英语听力精选进阶版 6665（在线收听）

Feifei: 大家好，欢迎收听由BBC制作的《地道英语》。我是冯菲菲。

Diarmuid: And I’m Diarmuid. So I’ve got a present for you Fefei. Here you are.

Feifei: Oh thank you… er, what is it?

Diarmuid: It’s a stick of rock.

Feifei: A stick of rock. 怎么能在岩石里插一根棍子呢？But sticks are made of wood.

Diarmuid: Indeed they are. But this is not a real stick and it’s not made of rock either. It’s a kind of sweet or candy that they sell at the seaside.

Feifei: But why is it called rock if it is a sweet?

Diarmuid: Try taking a bite.

Feifei: Ok.

(Crunching sound)

Feifei: Ow! My teeth! 这个糖也太硬了吧，差点儿把我的牙都崩了。

Diarmuid: Now you know why it’s called rock.

Feifei: 这糖上面好像还写着一个什么词。What does that word say?

Diarmuid: It says Blackpool. That’s a holiday resort in the north of England.

Feifei: Blackpool 是英格兰一个著名旅游度假胜地。

Diarmuid: Yes, this year I decided to go on holiday here in the UK instead of going to foreign country.

Feifei: So you had a staycation?

Diarmuid: Exactly. This year I had a staycation. S.T.A.Y.C.A.T.I.O.N. And that’s our Authentic Real English word of the day.

Feifei: Staycation. it sounds like the word vacation.

Diarmuid: Yes, it’s a new word that reflects the current economic situation in the UK.

Feifei: 世界金融危机，英国也没能逃掉，所以很多英国人现在选择在英国境内度假来省钱。So staycation is a newly invented word that represents a current trend in the UK.

Diarmuid: Yes. The word has two parts: stay, as in stay here in Britain. And –cation which is part of the word vacation.

Feifei: So a staycation is a holiday when you stay in your own country instead of going abroad.

Example

A: Where are you going on holiday this year?

B: I’m having a staycation. I’m going to stay in the UK and go camping in the countryside.

A: What a good idea for saving money.

Feifei: So did you enjoy your holiday in Blackpool.

Diarmuid: Yes, it was great… except for the terrible weather… and the bad food… and the terrible nightlife… and the miserable people… did I say it rained everyday.

Feifei: (over Diarmuid’s complaining)哎呀，听起来冬天在英国度假好像不怎么好玩儿。Never mind Diarmuid. Have some rock to cheer yourself up.

Diarmuid: Oh, thanks.

(crunching sound)

Diarmuid: Ow!