1. California is the third largest state inthe USA but has the largest population. population (1) 对人口提问用what, 不用 how many, how much。 e.g. What’s the population of the city? 这个城市有多少人口？

(2) population作主语时用单数，但前有 分数，小数，百分数时，谓语动词用 复数。 e.g. The population of China is larger than that of America. 中国人口比美国人口多。 80% of the population are farmers. 百分之80的人口是农民。

(3) 人口的增加或减少用grow (increase) 和fall (decrease); 人口的多少用large 和small。

2. Scientists believe that these settlers crossed the Bering Strait in the Arctic to America by means of a land bridge which existed in prehistoric times. 科学家们认为这些迁居者通过一条史 前时代曾经存在的一条大陆桥穿越北 极地区的白令海峡到达美洲。

means n. 方式, 手段(单复数相同)。 e.g. Every possible means has been tried, but none has worked. Some means are practical while others are not. by means of 用……方式 by this means (in this way) 用这种方式 e.g. He succeeded by means of hard work.

◆ 联想记忆： by no means 决不，一点也不 e.g. She is by no means poor; in fact, she is very rich.

3. Of the first Spanish to go to California, the majority were religious men, … majority n. 大多数 1) the majority of the people 大多数人

2) majority常与a /the 连用;most后接名词或 of + n.

e.g. The majority of the people are against the idea of building a new factory here.=Most people/ Most of the people are against the idea of building a new factory here.

大多数人都反对在这儿建一个新工 厂的主意。

注意the majority单独做主语时，若强调整 体，谓语动词用单数，强调个体时， 谓语动词用复数。a / the majority of + n. 后可用不可数名词，也可用可数名

词复数，谓语动词由后面的名词决定。

The majority __________ was / were for the budget. The majority of students ____ are hardworking. The majority of the damage ___ is easy to repair.

4. Spanish soldiers first arrived in South America in the early 16th century when they fought against the native people and took their land. 16世纪早期, 西班牙士兵到达南美洲, 这 时同土著人作斗争并占领这片土地。

fight for, fight against & fight with

fight for 为事业, 自由, 真理, 权利等而斗争(战斗)

e.g. They are fighting for freedom. 他们正为自由而战。

fight against (可用with) the enemy “为反对……而斗争”; (接人和国家名词) “与……战斗” fight with sb. 也可表示与某人并肩作战

5. Some died or returned home, but most remained in California to make a life for themselves despite great hardship. 有的人死了，有的人回家了，但是大部 分人留在了加利福尼亚，尽管遇到了很 大的困难，也开始了新的生活。