【英语趣味课堂】最喜爱的东西-Favorites

Todd: OK, Shawn, I'm going to talk about your favorites.

 

Shawn: Sure

 

Todd: What's your favorite color?

 

Shawn: I say, green.

 

Todd: Green.

 

Shawn: Yes.

 

Todd: OK. And what's your favorite fruit?

 

Shawn: My favorite fruit: orange.

 

Todd: Orange!

 

Shawn: Oranges. I love oranges. Very sweet and good for the body.

 

Todd: Yeah, have you had any of the oranges in Japan?

 

Shawn: I've had a couple. Much better than the ones I have back in Canada.

 

Todd: Oh, really. OK. Um, what's your favorite season?

 

Shawn: I'd say spring, cause it's a combination of warm weather, at the same time it's not hot like it is in the summer. In spring it's a bit cool. You can walk around very relaxed. It the best. It's a combination of all the seasons in one.

 

Todd: OK. what's your favorite movie?

 

Shawn: My favorite movie! I'd have to say "Gladiator." Russel Crow. It's a tragic¹ movie about a very strong leader who, how-should-I-say, triumphs over, how-should-I-say, over very overpowering conflicts. It's, um, plus, I'm a bit of an action movie buff. I know it's sad to hear but, it's definitely an interesting movie.

 

学习内容：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

favorites

 

Let's talk about your favorites.

 

Your 'favorites' are things that you like the best. Notice the following:

 

Most of my favorite restaurants are in this area.

This movie is one of my favorites.

at the same time

 

In spring, it's warm, but at the same time, it's a bit cool.

 

In this case 'at the same time' can be replaced with 'but also.'  We use this phrase most frequently when we want to demonstrate that sometime has opposite or conflicting properties. Notice the following:

 

I'm having a good time, but at the same time, I'm ready to go home.

She's a good friend, but at the same time, I don't trust her at all.

combination

 

For me, spring is a combination of all the seasons in one.

 

A 'combination' is many different things which have been put together. Notice the following:

 

The sauce is a combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic and seasoning².

Her paintings have an interesting combination of colors.

tragic

 

"The Gladiator" is a tragic movie.

 

If something is 'tragic' it is very sad or disastrous³. Notice the following:

 

The book was tragic and made me cry.

Her childhood was very tragic.

triumph or overpowering

 

The movie is about a leader who triumphs over overpowering conflicts.

 

If you 'triumph' over something you have success or victory after battling against something difficult. If something is 'overpowering' it is difficult to conquer or master, if it is against you it is very strongly negative.  In the case of the example it is a strong force against you. Notice the following:

 

Passing that class was a personal triumph.

The garbage has an overpowering smell right now.

1 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

2 seasoning   

n.调味；调味料；增添趣味之物

参考例句：

• Salt is the most common seasoning.盐是最常用的调味品。
• This sauce uses mushroom as its seasoning.这酱油用蘑菇作调料。

3 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。