请教刘老师3个问题：

1、下题究竟要过去时还是完成时？

   -- Your name again? I'm sorry I _________(not catch) it.

   -- Will Smith.

【答】用一般过去时。I'm sorry I didn’t catch it. 这是我的首选。因为不能完全否定现在完成时，那样，会引起很多争论。

2、Great changes have taken place in our hometown since 2010. 有人认为此句是错误的，因为句中have take place 为短暂性动作，不应该跟since... 结构连用。但我不止一次看到这样的句子。请问词句究竟是否正确？

【答】正确。since 表示从过去的某个时间点开始，到说话时的“这段时间”，它可以跟某些终止性动词连用。注意：这时，这些终止性动词带有反复性，渐进性，说明：“发生变化”不是一次结束，而是不断在变化，越变越好。又如：

He has become a qualified teacher since 1990.

become 也是终止性动词。这句话的意思是：He became a qualified teacher in 1990. And he has become more and more qualified since 1990. 也是表示反复性和渐进性。

但是，以上两句不可改为 for...years。

3. personal （个人的，私人的）与private （私有的，私人的）意思有重叠。如何正确区分？

【答】是的。这两个词的意思，在很多情况下是重叠的。掌握搭配是学习英语的最佳方法。这样吧，我给网友尽可能提供更多的搭配，网友可以仔细体会：

personal information 个人信息，个人情况；个人资料，个人资讯

personal data 个人资料

personal computer 个人电脑；个人计算机

personal income 个人所得，个人收入

personal experience 个人经验

personal life 个人生活；私人生活

personal development 个人发展；人的能力发展

personal income tax 个人所得税

personal care 个人护理；个人护理用品

personal interest 个人利益；个人兴趣爱好

personal property 动产；私人财产

personal safety 人身安全；个人安全

personal growth 个人成长

personal injury 人身伤害

personal responsibility 个人责任；人事责任

personal hygiene 个人卫生

personal freedom 人身自由

personal opinion 个人见解，个人意见

personal character 个性；个人性格

personal relationship 个人关系；人际关系

I have something personal to discuss with you.

我有点私事和你商量。

I need your advice on a personal matter, but it's not about me.

有一件私事我想听听你的建议,但不是我的事。

It is my own, growing out of my personal concern.

是我自己提出的,完全出于我个人的关切。

Within two hours, I got my personal statement done.

仅花了两个小时,我就把个人陈述写好了。

Personal cleanliness is important to health as well as to appearance.

个人清洁对于健康和仪表同样重要。

They shun personal fame and gains.    

他们不计个人名利。

I didn't expect him to descend to personal abuse.    

我没料到他会堕落到对我进行人身攻击的地步。

Be careful how you start the personal computer.    

要注意怎样起动个人计算机。

I have something personal to discuss with you.    

我有点私事和你商量。

He was attended by his personal physician.    

他的私人医生护理他。

Her prime motive was personal ambition.    

她的主要动机是为了实现个人的志向。

in private 私下地；秘密地

private enterprise 民营企业；私营企业

private sector 私营部门；私营成分

private equity 私募股权；私人股本

private property 私有财产；私有制

private ownership 私人所有制

private capital 私人资本

private law 私法

private life 私生活

private company 私人公司；股份不公开公司

private school n. 私立学校；私立中小学

private investment 私人投资

private label 自有品牌；私有品牌；商店自用品牌

private network [计]专用网络

private car 私人汽车

private information 私人信息；保密信息

private business 私营企业；私人事务

private international law 国际私法

private key 私人密钥，个人密钥（用于把即将发送的消息进行加密的密钥）

private banking 私人银行；私人银行业务

The president is paying a private visit to Europe.

总统正在欧洲进行私人访问。

We each have our private views about it.

我们每个人对这件事都有自己的看法。

The public is fascinated by the private lives of public figures.

公众对社会名流的私生活具有浓厚的兴趣。

Capitalism is based on private ownership.

资本主义是建立在私有制基础上的。

She is a very retiring and private person.

她是个非常孤独缄默的人。

I don't talk with my boss about my private matters.    

我不和我的老板谈私事。

I wish to talk with you in private.    

我希望能私下里同你谈话。

The Queen is making a private visit to Canada.    

女王正对加拿大进行私人访问。

She acts as a private secretary to him.    

她担任他的私人秘书。

Every room in the hotel has a private bathroom.    

旅馆中的每个房间都有一个单独浴室。

She gives private lessons to supplement her income.    

她给私人授课以贴补收入。

He is being treated at a private clinic.    

他正在私人诊所接受治疗。

Most of the story about his private life was probably apocryphal.    

有关他私生活的事可能大部分都是虚构的。

He quizzed me about my private life.    

他好奇地探询我的私生活。

He works in a private enterprise.    

他在一家私人企业工作。

Each telephone served by a private branch exchange.    

由专用小交换机提供服务的电话分机。

I'd like a private chat with you.    

我想跟你私下谈谈。

We can talk about this matter in private.    

我们只能私下谈论这个话题。

It's illegal to read people's private letters without permission.    

未经允许看别人的私人信件是不合法的。

A private car gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility.    

私人小汽车能给人很大的舒服和机动性。

She asked to see him in private.    

她请求单独与他见面。

In private, I gave them my candid opinion.    

私下里,我对他们直言相告。

Private schools regulate the behavior of students.    

私立学校规范学生行为。