【英语趣味课堂】收藏品-Collectibles

Diego: Hello, Silvia. I want to ask you a question. Whether you collect or hold onto things too much?
 
Silvia: I think too much is an understatement, actually. I do have a lot of stuff 1 in my room. A lot.
 
Diego: And you live in another country right now. Right?
 
Silvia: Yeah, and I'm actually worrying a lit bit about how I'm going to take everything back home.
 
Diego: OK, so what sort of things do you hold onto?
 
Silvia: Well, now I have from every country I've visited I always get a magnet 2 of the country. Well, that doesn't have, you know, it's small.
 
Diego: Yeah, it doesn't take up that much space.
 
Silvia: But then, I love to buy handbags. And I have tons of handbags that I have no idea what I'm going to do with actually.
 
Diego: How many handbags do you own?
 
Silvia: Thirty, plus home another thirty, so ...
 
Diego: Wow!
 
Silvia: Yeah, I think maybe I have to get rid of a few.
 
Diego: I think so too. And do you collect anything?
 
Silvia: Ah, actually no. How about you?
 
Diego: Well, I don't live at home anymore. I live overseas 3, so I think the first time that I moved from one city to another, I used to have a lot of stuff, but then I realized how difficult it was to move everything, so I think I just got to the point where I didn't want to be packing stuff all the time, so I tried to throw everything away. I mean everything that I don't really, really need, I tried to not buy it, or just let it go.
 
Silvia: I think with guys it's easier right?
 
Diego: Maybe it's a bit easier.
 
Silvia: With girls, I don't want to get rid of clothes that I haven't worn 4 in a year or I have a lot of shoes as well and they take a lot of space. I was trying to get rid of a few things the other day and I counted thirty-five pairs of shoes.
 
Diego: Wow!
 
Silvia: Yeah, I know. So, yeah, I think I should have a yardsale or something.
 
Diego: I think so too. And I think the more you move around, the less things you want to have because you know you have to pay more when you move to another place, and it's very annoying to put everything in two boxes and suitcases and everything.
 
Silvia: Yeah, I'm learning 5 that now actually.
 
Diego: Yes, I think you should stop buying purses.
 
Silvia: I know. Wish me luck with the packing.
 
重点词汇：
 

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson
an understatement
 
 
I think too much is an understatement
 
When we make an understatement we use words that are not strong enough to talk about how bad or serious something is. Notice the sample.
 
With Thai food, I think too spicy 6 is an understatement - it’s super hot!
hold onto
 
What things do you hold onto?
 
When we hold on to something, it means 7 we keep it, usually for a long time. Notice the following.
 
I don’t like working in customer service, but I’m going to hold on to my job until the economy 8 improves.
When François went to America he gave away almost everything, but he held on to his DVD collection.
tons
 
I have tons of handbags.
 
Here ‘tons’ means ‘a lot of’. It can be countable 9 or uncountable. Here are two examples using ‘tons’.
 
Since she quit her job, Elena has tons of free time.
I download all my music so I have tons of CD’s that I never listen to.
let it go
 
I tried to not buy it or let it go.
 
To ‘let it go’ means to forget about something we are or have been thinking seriously about. Notice the sample sentences.
 
I love the new Apple iPad but it’s so expensive! I need to let it go for now.
Jack’s girlfriend broke up with him. He had a hard time letting go of the relationship.
yard sale
 
I think we should have a yard sale.
 
In America for example, we have an outdoor sale of used personal or household items 10 we no longer need or use. The sale is usually held in front of our home.
 
The Smith family had a big yard sale before they moved to the new house.
The garage is really cluttered 11. I think we should have a yard sale and get rid of some stuff.