英语博客(A cup of English):068 A Tour of Homes 1.

　　A Tour of Homes.
What is the name of the first room that you come to when you walk into a house? It's the entry way. This room varies from house to house. Some are big; others are small. Either way, it is a space in the house which is used as an introduction to the rest of the house. In Western homes, the entry way is not usually an enclosed room. There could be several openings that lead to other rooms. We walk through the front door. There are many types of these: solid wood, glass, a windowed door, double doors, arched doors. And part of the door that is important for its style is the hardware. That is basically the metal parts: the hinges and the door handle. Occasionally there will be a knocker which is metal and with which you knock. Nowadays, most people have a door bell instead. These are the 'ding-dong' type, or an electric buzzer¹ of some kind.
Often there is a door mat infront of the door, to wipe your feet on. You walk through the doorway² and into the entryway. As you look around you will see a place to hang up coats, perhaps a closet or a coat hanger³. Sometimes there is a mirror on the wall, and a long, slim table under the mirror which is elegant or, at least, decorated in some way. The entryways that I have seen have flowers in pots or baskets, framed art on the walls, and even chandaliers hanging from the ceiling. Often, there are photos of family members here and there.
The floors could be any of various materials: wood, tile, carpet, or even painted concrete. The most popular rugs that one tends to see on the floor are called Asian, Indian, Persian, Traditional, or Native of some kind. Lighting⁴ is important, of course, to create atmosphere, and so you don't crash into something and get hurt. So, apart from the occasional chandalier, there might be a standing⁵ lamp, or a table lamp, and some are touch on touch off, clap on clap off, or plugged in to a timer. The lamps usually have a switch that you flip⁶ or turn, or a button that you press. There are even hallway lights or 'night lights' that one plugs into the electrical sockets⁷, so when the other lights are off, you can still see the floor and where you are going. Electrical sockets or outlets⁸ are so useful, especially for plugging in the vacuum cleaner or decorations at Christmas time.
Some people keep their keys in the entry way, so it is easy and quick to pick them up on the way out in the morning. There are key holders¹⁰ of various types and shapes that do the job.
If shoes are taken off in the entry way, then they are put either on a shoe holder⁹, on a shelf, or in a closet. A beautiful thing to have in your entry way also is a chest. This is a big box, usually made of wood, in which you can store anything you need.
My entry way is quite simple, relatively¹¹ small, and empty. It has a mirror, a glass table (which, by some miracle is still  in one piece), a standing lamp, and tile floors. Think about your entry way, and if you have words to add to this list, let me know.

1 buzzer   

n.蜂鸣器；汽笛

参考例句：

• The buzzer went off at eight o'clock.蜂鸣器在8点钟时响了。
• Press the buzzer when you want to talk.你想讲话的时候就按蜂鸣器。

2 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

3 hanger   

n.吊架，吊轴承；挂钩

参考例句：

• I hung my coat up on a hanger.我把外衣挂在挂钩上。
• The ship is fitted with a large helicopter hanger and flight deck.这艘船配备有一个较大的直升飞机悬挂装置和飞行甲板。

4 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

7 sockets   

n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴

参考例句：

• All new PCs now have USB sockets. 新的个人计算机现在都有通用串行总线插孔。
• Make sure the sockets in your house are fingerproof. 确保你房中的插座是防触电的。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

8 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

10 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

11 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。