Scanning the airwaves電波 for police radio conversations is something professional crime reporters have done for decades. But now a whole new group of people are embracing擁抱 this old-school technique.
In Los Angeles a growing band of residents has invested in scanners to monitor police conversations and spread傳播 what they learn across the city on the social networking site Twitter. Between them they now have over thirty thousand Twitter followers.
Alex Thompson decided to buy a scanner when she realised how little she actually knew about crime in her area. She says she now never switches it off, even listening late at night in bed.
It's been an absolute revelation啓示, she says, to find out what's really happening in her area, the crimes her fellow同伴 residents would normally never hear about.
Alex Thompson:
"When I first got the scanner for listening I was in shock – the way I described it I hid under my desk sucking my thumb拇指 for two weeks in disbelief懷疑 of what I heard. But the reality現實 is this is what is going on in my neighbourhood."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/08/120828_witn_twitter_crime.shtml
30.9.12
5.9.12
Air guitar championships
The 17th annual届 Air Guitar World Championships have taken place in Finland.
Eighteen contestants battled in front of an audience of 5,000 for the ultimate prize for imaginaryinstrumentalists.
In the first round, they have to play a song of their choice; those who make it through to the next stage perform a number chosen by the judges.
This year's winner was Justin "Nordic Thunder" Howard from the USA.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/08/120829_vwitn_air_guitar_championships.shtml
Eighteen contestants battled in front of an audience of 5,000 for the ultimate prize for imaginaryinstrumentalists.
In the first round, they have to play a song of their choice; those who make it through to the next stage perform a number chosen by the judges.
This year's winner was Justin "Nordic Thunder" Howard from the USA.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/08/120829_vwitn_air_guitar_championships.shtml
Tracking crime on Twitter
Scanning the airwaves for police radio conversations is something professional crime reporters have done for decades. But now a whole new group of people are embracing擁抱 this old-school technique.
In Los Angeles a growing band of residents has invested in scanners to monitor police conversations and spread傳播 what they learn across the city on the social networking site Twitter. Between them they now have over thirty thousand Twitter followers.
Alex Thompson decided to buy a scanner when she realised how little she actually knew about crime in her area. She says she now never switches it off, even listening late at night in bed.
It's been an absolute revelation啓示, she says, to find out what's really happening in her area, the crimes her fellow同伴 residents would normally never hear about.
Alex Thompson:
"When I first got the scanner for listening I was in shock – the way I described it I hid under my desk sucking my thumb拇指 for two weeks in disbelief懷疑 of what I heard. But the reality現實 is this is what is going on in my neighbourhood."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/08/120828_witn_twitter_crime.shtml
In Los Angeles a growing band of residents has invested in scanners to monitor police conversations and spread傳播 what they learn across the city on the social networking site Twitter. Between them they now have over thirty thousand Twitter followers.
Alex Thompson decided to buy a scanner when she realised how little she actually knew about crime in her area. She says she now never switches it off, even listening late at night in bed.
It's been an absolute revelation啓示, she says, to find out what's really happening in her area, the crimes her fellow同伴 residents would normally never hear about.
Alex Thompson:
"When I first got the scanner for listening I was in shock – the way I described it I hid under my desk sucking my thumb拇指 for two weeks in disbelief懷疑 of what I heard. But the reality現實 is this is what is going on in my neighbourhood."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/08/120828_witn_twitter_crime.shtml
4.9.12
The skin of your teeth
Li: Hi, I'm Li, and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm here today with Jen.
Jennifer: Hi!
Li: You look a little… flustered慌? Are you ok?
Jennifer: I woke up late and had to run to the train station. There's only one train an hour. I ran all the way there and made it by the skin of my teeth, just as the doors were closing. Phew! Is there any coffee…?
Li: Hang on… how did your teeth help you to run for the train?
Jennifer: Sorry?
Li: You said "I made it by the skin of my teeth." I've got to see this! Show me your teeth! When did they grow skin?
Jennifer: There's no skin on my teeth. That would be disgusting. Yuck.
Li: So what did you mean?
Jennifer: If you do something 'by the skin of your teeth' it means that you did it by a narrow margin險勝 – so you just managed to do it, or almost failed.
Li: So, if you got to the train by the skin of your teeth, it means that you nearly missed it?
Jennifer: That's exactly right. Let's hear some more examples of the phrase in action:
Jennifer: Hi!
Li: You look a little… flustered慌? Are you ok?
Jennifer: I woke up late and had to run to the train station. There's only one train an hour. I ran all the way there and made it by the skin of my teeth, just as the doors were closing. Phew! Is there any coffee…?
Li: Hang on… how did your teeth help you to run for the train?
Jennifer: Sorry?
Li: You said "I made it by the skin of my teeth." I've got to see this! Show me your teeth! When did they grow skin?
Jennifer: There's no skin on my teeth. That would be disgusting. Yuck.
Li: So what did you mean?
Jennifer: If you do something 'by the skin of your teeth' it means that you did it by a narrow margin險勝 – so you just managed to do it, or almost failed.
Li: So, if you got to the train by the skin of your teeth, it means that you nearly missed it?
Jennifer: That's exactly right. Let's hear some more examples of the phrase in action:
- My brother's so lucky – he never does any revision調整 for exams but always manages to pass by the skin of his teeth!
- Hi, I'm stuck in a traffic jam – I might still make it to the presentation, but it'll be by the skin of my teeth.
Li: So when you just manage to do something, you can say you did it by the skin of your teeth?
Jennifer: That's it.
Li: That's a really funny phrase. I like it.
Jennifer: It's good to be able to get your teeth into English phrases like this.
Li: My teeth? What about my teeth?
Jennifer: It's just another phrase, silly. If you get your teeth into something, it means that you become really involved in it.
Li: Well in that case, I do love getting my teeth into a new phrase… Teeth… hang on… Oh no! I've just remembered, I have a dentist's appointment at twelve o'clock – it's ten to twelve now, I'll never make it!
Jennifer: You go, I'll finish the programme – if you run you might make it, but by the skin of your teeth!
Li: Thanks Jen – bye…
Jennifer: Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak and visit our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Bye!
Jennifer: That's it.
Li: That's a really funny phrase. I like it.
Jennifer: It's good to be able to get your teeth into English phrases like this.
Li: My teeth? What about my teeth?
Jennifer: It's just another phrase, silly. If you get your teeth into something, it means that you become really involved in it.
Li: Well in that case, I do love getting my teeth into a new phrase… Teeth… hang on… Oh no! I've just remembered, I have a dentist's appointment at twelve o'clock – it's ten to twelve now, I'll never make it!
Jennifer: You go, I'll finish the programme – if you run you might make it, but by the skin of your teeth!
Li: Thanks Jen – bye…
Jennifer: Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak and visit our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Bye!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2012/08/120828_tews_86_skin_of_your_teeth.shtml
Finding your feet
Helen: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. Rosie and I are doing a salsa class tonight. It's my favourite Latin American dance and I love the music!
Rosie: Yes, and it's not easy… One, two, three! Oh, I'm not very good yet – I'm still finding my feet.
Helen: You're still finding your feet? No wonder you're so bad. How can you dance if you don't know where your feet are?
Rosie: I do know where my feet are, Helen. When you say you're finding your feet in English, it means you're becoming confident(自信) at something.
Helen: So if I say I'm still finding my feet, it means I'm still getting used to a new situation… which might not have anything to do with feet?
Rosie: That's right. And when you say you've found your feet, it means you've become familiar with a situation.
Helen: Let's have a look at some examples then:
Rosie: Yes, and it's not easy… One, two, three! Oh, I'm not very good yet – I'm still finding my feet.
Helen: You're still finding your feet? No wonder you're so bad. How can you dance if you don't know where your feet are?
Rosie: I do know where my feet are, Helen. When you say you're finding your feet in English, it means you're becoming confident(自信) at something.
Helen: So if I say I'm still finding my feet, it means I'm still getting used to a new situation… which might not have anything to do with feet?
Rosie: That's right. And when you say you've found your feet, it means you've become familiar with a situation.
Helen: Let's have a look at some examples then:
- Lauren has only been at her new job for four days, so she's still finding her feet.
- My daughter started secondary school(中學) two weeks ago, but she's already found her feet. She's made loads of new friends and really likes her teachers.
- “I've been living in Egypt for a year but I still can't speak Arabic very well.” “I'm sure you'll find your feet soon.”
Helen: So finding your feet has nothing to do with your actual feet – you can use it when you start a new job or when you're doing something new.
Rosie: That's right… And I feel like I'm getting quite good at salsa now.
Helen: Really? It looks like you're still finding your feet…
Rosie: I might ask someone to dance with me, Helen. That guy over there is pretty good. Hi, would you like to dance?
Man: Oh, OK.
Rosie: Oooooh this is fun. One, two, three… Oops sorry! Did I step on your foot?
Man: Ouch!
Helen: It looks like Rosie's doing more than finding her feet - she's finding other people's feet and stepping on them too!
Rosie: That's right… And I feel like I'm getting quite good at salsa now.
Helen: Really? It looks like you're still finding your feet…
Rosie: I might ask someone to dance with me, Helen. That guy over there is pretty good. Hi, would you like to dance?
Man: Oh, OK.
Rosie: Oooooh this is fun. One, two, three… Oops sorry! Did I step on your foot?
Man: Ouch!
Helen: It looks like Rosie's doing more than finding her feet - she's finding other people's feet and stepping on them too!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2012/09/120904_tews_87_finding_your_feet.shtml
訂閱：
意見 (Atom)