英语博客：A Sixth Grade Experiment.

　　Before I start today's podcast, I would like to mention a little something about the title of yesterday's podcast. One of my listeners, called Bahareh, asked me to explain the expression Super Duper Slither Scooter. First of all, the scooter is just the thing that you ride. Slither is the brand name of it; you could call it 'The Slither'. Super Duper is a silly phrase that we use to say that something is wonderful. We also use it sarcastically¹. Most often, super duper indicates that something is brand new, or of good quality, or just quite special. And, of course, the two words rhyme, which makes it a little more playful in speech. "My father bought a super duper car" is less serious or formal than "my father bought an elegant, expensive car". I hope that is clear. Anyway, the sixth grade science experiment found its way into my kitchen. I discovered it sitting on the counter top. There was a strange smell in the air, something unpleasant and sharp smelling. So I looked around, and there it was. It was a glass with an egg floating in white vinegar. Okay, that makes sense. My son, Hudson, has started to learn about the Periodic table, the different elements, the molecules², and how they interact. I remember many years ago doing the same thing in science class. If my dim memory serves me well, the experiment showed how the calcium³ carbonate of the egg shell dissolves in the vinegar. I think that's right. So, my son is bringing home all sorts of instructions for kitchen experiments. He has to carry them out, and then write down his observations. He loves it. It reminds me of a story my husband told me about when his cousins were young. They made a concoction⁴ in the kitchen that ended up blowing up. They were very lucky that they didn't get seriously hurt. They charred⁶ the kitchen ceiling, and singed⁸ off their eyebrows⁹. Unsupervised kids are a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, Hudsons' eyebrows are safely on his face, and I am keeping a close eye on his experiments.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: to singe⁷, concoction, someone's memory serves them well, to char⁵.
1. The coal fell out of the fireplace and singed the carpet.
2. What kind of concoction is this drink; it's disgusting!
3. I remember that day; my memory serves me well.
4. The walls had been charred black by the fire.

1 sarcastically   

adv.挖苦地，讽刺地

参考例句：

• 'What a surprise!' Caroline murmured sarcastically.“太神奇了!”卡罗琳轻声挖苦道。
• Pierce mocked her and bowed sarcastically. 皮尔斯嘲笑她，讽刺地鞠了一躬。

2 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

3 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

4 concoction   

n.调配(物)；谎言

参考例句：

• She enjoyed the concoction of foreign dishes.她喜欢调制外国菜。
• His story was a sheer concoction.他的故事实在是一纯属捏造之事。

5 char   

v.烧焦；使...燃烧成焦炭

参考例句：

• Without a drenching rain,the forest fire will char everything.如果没有一场透地雨，森林大火将烧尽一切。
• The immediate batch will require deodorization to char the protein material to facilitate removal in bleaching.脱臭烧焦的蛋白质原料易在脱色中去除。

6 charred   

v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦

参考例句：

• the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
• The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 singe   

v.(轻微地)烧焦；烫焦；烤焦

参考例句：

• If the iron is too hot you'll singe that nightdress.如果熨斗过热，你会把睡衣烫焦。
• It is also important to singe knitted cloth to obtain a smooth surface.对针织物进行烧毛处理以获得光洁的表面也是很重要的。

8 singed   

v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿]

参考例句：

• He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette. 他点烟时把头发给燎了。
• The cook singed the chicken to remove the fine hairs. 厨师把鸡燎一下，以便去掉细毛。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。