Happy Bunny

Neil: Hello, I'm Neil. I'm having a bad day. Something terrible's happened. My goodness, what's that approaching(臨近, 接近)?!

Li: Hello! Hello, Neil!

Neil: It's Li! What's going on?

Li: You'll never guess what's happened to me!

Neil: You do look like a happy bunny!

Li: Ha ha, yes! I am! A happy bunny, which literally means a happy rabbit. It's another of those strange English expressions. What Neil actually means is that I look happy. Why rabbits are involved I don't know, that's just the way it is. Here are some examples of this expression in use.

Examples

• That's brilliant news, you must be a very happy bunny!

• I'm a happy bunny today because I passed my English test.

Li: Yes, Neil, I am a happy bunny! But what about you? Is something wrong?

Neil: I'm not a happy bunny. You see … Something awful happened today.

Li: Oh. Neil is not a happy bunny – that's something you can say to describe a person who is unhappy.

Examples

• Someone's stolen Michael's car. He is not a happy bunny!

• Jane has not been a happy bunny ever since she broke up with her boyfriend.

Li: So Neil, what happened to you?

Neil: I had a ticket for tonight's concert with Kyladonna Jagger, the most famous and brilliant(傑出) superstar alive! I was such a happy bunny.

Li: Wow! I'm also going to see the Kyladonna Jagger concert tonight, that's why I'm so happy!

Neil: I was eating lunch in the park and I put the ticket next to me. But a gust of wind blew it away!

Li: Oh dear. Funny, that's just the opposite of what happened to me. I was sitting in the park and suddenly a ticket landed on my lap!

Neil: Hang on, let me see that.

Li: Here it is. See? Here is my ticket.

Neil: That's mine!

Li: No, it's not yours. It's mine!

Neil: Give it back!

Li: No, it's mine!

Neil and Li: Oh no!

Li: Now no-one is going to the concert!

Neil: Now I'm definitely not a happy bunny.

Li: Nor am I.

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2012/02/120214_tews_58_happy_bunny_page.shtml

Get your hands dirty

Neil: Hello, I'm Neil. What a miserable(悲慘的) day it is today! Hey, I think that's Li! What on earth's she doing?! She's on her hands and knees in the mud. Li!

Yang Li: Oh! Hello!

Neil: Are you okay?

Yang Li: Yes, I am fine, thanks.

Neil: Is there any particular reason you are in the mud(泥)?

Yang Li: Oh yes, I am making myself dirty.

Neil: Ri-ight.

Yang Li: For the neighbourhood festival – it's tonight you know!

Neil: I know. But I think I'm going to be having a shower and making myself clean, rather than dirty. Maybe this is some kind of low-cost spa treatment...?

Yang Li: No, this is not a beauty treatment, the festival coordinator told us to do this.

Neil: Did he?

Yang Li: Yes, last week he asked each of us to contribute and said if it's going to be a success, you must all get your hands dirty.

Neil: Ohhhhhh!

Yang Li: What?

Neil: I don't think he meant you should actually come with dirty hands. It's an expression!

Yang Li: An expression?

Neil: Yes. 'To get your hands dirty' means to get really involved(參與) in the work – including the parts that are not enjoyable - rather than standing back and watching others do it.

Yang Li: Oh.

Neil: For example.

Woman: Unlike other bosses, Mr Stevens really likes to get his hands dirty. It's as if he's one of us.

Man: Mary pretends to work hard, but I've never actually seen her get her hands dirty.

Yang Li: So what I was actually being asked to do was to get fully involved in festival preparations – I wasn't being asked to arrive with dirty hands.

Neil: Yes.

Yang Li: You know what? I don't care, I was really beginning to enjoy myself in the mud, and I'm sure my skin feels softer(柔軟的). Come on Neil, try, this is fun. Let's get our hands dirty – for real! Come on, come on…

Neil: I'd rather not... no, please... argh!

this report is from bbc learning english

On thin ice?

The temperature was twenty degrees below freezing(冰點以下), but that didn't stop these sports enthusiasts(愛好者).

Racing teams in Poland took advantage of the wintry(寒冷) weather to sail(揚帆) their iceboats on a frozen(冷凍) reservoir(水庫).

The one-man vessel is light and agile, and can reach speeds of over 100km per hour.

Many competitors train in sailing boats in summer months and switch to iceboat racing during the winter.

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/02/120208_vwitn_iceboats.shtml

-gate

William: Hello, I'm William Kremer and this is The English We Speak.

Wang Fei: Hi there. I'm Wang Fei.

William: So, Wang Fei, today is 3 May.

Wang Fei: Yes.

William: Do you know what 3 May is?

Wang Fei: Hmm… a Tuesday?

William: Yes, it's a Tuesday, but it's not just any Tuesday. Today is World Press Freedom Day(世界新聞自由日). This is the day that the United Nations has chosen to highlight the importance(重要性) of a free press around the world.

Wang Fei: A free press. So, newspapers that are free to write anything they think the public need to know and TV news that can report anything?

William: Yes they can report anything, including things that look bad for the government! Scandals(醜聞).

Wang Fei: A scandal, so something very bad that damages someone's reputation.

William: Exactly. And one of the most famous scandals from American history is the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s.

Wang Fei: Watergate… that was why President Nixon had to resign(辭職) wasn't it?

William: Exactly, yes, because he was shown to have lied to the American people and basically(基本上) obstructed(阻擾) the course(過程, 課程) of justice. The whole thing started when five men were arrested for breaking into an office block called Watergate. This was where the Democratic Party had their headquarters. Later on, the men were linked to the campaign to re-elect President Nixon, who was in the Republican Party.

Wang Fei: Well, this is very interesting but what has it got to do with The English We Speak, William?

William: Well, because Watergate was such a massive scandal, Wang Fei, the word -gate is now sometimes used as a suffix to suggest that something is a scandal. So, to give you an example from last year, when Gordon Brown was trying to get re-elected as British Prime Minister, he was overheard calling an old lady a "bigot" – a very strong word for somebody who is intolerant and close-minded. Anyway, this was a big scandal and it came to be known in the media as 'bigotgate'.

Wang Fei: Bigotgate. That sounds almost a little bit funny.

William: Yes, you're right. I think using -gate on the end of a word can make it seem a little humorous. This term -gate is used more in the USA, but another recent example from the UK is 'Climategate' – that was when some emails and other documents from a university in England led to people asking questions about the way that scientists researched climate change. Climategate.

Wang Fei: So, can we use –gate in normal English conversation too?

William: Yes, you can – if you want to make a joke. Listen to this:

Man A: Have you seen Mark recently?

Man B: Mark – he hasn't spoken to me since beergate!

Man A: Beergate? What do you mean?

Man B: We had a big argument because I said Mark never bought a round of beer in the pub! He got very upset and went home.

Wang Fei: So in that example, the speaker coined the word beergate to describe an argument about paying for beer!

William: Yeah, which is obviously very silly. But of course, this suffix -gate is used in very serious situations too. And it was thanks to members of the free press, including the Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, that the public came to know about Watergate.

Wang Fei: Yes. Check our website this week for more information and learning English programmes about World Press Freedom Day. Goodbye.

William: Bye!

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2011/05/110503_tews_17_gate_page.shtml

The Big Day

William: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm William Kremer.

Li: I'm Yang Li and I'm excited!

William: So I see! Do you want to share with everybody what you're so excited about, Li?

Li: Oh come on Will, you know why I'm excited.

William: I'm not sure I do know why you're excited.

Li: Well, here's a little clue...

Crowds of cheering people

William: Lots of cheering people. Hmm, is that one of those 75% off sales on Oxford Street?

Li: No, no! Listen, here's another clue...

'Here comes the bride' organ music.

William: Durr-du-duh duh! Hmm, organ music. Are you going to an organ concert, Li? I didn't know you were interested in that.

Li: OK, I'm just going to tell you. This Friday is Prince William and Catherine Middleton's big day, their wedding day.

William: Ah, I knew that. I was joking.

Li: Of course you were joking William. We've made lots of programmes about it haven't we!

William: Yes, we have. But Li, I think we'd better explain the meaning of 'the big day'. Here 'the big day' means their wedding day. But does 'the big day' always refer(隱射) to weddings? Listen to these examples:

• A: Guess what?
• B: What?
• A: Marie and Phil are engaged!
• B: You're kidding – wow, that's fantastic news!
• A: I know!
• B: So when's the big day? Have they set a date yet?

• C: I don't think Charlie and I will ever get married.
• D: Oh. Why's that?
• C: Because of my mum and dad being divorced. I just know that at the wedding they'll end up having a massive(大的) argument; they can't help it.
• D: Oh, surely that won't happen. They would never ruin(毀了) your big day.

Li: So in both those examples, the phrase 'big day' was used to describe a wedding.

William: Yes, it was. And I think this is how this phrase is usually used, exactly in the way that you used it, Li. People talk about a couple's big day but I've also heard people say 'her big day' to describe the bride's wedding day in particular. It's probably used a little bit less for men.

Li: Hmm, but do you, William, still remember your big day?

William: I do. But I don't need to remember it now!

Li: What do you mean?

William: Well, I always forget it on the day that I should remember it.

Li: Oh dear, on your anniversary(結婚紀念日). What a bad husband you are! You might be called William, but I think Prince William is much more romantic than you are!

William: Well, we'll see won't we! Now, on our website you'll find lots of other learning English resources relating to the royal(皇室) wedding, including a photo gallery(館) and a special blog.

Li: Not to mention my series, 'A royal wedding, an everyday love story'.

William: Oh yes, don't miss that!

Li: Bye!

William: Bye bye.

'Here comes the bride' organ music fading out.(淡出)

this report is from bbc learning english 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2011/04/110426_tews_16_the_big_day_page.shtml

Touchy-Feely

Li: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Yang Li.

William: (subdued) I'm William Kremer.

Li: So, what English are we speaking today, William?

William: (sigh) I don't know.

Li: Oh what a big sigh(歎息)! What's wrong?

William: Oh, it doesn't matter.

Li: Oh, come on! I can see something's not right. What's wrong?

William: (sigh) It's... well, if you must know, it's Tigger... he's died.

Li: Tigger? Who's Tigger?

William: Tigger... Tigger is... Tigger was my beautiful cat. He was my best friend. I suppose you could say that. I'm going to miss his stripey(條紋) face in the morning. And his purr, yeah, I'm going to miss that. But, you know, these things happen. I shouldn't get so upset...

Li: Why not? I think it's normal to be very sad when a pet dies.

William: No, no, it's silly! I'm getting upset over an animal! I'm not a baby! I should grow up.

Li: But you might find it helpful to talk about your feelings for Tigger.

William: No, no, no, no! I hate all of that touchy-feely stuff!

Li: Touchy-feely?

William: Yeah, if something is touchy-feely it's very emotional. If you are a touchy-feely person you don't mind talking about your feelings and maybe actually hugging people.

Li: I see. So is this a negative phrase, touchy-feely?

William: Yeah, a little bit. Let's hear a couple of examples of it in use:

• Man: Do you know, I never once saw my mum and dad kiss or hug.
• Man 2: Really? Gosh, that seems incredible(難以置信).
• Man: But I think they really loved each other. They just weren't all touchy-feely about it.

• Woman: Did you go to that drama group?
• Woman 2: Yeah. I don't think I'll go again.
• Woman: Oh? Why not?
• Woman 2: Well, the acting was fine. But it's all that touchy-feely stuff they do that I don't like.

Li: Look, you English people! You just can't talk about your feelings, can you?

William: Well, you might be right Li – we're not famous for talking about our feelings. Now, before we finish, I have heard this phrase touchy-feely being used in a very different way too. Listen to this:

• Woman: I love your sweater!
• Man: Thanks.
• Woman: It's so soft! I love this material. It's so touchy-feely!
• Man: OK. Shall I take it off and then you can touch it properly?!

Li: So in that example, 'touchy-feely' was being used to describe a kind of material.

William: Yes. If something is touchy-feely it is very soft. You want to stroke it, just like Tigger. I'm going to miss stroking Tigger.

William: The way he used to purr... And sometimes he would bring me a little present, you know. A dead mouse or maybe a little bird. So thoughtful.(周到)

Li: Hmm. It's OK to cry you know, William...

William: (recovering himself) No! No it's not. No touchy-feely stuff!

Li: Oh I give up. Goodbye everyone.

William: Bye!

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2011/04/110419_tews_15_touchy_feely_page.shtml

Canine(犬) cull(撲殺)

Speaking out for their four-legged friends.

Activists(活動家) have gathered(聚集) in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, to protest against(抗議) the killing of stray(流浪) dogs.

They claim(聲稱) thousands have been electrocuted(電擊) and poisoned in an attempt(嘗試) to clear the streets ahead of Euro 2012(錦標賽).

But protestors think putting them down is cruel(殘酷的) and should be banned.(禁止)

They want the government to fund shelters(收容所) instead.

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/02/120201_vwitn_canine.shtml

Don't get me wrong!(別誤會)

Li: Hello I'm Li! And joining me today is Neil – hello Neil!

(miaow)

Neil: Hello!

(miaow)

Li: Is that a cat in the basket(籠子) you're holding?

Neil: It's my adorable(可愛的) cat, Spencer.

Li: Oh Spencer, can I see him?

Neil: Of course...

(basket opening)

Li: Ahhhh-urgh!

Neil: What do you mean, urgh?

Li: That's not a cat, it's a kind of frog-chicken(青蛙雞)!

(offended miaow)

Li: It doesn't have any fur(皮毛)!

Neil: Spencer certainly is a cat. He's a sphinx cat; they don't have any fur. You don't like him do you?

Li: No, no, no, don't get me wrong. He's just a bit – surprising(意想不到的)!

Cat: Miaow?!

Li: Don't get me wrong - that's an expression you use when you're worried someone might not understand what you say or be upset by it. When I said Neil's cat looked like a frog-chicken, I didn't mean that I didn't like him; I just meant he was... a bit unusual. Here are some more examples:

• Don't get me wrong, I do like James, I just think he can be a bit annoying sometimes.

• Don't get me wrong, I'd love to come to your party, but I'm busy tonight.

• That coat is very bright – but don't get me wrong, I still think you should wear it.

Neil: Well, I think Spencer is a beautiful cat.

(miaow of agreement)

Neil: And, don't get me wrong, but you don't know much about cats do you?

Li: Yes I do! I have a Norwegian forest cat. And she's very beautiful with lots of fur! But Spencer is... very strange.

(angry miaow)

Li: A kind of gremlin(精怪).

(angry hiss)

Li: And not very friendly.

(crazed miaow of anger as Spencer throws himself on Li)

Cat: Miaow, don't get me wrong, I am only being friendly!

Li: That is a lie. Get off me, you vicious gremlin! Get off! Get off!

this report is from bbc learning english

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2012/01/120131_tews_56_get_me_wrong_page.shtml