英语博客:Like Home For Hungry Travelers

Beginners.

 I took a trip to Seattle last week for an appointment, and to do some shopping. I had arranged for my mother to pick up my kids from school, and stay with them until my husband got home from work. So, I was free for the day. Luckily, we have no snow yet, so the towns and highways are still clear and dry. Driving from here to Seattle takes about three hours, so, there and back, you are on the road for six hours. It sounds crazy to drive six hours for a brief visit. Mind you, Seattle is a beautiful city with everything imaginable available. There are many products and facilities that you just can't get in a small, rural¹ town, so sometimes a trip to the big city is necessary. I don't go there as often as I would like, so I decided² to treat myself to a day away. Another good thing about taking that road trip is the scenery. It is breathtaking. Most of the journey between Wenatchee and Seattle is through forest. You must go over one of the mountain passes that take you through the Cascade³ Mountain Range, and then you drop down towards sea level where you find the city. I am not used to driving in busy Seattle traffic. You have to be alert⁴ and keep your eyes peeled. Ironically, in the middle of the busiest traffic, two of my sons called me from their school, "Mum, I forgot to bring my homework to class. Can you bring it in?" and "Mum, we're low on lunch money. Could you come in a bring a check?" Sorry boys, Mum is unavailable, she's taking the day off, she is out of the office!

Grammar notes.

 Vocabulary: an appointment, to arrange, available, to keep one's eyes peeled.

Exs:

I have three appointments today, one with the doctor, one with the dentist, and one with a chiropractor.

I arranged a get together with some friends. We had lunch and did some flower arrangements.

The receptionist told me that the boss is unavailable right now; he's in a meeting.

Keep your eyes peeled; if we're lucky, we'll see a deer or two in the field.

Advanced.

 I had a great time in Seattle. I did some shopping in one of my favorite stores, an international import store that carries typical English foods: baked beans, digestive biscuits, and lots of different chocolates. It makes me feel connected with England when I go there, and when I get home, my children always look curiously⁵ in the bag at the products that their mum used to eat as a child. Well, I unfortunately, shopped for too long, and so, was late for my appointment. But the day was perfect for this time of year. Seattle, as you probably know is very, very rainy. But this day was perfectly⁶ clear, sunny, and the views of the Olympian mountains was spectacular⁷. My day came quickly to an end and I headed home. I had to go East, back through the Cascades⁸. In a town called Cle-Elum, I decided to stop, stretch my legs, and have a bite to eat. I went to the Cottage Cafe. It is a local favorite. It is a combination⁹ of casual¹⁰ restaurant, cafe, and truck stop. It has low ceilings, wood everywhere, and the smell of fresh food and coffee. I ordered a 'chop¹¹ chop' salad which had a bit of everything in it. Typically, it was huge; I couldn't finish it. But I was satisfied. I warmed myself up with a cup of coffee and chatted a little with the waitress. "It is always really clean in here," I said, remembering the times I had been there before and thought the same thing. "Thankyou, we try our best," she said while wiping down the glass of a pie display. It was a cosy¹² stop for me. The hum of conversation, the wood cabin¹³ feel, the cleanliness, and the good food, had all made me feel at home. I noticed two wooded plaques¹⁴ on the wall. One said, "Freshly baked pies," and the other said, "Home cook'n". Yes, this place is definitely¹⁵ a good American road-side restaurant.

Grammar notes.

Western American slang¹⁶: Home cook'n, shoot, yep and nope in one word answers, gee's, to talk someone's leg off:

Exs:

She sure does some good home cook'n.

Shoot, I just broke the last light bulb!

"Do you like beans?" Answer: "Nope!" "Yep!"

Turn the music down! Gee's, I can't hear myself think!

I ran into my neighbor at the store, and she talked my leg off for about an hour!

 

1 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 cascade   

n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下

参考例句：

• She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
• Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。

4 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

5 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

7 spectacular   

adj.引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• This is a spectacular film.这是一部场面壮观的电影。
• This is the most spectacular financial crash of the decade.这是10年里最引人注目的金融破产事件。

8 cascades   

倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西

参考例句：

• The river fell in a series of cascades down towards the lake. 河形成阶梯状瀑布泻入湖中。
• Turning into the sun, he began the long, winding drive through the Cascades. 现在他朝着太阳驶去，开始了穿越喀斯喀特山脉的漫长而曲折的路程。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

9 combination   

n.组合，合并，联合；

参考例句：

• He carried on the business in combination with his friends.他与朋友们合伙做生意。
• The materials can be used singly or in combination.这些材料可以单独使用也可以混合用。

10 casual   

adj.漠不关心，冷漠的；随便的，非正式的；偶然的，碰巧的

参考例句：

• He earns a living by casual labour.他靠做临时工为生。
• The guests wore casual clothes.客人们穿着便服。

11 chop   

n.厚肉片，排骨，砍，交换，戳记，商标；vt.剁碎，砍，切，割断；vi.砍，突然转向

参考例句：

• He struck off the branch with a single chop of the ax.他一斧子就砍掉了那根树枝。
• She cut down the seedling with one chop.她一刀就把小苗砍倒了。

12 cosy   

adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的

参考例句：

• We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
• It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适，西蒙简直不想下床了。

13 cabin   

n.(结构简单的)小木屋；船舱，机舱

参考例句：

• They threw up a new cabin in a couple of hours.在几小时之内他们就建起了一座新的小屋。
• It's very hot in the cabin;let's go on deck.舱室内很热，我们到甲板上去吧。

14 plaques   

（纪念性的）匾牌( plaque的名词复数 )； 纪念匾； 牙斑； 空斑

参考例句：

• Primary plaques were detectable in 16 to 20 hours. 在16到20小时内可查出原发溶斑。
• The gondoliers wore green and white livery and silver plaques on their chests. 船夫们穿着白绿两色的制服，胸前别着银质徽章。

15 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

16 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。