英语博客：In search of swords.

　　Have you ever been roped into a project that you didn't plan, or necessarily want? To be roped into something, is to be caught up, or carried along by someone else's idea. It's like being involved because you are forced to, or you feel obliged. Well, I have been roped into a project recently. My son Cass is having his birthday party soon, and wants to have a medieval¹ battle with his friends on our back lawn......hmmm, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I have been given orders to collect as many Nerf swords as possible. These are replicas² of real swords that are made out of a hard foam³, like a spongey plastic. You can hit someone with them and not cause any damage. That is the whole point, - a friendly battle. There will be two teams, the Reds and the Greens. My other task is to buy some material to make the slip-on, sleeveless shirts. On the one hand, fighting with spongey swords shouldn't be a problem; but on the other hand, kids in battle can quickly get over excited and have accidents. I suppose the answer is to have a few rules, explain them clearly to everyone, and then to supervise⁴. I will have my camera ready; there are bound to be some excellent photo opportunities that I would like to share with you. I should probably also have a box of bandaids or plasters⁵, and some ice available for the wounded soldiers. I will be the nurse Florence Nightingale for a while during the party, I'm sure. Well, I've managed to collect five swords so far; I need to find seven more. And then I'll get to work, making the team shirts. I don't mind being roped into this really; it's quite fun, and it's what my son really wants for his birthday. If he has his battle, a chocolate icecream cake, and a pinata, he will be one happy birthday boy.
Grammar notes.
Common expressions: to be roped into, the whole point, slip-on clothing, to manage to.
1. I got roped into decorating all the tables at my sister's wedding; it was a big job!
2. Can you take off those dirty shoes and leave them in the garage? The whole point of having an area for shoes in the garage, is to keep the house clean.
3. This slip-on skirt is so easy; there are no zips, clips⁶, or buttons to deal with.
4. They managed to reach the top of Mount⁷ Everest before it was too late; they still had time to climb down to base camp.

1 medieval   

adj.中世纪的，中古（时代）的

参考例句：

• This is a medieval story.这是一个中世纪的故事。
• The museum has a fine collection of medieval ivories.该博物馆收藏着一批精美的中世纪象牙制品。

2 replicas   

n.复制品( replica的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His hobby is building replicas of cars. 他的爱好是制作汽车的复制品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The replicas are made by using a thin film of fusible alloy on a stiffening platen. 复制是用附着在加强托板上的可熔合金薄膜实现的。 来自辞典例句

3 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

4 supervise   

v.监督，管理，指导

参考例句：

• We must supervise and speed up the fulfilment of assigned tasks.已经布置了的工作，应当认真督促检查。
• Tomorrow he will supervise all the pupils taking the English examination.明天全体学生考英语，他将担任监考。

5 plasters   

n.塑料学，整形外科，塑制信用卡；灰泥( plaster的名词复数 )；膏；药膏；石膏

参考例句：

• Surgical Dressings, Laparotomy, Cottton Wool, Plasters, Tapes, Bandages, Surgical Clothes. 采购产品外科的穿衣，剖腹手术，羊毛，石膏，音带，绷带，外科的衣服。 来自互联网
• Shandong Anticancer Plasters is a black adhesive plaster spread upon a gauze. 本品为摊于布上的黑膏药。 来自互联网

6 clips   

n.剪（ clip的名词复数 ）；剪短；剪报；（塑料或金属的） 夹子v.用别针别在某物上，用夹子夹在某物上（ clip的第三人称单数 ）；剪掉；缩短；给…剪毛（或发）

参考例句：

• toe clips on a bicycle 自行车上的踏脚夹套
• Use the crocodile clips to attach the cables to the battery. 用鳄鱼嘴夹把电缆接到蓄电池上。

7 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。