【英语趣味课堂】四季变化-The Change of Seasons

My favorite season has to be autumn, although when it gets to autumn I feel slightly disapointed because I know that after summer the weather gets colder and the nights get shorter and the evenings get darker. I still really like autumn. One of my favorite things about autumn is whan all of the leaves fall off the trees and you can walk about and crunch¹ in the leaves. However I think my favorite thing about autumn is the conkers. I love it when conkers fall off trees and you can collect them.

 

When I was at school we used to collect conkers and put them on stings² and then we would have a competition to see who had the best conker. We would hit our conkers with somebody elses and if yours didn't smash³ then you could have one point so after your first game, your conker would be a oner. Then if you won twice, it would be a twoer and so on. It was a really good game and it kept us amused for hours. Conkers are great fun. Have you ever played conkers? Maybe you should. Why don't you try it this autumn?

 

学习内容：

 

disappointed

 

When it gets to autumn, I feel slightly disappointed because I know that the weather gets colder. 

 

You feel 'disappointed' when a situation is not what you hope or expect it to be.  Notice the following:

 

I was very disappointed that they couldn't come to my party.

My husband was very disappointed when his team lost the game.

walk about or crunch in the leaves

 

In autumn, when all of the leaves fall off the trees, you can walk about and crunch in the leaves. 

 

When you 'walk about,' you move yourself around by walking to no particular location.  It is a very relaxed and casual⁴ sort of walk.  If you walk on dry, dead leaves, they make a crunching⁵ sound.  Notice the following:

 

I just want to go outside and walk about for a while.

My kids love to crunch in the leaves.

conkers or collect

 

I love it when conkers fall off trees and you can collect them. 

 

A 'conker' is a type of nut that grows on trees.  When you 'collect' things, you gather them and put them in a specific place together.  Notice the following:

 

If you cook conkers, you can eat them.

Be sure to collect all the sticks before you cut the grass.

smash

 

We would hit our conkers with somebody else's and if yours didn't smash, then you could have one point. 

 

'Smash' is another way to say 'crush,' 'break' or 'destroy.' Notice the following:

 

The car got pretty smashed⁶ up in the accident.

When he got back to his car, he discovered that his window had been smashed in.

amused

 

It's really a good game, and it kept us amused for hours. 

 

If you are 'amused,' you are entertained or occupied.  Notice the following:

 

I can't believe you are so amused by such a simple thing.

His friends are really amusing⁷.

1 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

2 stings   

螫伤处( sting的名词复数 )； （某些昆虫的）毒刺； （身体或心灵的）剧痛； （警察为抓捕罪犯而设的）圈套

参考例句：

• Falsehood like a nettle stings those who meddle with it. 谎言似荨麻，玩弄会刺手。
• This cream contains a mild analgesic to soothe stings and bites. 这种乳膏含有一种性能平和的止痛剂，能缓解被螫咬后的疼痛。

3 smash   

v.粉碎，打碎；n.轰动的演出，巨大的成功

参考例句：

• We heard the smash of plates breaking in the kitchen.我们听到厨房里盘子破碎的声音。
• The gifted author wrote one smash after another.这个天才作家创作了一篇又一篇轰动一时的作品。

4 casual   

adj.漠不关心，冷漠的；随便的，非正式的；偶然的，碰巧的

参考例句：

• He earns a living by casual labour.他靠做临时工为生。
• The guests wore casual clothes.客人们穿着便服。

5 crunching   

v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄

参考例句：

• The horses were crunching their straw at their manger. 这些马在嘎吱嘎吱地吃槽里的草。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog was crunching a bone. 狗正嘎吱嘎吱地嚼骨头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 smashed   

adj.喝醉酒的v.打碎，捣烂( smash的过去式和过去分词 )；捣毁；重击；撞毁（车辆）

参考例句：

• Several windows had been smashed. 几扇窗户劈里啪啦打碎了。
• In time-honoured tradition, a bottle of champagne was smashed on the ship. 依照由来已久的传统，对着船摔了一瓶香槟。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 amusing   

adj.有有趣的，好玩的

参考例句：

• The girl was amusing herself with a doll.那女孩在玩洋娃娃自娱。
• He related some amusing stories in his childhood to his children.他向孩子们述说了他少年时代的一些趣事。