mess with
mess with是口语当中常常会听到的表达，表示胡乱摆弄某物，搞糟某事，干扰或影响某人，用法如下：
1. Don't mess with her: she's got a violent temper.
别干预她的事, 她脾气很暴。
2. He told his son not to mess with the radio.
他叫儿子不要乱摆收音机。
 
gleam v./n. 闪烁，闪现
The lighthouse of the island gleamed in the distance.
远处岛上的灯塔在闪耀着。
His face gleamed with pleasure.
他的脸上闪现出欢快的神色。

settle down 在这里的意思是坐下来，坐好，此外还有多种其他含义：
安顿下来，定居，成家，冷静下来
Uncle George didn't settle down until he was nearly fifty.
乔治叔叔一直到快五十岁时才安顿下来。
I want to get married and settle down.
我想结婚安顿下来。
　　
stare v. 盯着看
She stared him into silence.
她把他盯得不吭声了。
They all stared with astonishment.
他们全都惊讶地瞪着眼。

mind v. 介意，在意
用来询问他人是否介意某事的表达：
Do/Would you mind…?
1.后接动名词形式（doing），表示用来客气地提出请求
Do/Would you mind giving me a glass of water?
请给我杯水好吗?
Do/Would you mind not smoking?
请你不要吸烟

2.后接sb.'s doing 用来询问，征求对方的意见（非正式文体中，DOING前的所有格可换成宾格）
Do you mind my/me smoking here?
我在这里吸烟你介意吗

回答mind问句时：
表示介意,在乎时，用yes，后面跟句子，意思是不让对方做某事
表示不介意，不在乎时，用no，后面跟句子，意思是允许对方做某事

eg. Do you mind if I smoke here?你介意我在这吸烟吗？
Yes,you'd better not?是的，你最好别抽．
No,certainly not.不介意，你当然可以抽．　　

tap v. 轻拍，轻击
The tooth hurts when I tap it.
我轻敲时牙齿会痛。
That girl tapped her fingers on the desk impatiently.
那个女孩不耐烦地用手指轻扣桌面。
　　
speed v. 快速行进
The holidays simply sped by.
假期简直是一晃而过。
The taxi sped off at full speed.
那辆出租车飞快地开走了。