走遍全世界44: 美国人的家
时间:2018-12-27 作者:英语课 分类:英语听力小短文走遍全世界
Americans like their homes to reflect their personal tastes. Many do-it-yourselfers enjoy fixing up their house and making it more "livable". They often try to create a eozy atmospehre so that when they're at home, they'll really feel "at home".
美国人喜欢让家反映出他们个人的品味。许多喜欢自己动手做的人沉醉于修补他们的房子并让它更“适于居住”。他们常试着营造一个温暖而舒适的气氛,这样当他们待在家时,会真的感觉到“毫无拘束”。
Sofas and lounge chairs may be heavily padded and arranged in groupings conducive 1 to relaxed conversation. The bathroom even receives special attention. Carpeted floors, scented 2 soaps, colorful wallpaper and decorative 3 curtains adorn 4 the "comfort room" in many homes.
沙发及安乐椅可能会被铺上厚厚的垫子,并运用不同空间组合的摆设,让坐着的人可以轻松地谈话。甚至连浴室也破费心思:铺有地毯的地板、香气四溢的肥皂、彩色的壁纸及装饰窗帘,如此就打扮出了许多家庭的“舒服之地”。
And on average, Americans have more bathrooms than any other people in the world.
平均来说,美国人拥有的浴室比世界上其他的人都多。
Lisa Marie Odegard, an interior designer in Bozeman, Montana, comments that "a home is a haven 5. People want an open, easy feeling to make their homes comfortable". For that reason, many new homes now have big, open kitchens and vaulted 7 ceilings.
蒙大拿州柏斯曼的一位室内设计师丽莎·玛丽·德加德谈到:“家是一个避难所。人们想要一个开放、轻松的感觉来让他们的家变得很舒适。”因为这个原因,现在许多新房子都有大而开放的厨房以及拱形的屋顶。
Americans try to make the most of their space, too. The majority of homes have built-in closets and shelves, and people spare no pains to add dressers, filing cabinets and closet organizers to maximize their storage space. Although keeping the house neat is often a constant battle, Americans feel it's a battle worth fighting.
美国人也试着将空间做最佳的利用。大多数的家庭都有壁橱以及架子,人们也不辞辛劳地添加橱柜、文件柜以及壁柜分隔架来加大储藏空间。虽然让房子维持整洁像是一场永无止境的长期战役,美国人觉得这是一个值得打下去的战役。
People in America keep an eye on the latest trends in interior design. In the 80s, the "country" look dominated the home decorating scene. Rustic 8 furniture and shelves full of old-fashioned knick-knacks created a homey atmosphere reminscent of rural America several generations back .
美国人也会注意室内设计的最新时尚。20世纪80年代,“乡村”风貌主导了家庭装潢;摆满旧式风格的小摆设的质朴家具及架子,创造出一种会令人想起几世纪以前以农业为主的美国之家庭气氛。
The 90s have brought in another longing 9 for the past: the retro 50s and 60s look - plain and simple furniture with square backs and arms and block-style legs.
90年代又带入另一个怀旧情愫:回溯到50及60年代风貌——有四方形靠背、把手以及有方正桌脚的朴素、简单的家具。
英语词汇整理:
1. cozy 10 adj.舒适的
eg: He lives in a cozy little room.
他住在一个舒适的小屋里。
短语:
cozy up to 奉承,取悦
play it cozy [美国俚语]小心行事
2. conducive adj. 有助的,有益的
eg: Regularity 11 ought to be observed, as regularity is very conducive to health.
生活应遵守规律,因为规律对健康有益。
短语:
be conducive to 有助于......
conducive evidence 最终证据
3. scented adj. 有香味的,洒有香水的
eg: The white flowers are pleasantly scented.
那些白色的花芳香怡人。
短语:
scented tea 花茶,花果茶
scented soap 香皂
4. decorative adj. 装饰的,装饰性
eg: The curtains are for purely 12 decorative purposes and do not open or close.
那些窗帘纯粹用于装饰目的,不能开合。
短语:
decorative design 装饰设计
decorative lighting 13 装饰照明;装饰灯具
decorative art 装饰艺术;装饰性艺术饰品
decorative glass 装饰玻璃;镶嵌玻璃
5. interior adj. 内地的,国内的,内部的 n. 内部,内在
eg: The interior walls were painted green.
内墙被漆成了绿色。
短语:
interior design 室内设计;室内装饰
interior decoration 室内装饰;内部装饰
interior wall 内墙
6. haven n. 港口,避难
eg: All the boats were in the haven at night.
夜里,所有的船只都停泊在港口。
短语:
safe haven 安全港
new haven 纽黑文市(美国康涅狄格州港市)
tax haven 避税场所
7. vaulted adj. 有圆顶的,圆顶的,拱形的
eg: For that reason, many new homes now have big, open kitchens and vaulted ceilings.
因为这个原因,现在许多新房子都有大而开放的厨房以及拱形的屋顶。
短语:
pole vault 6 撑竿跳,撑杆跳高
vaulted roof 拱形屋顶
8. closet n. 壁橱,衣帽间,密室 adj. 隐藏的,不公开的 vt. 把......关在房间里
eg: I'll clear out that closet and then you can hang your clothes there.
我把那个小衣橱清理出来,你可以把衣服挂在那里。
短语:
water closet 厕所;抽水马桶
cloth closet 衣橱
closet consultation 14 秘密磋商
9. constant adj. 不变的,经常的 n. 常数,恒量
eg: In our world nothing seems constant.
在我们这个世界上似乎没有东西是永恒不变的。
短语:
constant temperature 恒温;定温;等温
constant pressure 恒压
constant speed 恒速;等速
10. dominate v. 支配,占优势,俯视
eg: She must dominate her passions.
她必须控制自己的情感。
短语:
dominate the market 欺行霸市
dominate over 控制
11. reminiscent adj. 怀旧的,引人联想的 n. 回忆者, 回忆录作者
eg: I don't know why I am in such a reminiscent mood.
不知为何我这般怀旧。
短语:
reminiscent of 令人回忆起;引起联想
佳句采摘:
Lisa Marie Odegard, an interior designer in Bozeman, Montana, comments that "a home is a haven.People want an open, easy feeling to make their homes comfortable".
蒙大拿州柏斯曼的一位室内设计师丽莎·玛丽·德加德谈到:“家是一个避难所。人们想要一个开放、轻松的感觉来让他们的家变得很舒适。”
- This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
- Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。
- I let my lungs fill with the scented air. 我呼吸着芬芳的空气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The police dog scented about till he found the trail. 警犬嗅来嗅去,终于找到了踪迹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
- The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽,而且装饰效果很好。
- She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。
- His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。
- It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后,这真是一个安乐窝。
- The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。
- The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
- The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
- She vaulted over the gate and ran up the path. 她用手一撑跃过栅栏门沿着小路跑去。
- The formal living room has a fireplace and vaulted ceilings. 正式的客厅有一个壁炉和拱形天花板。
- It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
- We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。
- Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
- His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
- I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯,因为他们是舒适的。
- We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
- The idea is to maintain the regularity of the heartbeat.问题就是要维持心跳的规律性。
- He exercised with a regularity that amazed us.他锻炼的规律程度令我们非常惊讶。
- I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
- This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
- The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
- The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
- The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
- The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。