英语博客(A cup of English):071 Bubbles and outdoor dialog

　　Dialogue.
"Okay, we're interviewing Robert today about his bubble wand, and the other things that he likes to do outside. Okay Robert, what did you find when you came home from school today, that I had bought you?"
"I found a bubble sword."
"A bubble sword. Okay. And how do you use it?"
"You unscrew it, and then spin around, and then bubbles come out."
"Oh, okay. Is it fun?"
"Uh-huh."
"Yeh? Have you had other kinds of bubble makers¹?"
"Uh-huh. One was a ma-, one was a hand-held, and one was a big gun."
"And how did the big gun work?"
"You put the bubbles, you put the bubbles, you pour the bubbles into the gun, and then you shoot it."
"Oh right, so you pull the trigger. So, tell me, do you like the Spring? What do you like to do outside apart from blow bubbles? What else do you like to do?"
"I like to play with my friends at school."
"Yeh, and when you come home, what kind of things do you like to do outside, now that it's nice weather?"
"I like to run outside, and go on the computer inside."
"Oh, okay. And do you have a bike?"
"Uh-m."
"Yeh? And where do you ride your bike?"
"Uh, usually to the stop sign, usually to the stop sign and the trampoline."
"Oh right. Okay."
"Stop now" (in a whisper).
"Well, thanks for the interview!"
Advanced.
Because it's Spring, we spend a lot of time outside. We have even started to have barbecues on our deck. Often we will barbecue some steaks, chicken, or hot dogs, and have them with salad and baked potatoes. It is really a wonderful way to eat. The fresh air and the sunshine make the food taste even better. Mind you, it also depends on which way the wind is blowing. Our next door neighbors recently bought a miniature pony² which lives in a triangular³ shelter right next to our hedge. It is a really cute animal, but when you are enjoying a mouthful of food, you don't want to smell horse manure⁴ at the same time. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often. Now after dinner, the kids will run around in the garden and entertain themselves by playing different games. They have all kinds of equipment, from frisbees and balls, to chalk and bubble liquid. Blowing bubbles can be a bit tricky⁵ if you are small; it takes practice, good timing⁶, and a bit of dexterity⁷ to get the maximum amount of bubbles. But, who doesn't love them? They make such a pretty picture, blowing around next to the trees and flowers.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: recently, manure, mouthful, tricky, dexterity.
Exs: This town is new to us; we moved here recently.
I mixed cow and chicken manure into the soil in my garden to help the vegetables grow.
Here, have some wedding cake. Take a big mouthful.
This project is tricky; if you don't let the glue dry properly, it will fall to pieces.
That boy has great dexterity; he can write with both of his hands and his feet.

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

3 triangular   

adj.三角（形）的，三者间的

参考例句：

• It's more or less triangular plot of land.这块地略成三角形。
• One particular triangular relationship became the model of Simone's first novel.一段特殊的三角关系成了西蒙娜第一本小说的原型。

4 manure   

n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥

参考例句：

• The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。
• The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。

5 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 dexterity   

n.(手的)灵巧，灵活

参考例句：

• You need manual dexterity to be good at video games.玩好电子游戏手要灵巧。
• I'm your inferior in manual dexterity.论手巧，我不如你。