英语博客(A cup of English):071 Bubbles and outdoor dialog

　　Dialogue.

"Okay, we're interviewing Robert today about his bubble wand, and the other things that he likes to do outside. Okay Robert, what did you find when you came home from school today, that I had bought you?"

"I found a bubble sword."

"A bubble sword. Okay. And how do you use it?"

"You unscrew it, and then spin around, and then bubbles come out."

"Oh, okay. Is it fun?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yeh? Have you had other kinds of bubble makers 1?"

"Uh-huh. One was a ma-, one was a hand-held, and one was a big gun."

"And how did the big gun work?"

"You put the bubbles, you put the bubbles, you pour the bubbles into the gun, and then you shoot it."

"Oh right, so you pull the trigger. So, tell me, do you like the Spring? What do you like to do outside apart from blow bubbles? What else do you like to do?"

"I like to play with my friends at school."

"Yeh, and when you come home, what kind of things do you like to do outside, now that it's nice weather?"

"I like to run outside, and go on the computer inside."

"Oh, okay. And do you have a bike?"

"Uh-m."

"Yeh? And where do you ride your bike?"

"Uh, usually to the stop sign, usually to the stop sign and the trampoline."

"Oh right. Okay."

"Stop now" (in a whisper).

"Well, thanks for the interview!"

Advanced.

Because it's Spring, we spend a lot of time outside. We have even started to have barbecues on our deck. Often we will barbecue some steaks, chicken, or hot dogs, and have them with salad and baked potatoes. It is really a wonderful way to eat. The fresh air and the sunshine make the food taste even better. Mind you, it also depends on which way the wind is blowing. Our next door neighbors recently bought a miniature pony 2 which lives in a triangular 3 shelter right next to our hedge. It is a really cute animal, but when you are enjoying a mouthful of food, you don't want to smell horse manure 4 at the same time. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often. Now after dinner, the kids will run around in the garden and entertain themselves by playing different games. They have all kinds of equipment, from frisbees and balls, to chalk and bubble liquid. Blowing bubbles can be a bit tricky 5 if you are small; it takes practice, good timing 6, and a bit of dexterity 7 to get the maximum amount of bubbles. But, who doesn't love them? They make such a pretty picture, blowing around next to the trees and flowers.

Grammar notes.

Vocabulary: recently, manure, mouthful, tricky, dexterity.

Exs: This town is new to us; we moved here recently.

I mixed cow and chicken manure into the soil in my garden to help the vegetables grow.

Here, have some wedding cake. Take a big mouthful.

This project is tricky; if you don't let the glue dry properly, it will fall to pieces.

That boy has great dexterity; he can write with both of his hands and his feet.