ESL Podcast 543 – Describing Different Smells

Giles: Do you really think we’ll be able to renovate¹ this place and turn it into a restaurant?

Julia: It’s not so bad. I know it smells a little stale and musty in here, but all we need to do is air it out.

Giles: Air it out? This place needs a lot more than an airing out. The kitchen smells putrid². I wonder what died in there.

Julia: There is a faint smell of something nasty in there, but I don’t think it permeates³ through the rest of the building, do you?

Giles: No, but there are different nasty smells in other parts of the building. Oh! There’s a really strong burnt, smoky smell in this corner. Hold your breath!

Julia: This is a restaurant. I’m sure a thorough cleaning will make all the difference.

Giles: That might be true for the kitchen, but what will you do in the dining room? An entire truckload of scented⁴ candles or bottles of perfume couldn’t mask those foul⁵ smells. This place just stinks⁶, from top to bottom!

Julia: All right, I’ll look for another building, but this place is cheap and within our budget.

Giles: Yes, but if I had to work here, I’d first have to lose my sense of smell!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 renovate   

vt.更新，革新，刷新

参考例句：

• The couple spent thousands renovating the house.这对夫妇花了几千元来翻新房子。
• They are going to renovate the old furniture.他们准备将旧家具整修一番。

2 putrid   

adj.腐臭的；有毒的；已腐烂的；卑劣的

参考例句：

• To eat putrid food is liable to get sick.吃了腐败的食物容易生病。
• A putrid smell drove us from the room.一股腐臭的气味迫使我们离开这房间。

3 permeates   

弥漫( permeate的第三人称单数 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透

参考例句：

• Studies show that water vapor quickly permeates plastic packaging material. 研究证明水蒸汽能迅速渗入塑料封装材料。
• Democracy permeates the whole country. 民主主义（的思想）普及全国。

4 scented   

adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词)

参考例句：

• 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》

5 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

6 stinks   

v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透

参考例句：

• The whole scheme stinks to high heaven—don't get involved in it. 整件事十分卑鄙龌龊——可别陷了进去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soup stinks of garlic. 这汤有大蒜气味。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》