英语博客：Start the year with light.
时间：2019-01-01 作者：英语课 分类：英语博客 A cup of English
One of the great consolations(1) of the end of the year is a New Year's Eve party. We don't always go to a party on New Year's Eve. Sometimes we prefer to stay at home, by the fire, with good food and drink, family and maybe a few friends, and welcome the new year quietly. This December 31st, however, was different. We were invited to two parties, and we decided 2 to go to both of them. The first was quiet and relaxed. A friend of mine, Barbara, was hosting(2) it, and she had decided that it should only be two hours long. It went from five o'clock until seven(3). She has two small children and wanted to be able to put them in bed by eight o'clock, which I understand. So, it was an unusual party, short and sweet(4). "The party will finish when it's New Year's in Sao Paolo" she joked. The next party was quite different. There were lots of people, lots of noise, food, music, drink, and games. This felt like a celebration. I bumped 4(5) into a few people I knew, and we caught up with eachother. Then the hostess of the party announced that we all had to go outside. There was a large wooden fire burning in a round fire pit; people were standing 5 around it keeping warm. Large, colored paper rectangles 6 were handed out to groups of three or four people. They gently opened them, and I could see that they were tissue paper (6)bags. But they weren't just bags. These groups of people then held them upside down and lit a pad(7) of paper that was attached to a small wire frame. The paper had some kind of flamable fluid in it that burned well, and filled the paper bags, or lanterns with hot air. After a few minutes each lantern lifted slowly into the air and we all cheered and clapped. It was a beautiful sight. About seventeen of them, of different colors, floated up into the night's sky. We were all moved by the scene; it seemed to symbolize 7 part of us leaving, and new hopes rising, a silent prayer for the New Year.
1. 'Consolation 1' is a noun that means a 'benefit' or 'positive element that makes up for negative ones'.
a. He didn't win; he was second in the race. However, he got $2000 which was a great consolation.
b. We missed our plane, and got home late. Our only consolation was that there was no traffic.
2. 'To host' means to organise 8 an event, and to be in charge of the location.
a. Toyota will be hosting an international party celebrating clean energy cars.
b. I'm going to host a surprise party for my best friend.
3. Often with expressions of time, we miss out the word 'o'clock'.
a. The movie starts at five thirty and finishes at seven.
b. We'll leave at six o'clock, so we should arrive at their place by eight.
4. 'Short and sweet' could be a literal 9 description, but it is often used figuratively as 'conveniently brief and to the point'.
a. My doctor's appointment was short and sweet. She answered all my questions and explained everything without going on and on.
b. "Did you get your wall painted?"
"Yes, thanks. The project was short and sweet."
5. 'To bump 3 into someone' can mean the literal act of knocking into someone, but it often means to meet someone by chance.
a. I was coming out of Safeway, and I bumped into my neighbor.
b. You'll never guess who I bumped into...my ex-husband.
6. 'Tissue paper' is a very fine, very breakable paper that is often used to fill up a gift bag.
a. Fill the bag with tissue paper so the present inside doesn't move around.
b. You can use tissue paper for many craft projects.
7. The word 'pad' has several meanings. 'A pad of paper' is like a small book of paper, pad being like a block. 'Pad' is also slang 10 for a house/home. And 'cotton pads' are often used to cover injuries that have bled.
a. I need to buy each of my children 6 pads of writing paper for school.
b. Hey, this is a nice pad. How long have you lived here?
c. In the hospital they put cotton pads on his injuries and held them in place with bandages.
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- The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
- This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- I heard a bump in the next room.我听到隔壁房间传来“砰”的一声。
- He got a bad bump on his forehead.他碰得前额隆起一个大包。
- In the dark I bumped into a chair. 我在黑暗中撞上了一把椅子。
- I bumped against an old friend in town today. 我今天在城里偶然碰见了一个老朋友。
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
- The open rectangles represent typical elements of the ion fluid. 空心的矩形表示典型的离子流体元。 来自辞典例句
- Label the rectangles, and illustrate and describe how one grouping or element affects others. 为每个方块图添加上标签和注解，并描述每个分组或者元素如何影响其他分组和元素。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
- Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
- Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。
- He has the ability to organise.他很有组织才能。
- It's my job to organise all the ceremonial events.由我来组织所有的仪式。
- This word should not be taken in its literal sense.这个词不能按本义去理解。
- He made a literal interpretation.他逐字解释。