英语博客(A cup of English):089 Splash Day.

　　Beginners.
The heat is definitely up, here in the eastern side of the North West. Even in the schools, cool activities are organised to keep the kids comfortable. Because this week is the last of the school year, Splash¹ Day is one of the fun days available to the children. It is a day of putting on your swimming trunks and a spare t-shirt, and taking part in about 10 different water activities. Even though there is no swimming pool at the school, the playing field is organised into different stations where watery² games are played. I went with my daughter to help out and take photos. We arrived after lunch, just in time to see the huge crowd of third through fifth graders line up and listen to the P.E. teacher give instructions. "No jumping on other people in the little pools. Tidy up your station when I blow the whistle, and follow normal school rules." And off they went. It was all very well organised, with teachers and volunteers helping³ out. The kids spent about fifteen minutes at each station, had fun, got wet, and then moved to the next station.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: definitely, available, spare, volunteer.
Exs:
That  boy is definitely the fastest runner in the school.
I don't need my car tomorrow, so it is available if you need it.
The kind gentleman helped me put the spare tire on my car; actually, he had his own spare tire on his stomach!
We need more volunteers at school to help in the classrooms.
Advanced.
Station one was the 'Slip and slide'. This is basically a long, wide, piece of plastic that has been sprayed with lots of water. To make things interesting, it can be placed on a hill, and you can always add soap to it if you want to make it more slippery. The children line up and then take turns running and jumping on it. Woosh! They can get up to quite a speed. Look out below! The next station was called 'Chicken Delivery.' The aim of the game is to run with a rubber chicken, as fast as you can, past a line of people on either side of the track. The people on either side have large, soft balls that they throw at you while you run. If you get hit, you have to sit down, and you don't get a point. Somebody else from your team has to run up, grab⁴ your chicken, and continue to the end. If you don't get hit, you get a point. It's great fun. All the children get very excited, and sometimes the balls get thrown quite hard. It's just as well  that they are very soft. One of the other stations was the 'Water Balloon Station.' A willing victim sits in a chair with a water balloon hanging right over his head. The balloon is attached to a metal device that will pop the balloon if it is hit by a ball. The other children line up for a chance to throw the ball at the target. Most of the time, the victim (or, as we say the 'Guinea Pig') stays dry. But when the thrower has a good aim, splash! Cold water right on the head!
Grammar notes.
Useful verbs: to spray, to slip, to aim, to grab.
Exs:
I had just sprayed some expensive perfume on, when I went outside and got sprayed by a skunk⁵!
She slipped on a banana skin and broke her foot!
The gunman aimed his rifle, but he completely missed the target.
The thief (robber) grabbed⁶ my handbag while I was standing⁷ outside a shop. Lucky for me, I had my money in my jeans pocket.

1 splash   

v.溅，泼；n.溅泼声，溅出的水等，斑点

参考例句：

• I fell into the water with a splash.我跌入水中，激起水花四溅。
• There's a splash of paint on the white wall.白墙上溅上了一片油漆。

2 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 grab   

vt./n.攫取，抓取；vi.攫取，抓住(at)

参考例句：

• It is rude to grab a seat.抢占座位是不礼貌的。
• The thief made a grab at my bag but I pushed him away.贼想抢我的手提包，但被我推开了。

5 skunk   

n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥

参考例句：

• That was a rotten thing to do, you skunk!那种事做得太缺德了，你这卑鄙的家伙！
• The skunk gives off an unpleasant smell when attacked.受到攻击时臭鼬会发出一种难闻的气味。

6 grabbed   

v.抢先，抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指匆忙地）取；攫取；（尤指自私、贪婪地）捞取

参考例句：

• He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
• She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。

7 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。