• majority作主语时谓语用单数还是复数
  
  majority作主语时谓语用单数还是复数
  
  1. the majority表示“大多数”时，是集合名词；若单独用作主语，谓语动词可用单数（若强调整体）或复数（若强调个体）。如：
  The majority has [have] seen the film. 多数人看过这部电影。
  But the majority were [was] on Ben’s side. 但多数人都站在贝恩一边。
  但是若单独用的 the majority后跟有复数表语，则谓语通常要用复数。如：
  The majority are young people. 大多数是年轻人。
  2. “the majority of+复数名词”用作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数，偶尔也可以用单数。如：
  The majority of them are professional drivers. 他们大多是职业司机。
  The majority of criminals are non-violent. 大多数罪犯是不使用暴力的。
  The majority of students 

chief/chef/thief/theft/burglar/brief/main/prime/primary/primitive/premier/major/majority/minor/minority/mine/miner/mineral
记忆：
1. chief [ tFi:f ] Most important or influential n.首领, 领袖, 酋长, 长官 adj. 主要的, 首席的 Who is the chief editor of China Daily? 谁是中国日报的主编？
2. chef [ Fef ] n. 厨师 A chef is an expert at cooking. 厨师是烹饪方面的专家。
3. thief [ Wi:f ] n. 小偷, 贼 Stop the thief! Stop the thief!抓贼啊！抓贼啊
4. theft [ Weft ] n. 偷, 行窃, 偷窃行为 A theft of a needle in childhood may lead to a theft of gold when grown up.小时偷针，长大偷金。
5. burglar [ 5bE:^lE ] n. 夜贼 The house is equipped with burglar alarms.这房子安装有防盗警报。
6. brief [ bri:f ] n. 摘要, 大纲 adj. 简短的 Here is a brief introduction to our products.这是我们的产品的简介。
7. main [ mein ] Most important; principal adj. 主要的, 重要的 The main points in her speech is that teenagers should have a sense of duty and patriotism.她演讲的要点是年轻人应该有责任感和爱国主义感。
8. prime [ praim ] First in degree, rank, time, order, value and so on. adj. 主要的, 最初的 prime minister 首相 The prime minister visited a primary school yesterday.首相昨天参观了一所小学。
9. primary [ 5praimEri] adj. 第一位的, 初步的, 初级的, 原来的, 根源的 In my opinion, the right of existence is primary.在我看来，生存权是第一位的。
10. primitive [ 5primitiv ] adj. 原始的, 粗糙的, 简单的 The story dates back to the primitive times.故事追溯到远古时候。
11. premier [ 5premjE, -miE ] adj. 第一的, 首要的 n. 总理 Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Europe has improved the bilateral relation and cooperation.温家宝到欧洲的访问改善了双边关系及相互合作。
12. major [ 5meidVE ] Greater than others in importance or number adj. 主修的，严重的，多的 vi. 主修 English is my major course in university.英语是我在大学时的主修课程。
13. majority [ mE5dVCriti ] n. 多数, 大半 The majority of the villager agreed that they shouldn’t develop their economy at the cost of the environment.多数村民同意他们发展经济不能以牺牲环境作为代价。
14. minor [ 5mainE ] adj. 较小的, 次要的 They are just minor problems.他们只是一些小问题。
15. minority [ mai5nCriti, mi- ] n. 少数, 少数民族 It’s our duty to preserve the colorful culture of the minorities.保存好少数民族的的彩文化是我们的责任。
16. mine [ main ] n. 矿井, 地雷, 水雷 vt. 开采, 在...布雷 vi. 开矿, 埋设地雷pron.我的 When can we see no accidents in coal mines?我们何时看不到煤矿有事故？
17. miner [ 5mainE] n. 矿工 The miners can’t bleed in vain.矿工的血不会白流。
18. mineral [ 5minErEl ] n. 矿物, 矿石 More people prefer mineral water. 更多的人喜欢矿泉水。
另类阅读：
The chief editor told his main reporters in brief words that the majority of the miners were kind though there was a minority of them acted as thieves. The major stories should cover their kindness and their hard work for a better life.
轻松一刻：
Husband: It's said that the prices of eight kinds of food have gone up. But why it costs me more to take a bath?
Wife: Because you belong to flesh!