为是这样的}
• I believe so. ^{我认为是的}
• I guess so. ^{我想是这样}