英语博客:New Year's Resolution

I can't believe that it is almost the end of January already. Where has the time gone? We have had an unusual Winter so far, weather wise. It has gone from being overcast¹ and dull, to sunny and mild, back to freezing and snowy. You don't know what to expect from one day to another. One thing that helps me through the cold season is remembering my New Year's resolutions. Everybody I know seems to make them. They might not tell anybody else about them, but they make them nonetheless. Some people will decide to lose weight, or exercise more, perhaps eat more vegetables, or take up a new hobby. Apparently², lots of people now practice Sudoku to improve their memories, or they do yoga to reduce stress. These all sound like wonderful goals to have. The key, I think, is being consistent. Plan something that is not too overwhelming, something doable, then put it into your daily or weekly routine so it is easy to accomplish. One of my New Year's resolutions is to get toned by lifting weights. For some reason, I like the feeling of that kind of workout. I also know that it is great for your bones and your mood. Well, last week I went to the YMCA with great enthusiasm and had a thorough workout. I felt very proud of myself. A day or two later, my elbows started to ache. A couple of days after that they felt even worse. When I drank tea, I had to bring the cup up to my mouth with my elbows sticking out in a very abnormal way, otherwise they would hurt. You can say that I had overdone³ my workout. My achy muscles are better now, but I'm still determined⁴ to stick to my New Year's resolutions. But I think I'll have to be kinder to myself and use lighter⁵ weights.

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: overcast, hobby, enthusiasm, workout.

1. The sky has been so overcast that we haven't seen the sun for nine days.

2. I love my new hobby. It's pottery⁶! I can make all kinds of cups, bowls, and plates out of clay.

 3. The newly elected govenor greeted the voters with enthusiasm.

4. Moving our furniture around was a real workout.

 

1 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 overdone   

v.做得过分( overdo的过去分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度

参考例句：

• The lust of men must not be overdone. 人们的欲望不该过分。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The joke is overdone. 玩笑开得过火。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 pottery   

n.陶器，陶器场

参考例句：

• My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
• The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。