VOA慢速英语:Ear Care: Keeping Ears Clean

even though(=even if) 从属连词，意为：“即使，即令……也……；”引导让步状语从句。even if的从句中含有强烈的假定性，even

though则多以从句之内容为前提。例如：
Even if I have to sell my house, I'll keep my business.即使我卖掉房子，我还是要继续我的事业。
Even if he is poor, she loves him.(=He may be poor, yet she loves him.)即使他很穷，她还是爱他。

2.Experts say it protects and cleans the ear. It traps dirt and other matter and keeps insects out.

keep的用法

一、用作连系动词

构成系表结构：keep＋表语，意为"保持，继续(处于某种状态)"。其中表语可用形容词、副词、介词短语等充当。如：
You must look after yourself and keep healthy.(形容词)你必须照顾好自己，保持身体健康。
Keep off the grass.(副词)请勿践踏草地。
Traffic in Britain keeps to the left.(介词短语)英国的交通是靠左边行驶的。
注意：一般情况下，keep后接形容词较为多见。再如：
She knew she must keep calm.她知道她必须保持镇静。
Please keep silent in class.课堂上请保持安静。

二、与介词或副词搭配，构成动词短语

1)keep away意为"(使)离开；(使)不接近"，其后常接介词from。如：
Would you keep your dog away from my boy, please? 请把狗拉得离我孩子远点好吗？
Keep everybody away from the accident.人人远离事故！

2)keep back意为"阻止；留在后面"。如：
She sat down quietly, but she couldn't keep
back her tears.她静静地坐下来，却忍不住流下了眼泪。
 
3)keep together意为"在一起；动作协调"。如：
Keep together, please.请聚在一起。
The eight men kept together during the boat race as though they were one.赛船时，这8个人动作协调，好像一个人似的。

4)keep up意为"持续；使不低落"。如：
The noise kept up all night.噪音整夜持续着。
To keep your strength up, eat well and get enough sleep.为了保持力气，要吃好、睡足。
 
5)keep up with意为"跟上；和……来往"。如：
I'm trying my best to keep up with the others in class.我正在设法赶上班里的其他人。
Do you still keep up with Tom? 你和汤姆还有联系吗？

6)keep...in mind意为"把……记在心里"。如：
The teacher asked us to keep these sentences in mind.老师要我们把这些句子记在心里。
 
三、含keep的常用句型

1)keep doing sth. 意为"继续干某事"，表示不间断地持续干某事，keep后不能接不定式或表示静止状态的v-ing形式，而必须接延续性的动词。如：
He kept working all day, because he wanted to finish the work on time.他整天都在不停地工作，因为他想准时完成工作。
Keep passing the ball to each other, and you'll be OK.坚持互相传球，你们就行。

2)keep on doing sth. 意为"持续做某事"。如：
The pupil kept on asking me the same question.这个学生不断地问我同一个问题。
I kept on thinking about the match in the afternoon.我总是想起下午的那场比赛。

3)keep...from doing sth.意为"阻止/防止……做某事"。如：
The heavy snow kept us from going out.大雪使我们不能出去。

3.But you can have too much of a good thing.

can have too much，表示如果太多就过火，过犹不及。

4.People can also cause a blockage when they try to clean out their ears, but only push the wax deeper inside.

clean out打扫,清洗

He cleaned out his room.
他打扫了房间。

5.But if irrigation fails, the best thing to do is to go to a health care provider for professional assistance.

不定式做主语，表语。注意，在动词不定式做主语时，表语要保持对应，动词也要用不定式的形式。