He is whispering to his neighbor.他向邻座的人耳语。

2) n.耳语，低声

in a whisper＝in whispers＝in a low voice耳语地，低声地

They sat at the back of the room, talking in whispers. 他们坐在房间的后面低声谈话。

It is whispered that......有人私下说......

It is whispered that he has cancer. 传闻说他身患癌症。

重点短语

1. badly off 穷的；处境差的；缺少的

I am quite badly off recently. 最近我经济上很拮据。

【知识拓展】be badly off for sth. 需要（某物）；（某物）供应不足

worse off 境况更差；更穷困

be well off 富裕；处境 （比较级：be better off境况更佳）

His health is worse off than before. 他的身体状况比以前更糟糕了。

The refugees are badly off for blankets, and even worse off for food. 难民需要毯子, 更需要食物。

Capitalism can make you well off. 资本主义可以让你变得富裕。

2. cut off 切断（水电的供应）；中断，打断（谈话）；隔离

The water supply has been cut off for several days in the city. 这个城市的水供应已经被切断好几天了。

We were cut off in the middle of our conversation on the phone. 我们在通电话时被中断了。

When this city was cut off, we all knew that the total defeat was certain.

当城市被包围时，大家都知道失败已成定局。

3. pick out 挑出；选出；辨认出某人或某物

She was picked out from hundreds of applicants for the job. 她是从数百位申请人里挑选出来做这份工作的。

He picked out his brother from the crowd. 他从人群中认出了他的哥哥。

4. pick up拾起，捡起；收拾，整理；(偶然)学会；用车接某人；收听到；身体好转

The bus picks up passengers outside the airport. 公共汽车在机场外接乘客。

She picked up Japanese when she was in Japan. Now she can speak it freely.

她在日本时学会了日语。现在她说的很流利。

You'll soon pick up health when you get to the seaside. 当你到达海边时，你会很快恢复健康。

5. To one's astonishment

To our astonishment，he actually arrived punctually.

＝What astonished us was that he actually arrived punctually. 使我们大为惊讶的是他竟然准时到达了。

6.treat......as: consider 视为，以为

We had better treat it as a joke. 我们最好把它当做笑话(不必认真)。

四．知识点拨

1． 易混内容

1) particular---adj. / especial---adj. / special---adj.