Let's leave that for the moment. We have more important matters to think about.
讓我們先把那事擱壹邊吧。我們還有更重要的事情需要考慮呢。
The universe is made up of matter. 宇宙是由物質組成的。
I have nothing to do now. Could you offer me some reading matter?
我現在無事可做。妳能給我點兒可讀的東西嗎？
二、matter作動詞，意為"有關系；要緊"。通常用於否定句和疑問句，句中常常含有what, who, where, if等詞，壹般以it作主語。例如：
It doesn't matter if I miss the train, because there's another later.
我要是誤了這趟火車也不要緊，因為晚些時候還有壹趟車呢。
Does it matter a great deal to her whether they come or not？
他們是否來，這與她有很大關系嗎？
三、由matter構成的常用短語。
1. no matter
①不要緊；無關緊要。此短語可單獨用，也可接that, whether引導的從句。例如：
-I can't repair the mobile phone.
我不會修手機。
-No matter. I'll do it myself.
沒關系。我自己來。
There is no matter whether he has worked abroad.
他有沒有在國外工作過都沒關系。
②no matter+特殊疑問詞；意為"無論......"，用來引導狀語從句。例如：
No matter where you go, please let me know. 無論妳去哪裏，請告訴我壹聲。
2. the matter意為"有問題；出毛病；麻煩事"，常常同不定代詞anything, something, nothing等連用，意為"有點兒什麽問題"或"沒有什麽問題"等。例如：
-Is there anything the matter?
有什麽問題嗎？
-Of course, there's something the matter.
當然，有問題。
-I heard he fell off the truck. Anything the matter with him at present?
我聽說他從卡車上摔下來了。他現在怎麽樣了？
-Nothing the matter. Thank you.
沒事了。謝謝妳。
3. as a matter of fact
事實上(用來加強語氣)。例如：
As a matter of fact, I know nothing about the matter.
事實上，我對此事壹無所知。
4. for that matter
都壹樣（用於指出所說的兩件事物中，後說的與先說的性質壹樣）。例如：
Don't talk like that to the elder, or to anyone else for that matter.
不要跟長輩那樣說話，其實跟誰也不要那樣。
5. (be) a matter of (doing) sth.
取決於某事。例如：
Success in business is simply a matter of knowing when to take a chance.
商業上的成功就在於懂得對時機的把握