VOA慢速英语:The Erie Canal Helped America Grow

1.  Politicians, businessmen, farmers and traders had talked aboutcreating a canal connecting the Great Lakes with the AtlanticOcean for one hundred years.

talk about 谈论;谈到
例句：What are they talking about?
他们在谈什么?

2.  A lawyer and politician named De Witt Clinton finallysucceeded in getting the canal built.

succeed in 成功;顺利完成
例句：They succeeded in solving the problem.
他们成功地解决了这个问题。

3. he had to defend his idea against people who laughed at him.

laugh at 嘲笑
例句：They all laughed at her queer idea.
他们都嘲笑她的怪念头。

4. But five years later, the New York State legislature providedmore than seven million dollars for the project.

more than 不只...
例句：Rob likes apples more than bananas. 
罗勃对苹果比对香蕉还喜欢。 

5. Twenty-six workers died of smallpox.

die of 因...而死
例句：Nowadays many people die of cancer. 
现在有很多人死于癌症。 

6. The boat moved at the rate of less than five kilometers perhour.

at the rate of 按...之速度;按...比率
例句：The car is go at the rate of 60 mile an hour. 
汽车以每小时六十英里的速度行驶。

7. Forestport, New York, had been suffering from the closing ofbusinesses.

suffer from 因(疾病)而痛或不舒服;因...而更糟;受...之苦
例句：She often suffers from headaches.
她常常头痛。

8.  Mister Doyle said he learned that his great-grandfather tookpart in the wrongdoing.

take part in 参加
例句：Are you going to take part in the first experiment?
你们会参与首次实验吗?