英語聽力小短文走遍全世界48: 英國人的家

英語聽力原文：

Some people would say that the Englishman's home is no longer his castle; that it has become his workshop. This is partly because the average Englishman is keen on working with his hands and partly because he feels, for one reason or another, that he must do for himself many household jobs for which, some years ago, he would have hired professional help.

有人會說，英國人的家不再是他們的城堡了，而變成了他們的車間。這一方面是因為一般的英國人熱衷于用自己的雙手工作，另一方面是因為他覺得，不管什么原因，有許多家庭工作他必須自己動手去做，而這些工作在幾年前都會由雇傭的專業(yè)人士幫忙完成。

The main reason for this is a financial one: the high cost of labor has meant that builders' and decorators' costs have reached a level which makes them so high that the house-proud English people of modest means hang back. So, if they wish to keep their houses looking bright and smart, they have to deal with some of the repairs and decorating themselves. As a result, there has grown up in the post-war years what is sometimes referred to as the "Do-It-Yourself Movement".

這種現(xiàn)象的主要原因是經(jīng)濟因素：高成本的勞動力意味著建筑工人和裝修工人的費用達(dá)到了非常高的水平，使得節(jié)儉的、講究家里擺設(shè)的英國人退縮了。因此，如果他們想讓他們的房子保持明亮整潔的話，他們不得不自己去做一些修理和裝修工作。這樣，在戰(zhàn)后幾年里，在英國形成了一種運動，有時被稱為“自己動手運動”。

The "Do-It-Yourself Movement" began with home decorating but has since spread into a much wider field. Nowadays there seem to be very few things that cannot be made by the "do-it-yourself" method.

“自己動手運動”由家庭裝修開始，但從那時候起到現(xiàn)在，已經(jīng)擴展到了更多的領(lǐng)域。如今，似乎沒有什么事情不能通過“自己動手”的方法來解決。

A number of magazines and handbooks exist to show hopeful handymen of ages just how easy it is to build anything from a coffee table to a fifteen-foot sailing boat. All you need, it seems, is a hammer and a few nails. You follow the simple instructions step-by-step and, before you know where you are, the finished article stands before you, complete in every detail.

有許多雜志和手冊向不同年齡段的心靈手巧的人展示，制作從咖啡桌到15英尺(4.5米)的獨梔小艇等一切東西是多么容易，只需一把榔頭和幾枚釘子就可以了。你只要一步一步地跟著簡單明晰的指示做，還沒等你反應(yīng)過來，成品就會出現(xiàn)在你面前，所有的部分一應(yīng)俱全。

英語詞匯整理：

1. workshop n. 車間，工廠，作坊;研討會，講習(xí)班

eg: Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave ran a jazz workshop for young artists.

鼓手馬庫斯馬貝爾格瑞夫為年輕藝術(shù)家們舉辦了一場爵士樂研討會。

相關(guān)短語：

run a workshop 開辦講習(xí)班

workshop on 研究……的專題討論會

in the workshop 在車間里

2. professional adj. 職業(yè)的，專業(yè)的，專門的 n. 專業(yè)人員

eg: She is a professional actress.

她是職業(yè)演員。

相關(guān)短語：

turn professional 成為職業(yè)運動員

professional team 專業(yè)團隊;職業(yè)隊

professional education 職業(yè)教育;專業(yè)教育

professional experience 工作經(jīng)驗;職業(yè)經(jīng)驗

professional staff 專門人員

professional skill 專業(yè)技能

3. financial adj. 金融的，財政的

eg: The company is in financial difficulties.

這個公司處于財務(wù)困難之中。

相關(guān)短語：

financial risk 財務(wù)風(fēng)險

financial sector 財政部門

financial crisis 金融危機;財政危機

4. decorator n. 房屋裝飾人 adj. 適宜于室內(nèi)裝飾用的

eg: I'm not an interior decorator, but I could always turn my hand to most things.

我不是什么室內(nèi)裝潢設(shè)計師，可室內(nèi)裝潢的大部分事情我都能夠拿下來。

相關(guān)短語：

interior decorator 室內(nèi)設(shè)計家

have the decorators in [俚語](女子)來月經(jīng)，月經(jīng)來潮

5. method n. 方法，辦法;秩序，條理

eg: His book is totally without method.

他寫的那本書毫無條理。

相關(guān)短語：

the method in 在……方面有條理

by any method 無論如何

by no method 決不，決非

in the method of 用……方式

6. hammer n. 錘，榔頭 v. 錘擊，敲打

eg: He cried loudly and hammered against the door.

他高喊著不停地猛敲大門。

相關(guān)短語：

hammer on(對準(zhǔn)位置)釘牢;敲緊

hammer out 設(shè)計出;錘成;苦心想出

hammer at 敲打;致力于

hammer into 釘入;敲進(jìn);向……硬灌

hammer home 給……以深刻印象

drop the hammer [美國俚語]加大油門，加速

7. instruction n. 指令，教學(xué)， 教誨，說明

eg: I will take the medicine according to the instructions.

我會按說明來服藥的。

相關(guān)短語：

draw instruction from 從……中得到教誨

have instruction in 在……方面受教育

instruction in 講授……方面的知識

佳句采摘：

This is partly because the average Englishman is keen on working with his hands and partly because he feels, for one reason or another, that he must do for himself many household jobs for which, some years ago, he would have hired professional help.

這一方面是因為一般的英國人熱衷于用自己的雙手工作，另一方面是因為他覺得，不管什么原因，有許多家庭工作他必須自己動手去做，而這些工作在幾年前都會由雇傭的專業(yè)人士幫忙完成。