【英语趣味课堂】北卡罗莱纳州-North Carolina

Peter: So Sarah, you said you're from North Carolina, and I've never been there before, I have no idea what it's like. Is it in the north of America or tell me more about it, I have no idea?

 

Sarah: Well, it's funny because it has north in the name, North Carolina, but it's actually in the south, the southeast. So I usually tell people it's on the opposite end of the US, than California¹. And it's halfway² beween New York and Florida.

 

Peter: Okay, that puts it on the map for me. Tell me, what's the weather like over there, what's the general climate like?

 

Sarah: The weather is very moderate³, it gets pretty hot in the summers and pretty cold in the winters. But it depends on where you live, because North Carolina has both the mountains and the ocean as well because it's on the coast. So if you live on the coast side you get more warm temperatures and obviously⁴ no snow. But if you live on the mountain side then you get more snow and less hot weather.

 

Peter: Okay. Why do people make a distinction⁵ between North and South Carolina, I mean what's the history behind that?

 

Sarah: I believe it's because they used to all be one together before they were divided. And so when they divided into two states, they call it north now and south.

 

Peter: I see.

 

Sarah: Yeah.

 

Peter: What's North Carolina famous for, I mean what can we look out for?

 

Sarah: Probably the most famous thing, that is written on our license⁶ plates on the cars is 'First in Flight', because Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first airplane in Kitty Hawk⁷, North Carolina.

 

Peter Oh wow! Okay, I didn't know that.

 

Sarah: Yeah.

 

Peter: Amazing!

 

Sarah: Yeah, we think it's pretty cool.

 

Peter: Is there famous food from that area, anything else that is really quite popular with people in America or outside?

 

Sarah: Southern, because it's in the south, southern food is very popular, so southern food, things like fried⁸ chicken or a kind of bread we call biscuits, also grits⁹, which is ground corn, all these kinds of foods are very popular in North Carolina because they're southern foods that we eat in the south. Also sweet tea - sweet tea, very popular,iced sweet tea.

 

Peter: That sounds good.

 

Sarah: Yeah.

 

Peter: What goes in it, what?

 

Sarah: It's just tea - black tea and sugar and then usually we put lemon in it as well.

 

Peter: Okay.

 

Sarah: It's very delicious.

 

Peter: Growing up in North Carolina and living there, did you ever wish to live anywhere else, or do you think it's one of the best places to live?

 

Sarah: When I was growing up there I always thought other places would be better. But then when I went away and lived in many other states and countries I began to see the beautiful things about the area, the country that I come from, so.

 

Peter: Right. I guess that's always the way with travelling and somewhere else, you realize home has got many advantages and many beautiful places.

 

Sarah: Yes, and people.

 

Peter: Okay.

 

Sarah: People you love are always home

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

opposite end

 

 

I usually tell people it's on the opposite end of the US.

 

The opposite end is the other side. Notice the following:

 

He kicked the ball to the opposite end of the field. 

I live on the oppisite end of town.

on the coast

 

It's on the coast.

 

On the coast is next to the ocean. Notice the following:

 

The beach is on the coast.

Property¹⁰ on the coast is really expensive.

make a distinction

 

Why do people make a distinction between North and South Carolina?

 

To make a distinction is to show a difference.Notice the following:

 

You have to make a distinction between work and play.

He made a distinction bewtween his style and his friend's style.

the history behind (that)

 

 

What's the history behind that?

 

The history behind (that) is the story about something. Notice the following:

 

The history behind this scar¹¹ is pretty interesting. 

I'm curious about the history behind this building.

look out for

 

What's North Carolina famous for, I mean what can we look out for?

 

To look out for is be aware of or try to notice something. Notice the following:

 

Look out for that car!

He should look out for people he knows at the mall.

1 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

2 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

3 moderate   

adj.适度的，稳健的，温和的，中等的；v.节制，使...稳定，使...缓和；n.稳健的人

参考例句：

• You should moderate your language when children are present.在孩子面前，你说话应该有节制。
• The wind is moderate today.今天的风很柔和。

4 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

5 distinction   

n.差别，区别；特性，特征；卓著，荣誉

参考例句：

• There is a nice distinction between the two words.这两个词有细微的区别。
• I can't see any distinction between these two cases.我看不出这两个案例有什么不同。

6 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

8 fried   

adj.油煎的；油炒的

参考例句：

• I ate everything fried.所有油炸的我都吃。
• I prefer fried peanuts.我选择炸花生。

9 grits   

n.粗磨粉；粗面粉；粗燕麦粉；粗玉米粉；细石子，砂粒等( grit的名词复数 )；勇气和毅力v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的第三人称单数 )；咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The sands [grits] in the cooked rice made my tooth ache. 米饭里的砂粒硌痛了牙。 来自辞典例句
• This process also produces homing and corn grits. 此法也产生玉米麸(homing)和玉米粗粉。 来自辞典例句

10 property   

n.财产，所有物，所有权，性质，特性，（小）道具

参考例句：

• He has made over his property to a hospital.他已将财产转交给了一家医院。
• Oil has the property of floating on water.油有浮在水上的特性。

11 scar   

n.伤疤，伤痕，创伤

参考例句：

• This scar is from the bite of a dog.这是狗咬后留下的伤疤。
• The tragedy left a scar on her mind.这个悲剧给她造成精神上的创伤。