新概念英语第三册 Lesson51(3)

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第三部分 LANGUAGE POINTS
1. Predicting the future is notoriously difficult.
notoriously adv. （尤指因坏事）众所周知地，如：
This organization is notoriously inefficient.
Doctors notoriously neglect their own health and do not seek help when they should.
2. Mainframe computers were very large indeed, often occupying whole air-conditioned rooms, employing full-time technicians and run on specially-written software.
employ v. 雇用，使用(to pay sb. to work，use)，本文中的意思是"使用"，如：
How many people does your company employ?(雇用)
They have employed different approaches to obtain these results.(使用，可以用taken代替)
3. Though these large machines still exist, many of their functions have been taken over by small powerful personal computers, commonly known as PCs.
be taken over: be replaced by。关于take over的用法，我们再看两个例子：
他的兄弟接替了他成为总裁。（练习（3），汉译英）
I've asked my assistant to take over preparing for the conference. 我叫我的助手接手准备会议。(take over doing sth.. )