节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-04-11
难易度:High
关键字:carton, variation, reliance, indispensable, chisel, flint
Today we're talking about kitchen inventions that make our lives more
convenient.
It is so much easier now that we have an egg carton.
We don't have to worry about our eggs breaking on the way to the store or when
we take them home with us.
And we found that back in 1911, there was an argument in Canada between two men.
And it ended up with the invention of the egg carton.
Well, we have two more great kitchen inventions we want to talk about in the
next part of our lesson.
Let's do that now.
Food Inventions.
The can.
In 1810, London resident Peter Durand invented metal cans that would hold and
preserve food for long periods of time.
The only problem was that people had to use a hammer and chisel to open them.
Amazingly, it took another 50 years before the can opener was invented by Ezra
Warner.
The knife.
Many believe the knife is mankind's oldest tool, with the earliest forms made
from flint or a glass-like rock and then from metal around 2500 B.C.
Through the years, the cutting device evolved into the handy tool we place so
much reliance on today.
While we in the 21st century take these inventions for granted, our lives would
be very different without these indispensable kitchen aids.
(Music).
OK. The can and the knife, both very useful tools that you might see in the
kitchen.
Let's start with the can.
In 1810, London resident Peter Durand invented metal cans that would hold and
preserve food for long periods of time.
So he was a London resident.
What does that mean, Carolyn?
Well, it means that he lived in London.
He lived in the City of London.
And we see that he invented metal cans.
It's hard for me to imagine a time when there weren't metal cans to store our
food in.
That's right.
And they hold your food for long periods of time.
It's very true.
Sometimes you can store food in a metal can for years, and it won't go bad.
Foods like beans or corn or things like that, you can put in metal cans, a very
useful invention.
It was.
And we continue on to see just a little bit of a problem with this invention.
The only problem was that people had to use a hammer and chisel to open them.
So we had this great way to preserve food and keep it fresh for a long time, but
it was very difficult to open a can if you need to use a hammer and chisel.
Wow! That seems kind of like a fun challenge to face.
If you like working with tools, maybe you'll like this idea.
Next time you have a can, instead of using your can opener, get a hammer and get
a chisel and open that can.
A hammer, of course, is a tool that you can use.
And a chisel, you can... has a sharp end on one end.
And you can use a hammer behind it to try to open something or make a hole in
something.
That's right.
So the chisel is a flat tool that's used to carve wood or stone, and also to
open cans.
However, amazingly, it took another 50 years before the can opener was invented
by Ezra Warner.
So we had cans for 50 years before we had can openers.
Well, I'm grateful for Ezra Warner because I don't have a chisel at home.
Let's continue learning about the knife.
We read here:
Many believe the knife is mankind's oldest tool, with the earliest forms made
from flint or a glass-like rock and then from metal around 2500 B.C.
Wow! So this goes back a long time.
That's right. It... I think it is our oldest invention, our oldest tool.
And we see that it was made from flint in one of its earliest forms.
So one of the earliest things they used to make knives was flint.
And flint is a type of hard, grey stone that is good for cutting things.
It's good for cutting things.
And if you rub flint and some stones together, then you can also make a fire.
That's actually how some people make fires if they are out alone in the
wilderness.
Have a piece of flint with you, maybe you can create your own fire.
Well, we do see another word in that sentence I just want to talk about.
It's the word "mankind." What does that mean, Carolyn?
Well, mankind means everyone, the type of people.
So mankind is everyone in the world.
And here we're talking about the ancestors of mankind when we were making tools
out of flint.
That's right, a long time ago around 2500 B.C.
OK, we continue.
Through the years, the cutting device evolved into the handy tool we place so
much reliance on today.
I like that.
The tool is very useful today.
And it has uh, evolved or changed a lot over the years.
Let's talk about the word: reliance.
What does this word "reliance" mean?
Well, reliance means that you rely on something.
You depend on it.
Or as we mentioned yesterday, you can't do without it.
You rely heavily on something, you need it.
That's right.
And Carolyn just used a verb form - rely. R-E-L-Y.
Usually you see it with the word "on." You rely on something or you rely on
somebody.
Well, let's continue.
While we in the 21 century take these inventions for granted, our lives would be
very different without these indispensable kitchen aids.
And it's true.
I think sometimes we do take many things for granted.
We do.
And I see this great word here: indispensable.
It's similar to the word "reliance," if you rely on something.
But if something is indispensable, then it is also necessary.
You need it.
You really can't do without it, must have this thing.
That's right.
Because if you dispense of something, that means you throw it away.
Maybe it's useless or you don't need it.
But if it's indispensable, then of course you need it.
Carolyn, you are indispensable.
And I don't want to take you for granted.
Oh. Well, thank you.
I appreciate that.
And I certainly don't want to take anything for granted, especially Steve and
Ken in the Information Cloud.
They have something that they would like to tell us about.
Then we can review a... we can enjoy a review skit.
And join Michelle in the Language Lab.
Hi, friends.
Do you ever assume something will always be available and that it will always
serve a certain function?
For example, when you turn on the faucet, do you always assume that water will
come out of it?
Well, if you do, you're taking water for granted.
When you take something for granted, you assume you'll never lose it.
Right.
The verb "grant" means to allow or give freely.
So when you take something for granted, you're assuming that that thing is given
to you for free.
And when you make that assumption, you tend not to appreciate that thing.
But one day, there may be no water coming out of the faucet, and so we shouldn't
take water for granted.
What else do we take for granted, Ken?
People.
If there is a person you know who cares for you and they are putting in effort
to make you a better person, you don't want to take them for granted.
Right.
A friend could be taken for granted if you assume that he will always be ready
to help you out, even if you aren't always ready to help him.
Or if you're the head of a company, don't take hard-working employees for
granted.
They should be rewarded for their long and faithful service.
Think about what you might take for granted and start to appreciate it.
(Chinese).
Hooray for food.
I love to eat.
Me, too.
And food preparation innovations throughout history have paved the way for safer
and easier-to-make meals.
And that makes eating even easier.
Pasteurization was an important food discovery.
Yes. Louis Pasteur destroyed harmful bacteria by heating liquids.
Before that, deadly bacteria led to disease and death.
Today, food is much safer.
Another helpful invention was refrigeration.
Oh.
It's a great method to preserve and store food.
Right.
No kitchen should be without a refrigerator... full of food.
Yeah.
And don't forget the egg carton.
Keeping eggs separated by cardboard was a very useful invention.
Mmhm. How true that is.
Nobody wants uh... broken eggs.
And how about the can?
Yes, another useful invention.
Metal cans can hold and preserve food for long periods of time.
Cans are so convenient, especially since can openers were invented.
Right.
Hey, don't forget about knives! Man's oldest tool.
Yes. Don't take them for granted.
Wow! We have a lot of indispensable kitchen aids.
Eating has never been easier.
And speaking of eating, what are we waiting for?
Let's get started.
OK.
(Chinese).
And I guess it's time to go back to our teachers.
We've learned a lot about useful food inventions or inventions that you might
see around your kitchen that we cannot do without.
Well, I do wonder what is something in your kitchen that you think that you can
not do without, you need it.
Carolyn, what do you think?
Well, there are a lot of things in my kitchen that I use every day.
But I think the one that I would really hate to be without is my refrigerator.
I put a lot of things in my refrigerator.
And I can't imagine not having one.
All right.
I think a refrigerator is pretty important, too.
Also, sometimes there might be 10,000 spoons when all I need is a knife.
So, I can't do without my silverware.
I think it's pretty important.
Oh, yeah, and cups!
I like to drink water out of those.
Well, there are many things that we find useful in our kitchens.
And of course, I hope you know how to answer that question in English as well.
And come back next time right here at Studio Classroom.
See you later.
See you then.