英语杂谈：21 The problem of vocabulary 2

Dasha (Reporter):
I am in the editorial building of a newspaper called “English” - it promotes the language, gives tips and helps students with difficulties they might have while learning English. I’m here to meet a group of young enthusiasts¹ who are members of the “Y.E.S Club” - which stands for Youth English Section.
They write their own page in the newspaper. For these young people it’s a chance to improve their language, read in English and to talk about the books they’ve been reading.
Today’s planning meeting is devoted² to some of the difficulties of reading in English - and how to inspire the subscribers of the newspaper to read in a foreign language.

Female: We should make our readers believe that it's much more interesting and much more really important to read English literature in original, because in Russian it's just a totally different thing.
Male: Last summer I read The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien for my pleasure because I like this book. Many years ago I read it first and I didn't have possibility or frankly³ speaking the desire to read it in English. Last summer I decided⁴ that if you like a book written by an English author you should read it in English. That's why I made this effort, I read it and I understood the meaning and the plot of the author much better than when I read it in Russian.
Dasha: The editorial team agrees that there are many benefits to be gained from reading an English book in the original language but one of the major problems that readers face concerns the choice of vocabulary.
Female: Slang and some peculiarities⁵ of the country. For example, Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote. It's full of such things. Fortunately I had a kind of vocabulary in the end of the book, some names of the streets and magazines and newspapers and shops which I didn't know.
Female2: It's the author's style of writing. For example Dickens's books are very difficult for me and I prefer reading them in translation because I think that there are certain things that escape from our understanding and that is the major difficulty that we can encounter when we read books in original.

Dasha: But whatever the problems, Aliona believes that it's important to discuss what you've just read with other readers. It might help you to understand the book's themes and it certainly makes the pleasure last longer.

Female: We do discuss it and I think it's an important thing for evaluating new ideas after reading the book you can think it over and over because for me the most important thing is to think after the book more really important to read English literature in original, because in Russian it's just a totally different thing.
Gary: Some comments there about the value of reading books in the original
language and also about taking the opportunity to discuss what you read with other keen readers. Jeremy.

Jeremy: I think that's very interesting and significant. I'm sure that's why reading groups have become so popular in Britain and a lot of other countries. Reading is a rather solitary⁶ activity and I think the pleasures of reading are better shared and I'm sure that communicating your enthusiasm for something you've read means that you will inevitably⁷ have a greater appreciation⁸ of what you've read and perhaps greater motivation to read more.
Gary: Now, for every edition of The Reading Group, we’ve asked an author of books for students and teachers of English Literature to share their thoughts on the pains and pleasures presented by reading.
Gillian Lazar joins us today - she’s a Senior Lecturer at a British University and an enthusiastic member of a book group herself! In her talk, she considers why we read, and offers some suggestions on how to share our enjoyment⁹ with each
other.
 

1 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

2 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

3 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 peculiarities   

n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪

参考例句：

• the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

6 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

7 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

8 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

9 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。