I am really a night owl. Yesterday I was too excited to go to bed for I moved to a new house.And I did some cleaning. All things were arranged in order and the house took on an entirely new look.I was so preoccupied with the housework that I almost ignored the bedtime. I didn't go to sleep until two o'clock in the morning. I was exhausted and sleepy so I had a sound sleep. As a result, I got up late the second morning. God, it's half past ten.The alarm clock didn't work. After making the bed,washing and brushing, it's nearly twelve. There is no enough time to do other things.
Staying up late is a bad habit and getting up late is a waste of time. From now on I would stick to the regular bedtime schedule. Get up early and do some exercise. There is a good saying "The early bird catches the worm."
我是个地地道道的夜猫子。由于刚搬进新房子,昨晚我兴奋得不想睡觉。我打扫了卫生,一切物品摆放整齐后,房子顿时焕然一新。心思全在家务上就忘记了睡觉时间,直到凌晨二点才躺下。在筋疲力尽昏昏欲睡的状况下我酣然入睡,结果第二天早上就起晚了。一看表,哇喔,十点半,闹钟也坏了。铺完床,洗洗涮涮,将近十二点,没时间干别的事了。
熬夜是个坏习惯而晚起则是浪费时间。从今起,我应有规律地作息,每天早起锻炼身体。有句谚语说得好:“早起的鸟儿有虫吃。”
night owl
“一种米养百样人”,平常我们都按时作息,日出而作,日落而息。但有一种人,等到夜深人静的时间才开始工作。这种人我们称之为“夜猫子”,英语国家的人称为“夜间猫头鹰” ( a night owl) 。这是比喻的称呼,一种比较普通的说法是 a night person (夜间人),复数则用 night people 。
例句:
John used to burn the midnight oil and go to sleep at daybreak, so he is nicknamed as "night owl".
约翰习惯开夜车工作,天亮了才上床睡觉,因此他有“夜猫子”的绰号。
1. preoccupied [pri:'ɔkjupaid] adj. 心事重重的,出神的、聚精会神的
2. exhausted [ig'zɔ:stid] adj. 耗尽的,精疲力尽的
3. night owl 夜猫子(熬夜的人)
4. arrange / put … in order 整理,摆放整齐,使之井然有序
5. takes on an entirely new look 焕然一新
6. have a sound sleep 酣睡,睡得好,睡得香
7. stick to 遵守,坚持
1 I stirred from side to side in my sleep.
我睡觉时不时地翻来覆去。
2 You'd better get up, or you'll be late.
你最好现在就起床,否则要迟到了。
3 Don't forget to make up your quilt.
不要忘记叠被子。
还可以这样说 Don't forget to fold up your quilt.
4 You get dressed with an unconscionable time!
你穿衣服用的时间未免太长了!
5 She often grinds her teeth while asleep.
她睡觉时经常磨牙。
6 I usually get up at six thirty, but during the holidays I get up at ten for a change.
平时我六点半起床,但在假期我会变一变,十点起床。
7 The early bird catches the worm.
早起的鸟儿有虫吃。
8 If you don't sleep well tonight, you'll be sleepy all day tomorrow.
如果你今晚上不休息好的话,明天一天你都会犯困。
9 Remember to take your make-up off before you go to bed, which is good for your skin. 记得睡前要卸妆,这对你的皮肤有好处。
It is said that the bathroom can manifest how clean a family is while the kitchen can demonstrate how dirty a family is. Given that I decide to give priority to the two rooms. For me, it's just a piece of cake to do housework. I use the detergent to wash the dishes, bowls, chopsticks and pots. Then with full strength I scrub them to the point that they seem to be polished. And put them away in the right place. I fetch a cleaning cloth to mop the closet and then clear up the sink. Next I mop the floor. After finishing clearing up the kitchen, it's the bathroom's turn. Gradually I become tired. I spend much more time to tidy the bathroom. The windows are clouded with a layer of dust. I first wipe them with wet cloth then with dry one. After that, they look very bright.Last, I sweep the floor in all the rooms. The litter is collected, and thrown into the dustbin. Finally, all work is done.
Entering the house, the air is so fresh, the furniture shines with brilliant sparkles. Even though wearing out, I am quite delightful to see the fruit of my manual labour. In everyday life, I should have an eye on the tidiness of the house, then later there is no need for me to spend much time and effort to tidy it.
有这样的说法,从卫生间可以看出一个家有多干净,而从厨房则可以看出一个家有多邋遢。鉴于此,我决定首先打扫这两个房间。对我来说,做家务是小菜一碟。先用洗洁精洗碟碗锅筷,然后使劲冲洗它们,尽显光泽,并把它们放在合适的位置。拿起抹布擦起壁橱,再洗水池。其次,擦地板。清扫完厨房后,就开始打扫盥洗室。渐渐地,我感觉累了,费了很长时间才收拾好盥洗室。房间里的窗户覆盖了一层灰尘,我先用湿布擦然后用干布再擦一遍。擦过后,它们看起来明亮极了。最后,扫地板,清理垃圾并扔到垃圾桶,大功告成。
走进房间,空气顿时清新逼人,家具闪耀着点点星光。尽管筋疲力尽,但看到我的劳动果实煞是开心。在日常生活中,我应该注意清洁卫生,以便日后不需花太多时间和精力去打扫。
straighten up
straighten up 本意是“变直、挺直”,而当“清理、整理”讲,完全是一种习惯用语,不过词典却没有提及此含义。然而,外国人在日常生活中习惯将此短语作“清理、整理”解释。
例句:
Let's straighten up our house this weekend.
我们这个周末整理一下房间吧。
1. manifest [ˈmænifest] adj. 明显的; v. 显示、表明、证明,使显现,彰显
2. demonstrate [ˈdemənstreit] v. 论证、说明、显示,示威游行(或集会)
3. detergent [diˈtə:dʒənt] n. 洗涤剂、去垢剂
4. polish [ˈpɔliʃ] v. 磨光、擦亮;修改,润色,抛光, n. 上光蜡
5. fetch [fetʃ] v. (去)拿来,取来;请来,叫来
6. sparkle [ˈspɑ:kəl] v. 闪烁,焕发; n. 闪光,闪烁;活力
7. wear out 穿破、磨损、用坏;(使)疲乏,耗尽
8. give priority to … 重要的是…… 优先权是……
9. to the point / to an extent 到某种程度
1 Vacuuming the carpet will keep the carpet last longer.
用吸尘器打扫地毯能使它延长寿命。
2 Please set up the mosquito net when you make the bed.
铺床时把蚊帐挂起来。
3 I went over the room with a duster. 我用抹布把房间擦得干干净净。
4 Fetch a cloth to mop up the spill, please.
拿块抹布把溢出来的东西擦掉。
5 There are piles of washing-ups needed to be put into the dishwasher.
那儿有一堆准备放在洗碗机中清洗的碗碟。
6 We can regard the housework as a kind of physical exercise.
我们可以把家务活当做一种运动。
7 Housework engages most of my time.
家务活占去了我大部分时间。
8 Please help me to fold up these clothes, my hands are full.
帮我把衣服叠起来,我很忙。
9 The curtain should be changed to a new one.
应该换一个新窗帘。
10 The wall needs to be repainted to a new style.
墙壁需要重新粉刷成新的风格。
Jack is one of my old friends, who comes to visit me,so I cook some delicious food to treat him.
John: This is your favorite food, sour-peppery potato shreds. Make yourself at home, please.
Jack: Wow, what delicious food! You have a gift for cooking.
John: I am glad you like it. Thank you for your appreciation.
Jack: How do you make it? Would you mind telling me your recipe?
John: Of course not. The ingredients are potatoes,green peppers, garlic, green onion, and chili.The seasonings are gourmet powder, pepper and vinegar. You should first cut the potatoes into strips and wash them to remove the starch, which keeps them refresh. Put the Chinese red pepper into the pan when the oil is warm and then get it out after a while. And then put the garlic, green onion and chili in the pan, and stir fry them until they send out the good smell. Finally put potatoes and green peppers in, and stir them too. Don't forget to put the gourmet powder and vinegar. That's it.
Jack: I'd better have a try.
John: I have a cook book and I have learned how to cook from it. I can lend it to you.
Jack: Thanks. I enjoy the dinner very much.
老朋友杰克来我家做客,于是我做了可口的饭菜款待他。
约翰: 这是你最爱吃的酸辣土豆丝,别客气,多吃点。
杰克: 哇,真好吃!你很有烹饪的天赋。
约翰: 很高兴你喜欢,多谢夸奖。
杰克: 你是怎样做这道菜的?介意告诉我你的方法吗?
约翰: 当然不介意。这道菜的材料有土豆、青椒、大蒜、葱、红辣椒,调料有味精、花椒和醋。首先把土豆切成条并用水洗掉淀粉,这样可以保持新鲜。当油锅温热时放入花椒,过一会儿将其取出。稍后将蒜、葱和红辣椒放入锅中爆炒直到香味扑鼻。最后放入土豆条和青椒,别忘了加味精和醋。这样就做好了。
杰克: 我最好尝试去做一下。
约翰: 我有一本食谱,我就是从上面学的,可以借给你一看。
杰克: 谢谢。我很喜欢今天的饭菜。
pot luck
从前西方家庭通常都有一个大锅 pot ,锅里盛着食物,架在炉子上用文火熬煮。假如用餐时忽然有客人来访,那么锅里有什么,客人就只好随缘 luck 吃什么了。所以 take pot luck 就是中国人常说的吃便饭的意思。今天西方有 potluck dinner 或 potluck supper ,意思是家常菜餐会。出席这些餐会的人,须带一两道做好的家常菜给大家吃。大家在餐会上会吃到什么,要随缘了。
例句:
I visited my brother without informing him in advance,so I took the pot luck dinner.
我事先没有告诉哥哥就去他家,结果就只好吃便饭了。
1. seasoning [ˈsi:zəniŋ] n. 调味品,佐料
2. spicy ['spaisi] adj. 用香料调味的,有香料味的,辛辣的、有刺激性的,有趣味的
3. sour ['sauə] adj. 有酸味的、酸的,有发酵味道的、馊的,坏脾气的,别扭的; v. (使某物)变酸、变馊;(使某人)阴郁
4. green pepper 青椒
5. starch [stɑ:tʃ] n. 淀粉,含淀粉的食物,浆粉
6. have a gift for … 有……的头脑/天赋
7. send out 释放、散发(气味)
8. prepare for 为……做准备
9. cook book 食谱
10. stir fry 用旺火爆炒,煸
1 Can you tell me how to make this food?
你能告诉我怎么做这种食物吗?
2 You should get the carrots ready first by cutting them into dices.
首先,把胡萝卜切成丁准备好。
3 Put some oil into the pan before cooking the meat.
炒肉之前先在锅里倒入一些油。
4 I want to eat scrambled eggs with tomato today.
今天我想吃西红柿炒鸡蛋。
5 This meat has been cooked for only half an hour.
这肉只煮了半个小时。
6 Simmer the stew for additional 30 minutes because it is rather tough.
再炖30分钟,因为还不够熟。
7 I taste the soup to see whether the salt is enough or not.
我尝尝汤,看是否够咸。
8 Which do you prefer, cooked vegetables or raw one?
你喜欢把蔬菜煮熟吃还是生吃?
9 Cooking is my mother's long suit.
烹饪是我母亲的拿手好戏。
10 I like eating eggs, no matter boiled, fried, poached or omelets.
不管是煮的、煎的、荷包蛋,还是摊鸡蛋,我都喜欢吃。