节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-11-08
难易度:Medium
关键字:jade, interact, extend, pastry, stingray, observation wheel, capsule
We're learning all about fun things to do while you are in Singapore.
And today we've talked about two so far.
You can visit Pulau Ubin.
This is a great place away from the crowds of the city.
It's a place where you can walk through streets and lovely forest paths and
along quiet beaches.
And of course you can also visit Underwater World.
That's another place in Singapore where it's not just like any other aquarium
with sea creatures.
But in this place you can actually interact with some sea creatures.
You can swim with dolphins, dive among sharks, and we're going to learn more
about Underwater World right now.
(Music).
Ten Fun Things to Do in Singapore.
Be sure to feed the stingrays!
Extend your hand into the water holding a piece of fish between your fingers.
Then watch as the huge, gentle animals swim up and suck the food into their
mouths!
Singapore Flyer.
The world's largest observation wheel stands 165 meters tall and looks over all
of Singapore.
You can ride it around or pay more to enjoy a 4-course meal in a special
capsule.
Or you can bring a new meaning to the phrase high tea by enjoying tea,
sandwiches and pastries during your ride.
Well, that does sound like a very enjoyable time to be able to see the city from
such a high place.
But first let's learn a little bit more about Underwater World.
You have many opportunities to interact with sea creatures there.
And we continue to read:
Be sure to feed the stingrays!
Gabe, you can feed the stingrays.
Well, I don't know about that, Carolyn.
I know that some stingrays are pretty dangerous.
You want to be careful because they do sting after all if you're not careful.
Well, um, it does sound interesting.
I just want to make sure I'm going with the right people.
Well, I will go with you, Gabe.
And I'm sure you will be very safe because as we continue to read,
you simply extend your hand into the water holding a piece of fish between your
fingers.
Then watch as the huge, gentle animals swim up and suck the food into their
mouths!
So they are gentle, Gabe.
OK.
Well, these creatures do seem to be pretty gentle.
And they are quite beautiful.
When you see them swimming, it's kind of like they have wings and they're
flapping underwater.
Well, let's take a look at one of our key words here.
It's the word: extend.
As you read here, you can extend your hand.
So you make it longer, or you make it its full length.
That's right.
So usually you have your hand probably pretty close to your body.
But if you want to feed the stingrays, you'll have to take a piece of fish into
your hand and extend it into the water so it would get longer.
And Gabe has just extended his arm over to where I was.
Here, you can have it again.
Oh, oh, there... there you go.
There you go.
All right.
Extend your arm.
You can extend your arm.
Some animals, well, they like to keep their necks kind of short like a... like a
turtle.
Maybe it can keep its neck inside its shell.
Sometimes you'll see a turtle extend its neck outside of its shell.
So that's how you use this word: extend.
Of course, you can extend other things too.
You could extend an invitation to someone to come to your party.
That means you are inviting them.
You can extend a warm welcome to someone when they come and visit.
That's right.
So there are several different ways you can use this word: extend.
Practice using it with your classmates or with your family.
Now, number 6: The Singapore Flyer.
This is the world's largest observation wheel, which stands 165 meters tall and
looks over all of Singapore.
So this would be a great view of the city.
I think it would be.
And I saw the Singapore Flyer when I was there, but I didn't get a chance to
ride it.
Now this is an observation wheel.
Actually, that's another name for Ferris wheel.
Ferris is, of course, the name of the person who created or invented this kind
of wheel.
But all around the world, you can also call Ferris wheels observation wheels.
Especially if that particular wheel is specially designed to let you see what is
around it.
Not just for a ride but to really observe the surrounding area.
That's right.
And you know, there are other famous observation wheels or Ferris wheels.
This is the tallest.
Now can you guess?
What about the London Eye?
That's another very famous one.
What ranking is that, Carolyn?
Do you know?
I do not know, Gabe.
What is the London Eye?
It's number three in the world.
I used to think it was the tallest.
But here I learn Singapore Flyer is the tallest observation wheel.
Well, there are other wheels you can go on around the world.
And there are other things you can do in the Singapore... the Singapore Flyer.
What can you do?
You can ride it around or pay more to enjoy a 4-course meal in a special
capsule.
Or you can bring a new meaning to the phrase high tea by enjoying tea,
sandwiches and pastries during your ride.
OK. Well, that's great.
There are some things you can do in the Singapore Flyer and some things we want
to talk about from this sentence:
to bring a new meaning to something.
Well, first of all, high tea, that's some... an afternoon tea that they have in
England or other places in the world.
Now we bring a new meaning to this because you're having tea in a very high
place.
How else could you use the phrase: to bring a new meaning to something?
Well, if you are trying something for the first time, a new food, and you think
it is so tasty, so delicious,
you might say this food brings a new meaning to the word delicious.
It has a completely new meaning to me.
I didn't know something could taste this good!
All right.
Or maybe, what about smartphones?
Smartphones brought a new meaning to convenience.
Now we really know what convenience means because we can do everything with our
smartphones.
Or if you get Google Glass, you'll feel the same way.
Well, we see another word here from our Word Bank.
It's the word pastry.
And this is something sweet or delicious, usually made of bread.
That's right.
So you can eat many different kinds of pastries.
Cakes, muffins, cupcakes, those would all be considered pastries.
Now Gabe, what kind of pastries should I bring to your birthday party?
Oh, my goodness.
Pastries.
You know, I really, really like the kinds of pastries that have the little fruit
in the middle.
Mmhm.
Yeah, I love that.
Or frosty pastries.
Anything sweet.
Oh, OK.
Well, then that's pretty easy.
Well, it's time for us to continue learning with Steve and Ken in the
Information Cloud.
Then we'll enjoy a review skit and join Michelle in the Language Lab.
(Music).
Traditionally, high tea is the meal British working-class people eat after they
get home from work.
Many believe the term comes from the fact that the meal was served on a high
table.
OK. But our point today isn't the origin of the phrase high tea.
It's the fact that the author uses the phrase as a pun, right?
That's right.
Generally speaking, puns are words or phrases that are alike, or nearly alike,
in sound or meaning used for humorous effect.
So then we can expect the phrase high tea to have two distinct meanings.
And it does.
The first meaning is the traditional British meal Steve described a moment ago.
The second meaning of high tea comes from the fact that guests on the Singapore
Flyer can drink their tea 165 meters above the ground.
"High" tea.
Get it?
Got it.
Now some people absolutely love puns while others feel puns are the lowest form
of humor.
Listen to this pun and decide for yourself if you are a fan.
How do you stop a charging bull?
I... don't know, Ken.
How?
You take away his credit card!
Uh, Ken, I think that's more like two thirds of a pun: PU.
Ah, nice one.
(Chinese).
Ah, Singapore.
It's a bustling city.
It's a small but impressive city.
Right.
And I want to travel into Singapore's past.
How do you do that?
A 10-minute boat ride will take us to an island where life has remained
unchanged.
Unchanged?
Since when?
Since the 1960s.
There are lovely forest paths and quiet beaches.
The jade of Singapore is filled with plants and animals and natural beauty.
Well, I'm ready for some underwater beauty.
Let's go to the Underwater World.
With sea creatures?
Yes!
You can swim with dolphins or dive with sharks.
Hmm. I'll take the dolphins, thanks.
And you can even feed the stingrays.
Oh, how fun.
Ow!
Wait, we could visit the world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer.
Oh, cool.
Can you ride around in it?
Sure.
And you can see all of Singapore.
It's 165 meters tall.
Whoa, that's tall.
Hey, that would give us an amazing view!
And you can also enjoy a 4-course meal or high tea.
Ha...
High...
Sandwiches and pastries.