Unit 17 How long does it take you to get there?

朋友以为你上班很远。他问你,要多久才能到那里?

How long does it take you to get there?

路程有点儿远。你说,但是开车只需要十多分钟:

But it takes ten minutes' drive to get there.

客人要等多久。你说,用电脑只需要几分钟就可以确认他的预订票了:

It takes the computer only a few seconds to confirm the reservation.

投资人担心工期过长。你说,最长用不了一年就完工了:

It won't take more than a year to finish it.

大家都羡慕他今日的成就。你说,他花了十年才成为有名的钢琴家:

It took him ten years to become a famous pianist.

你到机场去送朋友,让他保重。你说,飞机要飞十多个小时的:

The flight will take you more than ten hours.

机器坏了,而你又急着用。就问机械师,要很久才能修好吗:

Will it take long for you to repair the machine?

他决定离开自己从事多年的教师职业去经商。他说,他用了很长时间才打定主意:

It took me a long time to make up my mind.

注:

在这里take 意为做某事花费多少时间,同样有时用spend, cost也表示花费时间。区别是:
take和cost表示人们为不愿意做或不得不做的事而“花费”时间,而spend暗含所做的事“花去”时间是应该的,愿意的。
It took me an hour to find you.(无奈的情绪)
She spends 10 hours playing the piano.(喜欢弹琴,勤学苦练,一练就是10小时)
如果说It took her hours to play the piano. 则意为:由于难,内容多,不得不用上10小时。

famous adj. 有名的,著名的。这个词相对意义的词为:unknown 不知名的
infamous 意为:声名狼藉的,臭名昭著的