PART 02 详解实用对话After Getting Home
Jane:Home at last.Tonight we have a lot of homework though.
Tom:Are you saying we don't have time to watch our favorite show tonight? Jane, you know I really don't like our teacher all that much.He gives far too much homework.He criticizes me in front of everyone all the time .
Jane:To tell the truth , I don't really like him either.He's kind of boring and not very active.He always looks unhappy too.
Tom:Yes, and he also…
Jane:Do you think we should be talking about him like this behind his back?
Tom:Probably not.After all he is our teacher.We should try to find something nice to say.If you can't say something nice you shouldn't say anything at all.
Jane:I absolutely agree.It's getting dark.We should finish our homework now.
Tom: All right.I want to take a shower first.I'm exhausted!
详细解说
回家后
简:终于到家了。不过今晚我们有一大堆作业要做。
汤姆:你是说我们没时间看最喜欢的电视节目了吗?简,你知道我真的不那么喜欢我们老师。他布置的作业太多了。而且总是在大家面前批评我。
简:说实话,我也不是很喜欢他。他有点儿乏味而且一点儿也不活跃,看起来总是一副不开心的样子。
汤姆:对啊,而且他还……
简:你觉得我们应该在背后这样说他吗?汤姆:不应该,毕竟他是我们的老师。我们应该找点好的说。如果你不能说点好的,那就别说了。
简:我完全赞成。天要黑了,我们还是先把功课做完吧。
汤姆:好吧。我想先冲个澡。累死了!
单词
* though[ðəu]ad. 可是,不过
* criticize[ˈkritisaiz]v. 批评,责备
* either[ˈaiðə, ˈiːðə]ad. 也(不)
* active[ˈæktiv]a. 活跃的,积极的
PART 03文化洗礼
360°详细解说起居室(drawing room)一词的来源
通常,我们回家后,就会毫无顾忌地在起居室(drawing room)的沙发上躺下来,因为在外面劳累了一天,回到家里终于可以放松放松(relax)了。看到这里,大家不禁要问,“起居室”不是写成“living room”或“sitting room”吗?为什么还能写成“drawingroom”呢?我们知道draw有“绘画”的意思,但是“drawing room”(起居室)却与艺术一点也不相干。“drawing room”是指“接待客人的房间”,也就是“客厅”或“起居室”,其英文解释是“a room, especially a large room in a large house, where people sit and relax, or entertain guests”,它是一种比较正式的说法。关于“drawing room”的来源,其背后有个小故事。“drawing room”这个词源自于“withdrawing room”。在英国过去有个习惯,为了让女士们不受男士“吞云吐雾”的吸烟之害,就要求她们在用餐后待在饭厅旁的另一个房间。也就是要求女士们从饭厅中“退出来”(withdraw),然后男士们就可以尽情地抽烟喝酒、高谈阔论,而不受干扰了。至于女士们所停留的那个房间,本来叫做“withdrawing room”,后来就约定俗成地写成“drawing room”了。