英语博客：Baseball hot dogs.

　　Baseball season is here, and even though it is chilly¹, we gather our troops and head off for the baseball field. Everyone who has a child involved in the sport knows that this time of year is very changeable when it comes to the weather. You have to be prepared for all sorts of weather: cold, icy wind, rain, hot sun, or perhaps even hail. Today was no exception. Unusually for Wenatchee, we had rain during the first game of the season. Mind you, it wasn't torrential at all; I didn't even take an umbrella. It was more like a 'chiri miri' which is what we say in Spain for a very light, misty² rain. There are some comforts at the ball park, however. One of the traditional ones that springs to mind is the hot dog. It is an 'all american' thing to eat, even though it's origins probably lie in one of the germanic countries of Europe. There is just something about the smell of the warm hot dogs wafting³ through the air, mixing with the fresh smell of grass. When you've been sitting on a bleacher (which is the american term for the set of benches), and you start to get a little chilly, the smell of hot dogs is enough to prompt a little trip to the concession⁴ stand. I volunteer occasionally to help at the concession stand. It is definitely part of the American culture. The hot dogs are turning on a mechanical warmer, there is popcorn⁵ popping away in the popcorn maker⁶. There are slurpies of different flavors to drink, and candies to buy. The last time I helped out, I had a smile on my face because it reminded me of some of the typical American films that I had seen when I was young. Boys would come up to me with baseball caps on and dirty knees from having played; they would usually ask for candies or a slurpy⁷. Then the parents would come, asking for popcorn, coffee to warm up, and of course hot dogs. Plain, with relish⁸, or just with ketchup⁹, they would sell out so quickly that we would have to turn people away with a , "Sorry, we'll have to get some more tomorrow." It's all part of the experience of being involved in baseball, and, thinking about it, we probably have only another ten years of it left, because our youngest son is seven. There is a lot to observe at a baseball game, especially if you are a foreigner. I'm sure I will be telling you of other things I notice in the ball park in the future.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: to gather the troops, changeable, to spring to mind, to prompt.
1. Come on, get the children ready. We'll gather the troops and go to grandma's house for lunch.
2. He is so changeable: one minute he's in a good mood, and the next minute he's grumpy.
3. I'm trying to think of a good restaurant to go to, but nothing springs to mind.
4. Seeing my neighbor digging prompted me to get my garden tools out.

1 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

2 misty   

adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的

参考例句：

• He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
• The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

3 wafting   

v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• But that gentle fragrance was clearly wafting from the window. 但那股淡淡的香气，却分明是从母亲的窗户溢出的。 来自互联网
• The picture-like XueGuo, wafting dense flavor of Japan, gives us a kind of artistic enjoyment. 画一般的雪国，飘溢着浓郁的日本风情，给人以美的享受。 来自互联网

4 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

5 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

6 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

7 slurpy   

啧啧吃的声音

参考例句：

• Do you always slurp when a milkshake? 你总是这样啧啧喝牛奶吗？
• You may not slurp your soup. 喝汤不可发出声音。

8 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

9 ketchup   

n.蕃茄酱，蕃茄沙司

参考例句：

• There's a spot of ketchup on the tablecloth.桌布上有一点番茄酱的渍斑。
• Could I have some ketchup and napkins,please?请给我一些番茄酱和纸手巾？