英语听力精选进阶版 7030

(In the office, people are discussing where they should go for a meal)

A: OK, everyone it's 6 o'clock, I'm done. I think it's time we go for dinner!

B: I'm starving. Shall we go to Big Eaters? I love their salad - you can go bottomless.

C: I'm not a salad person. How about some fish and chips? Happy Fisher offers bottomless chips.

D: No, I suggest we go to Happy Chicken across the road. We can go bottomless with any soft drinks. I'm very thirsty.

A: Do we know anywhere that we can go bottomless on the main course?

D: Oh, that can only be your home!

Li: Oh my God! 怎么回事，要裸体去餐馆儿？Hey, Neil, what are you talking about? Are we really going 'bottomless' tonight? 实在抱歉，裸体就餐我实在为难啊。I'm afraid I can't go to the restaurant naked¹!

Neil: Oh Li. You have misunderstood the word 'bottomless'.

Li: Oh? What does it mean then?

Neil: Here it simply means 'unlimited²' or 'boundless³' - you can have as much food or drink as you like for the same price.

Li: Ah, 原来这个词的意思是不限量，多吃多给。It sounds like a buffet⁴, doesn't it? You can eat as much as you like. So can I say 'I had a bottomless buffet'?

Neil: No, it's not a term people say or use, mostly you see it only on the menu in a restaurant.

Li: 我倒是见过 unlimited 表示不限量，这么说 'bottomless' 是同一个意思，只不过说法不同。

Neil: Yes. They mean the same thing. Nowadays a lot of restaurants do this to attract customers, but the 'bottomless' only applies to soft drinks. Do you know why?

Li: Because they are cheap! I guess no pubs⁵ in the whole of England would offer a bottomless service!

Neil: Shame about that! However, there is another common expression you may come across: 'a bottomless pit⁶'. Let's listen to some examples:

It's a poor country with a bottomless pit of debt.

Jack⁷ will eat any food that's left over. His stomach is a bottomless pit!

Neil: This expression is used to describe someone or something that always needs or wants more of whatever they're given, especially money.

Li: 明白了。'A bottomless pit' 就是无底洞的意思。What a vivid expression!

Neil: Finally the word 'bottomless' does have another meaning - not wearing trousers.

Li: That's what I thought, going naked. Now that you have explained, I must not make the same mistake again! Thanks Neil.

Neil: Bye!

Li: Bye!

1 naked   

adj.裸露的；赤裸裸的，无遮蔽的

参考例句：

• To the east of our school,there's a naked hillside.我们学校东边有片光秃秃的山坡。
• The children stripped off their clothes and swam naked in the river.孩子们脱得光溜溜的在河里游泳。

2 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

3 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

4 buffet   

n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台

参考例句：

• Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐？
• Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗？

5 pubs   

酒店，酒馆( pub的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I don't like pubs.They're noisy, smelly, and what's more, expensive. 我不喜欢酒吧。那里又吵，气味又难闻，更重要的是，花费太多。
• We did/went the rounds of all the pubs in town. 我们逐一光顾了城里所有的酒店。

6 pit   

n.深坑，核，矿井，陷阱，英国剧场正厅后排，凹陷疤痕；vt.使...有伤痕，去...的核，与...较量

参考例句：

• A sheep fell into a pit,and I helped it out.一只羊掉进坑里，我把它弄了出来。
• They dug a pit to bury the rubbish.他们挖了一个坑把垃圾埋掉。

7 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。