Using English at Work：25 Taking a Break and Eating Lunch(2)

In this break room, my coworkers, or colleagues, Diana and Van, are standing¹ next to the water cooler talking about a show that was on television last night.

A "water cooler" is a machine that keeps the water in a large container cold.

Some water coolers are able to keep water hot, too, for tea and other hot drinks.

I pick up the coffee pot and pour myself a mug of coffee.

A "coffee pot" is a container for holding coffee and keeping it warm for drinking later.

When you go to a restaurant, the waiter brings a coffee pot to your table and pours coffee into your cup.

A "mug" (mug) is a large cup with a handle (something you hold) that people drink out of.

A mug is often a little bigger than a normal cup.

If it's cold outside, you might want to drink a mug of tea or hot chocolate, for example.

In the story, I'm feeling really hungry, so I walk over to the vending² machine.

A "vending machine" is a large machine that you put money into to buy a drink or food.

"Vending" comes from the verb "to vend," which means to sell.

Vending machines with cold sodas³ are probably the most common type you'll see, but there are also vending machines that sell hot drinks like tea and coffee.

Many vending machines sell sweet and salty "snacks," which are small pieces of food that we eat between meals.

You're not supposed to eat too many snacks, but sometimes they're so good you can't stop!

I'm looking over the candy bars and the potato chips.

"I'm looking over" means I'm examining, I'm looking at them.

A "candy bar" is normally⁴ a long, rectangular⁵, sweet type of food usually made from sugar and chocolate.

"Potato chips" are thin slices of potatoes that have been fried⁶ and salted.

Candy bars and potato chips may not be healthy foods, but they are very tasty!

Before I buy one of these snacks from the vending machine, Diana says, "We're taking an early lunch. Do you want to join us?"

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 vending   

v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明

参考例句：

• Why Are You Banging on the Vending Machine? 你为什么敲打这台自动售货机？ 来自朗文快捷英语教程 2
• Coca-Cola had to adapt almost 300,000 vending machines to accept the new coins. 可口可乐公司必须使将近三十万台自动贩卖机接受新货币。 来自超越目标英语 第5册

3 sodas   

n.苏打( soda的名词复数 )；碱；苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• There are plenty of sodas in the refrigerator. 冰箱里有很多碳酸饮料。 来自辞典例句
• Two whisky and sodas, please. 请来两杯威士忌苏打。 来自辞典例句

4 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

5 rectangular   

adj.矩形的，成直角的

参考例句：

• He put a rectangular box on the table.他把一个长方形的箱子放在桌子上。
• The equations are written in rectangular coordinates.这些方程是在直角座标系中写出的。

6 fried   

adj.油煎的；油炒的

参考例句：

• I ate everything fried.所有油炸的我都吃。
• I prefer fried peanuts.我选择炸花生。