【英语趣味课堂】形影不离的姐妹-Close Sisters

Todd: So, Santi, we're talking about family this week and you have a sister, correct?

Santi: Yes, a sister.

 

Todd: Now, what's kind of unique about your sister is you both are similar in age and you go to university together, correct?

 

Santi: Yes, only two years younger than me.

 

Todd: So, yeah, you are 22?

 

Santi: Twenty-two.

 

Todd: She's twenty.

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: What's it like going to university with your sister?

 

Santi: It's kind of like difficult because I have to take care of her, but it's also fun because you can share things with her.

 

Todd: Yeah, what do you mean, like, you have to take care of her?

 

Santi: Well, I'm in my fourth year right now, so I'm kind of like ... not busy, so whatever she wants to have for dinner, I have to cook.

 

Todd: Really, you cook for her?

 

Santi: Yes. Yes, she's my sister. I'm a good sister.

 

Todd: That's very nice. So what kind of things to you cook for your sister?

 

Santi: Basically¹ Chinese food or lunch packets for her, for like tomorrow.

 

Todd: You make your sister a lunch to take to school?

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: That's like a mother.

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: Wow. That's care and devotion.

 

Santi: Well, I said before I'm a good sister.

 

Todd: Wow. I guess so. Now when you first went to university, did you think your sister would join you - would go to the same university?

 

Santi: No. I don't think so because, well, she's very good at chemistry and she's also good at science, so I'm hoping that she will go a different directions than me, but, well, I don't know, maybe my mother trusts me, and then my mother led her to me.

 

Todd: What about similarities² and differences? How would you say you and your sister are similar?

 

Santi: My voice and her voice. It's totally the same.

 

Todd: Really?

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: So if your sister was here doing audio³ work, I wouldn't be able to tell who was who.

 

Santi: Yes. It's true.

 

Todd: Wow.

 

Santi: Sometimes we like to play with people on the phone. It's kind of like bad but whenever her friends call, I will pretend⁴ that I was her.

 

Todd: Really.

 

Santi: And vice-versa.

 

Todd: That is a funny joke. So what is something that's different? Like how are you different? Obviously⁵ she's good in science.

 

Santi: Yeah, and, well, the appearance⁶ is different. She has darker skin, and then she's very slim.

 

Todd: You are very slim, too.

 

Santi: Thank you.

 

Todd: Are you the same height?

 

Santi: No. I'm taller.

 

Todd: OK. So you really are the big sister.

 

Santi: Yes, that's true.

 

Todd: You look down on her.

 

Santi: Yes. Sometimes.

 

Todd: So do you guys fight very much, or do you usually get along?

 

Santi: Uh, during my childhood - yes - but now - no - we just ... well, we know the limits. We know that we are ready beginning to be adults, so I don't think that fight is kind of like popular anymore.

 

Todd: Right, so you guys are like two peas⁷ in a pod.

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

play with people

 

Sometimes we like to play with people on the phone.

 

When we play with people that means⁸ we are not honest with our actions or words, but in a fun, joking way. Notice the following:

 

My brother likes to play with me and get me upset.

He is always playing with us. We never know if he is serious or joking around.

look down on

 

Do you look down on her?

 

To look down on people means we think we are better or more important than they are.  The meaning is negative.  Notice the following:

 

People look down on her because of her accent.

They looked down on me because I was a foreigner.

Do you usually get along?

 

The phrase⁹ 'get along' is similar in meaning to 'friendly'.  Notice the following:

 

My brother and I don't get along. We fight often.

I hate my class because my teacher and I do not get along.

know the limits / know one's limits

 

We fight sometimes, but we know the limits.

 

To know our limits means to know how much or how many of something is possible before we must stop.  Notice the following:

 

I love drinking at parties but I know my limits.

My sisters likes to pick on me but she knows my limits.

two peas in a pod

 

We are two peas in a pod.

 

The phrase 'two peas in a pod' compares two people who are in someway the same or similar.  Notice the following:

 

My father and I love going on fishing trips together. We are like two peas in a pod.

Those two students are always together. They are two peas in a pod.

1 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

2 similarities   

[ similarity ]的复数形式； 类似( similarity的名词复数 )； 相像性； 相仿性； 类似性

参考例句：

• similarities between human and non-human animals 人和其他动物之间的相似之处
• The panel shows marked similarities with mosaics found elsewhere. 这块嵌板和在其他地方找到的镶嵌图案有明显的相似之处。

3 audio   

n./adj.音频(响)(的)；声音(的)，听觉(的)

参考例句：

• Often,the meeting is recorded on audio or video media for later reference.通常这种会议会以视频或者音频形式记录下来，供以后查阅。
• You don't even have to pay for audio programs.你大可不必为自己听这些节目付费。

4 pretend   

vt.假装，假托，装扮；vi.假装，装作

参考例句：

• So you don't need to pretend,do you?所以你不必装假了，对吧？
• Many people pretend that they understand modern art.许多人装着自己懂得现代艺术。

5 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

6 appearance   

n.出现，露面；容貌

参考例句：

• In appearance, he was a little like his father.他看起来有点像他的父亲。
• She was a young woman of good appearance.她是一位年轻貌美的女子。

7 peas   

豌豆

参考例句：

• My little sister picked up many green peas in the field. 小妹从田野里拾到许多豌豆。
• The twin brothers are as like as two peas. 那两个兄弟毫无二致。

8 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

9 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。