节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-01-23
难易度:Low
关键字:tribal, challenging, annual, unforgettable, seaweed, ride, migration
Welcome back.
We've been taking a look at some of the stories told by Studio Classroom
teachers of how they have celebrated the Lunar New Year in the past.
We first started looking at Doris's story.
In 1952, she hiked through Taiwan and met some interesting challenges there.
Next we were looking at Steve who was about to tell us a story of a festival he
joined in China.
Let's take a look on line 15 and continue the story.
Lunar New Year's Memories.
Taking the ferry through the Three Gorges was unforgettable.
For three days - from Wuhan to Chongqing - this waiguoren was a true laobaixing!
The most difficult part of my journey was the 33-hour train trip from Kunming to
Guangzhou - on hard seat!
Aiyo!
Ruth.
I hadn't been in Taiwan long when I was invited to a New Year's dinner at a
friend's.
I was curious about the food.
My friend's mother served many, many dishes.
Then she brought out something that looked like hair. I thought, "I know Chinese
eat almost everything,
but do they really eat hair?" Then she explained to me it was a kind of seaweed
called fa cai, which means "hair vegetable." I tried it, and I liked it!
OK. So in 2000, Steve traveled to China to join a festival there.
And now we're going to start continuing his story.
Kaylah, we see how he took the ferry through the Three Gorges, and it was
unforgettable.
When something is "unforgettable," it's exactly what it sounds like.
We see the word "forgettable." That means we could forget it.
But the U-N, "un-" means it is not.
So it is something he will never forget.
Yeah, it's so exciting and so memorable he will never forget it.
And it looks like it would've been a very interesting journey.
Absolutely.
Uh... this whole migration to join it, it's the largest in the world.
That's quite an adventure.
Yeah. He saw the Three Gorges.
And Steve says for three days - from Wuhan to Chongquing - this waiguoren was a
true laobaixing.
Well, for those of us that actually don't speak Chinese - that is a foreigner -
the "waiguoren" is a foreigner,
someone that does not belong in that land; and it makes him a true civilian -
some very local person.
Yeah. And Steve says: The most difficult part of my journey was the 33-hour
train trip from Kunming to Guangzhou - on hard seat!
Oh, no!
Thirty-three hours in one chair!
Ryan, that's over a day!
A day is 24 hours.
Friends, I know I would not want to take a train ride that long.
That is a very long train ride.
The longest I have taken, actually, was 12 hours.
And let me tell you, it is not fun.
Well, and Steve took 33 hours.
And we see here he uses the phrase "on hard seat." Now that is a kind of a play
on words playing with his Chinese and English.
Putting the two together, we call that "Chinglish." So that is definitely an
intentional joke he makes there.
And he ends this with: Aiyo!
"Aiyo!" And of course, in Chinese, that's like saying: Oh, my goodness! It was a
really long trip.
Absolutely.
Well, it seems like Steve had a great adventure, and Doris did.
Next we have Ruth.
All right.
Now Ruth, who is one of our editors, she says: I hadn't been in Taiwan long when
I was invited to a New Year's dinner at a friend's.
Now I like this.
She starts off by telling us just how friendly she... her friends were here.
She hadn't been in the country very long.
Maybe she was missing her family during the holidays, and they took her in.
That's right. And this does sound like a wonderful way to celebrate the Lunar
New Year.
She says, "I was curious about the food." And of course, she had not been in
Taiwan long, so I'm sure I would have been curious too.
Now I can say that Taiwan has incredible food, especially right around Chinese
New Year.
And it's always an adventure to try new things.
So she's excited about what she might get to try at her friend's house.
That's true. There's some great food in Asia during the Lunar New Year.
Ruth says: My friend's mother served many, many dishes.
And if you've ever celebrated Lunar New Year, you know there are lots of foods
involved in the celebration.
Lots of delicious foods involved in the celebration.
Absolutely.
I love the Lunar New Year.
So it sounds like Ruth got to enjoy some good dishes.
But she says her friend brought out something that looked like hair.
Now if it's your first time in a foreign country trying food, if a plate comes
out and looks like hair, ooh, you might not want to try it.
Yeah. And Ruth says: Well, I know Chinese eat almost everything, but do they
really eat hair?
It's really kind of a gross question.
Yeah. Well, her friend explains to her it was a kind of seaweed.
Now what is a seaweed?
A "seaweed" is a plant that grows in the ocean, grows in the water, underneath
the water and usually gets tangled on your toes when you swim.
That's true, just like hair might get tangled on your toes in your shower.
Well, this seaweed was called "fa cai," which means hair vegetable.
That explains why it looked like hair.
She said: I tried it, and I liked it!
So it looks like all three teachers had good... Lunar New Years.
Yes, it does.
And I hope you enjoy your Lunar New Year celebrations.
That's all the time we have for today.
Before we go, let's watch the skit.
Hi, Amanda.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Happy Chinese New Year to you too, Hazel.
Goodbye, Rabbit.
Hello, Dragon.
Hi, Dragon.
So Hazel, how will you bring in the New Year?
Well, I'm going hiking.
You? Really?
Yes. I'm hiking Taiwan from west to east.
Hey, that's what Doris did back in 1952.
And I'm doing it now.
I'd better get going.
I only have two days.
OK. But be careful.
It's kind of dangerous.
Dangerous?
How dangerous?
Earthquakes, high ridges, swinging bridges...
Oh... maybe I'll do something else.
I know! I'll go sightseeing.
I'll visit the Three Gorges.
That's a great idea.
But it's a little crowded.
How crowded?
Well, you may have to ride 33 hours on a train.
Thirty-three hours on a train?
On a hard seat!
Oh. Maybe I'll celebrate Chinese New Year with my friends then.
We'll have a big meal together.
Yes, experience a traditional Chinese New Year.
Yeah! I'm curious about the food.
You'll love it!
But... but some dishes are a little strange.
How strange?
Hmm, pig's feet, eel, chicken feet, seaweed hair...
Really? Sounds delicious!
I can't wait!
(Chinese).
And I hope you find these Language Tips unforgettable too.
I'll see you next time. Bye-bye.
Thank you, Michelle.
We appreciate those tips.
Friends, I hope you'll be making some great memories of your own this Chinese
New Year holiday.
Now if this week of rest and relaxation you have a sudden desire to improve your
English writing skills, simply turn to our Editor's Pick feature on page 9.
Simply choose a topic, write a short essay and send it to
letters@StudioClassroom.com.
Then maybe our magazine editor will pick your essay to appear in next month's
magazine.
OK, friends, please join us tomorrow and learn how the two English words "if
only" can be a terrible trap.
Have a great day.