节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-12-01
难易度:Low
关键字:security, valuable, artistic, entry, peg, locksmith, break in
Hi, friends.
Welcome to Studio Classroom Worldwide.
My name is Steve.
Thanks for taking time to study English with us.
We appreciate it.
Now check your pockets or check your purse, chances are you're carrying around a
small, thin piece of metal with grooves in it.
It's commonly known as a key.
Now the typical key, the kind used to open doors and start cars, has three
things in common with the traditional book:
both are found all over the world, both have been around for centuries, and
both, as we know them now, are in danger of disappearing.
So before keys change anymore, let's take a quick look at their history on page
12 of your Studio Classroom magazines.
(Music).
The History of Keys.
You can't get in unless you have the key!
Locks help protect our homes - and the things inside them - from thieves.
Keys that open those locks really are the key to home security!
Some of the earliest keys, dating back to 700 B.C., were large and made of wood.
They opened palace gates and looked like giant toothbrushes with pegs on them.
Hundreds of years later, the Romans made smaller, metal keys.
In fact, rich Romans wore some of them as rings.
They locked boxes that contained valuables with these keys.
Hi, friends.
Thank you for joining us.
My name is Ryan.
And my name is Kaylah.
Happy December, friends.
We're in our final month of 2012.
And today we're going to look at probably something you use every day but never
actually think about.
That's right.
You use them to get into your house, to get into your car, to get things out of
boxes or vaults.
They are your keys.
And I'm sure you've never really thought about the history of keys before.
I know. It's something we use every day so you probably just think: Oh, well,
here it is! It's a key.
But you know, you wouldn't be able to get into anything unless we have a key.
If this thing is locked, there's no going anywhere.
Exactly.
You can't get in unless you have the key.
Well, where did keys actually come from, and when did we start using keys?
We're going to explain some of that today.
Well, locks help protect our homes - and the things inside them - from thieves.
Now locks are the part of the door or part of the gate that keeps it closed.
And you know you have to have a key to get through it.
That's right.
Locks stay locked. And that is the verb meaning they stay closed until you open
them, usually with a key.
And they are necessary because they protect you from thieves.
And thieves are people who want to take things that do not belong to them.
Now keys that open those locks, the ones protecting your home, really are the
key to home security.
Wait a minute, Ryan. Is this a play on words?
Yes, it is, Kaylah.
We see the word "key" used twice here.
Obviously, the noun "key" is what you use to open a lock.
But if something is the... the key to something, what does that mean?
Now the key to something means the answer to something, or quite possibly means
you... if you don't have it... it's the... it's the idea of a key.
If you don't have it, you can't get in or you can't progress.
You can't go forward.
You can't succeed.
So if something is the key to something else, that means you have to have this
piece if you're going to keep moving forward.
Exactly. That means it is needed.
So here, the keys that open locks are needed for security.
And "security" is our first vocabulary word.
"Security" means protection against some sort of threat or danger.
So often we think we have a security guard in nice buildings.
The security guard is the one to protects you from dangers.
Now your keys and locks are definitely your security in your home.
OK. Some of you might have alarms in your home or on your car.
And that is also security.
It protects you from people that might try to get in.
But where did this idea of security come from?
Well, some of the earliest keys, dating back 700 B.C., were actually made of
wood, and were extremely large.
OK. That's a little bit strange.
They "dated back." Here that phrase "dated back" means that that is when it
began.
That's when you first started seeing them appear.
And they were made of wood!
That's right.
700 B.C., that is a long time ago.
So it makes sense that they were made out of wood.
Well, what did they open?
They opened palace gates and looked like giant toothbrushes with pegs on them.
OK. Well, if you look at it... if you look at your magazine, you can see a giant
key.
This is not actually that kind we're talking about; this is too pretty.
But it's the same idea of being a very long stick with these pegs on it.
So it kind of does look like a toothbrush, but these pegs would have been a bit
harder and more secure.
OK. And a "peg," it looks like a stick.
It's kind of small, and it... it can look kind of like a... a long little stick
or a hook on the end of something else.
That's right.
Now pegs can also be on your wall.
They will be hooks that you can hang things on.
So they're short, but they're strong and sturdy and connected to a larger piece.
So a peg on a key are those edges, those... those sharp edges now that we see.
And Kaylah, they used these to get into palaces, right?
That's right.
And a palace is a giant, really big, beautiful, rich home, quite often for
royalty but can be for just rich people.
OK. Well, hundreds of years after that, the Romans made much smaller, metal
keys.
In fact, rich Romans actually wore them as rings.
So you can wear a key on your hand as a ring.
That'd be kind of cool.
Yeah. That makes sense, you always have it with you.
And I guess that's where we get key rings from.
Oh, I don't know if that's the same, but it definitely would have been a ring.
And it's protected because it's always with you, and no one is going to steal a
ring off of your finger without you knowing.
And that was important because these keys locked boxes that contained valuables.
OK. "Valuables" are things that are worth a lot of money or things that you
think are very important.
That's right.
So these Romans want to keep these valuables, important or worth-money items
protected.
So you wear the key on your hand so you always know where it is.
OK, friends. Join us in a little bit and we'll describe how keys moved from
Roman times to today.
But for right now, let's watch this skit.
(Music).
I am a locksmith.
I have lots of keys.
Would you like to see my shop?
Why? What's so special about keys?
Keys are the key to security.
True. Keys do help keep things safe.
You know, keys date back to 700 B.C.
Some were large and made of wood.
They opened the palace gates.
The palace gates?
Whoa! That's interesting.
Centuries later, the Romans made smaller, metal keys.
That's more convenient.
Yes. Rich Romans wore them as rings.
Oh. That's a good idea.
So what did those keys open?
They opened boxes that contained valuables.
That's a good idea - always lock up valuables.
In the 14th century, key designs became more artistic.
Artistic keys?
Yes. Some locksmiths became famous for making beautiful keys.
Beautiful keys?
Yes. Kings invited locksmiths to design their castle keys.
That's interesting.
In the 18th century, there were more cities and more thieves.
Oh. So more locks and keys?
That's right.
They kept thieves from breaking in.
Well, what about today?
Today we use electronic card keys.
And even smart card apps, so people can gain entry without a traditional key.
Keys sure are interesting.
All right.
Well, I'd love to see your shop.
Great!
Oops.
Sorry, I forgot mykeys.