英语博客：Fashion dictates.

 　　"Mum, please don't buy me any clothes. I just want to go shopping for clothes with Dad." This request was made by my almost thirteen year old, and echoed²(1) by my fourteen year old. It was totally unexpected. In fact, I have never heard anything like that before(2). I've shopped for my children's clothes all of their lives, and now, suddenly, I've been told not to. Did their request hurt my feelings? Not really. I understand that my two oldest are adolescents; they have what we call a 'mental fog'(3) of hormones³ and changing feelings. I was the same. Perhaps they no longer like my style. Perhaps the brand names I buy are just not cool. Or perhaps they know something that I don't know about fashion. I have never really followed fashion; I just buy what I like. But fashion, for my boys, has suddenly become quite important. The reason they want to shop with their dad, is that he doesn't care about bargains, sales, or saving money. I, on the other hand, am always looking for a bargain. I shop around(4). My husband will find the nicest shop, and buy whatever(5) the boys want. That's why they now prefer dad over mum, the traitors⁴. So, I decided⁵ to show my kids that I'm not out of touch(6), I can be fashionable, and perhaps even cool. The latest thing now, apparently⁶, in middle school are Elites⁷. They are a super duper(7), special, wonderful, cool-to-the-extreme(8) type of sock. Everybody wears them, well, everybody who is anybody(9) wears them. If you want to be seen as normal you have to have Elites, otherwise your life is meaningless. So, I followed the dictates⁸ of fashion, and spent far too much money on socks. And, you know, I think there is something special about them, some kind of magical power. As soon as my boys put them on, they seemed happier, more confident, and definitely cooler. They walked into school like two zebras joining the herd⁹(10); they belonged.

　　1. 'Echo¹' can be used figuratively when someone's words agree or reflect someone else's.

　　a. My sister's words were echoed by her husband: I should go to the doctor immediately.

　　b. My grandmother's voice echoed in my daughter's laughter.

　　2. 'I have never heard anything like that before' is a useful sentence to practice with different verbs:

　　a. I have never seen anything like that before.

　　b. I have never eaten anything like that before.

　　c. We have never been anywhere like that before.

　　d. They have never done anything like that before.

　　e. She has never said anything like that before. etc etc

　　3. 'Mental fog' is used when talking about health issues, when a person feels forgetful or not fully¹⁰ awake.

　　a. If I don't sleep enough, I have a real mental fog.

　　b. Depression gives you a mental fog, but exercise and a good diet can make you mentally sharper.

　　4. 'To shop around' means to spend time going from one shop to another to find the best price. It is also slang¹¹ for dating lots of people to gain experience.

　　a. I liked the car, but it was too expensive. I think I'll shop around.

　　b. You don't have to marry the first man you meet; shop around a little.

　　5. 'Whatever' is too important to not mention. It's a great word to use in many situations.

　　a. Buy whatever you want. Eat whatever you want. Listen to whatever he says. (The negative of this is 'don't listen to anything he says'). Do whatever you want.

　　6. 'To be out of touch' is to not see or respond to reality the way most others do; or to not be realistic. It is also used for being non-communicative with friends and relatives.

　　a. My family thinks that I am out of touch because I don't have a computer.

　　b. I'm so out of touch; I really need to get on Facebook and catch up with my family and friends.

　　7. 'Super duper' is a traditional slang; it's an extension of super and is lighthearted.

　　a. After dinner, we had Maria's super duper yummy apple pie.

　　b. I think the Honda Leaf is a super duper car.

　　8. '.....to-the-extreme' can be used with many different adjectives.

　　a. They are sporty-to-the-extreme; it's all they talk about, and all they do.

　　b. They are unhealthy-to-the-extreme; they smoke, drink too much, never exercise, and only eat at McDonald's.

　　9. 'Anybody' or 'somebody' are both used to refer to someone who has social importance. The opposite is a 'nobody'.

　　a. He really thinks he's somebody. He left the party because he said it was full of nobodies. I'm glad he left.

　　b. You must see the Oscars; anybody who is anybody will be there. (Here you can say 'everybody who is anybody will be there') also.

　　10. A herd is a group of animals, usually 4 legged.

　　a. The herd of cows ran when the thunder started.

　　b. The huge herd of zebras covered the plains to the horizon.

1 echo   

n.回音，共鸣；vi.发出回声；vt.模仿，附和

参考例句：

• She shouted on the mountaintop and listened for the echo.她在山顶上大声喊着，然后聆听着回声。
• I should like to echo the words of the previous speaker.我想重复前面一位发言者的话。

2 echoed   

重复，随声附和( echo的过去式和过去分词 )； 类似； 发射（声音等）； 发出回声

参考例句：

• Their shouts re-echoed through the darkness. 他们的喊声回荡在黑暗中。
• Their footsteps echoed in the silence. 他们的脚步声在一片寂静中回荡着。

3 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

4 traitors   

卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人

参考例句：

• Traitors are held in infamy. 叛徒为人所不齿。
• Traitors have always been treated with contempt. 叛徒永被人们唾弃。

5 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。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

8 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

11 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。