# Lesson 85 Never too old to learn 活到老学到老

## 一、课文原文

I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.

---

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| **inform** | /ɪnˈfɔːm/ | v. | 通知 | inform sb. of sth. 通知某人某事；informing me that... 通知我… |
| **headmaster** | /ˌhedˈmɑːstə/ | n. | 校长 | head + master 复合词 |
| **contribute** | /kənˈtrɪbjuːt/ | v. | 捐助，贡献 | contribute to 对…做贡献；contribution n. 贡献 |
| **album** | /ˈælbəm/ | n. | 相册，签名簿 | photo album 相册 |
| **patience** | /ˈpeɪʃns/ | n. | 耐心 | patient adj. 耐心的；with patience 耐心地 |
| **encouragement** | /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒmənt/ | n. | 鼓励 | encourage v. 鼓励；courage n. 勇气 |
| **coincidence** | /kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns/ | n. | 巧合 | coincident adj. 同时发生的；by coincidence 碰巧 |
| **devote** | /dɪˈvəʊt/ | v. | 致力于 | devote oneself to 致力于；devotion n. 奉献 |
| **entirely** | /ɪnˈtaɪəli/ | adv. | 完全地 | entire adj. 整个的 |
| **remark** | /rɪˈmɑːk/ | v. | 说，评论 | remark on 对…评论；remarkable adj. 显著的 |

### 词汇拓展

**1. inform 的用法**
- inform sb. that... 通知某人…
- inform sb. of/about sth. 通知某人某事
- keep sb. informed 随时通知某人
- well-informed 消息灵通的

**2. devote 的搭配**
- devote oneself to 致力于（to是介词，后接doing）
- devote one's time to 把时间 devoted to
- devoted adj. 忠诚的：a devoted friend 忠诚的朋友

**3. too...to 与 enough to**
- too...to 太…而不能（表否定）
- enough to 足够…可以（表肯定）
- one is never too old to learn 活到老学到老（never too...to 表示永远不至于太…而不能）

---

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 将来时复习

本课使用多种将来时形式：

| 结构 | 用法 | 课文例句 |
|------|------|----------|
| will + 动词 | 一般将来 | He **will devote** himself to gardening. |
| will be + doing | 将来进行 | He **will be retiring** next week. |
| will have + done | 将来完成 | He **will have been teaching** for forty years. |
| will have been + doing | 将来完成进行 | （同上，强调持续） |

**将来进行时**：表示将来某一时刻正在进行的动作
- This time tomorrow, I will be flying to London. 明天这个时候我将在飞往伦敦的途中。

**将来完成时**：表示将来某一时间点之前已经完成的动作
- By next year, I will have graduated. 到明年我将已经毕业了。

### 2. too...to 句型

> One is never **too** old **to** learn.

**结构**：too + 形容词/副词 + to do（太…以至于不能…）

| 句型 | 含义 | 例句 |
|------|------|------|
| too...to | 太…不能 | He is too tired to walk. |
| not too...to | 不太…所以能 | It's not too late to change. |
| never too...to | 永远不太…所以能 | Never too old to learn. |
| only too...to | 非常…而乐意 | I'm only too glad to help. |

### 3. 介词 + doing

> After he **has retired**, he will devote himself to **gardening**.

devote oneself to 中的 to 是介词，后接动名词。

---

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. mark the occasion

> ...will be sending him a present to **mark the occasion**.

**含义**：纪念这个场合

同义表达：celebrate the occasion, commemorate the event

### 2. in one's honour

> A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner **in his honour**.

**含义**：为向某人表示敬意

- a dinner in his honour 为他举行的宴会
- in honour of 纪念，为向…致敬

### 3. for + 原因

> We shall all remember Mr. Page **for** his patience and understanding...

**for** 此处引导原因，表示"因为"。

### 4. It is a curious coincidence that...

> **It is a curious coincidence that** the day before his retirement...

**结构**：It is + 名词 + that 从句（that引导主语从句，it是形式主语）

---

## 五、课文翻译

我刚刚收到母校的一封信，通知我说以前的校长斯图亚特·佩奇先生下星期就要退休了。为了纪念这个日子，学校的学生——无论老同学还是新同学——将送他一件礼物。所有凑钱买此礼品的人都将把自己的名字签在一本大签名簿上，签名簿将被送到校长的家里。我们不会忘记佩奇先生对我们既有耐心又充满理解，也不会忘记在我们不愿去上学时他给予我们的亲切鼓励。很多老同学都准备参加下星期四为他举行的告别宴会。佩奇先生退休的前一天正好是他执教满40年的日子，这真是奇妙的巧合。他退休后，将致力于园艺。对于他来说，这将是一种全新的爱好。但这没有关系，因为正如他常说的那样，人要活到老学到老。

---

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. "活到老学到老"的英语表达

本课标题 "Never too old to learn" 是英语谚语，对应中文"活到老学到老"。英语中类似谚语还有：
- You can't teach an old dog new tricks.（反义：老狗学不了新把戏）
- Live and learn. 活到老学到老

### 2. headmaster 与 principal

- headmaster：英式英语，中小学校长
- principal：美式英语，校长
- president：大学校长

### 3. 课文的教育情怀

课文充满对教育工作者的敬意——校长的耐心、理解和鼓励被铭记一生。结尾"never too old to learn"既是对校长的赞美，也是对所有人的启示。

---

## 七、课后练习要点

### 1. 语法练习
- 将来进行时与将来完成时的构成与用法
- too...to 句型的多种变体

### 2. 词汇运用
- 用 devote, inform, contribute 造句
- in one's honour 与 in honour of 的区别

### 3. 写作练习
- 写一位你尊敬的老师（使用将来时和too...to句型）

---

## 八、本课小结

| 项目 | 内容 |
|------|------|
| **核心语法** | 将来时复习（将来进行时/将来完成时）、too...to句型、形式主语it |
| **重点词汇** | 10个（inform, headmaster, contribute, album, patience, encouragement, coincidence, devote, entirely, remark） |
| **重点短语** | mark the occasion, in one's honour, devote oneself to, too...to |
| **学习难点** | 将来完成进行时的构成、too...to的否定变体、devote...to中to是介词 |

---

*本课以校长退休为题材复习将来时，重点掌握too...to句型和将来完成时。*