The minute I sat down in front of the TV, my mom came over. 我刚刚坐到电视前面，我妈便走过来。The minute在这里的功能等于 as soon as. 起连词作用。如：I will tell you the minute she comes. 她以来我就告诉你。 相关的短语还有。Half a minute: 片刻； in a minute: 马上；
You watch TV all the time and never help out around the house! 你总是看电视，在家从不帮忙! “help out” 帮忙。around the house在家里任何地方。
she did not do any housework and neither did I. 她没有干任何家务，我也没干。“neither did I” 是个倒装句。用来表示和前一句同样的否定。表示 “也没…; 也不是…”。 它的结构是 “neither/nor + 相应的助动词/情态动词/系动词+主语”。如前一句是肯定句。则要用“so + 相应的助动词/情态动词/系动词+主语”。
Housework is a waste of their time. 家务劳动是在浪费他们的时间。 “a waste of (one's) time” 在阅读中很常见。译成“浪费（某人的）时间” 如：I don't want to do it again. It's a waste of time.
They should spend their time on schoolwork in order to get good grades and get into a good university. 他们应当花时间在功课上，以取得好成绩，考上一所好大学。“should”应当。 “spend time/money on +名词” “spend time/money (in) + 动词ing”把时间/金钱花在…上。如： I spent ten yuan on this dictionary. 我买这本字典花了10元钱。I spent two hours (in) doing my homework last night. 我昨晚花了两个小时做家庭作业。 句中的in可以省略。
I think it is important for children to learn how to do chores and help their parents with housework. 我认为对孩子们来说学着干些家务琐事以及帮助父母料理家务是十分重要的。句中的it是宾语从句里的形式主语，真实主语是for children to learn how to do chores and help their parents with housework. 体会一下这个句子的翻译顺序。
Doing chores helps to develop children's independence and teaches them how to look after themselves. 干些家务琐事可以帮助发展孩子的独立性，教他们如何照顾自己。 这个句子用了一个动名词短语doing chores作主语。它做了两个动词helps和teaches的主语。动名词短语做主语时，把它看成一个整体。谓语动词要用第三人称单数形式。所以不要受chores的影响。
he had no idea how to take care of himself. 他却全然不知如何照料自己，“had no idea = did not know”， “take care of” 照料，照顾。
The earlier kids leam to be independent, the better it is for their future. 孩子们越早学会独立，对他们的未来就越好。这是一个比较级的句型。其结构是“The + 比较级…, the + 比较级…”。意思是“越…越…”。 如：The sooner, the better. 越快越好。 The busier she is, the happier she feels. 她越忙越开心。
重点句子归纳：
Could you please take the dog for a walk?
Could I watch one show first?
For one week, she did not do any housework and neither did I.
Housework is a waste of their time.
They should spend their time on schoolwork in order to get good grades and get into a good university.
They should know that everyone should do their part in keeping it clean and tidy.
The earlier kids leam to be independent, the better it is for their future.
单元语法点讲解
could 用于请求 could 常用在口语中表示请求对方做事。
could是can的过去式, 用在过去时的句子中表示与过去有关的能力和可能。如；
We were sure that he could do the work. 我们肯定他能做这工作。
At that time we thought the story could not be ture. 那时我们以为所说的事不可能是真的。
could还常用口语中以“could you…?”（请你……好吗？）的形式来请求别人做事，口气比can委婉。如；
Could you wait half an hour? 请你等半个小时好吗?
Could you please ring again at six? 请你六点钟再打电话来好吗？
Could you please take out the rubbish? 请你把垃圾拿出去好吗？
Could you help me with my English? 你帮助我学英语好吗？
课堂在线小测验
一、课文理解检测
Some people think children these days already have enough from school. They do not have to do . They should their time on schoolwork in order to get good and get into a good . But I think it is for children to learn to help their parents housework. It is not to just get good grades at school. They should know that everyone should do their part in the house clean and tidy. The earlier kids leam to be , the better it is for their future.
Mrs. Smith's living room is large. There is a television in the room. The television is near the window. There are some magazines on the television. There is a table in the room. There are some newspapers on the table. There are some armchairs in the room. The armchairs are near the table. There is a stereo in the room. The stereo is near the door. There are some books on the stereo. There are some pictures in the room. The pictures are on the wall.
