英语博客：What's for breakfast?

 

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　　What do you feel like eating in the morning? Are you a breakfast eater, or do you just have a coffee or tea? There are so many things to choose from when it comes to the first meal of the day. Traditionally, in England, we have what is called the 'great British breakfast'. It is a substantial¹ meal; if you happen to miss lunch, it doesn't matter because you will still be full with breakfast. Normally it includes: bacon (meaty not fatty), eggs, toast, stewed³, skinless tomatoes, sausages, sometimes some black pudding (or blood sausage), orange juice, and coffee or tea. It's perfect if you are going to do lots of physical labor⁴ all day. Personally, I can't eat very much straight away after waking up. My stomach isn't ready. I need to be awake a good hour before having a heavy breakfast. A lighter⁵, sweeter kind of breakfast would be french toast or waffles. They are two of my children's favorites. And, nowadays waffles are very conveniently found in the frozen⁶ breakfast aisle⁷, in the supermarket. I do make them fresh sometimes, but I've found a brand that my kids like; it's fortified⁸ with vitamins, and they can pop them in the toaster themselves. Mind you, I have to supervise⁹ them, not just for safety either. They tend to go a little heavy on the syrup¹⁰ when they make their own waffles. As I say to them,"Do you want some waffle with your syrup, or syrup with your waffle?" I much prefer French toast; I find it more substantial and nutritious¹¹. It's quite a simple recipe: two eggs, about one cup of milk, beat together, and dip in the white French bread. Then fry in a little butter until both sides are light golden brown. Then you can put whatever you want on top. Syrup is the norm², but we like to put peanut butter, or jam, or sometimes even a piece of ham.It's up to you to choose what you want for a topping. Sometimes getting creative in the kitchen is worth it; it's just a little more interesting than a bowl of cornflakes.
Grammar notes.
Common expressions: to happen to, to pop (British), to go heavy/to go easy (American), the norm.
1. I happened to see an old college friend in town.
2. Pop over for a cup of tea this afternoon. OR I'll just pop to the butchers. OR My neigbor popped in to borrow some sugar. OR Spread the cream on the cake and then pop it in the fridge.
3. Go heavy on Peter's plate with the icecream, but go easy on mine.
4. The weather has been so different this year. Daily rain is the norm, but it hasn't rained yet.

1 substantial   

adj.大的，相当可观的，大体上的

参考例句：

• She is preparing a substantial meal against his return.她正在准备一顿丰盛的饭菜为他接风。
• The country bought a substantial number of weapons.这个国家购买了大量武器。

2 norm   

n.标准，规范，平均数

参考例句：

• Of his age,the child is above the norm in arithmetic.在他那个年龄，这个孩子的算术能力是超过标准的。
• These events were aberrations from the norm.这些事件不合常规。

3 stewed   

adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧

参考例句：

• When all birds are shot, the bow will be set aside;when all hares are killed, the hounds will be stewed and eaten -- kick out sb. after his services are no longer needed. 鸟尽弓藏，兔死狗烹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• \"How can we cook in a pan that's stewed your stinking stockings? “染臭袜子的锅，还能煮鸡子吃！还要它？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

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 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

7 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

8 fortified   

adj. 加强的

参考例句：

• He fortified himself against the cold with a hot drink. 他喝了一杯热饮御寒。
• The enemy drew back into a few fortified points. 敌人收缩到几个据点里。

9 supervise   

v.监督，管理，指导

参考例句：

• We must supervise and speed up the fulfilment of assigned tasks.已经布置了的工作，应当认真督促检查。
• Tomorrow he will supervise all the pupils taking the English examination.明天全体学生考英语，他将担任监考。

10 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

11 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。