英语听力精选进阶版 14424

BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News

12 March 2014

Teapot tower

Transcript¹:

It might not be everyone's cup of tea.

This giant, teapot-shaped construction is actually a 10-storey office building.

Ordinary red clay teapots are big sellers here in the Chinese city of Wuxi.

Locals hope the quirky building will become a symbol of the city.

Vocabulary:

cup of tea if something is 'not your cup of tea', it's not the kind of thing you like

storey a level of a building, a floor

clay thick, wet soil that becomes hard and dry when baked, used for making plates, cups, bricks and other objects

quirky strange but in an attractive way

symbol something that represents a particular idea or quality

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

cup of tea / storey / clay / quirky / symbol

1. The plans will see one _________ added to the top of Television Centre and two under it, with the facade² of the building being retained and restored.

2. "We have these laws in place to protect and conserve³ species such as the red squirrel, which are very dear to people's hearts and a _________ of Scotland."

3. It might not be everyone's _________ but hopefully people will respect it. I'd like to think that whatever song wins is because of the song.

4. Ensure the email address you send your application from isn't _________ as it is not likely to be taken seriously.

5. The basic aim of dredging is to remove silt⁴ - a sedimentary material made of fine sand, _________ and small-sized particles of rock - from the river's bed, therefore increasing its capacity to carry water downstream.

Answers:

1. The plans will see one storey added to the top of Television Centre and two under it, with the facade of the building being retained and restored. Source: BBC Television Centre homes and hotel plan approved

2. "We have these laws in place to protect and conserve species such as the red squirrel, which are very dear to people's hearts and a symbol of Scotland." Source: Warning to keep grey squirrel traps shut to help save reds

3. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but hopefully people will respect it. I'd like to think that whatever song wins is because of the song. Source: Molly Smitten-Downes: Eurovision will be a challenge

4. Ensure the email address you send your application from isn't quirky as it is not likely to be taken seriously.

Source: CV blunders hit jobseekers' chances of securing employment

5. The basic aim of dredging is to remove silt - a sedimentary material made of fine sand, clay and small-sized particles of rock - from the river's bed, therefore increasing its capacity to carry water downstream. Source: How do you stop flooding?

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 facade   

n.(建筑物的)正面，临街正面；外表

参考例句：

• The entrance facade consists of a large full height glass door.入口正面有一大型全高度玻璃门。
• If you look carefully,you can see through Bob's facade.如果你仔细观察，你就能看穿鲍勃的外表。

3 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

4 silt   

n.淤泥，淤沙，粉砂层，泥沙层；vt.使淤塞；vi.被淤塞

参考例句：

• The lake was almost solid with silt and vegetation.湖里几乎快被淤泥和植物填满了。
• During the annual floods the river deposits its silt on the fields.每年河水泛滥时都会在田野上沉积一层淤泥。