VOA慢速英语:Electronics Industry Hopes for a Reset in 2010

be about to即将

例句：The semester is about to be over.
      这学期快结束了。

2.The Consumer Electronics Show has an area for companies to demonstrate products that save energy, reduce waste and use recycled materials. Show spokeswoman Jennifer Bemisderfer says the Sustainable Planet Tech Zone is four times bigger than last year.

four times bigger than 表示倍数的比较

表示数量增加

1).increase(rise,grow,go up...)表示数量的增加。 increase(rise...)5 times 增加四倍（为原来的5倍） increase(rise...)30% 增长30% increase(rise...)by 30% 增长30% 例如： As compared with last year,the output goes up 5 times.也去年相比，产量增长5倍。 The production of TV sets has been increased by 6 times since 1985. 1985年以来电视产量增加了6倍。

2).double(twice)n times表示倍数的增加 double(twice)...为。。。两倍，增加一倍，翻一番 n times... 为。。。n倍，例如： The production is now double what it was.目前的产量是过去的两倍。 Robert drove twice the distance from New York to Huston.罗伯特驾车驶过从纽约到休斯敦两倍的那么远的距离。

3).用...more(higher,better...)than...表示数量的增加。例如：The school used to have boys only,but it now has both boys and girls with the number of girls more than 15 percent.这所学校曾经只有男学生，而现在这所学校既有男学生也有女学生，女生人数超过15%。 The sun is thousands of times larger than the earth.太阳的大小是地球的几千倍。（或：太阳比地球大几千倍）

4).用as much(many,long,fast...)as...表示数量的增加。 6 times as much as...六倍那么多，多五倍 half as long as... 一半那么长 30% as heavy as... 30%那么重。 one fourth as great as...四分之一那么大 as large（long) again as...;again as large(long) as... 比...... 大(长）一倍，两倍大（长） half as much again as...;half again as much as ... 比......多半倍，有......一倍半那么多例如： The bridge is twice as long as that one.这座桥长是那座桥的两倍。

3.When those products are at the end of their useful life, how are they going to be broken down?

break down毁掉,制服,压倒,停顿,倒塌,中止,垮掉,分解

例句：Suppose the car should break down again.
      假定汽车又出毛病了。

      The generator has broken down.
      发电机出故障了。

4.Other products warn drivers if they are falling asleep or in danger of an accident.

in danger of有…的危险

例句：This kind of animal is in danger of becoming extinct.
      这种动物有灭绝的危险。