Loch Ness monster
Callum: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Callum Robertson and joining metoday is Kate, hello Kate.
Kate: Hello Callum.
Callum: Now Kate, something which we both have in common is that we are bothScottish, though you couldn't tell from my accent and today's programme is allabout what is perhaps the most famous mystery associated with Scotland. Whatdo you think that is?
Kate: Mmm, let me think. Is it perhaps Nessie? The Loch Ness Monster?
Callum: Yes, it is, indeed. What is Loch Ness, Kate?
Kate: Well Loch Ness is a lake, called Ness, Loch Ness. And loch is the Scottishword for lake.
Callum: We'll hear more about the loch and the monster（怪物） shortly, but first, our question,which should be an easy one for you Kate, I think. Loch is the Scottish wordfor Lake, but what is the Scottish word 'dreich' used to describe:
a: cold wet weatherb: deep dark waterc: deep soft snowKate: Ah, well I know this one. I love this word 'dreich'. It means a: cold wet weather.
Callum: We'll find out if you're right at the end of the programme. Now back to LochNess. Could you tell us a bit more about it?
Kate: Well Loch Ness is a very big loch; it's about 37 km long and holds the largest amount of water of any lake in UK. The water is very deep and very dark.
And it's also known as the home of the Loch Ness Monster.
Callum: When did all this talk of a monster in the loch begin? Let's listen now to part ofa report about new information which has been revealed regarding the monster.
Listen out for this information. When did the legend start and when did itbecome world famous? Here's the BBC's Colin Blane:
Colin BlaneThe legend(传奇) of the Loch Ness Monster goes back more than a thousand years but the story attracted world-wide attention in the 1930s after a Scottish newspaper reported the beast had been seen crossing the road.
Callum: So Kate, when did the legend begin and when did it become known around theworld.
Kate: Well apparently the legend began over 1000 years ago. But it's really beensince the 1930s that the modern legend has developed.
Callum: Let's listen again to Colin Blane. And what other word does he use to describethe creature apart from monster, and what happened in the 1930s to make thelegend internationally known?
Colin BlaneThe legend of the Loch Ness Monster goes back more than a thousand years but the storyattracted world-wide attention in the 1930s after a Scottish newspaper reported the beast hadbeen seen crossing the road.
Callum: So Kate, what word did he use for the monster.
Kate: He called it 'the beast'
Callum: And how did the modern legend start back in the 30s?
Kate: Well he said that there was a report in a newspaper that 'the beast' had beenseen crossing the road.
Callum: It seems such a bizarre thing for the monster to be crossing the road like apedestrian, doesn't it?
Kate: I know, I always though it was a bit bigger than that.
Callum: Now have you ever been to Loch Ness and if you have, have you seen themonster.
Kate: I have been to Loch Ness, but unfortunately I've never seen the monster. I thinkI stood looking for it for about half-an-hour once, but that was it, no luck.
Callum: I've been there a couple of times and I've looked across the water. Again,nothing. My feeling is that it's a bit of a myth and I think these days it'sconsidered by many people really just to be a legend, something for the tourists.
But back in the 1930s even the police thought it was real. Here's more of thereport from Colin Blane talking about new information that's been revealed.
What was the police chief worried about and we alsohear another word to referto the monster. Not beast - what is it?
Colin BlaneEven the local police chief took the monster seriously. He expressed concern about a huntingparty - led by Peter Kent from London - who planned to tackle the monster with a harpoongun. In an official letter from 1938, Chief Constable William Fraser said the creature shouldbe preserved.
Callum: So what was the police chief worried about Kate?
Kate: The report said that he 'expressed concern about', which means he was worriedabout, a hunting party. That's A group of people from London were coming tohunt for the monster.
Callum: And what other word did we hear for the monster?
Kate: Colin Blane used the word 'creature'. He reported that Chief Constable WilliamFraser said the creature should be preserved – which means it should beprotected.
Callum: So we've got 'monster' and we've got beast and we've got 'creture'. All referringto the same thing, there. Let's listen again.
Colin BlaneEven the local police chief took the monster seriously. He expressed concern about a huntingparty - led by Peter Kent from London - who planned to tackle the monster with a harpoongun. In an official letter from 1938, Chief Constable William Fraser said the creature shouldbe preserved.
Callum: Well the monster has been preserved; at least it's never been caught! Could thatbe because it doesn't exist? Or because the waters of Loch Ness are so deep anddark that Nessie remains hidden? ….. perhaps, we'll never know.
Anyway, that's about all we have time for in this week's programme. Timethough to give the answer to this week's question which was - what is theScottish word 'dreich' used to describe:
Kate you said:
Kate: I said a: cold wet weatherCallum: And indeed that of course is the right answer. It is a great word, a lovely word.
Kate: And it perfectly describes the weather in Scotland for most of the year, I'd say.
Callum: Well that's all from today's programme, but do join us next time for another 6Minute English. Goodbye.
Kate: Goodbye(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑) |