节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-11-01
难易度:Medium
关键字:blast, assign, intelligence, cashew, chrysanthemum, veteran, take the cake

Welcome back from the break.
Now friends, there are many, many long and difficult English words that you'll
encounter,
that you'll never need to know or pronounce correctly because you'll just never
use them.
However, there is a long and difficult word coming up in this next section of
the lesson that you really should know, remember and know how to say properly.
It's the word chrysanthemum, November's official flower.
Let's learn why down on line 15.
November.
November's flower is the chrysanthemum, which represents long life and wealth as
well as intelligence and happiness.
Several holidays fall in November.
On November 11, Veterans Day, people remember soldiers who fought in wars.
And the fourth Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day.
November has also been made the national month for many things.
In the United States, it's National Beard Month and also National Novel Writing
Month.
Each day in November also celebrates a food.
November 5 is National Donut Day.
Nutty people celebrate November 24 as National Cashew Day.
And November 26 really takes the cake.
It, of course, is National Cake Day.
Welcome back.
Friends, even though November is often associated with very cold, gray days,
it's actually a very interesting month.
We've already learned that it originally got its name from the word "novem,"
which means nine in Latin.
And just before the break, we were talking about how certain months have certain
flowers associated with them.
That's right.
Each month has a flower that we put with it because of the flower blooming in
that month.
We also learned that flowers have special meaning.
Now let's look at November's flower.
Friends, this is a very difficult English word.
You say this: chrysanthemum.
That's right.
These flowers are called chrysanthemums.
And a chrysanthemum is a type of small plant that has a lot of very small,
usually colorful flowers on it,
sometimes, though, it will have only a few larger flowers on it.
And we pronounce it chrysanthemum.
Now chrysanthemum is a very difficult word to both say and spell,
so take special note of it but know that this is the flower we associate to
November.
And the special meaning behind chrysanthemum is its representation of a long
life and wealth as well as intelligence and happiness.
These are all wonderful things.
Yes, this is what the flower represents.
And like you said before, if you represent something, that means that is what it
means.
And here, Kaylah, it's talking about having, uh, wealth and intelligence.
That's right.
Now intelligence is how smart you are.
This word intelligence is your ability to learn or understand something.
Usually we think, "Are you smart?" Well, then you would be intelligent.
So, hey, this is a great month that's being happy, wealthy and smart all at the
same time.
Exactly.
OK. So that's what this flower represents.
But what else is happening in November?
Well, we do already know, friends, there are a few holidays that fall in
November as well.
That's right. Several holidays, so not just one or two.
Now on November 11, we have Veterans Day.
Now on Veterans Day, people remember soldiers who fought in wars.
Now why would you do that on Veterans Day?
Well, the word veteran means someone who was in the armed forces or fought
during a war.
And now they have come back home.
They would be called a veteran.
A veteran.
Another way to say that is we would say a vet.
But be careful not to mix up the word vet and veterinarian with veteran.
A veteran is someone who has served for their country.
Now after November 11, we always... we know that there's a very special holiday
that's always in November, but the date changes.
That's right.
It's on the fourth Thursday of every November.
And that is, of course, friends, Thanksgiving Day.
That's right.
It's kind of difficult to remember because it's not on a special day, like
Christmas is always December 25.
But Thanksgiving Day is on a certain day in the month, not a certain date in the
month.
So every fourth Thursday. So you need to look at your calendar every year to see
what day it is.
That's right.
And I know, Kaylah, I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving this day,
sometimes called turkey today.
Oh, that's right.
And this month, it is on November 22.
So let's keep moving on.
Let's see, what other holidays do we have?
Well, November is also the national month for several things.
And this is something I am excited about too, Kaylah.
But what is a national month?
Well, we would say a national month meaning this month we all think of it as
representing this, or we celebrate this throughout the entire month.
Now in the United States, it's considered National Beard Month.
Or we also call it No Shave November.
That's right.
No Shave November.
I want to see those beards.
Now it is also National Novel Writing Month.
Oh, that's exciting.
So it's the time where we write books.
It's very nice.
Now each day in November also celebrates a food.
How special!
That's right.
November fifth is National Donut Day.
Now also, nutty people celebrate November 24 as National Cashew Day.
Now cashew is a small nut from a tropical tree, usually in the Americas, and
it's absolutely delicious.
I'm sure you've had cashews before.
Well, November 26 really takes the cake because it is, of course, National Cake
Day.
That's right.
If something takes the cake, that means it is an extreme example.
And friends, Liz has some extreme examples for us now in Grammar On the Go, and
then let's watch a skit.
Hello, friends. How are you doing today?
My name is Liz, and it's time for Grammar On the Go.
It's the first of November, so we're talking about this eleventh month of the
year in today's article.
And we read: And November 26 really takes the cake.
That's our Grammar Tip sentence for today.
Now our focus is on the phrase at the end of the sentence: takes the cake.
This phrase has nothing to do with picking up dessert.
Now instead, it's an idiom that means the best or worst of something.
In the case of today's sentence, the writer is saying that November is the month
that Americans celebrate so many things,
and November 26 is the best example of all the things that get celebrated.
OK. Let's look at some examples of how we can use this idiom.
Let's say, everyone wore funny costumes to a party, but Donald's costume was the
funniest.
So we can say:
At the party, every guest wore a funny costume, but Donald's costume really took
the cake.
Now we can also use this idiom to talk about how something is the worst.
For example, we've all seen terrible advertisements, but let's say you saw one
on TV that was absolutely horrific.
So you can say:
I've seen a lot of bad advertisements, but that one takes the cake!
One more reminder:
This idiom is most often used in informal situations.
And that's all the time we have for today.
This is Liz with Grammar On the Go, signing off.
Bye-bye.
Hurray!
This is my favorite month.
Why does November top your list of favorite months?
And why shouldn't it?
November has... gray days and blasts of cold wind.
Well, true.
But November is full of surprises.
Surprises?
Yeah.
Like what?
Well, November comes from the Latin word meaning nine.
But November isn't the ninth month.
It's the eleventh month.
Yeah. But on the Roman calendar, it was the ninth month.
Oh, I'm so surprised.
See? I told you.
Hmm, tell me something else about November.
Sure.
November's assigned flower is the chrysanthemum.
The chry... chry... chry-what-thum?
Chry-what-y-um.
The chrysanthemum.
Oh.
It represents long life, wealth and intelligence.
Oh, everybody likes those things.
I know.
And that's not all.
Several holidays fall in November.
Like what?
Like Veteran's Day when we remember our soldiers.
Oh, yeah.
And Thanksgiving Day when we take time to give thanks.
Oh, yeah.
I love Thanksgiving.
That's not all.
November is the national month for some very special things.
Like what?
Like aviation history, banana pudding, and adopt a senior pet.
Oh, I had no idea.
And that's not all.
Each day in November celebrates a certain food.
Really?
What kinds of food?
There's Donut Day and Cashew Day and Cake Day.
Hurray!
This is my favorite month too.
Really! Ha-ha!
Surprise!
Happy November, everyone.
Happy November.
Yeah. Wow. Donut...
(Music).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And I guess that's all for today's Language Tips.
I'll see you next time.
Bye-bye.
(Music).
Thank you, Michelle.
You know, it's not difficult to find poems describing November as a month that
is chilly and lonely.
Yes, November has a reputation of being dreary.
But hopefully, after this lesson, you'll have a different opinion because now
you know that the eleventh month is full of fun and surprises.
Of course, of all the warm feelings November offers, the Thanksgiving holiday
must surely be at the top of the list.
Or maybe it's National Cake Day.
OK, everyone, make the rest of your Thursday great, and then join us next time
for another lesson. Take care.