英语博客：Screen savers.

　　The other day I went for a walk in the park with a friend of mine. We don't see eachother very much because she is busy taking a nursing degree, so it was a treat to spend some time together. The day couldn't have been any nicer. It was a cool but very bright Autumn morning, there was color all around, and still a little mist¹ over the river. I had a feeling that it would be a good occasion² to take my camera, just in case. There is all sorts of new development planned for the river front. There are already a few new buildings that are used for offices and a cafe. However, a developer has posted a big sign, showing the plan for a building complex of condominiums, shops, and restaurants to go in where older buildings now stand. The plan looks very attractive, nicely landscaped, and quite modern. Already, the roads and parking areas have been changed a little. Roundabouts have been put in to avoid the expense of traffic lights, and they have been beautified with statues and plants. I was amazed³ when I first saw them. Roundabouts are so common in England, and actually in the rest of Europe. They are a very logical⁴, easy way to keep the traffic organized and flowing. You don't find roundabouts very much over here, at least you didn't until recently. Most roads are dead straight with traffic lights. I'm happy to see some European influence where we live. After looking at the new roads, we started our walk. Our aim was to walk to the bridge and back, and then to have a cup of coffee in the nearby cafe. On the way there we passed under some trees that had turned all sorts of colors. I couldn't miss my opportunity. I got out my camera, zoomed⁵ in, and clicked away until I got a picture that I was pleased with. You can't help but look up at this time of year because of the colors in the trees. When I got home, I put my SD card into my laptop and edited⁶ the photo. Actually, all I had to do was crop it and give it a touch of saturation⁷. I liked it so much it has become my new screen saver. Check out my blog and see what you think.
Grammar notes.
Related⁸ vocabulary: to spend time with someone, to have a feeling, a building complex, to flow.
1. It was so nice to spend time with my relatives over the Summer.
2. I have a feeling the taxi will be late; let's ask our neighbor for a ride.
3. The building complex includes residences⁹, shops, cinemas, and even a swimming pool.
4. The architects designed the city center well; the people and traffic flow well.

1 mist   

n.雾，迷蒙，朦胧不清；vt.使...模糊，蒙上雾；vi.使...模糊，下雾

参考例句：

• She saw his face through a mist of tears.她泪眼朦胧地望着他的脸。
• There is a film of mist over the land.大地上笼罩着一层薄雾。

2 occasion   

n.场合，时机，机会，诱因，理由；vt.惹起，引起

参考例句：

• Her dress was too showy for such a formal occasion.在如此正式的场合，她的服装过分华丽了。
• Her tears were fought back on such an occasion.在这种场合下她忍住了眼泪。

3 amazed   

adj.吃惊的，惊奇的v.使大为吃惊，使惊奇( amaze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Just the size of the place amazed her. 仅仅地方之大就使她十分惊奇。
• I was amazed at her knowledge of French literature. 她的法国文学知识之丰富使我大为惊奇。

4 logical   

adj.逻辑(上)的，符合逻辑的；合乎常理的

参考例句：

• It is logical that the book is expensive.书贵是很自然的事。
• This is undoubtedly logical.这显然是顺理成章的。

5 zoomed   

v.（飞机、汽车等）急速移动( zoom的过去式 )；（价格、费用等）急升，猛涨

参考例句：

• Traffic zoomed past us. 车辆从我们身边疾驰而过。
• Cars zoomed helter-skelter, honking belligerently. 大街上来往车辆穿梭不停，喇叭声刺耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 edited   

编辑( edit的过去式和过去分词 )； 剪辑（电影、录音磁带、无线电或电视节目、书等）； 主编（报纸、杂志等）

参考例句：

• I know that this draft text will need to be edited. 我知道这篇草稿需要校订。
• All references to the scandal were edited out of the tape. 所有涉及这件丑闻的内容都从录音带中删去了。

7 saturation   

n.饱和(状态)；浸透

参考例句：

• The company's sales are now close to saturation in many western countries.这家公司的产品销售量在许多西方国家已接近饱和。
• Road traffic has reached saturation point.公路交通已达到饱和点。

8 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

9 residences   

住处( residence的名词复数 )； 住宅； 公馆； 居住

参考例句：

• They deprived a large number of the overseas Chinese of their means of livelihood and drove them out of their residences in dire poverty. 他们剥夺了大批华侨劳动人民的生活资料，然后将他们扫地出门。
• She travels constantly, moving among her several residences around the world. 她经常旅行，穿梭于她在世界各地的多处住所。