每天一课英语口语 UNIT 138-150

[00:00.00]138 When a Donkey Has Exhausted 1 Its Tricks

[00:06.82]Guizhou was a place where donkeys were not bred.

[00:10.79]A man full of fancy ideas shipped one there, but when it arrived he

found it was not of much use.

[00:20.22]Therefore, he took it to the moun-tain area and left it there.

[00:24.87]Then a tiger saw it and, impressed by its size, took it to be a mysterious creature.

[00:32.89]So, he hid himself in the woods to steal a good look at it.

[00:37.90]By and by he came out and tried to approach it with great caution, though still not sure what it was.

[00:46.86]One day, the donkey brayed 3.

[00:50.36]Shocked, the tiger fled far away in extreme fear, thinking it was going to bite him.

[00:57.81]While keeping at a distance, he paced to and fro and watched, only to

find that it had no special powers.

[01:07.79]Gradually getting used to its bray 2, the tiger got nearer and walked around the donkey.

[01:15.18]Nev-ertheless, he still dared not attack it.

[01:19.83]Then going still nearer, he tried flirtation 4 with it, and even went as far as touching 5 it,

[01:28.71]lean-ing on it, bumping at it and provoking it.

[01:32.84]The donkey could not withhold 6 its anger and gave the tiger a kick.

[01:38.74]At this the tiger re-joiced because he calculated that that was all it could do.

[01:45.35]Then he leaped on it, roaring, and gnawed 7 at its throat.

[01:50.55]Having eaten the donkey's whole flesh, the tiger went off contented 8.

[01:56.09]139 Active Holidays

[02:02.59]W: Good morning, sir. Can I help you?

[02:06.46]M: I wonder if you could give me some information about active holidays.

[02:12.02]W: Active holidays, sir? Can you tell me exactly what you mean, please?

[02:17.90]M: WelI, you see, when I goon holidays, I like to take plenty of exercises.

[02:24.51]I don't like sitting around and doing nothing.

[02:27.62]I get enough of that in my office.

[02:30.41]What I mean is that I am the sort of men who enjoy swimming, water skiing, those sorts of things.

[02:37.91]I like anything to do with water and I don't mind having a rough time.

[02:43.50]I've always been used to looking after myself.

[02:46.92]When I was in the army, I used to get up at five every morning just to see the sunrise.

[02:54.08]W: Yes, sir, very interesting Urn 9...active holidays, let me see.

[03:01.42]Oh, yes, what about diving, sir?

[03:05.86]We can offer you a fort-night off the coast of Cornwall, all-inclusive,

[03:11.50]of one week diving and one week shark-fishing with the local fishermen.

[03:16.73]It's a very good bargain.

[03:19.11]M: Shark-fishing? I don't think I fancy shark-fishing.

[03:23.65]Is there any chance of getting a bit of sailing in that part of Cornwall?

[03:28.74]W: We don't do many sailing holidays, sir.

[03:32.14]They are mostly or-ganized by the sailing school.

[03:35.64]But rowing, canoeing, yes.

[03:39.35]Are you interested in rowing sir?

[03:42.17]M: WelI, I did a lot of rowing when I was at university,

[03:46.98]but I'm a bit out of practice these days.

[03:50.84]I don't think I've handled a pair of oars 10 since I went boating on the Thames ten years ago.

[03:56.54]No, I don't think I'd care to spend my holidays rowing.

[04:01.32]W: Try to look through some of these brochures, sir, and see if there's anything that appeals to you.

[04:08.50]M: OK. Thank you.

[04:11.45]140 Dance to Stay Healthy

[04:17.46]A: Why? Xiao Mei, you are sweating heavily. Where have you been?

[04:24.39]B: I've just been to the centre to learn Jiewu?

[04:28.70]A: What is Jiewu?

[04:30.68]B: Jiewu is a newly emerged way of keeping fit. It was introduced into China in 1999.

[04:39.61]A: As I know, there are different kinds of aerobics 11, Latin dance, fox and so on.

[04:47.01]Why do you choose Jiewu?

[04:49.36]B: Of all the kinds of body-shaping exercises I tried, I found that this class is the most interesting.

[04:57.40]I've enjoyed it a lot in gym room.

[05:00.93]A: Would you please tell me more about it?

[05:03.96]B: Sure. Jiewu is using its music, its basic movements, and also its freedom for self-expression.

[05:13.18]A: It sounds like an aerobics class.

[05:17.49]B: Not exactly. The participants and the instructor 12 are dressed in their ordinary casual wear.

[05:24.49]Moreover, the music they use is not the dancing music that an aerobics class usually uses.

[05:31.73]A: Is that the main difference from normal aerobics?

[05:36.12]B: No, Jiewu is a lot more tiring. Even though I'm exhausted, I enjoyed it.

[05:43.98]A: Does it mean you feel like being tired out?

[05:46.72]B: Ha, no, I think it is a good wayto relax.

[05:50.96]And it is too challenging for me to follow the instructor, but I will continue to learn it.

[05:57.88]A: Is there any age or skill level limit for entering?

[06:02.58]B: No. In our class, the youngest student is 15 and the oldest is 50.

[06:07.18]And everyone can choose whatever difficult level he or she wants to.

[06:15.04]A: "Sounds interesting. I'll go there with you next time.

[06:19.95]B: OK. But one thing you should remember is to dress comfort-ably.

[06:24.84]For the physical parts, drink as much water as you can.

[06:29.36]A: I'll do.

[06:31.24]141 A New Basketball Time Record

[06:39.20]Recently a group of 17-year-old schoolboys decided 13 to beat the world basketball time record.

[06:47.82]They aimed to play for 90 hours and add 6 hours to the record.

[06:53.83]How could 18 boys play for almost 4 days without stopping?

[06:59.87]The boys decided that each per-son would play for two and a half hours and then rest for two hours.

[07:08.51]They had to be able to sleep near the basketball hall, and they needed hot food and drink, day and night.

[07:17.00]Finally they started at 6 o'clock one evening.

[07:21.26]The first night was very hard for the players.

[07:25.47]When it was their turn to rest, they were too excited to fall asleep at once.

[07:31.34]After sleeping for a short time, they had to play again.

[07:36.20]The nights were very long when nobody was watching.

[07:40.59]The days were better, because plenty of people cheered the players' ef-

forts.

[07:46.47]On the second night they fell asleep as soon as they stopped.

[07:51.41]Some of them had trouble with their hands and feet, but the only serious problem was a mental one.

[07:59.16]Each boy was thinking: what am I doing here?

[08:04.08]How can I play any longer?

[08:06.53]After the third night the players knew they could finish the 90

hours.

[08:12.12]On the fourth night the play was very slow, but in the final hours it got better.

[08:19.15]For the last few minutes the players looked as fresh as they started.

[08:24.29]They were tired, but very happy.

[08:27.90]142 Qigong

[08:32.05]Qigong literally 14 meaning "breathing exercises".

[08:36.13]Qigong was mentioned in records in China dating as far back as 3000 years ago.

[08:42.84]The exercise aiming at controlling the mind and regulating the breath to keep fit, live long,

[08:49.66]overcome disease and strength-en physiological 15 function.

[08:54.28]Health-building Qigong is a unique Chinese national sport.

[08:58.51]It is in fact, both a sport and a kind of physical therapy.

[09:03.84]There are many schools of health-building Qigong, but they all involve three essential aspects,

[09:11.21]regulation of body position (the exercises are performed in a sitting, lying, standing 16 or walking position),

[09:21.53]regulation of respiration 17 (including mainly the regulation of breathing and "inner energy"),

[09:29.39]and regulation of the mind (by directing in a certain direction or on a certain spot to attain 18 tranquility

[09:38.93]and concentration of the mind).

[09:41.38]The three aspects of exercises should be coordinated 19 to achieve an equilibrium 20 of the bodily functions

[09:49.90]to help gain immunity 21 from disease and build a strong constitution.

[09:55.25]Health-building Qigong is increasingly popular in China today,

[10:00.29]especially among older people and patients with chronic 22 disease.

[10:05.70]143 Talking about Sports

[10:12.26]A: What about cycling?

[10:14.82]B: WelI, as you can see, cycling is one of the most pleasant forms of physical exercise,

[10:21.61]especially cycling in the country.

[10:24.12]A: Why do you like that?

[10:25.89]B. Because of the fresh air. Besides, cycling tests our endurance.

[10:31.28]A: What about country sports? Do you like them?

[10:35.40]B: Do you mean sports like hunting, shooting and fishing?

[10:39.56]A: Yes.

[10:40.71]B: I don't approve of killing 23 animals for sport.

[10:44.26]And I don't approve of boxing and bullfighting either.

[10:48.39]I don't call these real sports.

[10:51.23]A: Lots of people would disagree with you!

[10:54.21]B: No doubt, but I still don't like them.

[10:57.92]A: What about aquatic 24 sports? Do you like sailing?

[11:02.18]B: Yes, it's a marvellous sport! I also like swimming and I'm very fond of rowing.

[11:09.52]For me the great sporting event of the year is the Boat Race.

[11:14.46]I watch that every year with great plea-sure.

[11:18.03]A: So do I.

[11:19.60]144 Positive and Negative Aspects of Sports

[11:28.01]Sports can benefit us in many respects, undoubtedly 25, taking exercise can build up our physical strength.

[11:38.20]When taking part in sports, we get the chance to train almost all parts of our bodies.

[11:45.36]On the other hand, sports can enrich our life, help us relax after a period of exhausting work,

[11:53.53]and maintain our psychological health.

[11:56.80]In collective sports like basketball, volleyball, or foot-ball, we will learn to cooperate with others.

[12:05.24]While taking part in sports game, we will try our best to win,

[12:11.19]arouse in ourselves the competitive spirit and at the same time cultivate a strong will.

[12:18.95]However, sports can also lead to some side effects.

[12:24.28]For ex-ample, our work will be affected 26 if we are too indulged in

sports.

[12:31.02]We will get hurt or hurt others if we are not careful enough when playing.

[12:36.61]Exercise or severe training can do harm to our health if we do not plan our activities properly.

[12:45.44]And worse still, we will be involved in some sports conflicts if we pay no attention to sportsmanship.

[12:54.40]Generally speaking, I love sports.

[12:58.14]For sports can not only add happiness to my everyday life,

[13:02.89]but also make me healthy both physically 27 and psychologically.

[13:08.69]145 Running and Perseverance 28

[13:15.43]Everywhere we look, we see Americans running.

[13:20.60]They run for every reason anybody could think of.

[13:24.18]They run for health, for beauty, to lose weight, to feel fit and because it's the thing they have to do.

[13:33.14]Every year, for example, thousands upon thousands of people run in one race--the Boston Marathon,

[13:41.47]the best-known long distance race in the United States.

[13:45.73]In recent years, there have been nearly five thousand official competitors

[13:52.13]and it takes three whole minutes for the crowd of runners just to cross the starting line.

[13:57.72]You may have heard of the story of the great runner Pheidippides.

[14:01.85]He ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news of the great victory 2,500 years ago.

[14:09.79]No one knows how long it took him to run the distance.

[14:13.81]But the story tells us that he died of the effort.

[14:17.36]Today no one will die in Marathon race.

[14:21.44]But the effort is still enormous.

[14:24.10]Someone does come in first in this tiring foot race,

[14:28.08]but at the finish line we see what this race is about--not being first but finishing.

[14:35.34]The real victory is not over one's fellow runners but over one's own body.

[14:41.97]It's a victory of will power over fatigue 29.

[14:44.90]In the Boston Marathon, each person who crosses the finish line is a winner.

[14:50.96]146 Physical Exercise

[14:57.59]More and more people today are realizing the importance of regular physical exercise.

[15:04.78]In the past most people's work in-volved physical labor 30 out in the fresh air of the fields.

[15:12.17]Nowadays many work in offices or factories or spend their time studying.

[15:18.94]In the evenings they may sit watching television, reading or writing.

[15:25.26]Their daily lives do not provide them with the exercise their bodies need.

[15:30.85]To keep healthy, therefore, they must spend part of their free time doing regular physical exercise.

[15:39.15]There are many different forms of physical exercise to suit different tastes.

[15:45.37]Some people enjoy competitive sports and play with others who share their interest.

[15:52.08]They may play tennis or badminton or go swimming together.

[15:57.52]Others prefer to exercise alone and go running regularly in the morning or evening.

[16:04.75]The traditional forms of exercise are chosen by many.

[16:09.56]In parks and work places you can see them learning and practising Qigong or taijiquan,

[16:17.82]developing their skill in these sports as well as improving their health.

[16:23.48]However, the form of physical exercise must be chosen carefully.

[16:30.82]Those who are older should not attempt an exercise which might do them more harm than good.

[16:37.83]Those who have little sport time may spend just a small part of it running each day

[16:44.12]or play a weekly game that they enjoy.

[16:47.33]Whatever people may choose,

[16:50.02]if they exercise regularly they will be sure to improve health throughout their lives.

[16:57.91]147 Gan Bei

[17:03.09]A: Mr. Johnson, this is your seat, sit here, please.

[17:08.28]B: Thank you, Mr. Wang. I'm really a bit nervous now.

[17:12.59]I know nothing of your table manners.

[17:15.42]It would be in bad taste for a guest to make blunders.

[17:19.36]A: Don't worry, Mr. Johnson. As for table manners, there is only one rule you must observe.

[17:26.78]That is to make yourself at home.

[17:29.94]B: No wonder people say the Chinese are hospitable 31.

[17:34.77]A: Which do you prefer, brandy or wine?

[17:39.24]B: Brandy is too strong for me. Just a glass of red wine, please.

[17:44.46]A: WelI, to your health and success in business.

[17:48.93]B: And to yours.

[17:50.84]A: Help yourself, please.

[17:53.06]B: Thank you.

[17:54.57]These dishes are all delicious, especially the chicken in chili 32 sauce and beef braised in soy sauce.

[18:02.54]A: I'm glad you like them. May I serve you some more?

[18:06.80]B: Thank you, just a small helping 33. Mr. Wang, what do we say in Chinese for bottoms up?

[18:15.16]A: We say Gan Bei.

[18:17.87]B: To our friendship and cooperation, Gan Bei.

[18:22.34]148 Men and Women

[18:28.40]Beth: OK, great! I'll see you tomorrow at 7 o'clock. Right. Bye!

[18:35.66]Alicia: Hmm. Who was that?

[18:38.96]Lee: Yeah! Someone special?

[18:41.75]Beth: That was Jack 34, a really nice guy in my French class. He asked me out. I accepted, so...

[18:50.06]Alicia: So, one phone call, and now you have a boyfriend!

[18:54.99]Beth: Oh, Alicia. He's not my boyfriend--yet!

[19:00.09]Alicia: Well, I'm happy for you. In Mexico, I needed my par-ents' permission to make a date with a boy.

[19:08.63]Lee: Really? In Korea, ten or twenty years ago parents ar-ranged all dates--and marriages!

[19:17.25]Beth: Wow! That's strict!

[19:19.94]Lee: Yes, but arranged dates and marriages aren't very common in Korea today.

[19:25.48]Alicia: So, Lee, how about going out with a girlfriend of mine in my gym class?

[19:32.01]Lee: Is she Korean?

[19:33.68]Alicia: No. Is that important?

[19:36.19]Lee: Not really, but my parents might not like it.

[19:40.11]Alicia: You have to get your parents' permission, right?

[19:43.95]Lee: I don't think so. OK. I'll go out with your friend.

[19:48.57]Alicia: Great! I'll call her so I can introduce you.

[19:52.86]149 Different Social Customs

[19:59.12]Customs differ greatly from country to country.

[20:03.57]Does a man walk on the left or on the right of a woman in your country?

[20:08.71]Should you use both hands when you are eating?

[20:12.16]The Americans and the British not only speak the same lan-guage

[20:17.04]but also share a large number of social customs.

[20:20.73]For in-stance, in both countries, people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time.

[20:27.99]Also, most English will open a door for a woman or offer their seats to her,

[20:34.63]and so will most Americans.

[20:36.82]Promptness is important both in Britain and America.

[20:42.20]If a dinner invitation is for 7 o'clock,

[20:46.09]the dinner guest either arrives close to that time or calls up to explain his delay.

[20:52.49]It is relatively 35 common both in China and in the West to invite friends and acquaintances to dinner.

[21:02.05]However, the customs associated with this are often very different in the two cultures,

[21:09.19]and so both Westerners and Chinese may easily feel confused and misunderstandings may then result.

[21:18.04]When Westerners wish to invite people to dinner, it is normal to ask them a week or so in advance.

[21:26.40]This is because Westerners often schedule their time quite carefully, and like to plan what they are doing.

[21:34.45]If less notice than this is given, it is implied that the invitation is a relatively casual one,

[21:42.18]and that it does not matter too much if the people can't accept.

[21:47.01]So if the host really wants them to come, it is wise to invite them earlier.

[21:53.41]The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people uncomfortable,

[22:01.87]es-pecially if they are your guests.

[22:04.77]There is an old story about a man who gave a formal dinner party.

[22:10.02]When the food was served One of the guests started to eat his peas with a knife.

[22:17.03]The other guests were either amazed or shocked,

[22:21.15]but the host calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way.

[22:26.64]It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable.

[22:33.22]150 Food

[22:37.98]People in different parts of the world have different ideas about what is good to eat.

[22:44.22]If you were an Eskimo near the North Pole you would enjoy the raw meat from seals.

[22:51.17]If you were a nomad 36 in the desert, you would prefer the roasted meat of sheep and goats.

[22:57.12]Americans cook the meat of many different animals, but perhaps their favorite meal is steak.

[23:04.46]Americans also eat a lot of chicken, as well as fish and other foods from the sea.

[23:11.46]Some people in India do not eat beef at all.

[23:15.80]People in different parts of the world also have different ideas about what is good to drink.

[23:22.38]Among the population in northern Europe and in the Middle East, some people put cream and sugar in their coffee.

[23:30.90]But in the United States, many people drink their coffee "black", that is, without cream or sugar.

[23:39.65]Tea is the national drink in China and Japan.

[23:43.36]In these countries peo-pledrink tea without sugar. But in England,

[23:49.60]where it is also a national drink, many people use both sugar and hot or cold milk in their tea.