英语博客：A Morning Routine.

 A routine is a habit, often one that gives us comfort, or some sort of benefit. We say in English that we are 'creatures of habit'. Humans like to have a routine, a familiar way of living. I've noticed that even my children have developed their own routines: how they dress and take care of themselves, what they like to eat and when, and even how they play. A routine that I have in the morning that makes a positive impact on my day, is my coffee routine. A few years ago, my husband and I decided¹ that it was time to get a decent coffee maker²: an espresso machine. Espresso, and the whole mediterranean³ style cafes that are enjoyed so much here, have only really taken off over the past fifteen to twenty years. When I first came over here, Starbucks was very new indeed. They were the first company that brought the laid back, sit and have a coffee, culture to the states. And now there are many other such companies. So, when we decided to buy an espresso machine, Starbucks was the obvious choice for us. If you've ever been in a Starbucks, you'll find that they don't just serve espresso. They have a huge variety of coffee, tea, and juice drinks, as well as pastries⁴, and some savory⁵ food. Also, they sell coffee by the pound, either ground or whole bean. And then, you'll also find shelves of cups, tea and coffee pots, and espresso machines. So, Starbucks seemed to be the obvious choice when it came to buying our espresso machine. We ended up with one called a Barista, which is medium sized, and perfect for two people to use. It has a spout⁶ which can be used to heat and froth-up the milk, and of course the coffee brewing⁸ section. Using an espresso machine was not new to me. I had worked at an espresso stand for a year when I first go married. Before that, I worked in a restaurant in Leicester Square, London, where we had a huge, Italian, copper⁹ espresso machine. It could make several drinks at once. It was so big and gorgeous, that we would polish it every day to make it really shine. When it comes to my coffee routine, it's quite simple really. I turn it on, add fresh water, and flush out some of the day-old water. While it is heating up, I put about a tablespoon full of ground espresso into what is called the coffee basket. This is the metal cup with holes in it that is part of the arm that attaches to the machine. When the light comes on that indicates available hot water, I press the 'brew⁷' button, and the hot water flows through the coffee and the filter, and out into the shot glass. It's hot, fresh, and frothy. When it comes to the milk, I cheat a little. I don't bother heating and frothing it in the traditional way. I just warm up some soy milk in the microwave while I'm making the espresso. I add the coffee to the milk, and that's it. Perfect! It's the best part of my breakfast.

 

Grammar notes.

 

Related vocabulary: froth, filter, impact, the obvious choice.

 

1. I like my latte as plain as possible: milk, espresso, no flavoring, no froth.

 

2. The irrigation system needs a filter so seeds and organic matter don't clog¹⁰ up the pipes.

 

3. The chemical factory hasn't had any impact on our environment because they have strict safety laws.

 

4. A German chocolate cake was the obvious choice for the anniversary party; everbody likes it, and it is the baker's specialty¹¹.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

3 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

4 pastries   

n.面粉制的糕点

参考例句：

• He gave a dry laugh, then sat down and started on the pastries. 杜新箨说着干笑一声，坐下去就吃点心。 来自子夜部分
• Mike: So many! I like Xijiang raisins, beef jerky, and local pastries. 麦克：太多了。我最喜欢吃新疆葡萄干、牛肉干和风味点心。

5 savory   

adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的

参考例句：

• She placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat.她将一大盘热气腾腾、美味可口的肉放在他面前。
• He doesn't have a very savory reputation.他的名誉不太好。

6 spout   

v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱

参考例句：

• Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。
• This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。

7 brew   

v.酿造，调制

参考例句：

• Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
• The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

8 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

9 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

10 clog   

vt.塞满，阻塞；n.[常pl.]木屐

参考例句：

• In cotton and wool processing,short length fibers may clog sewers.在棉毛生产中，短纤维可能堵塞下水管道。
• These streets often clog during the rush hour.这几条大街在交通高峰时间常常发生交通堵塞。

11 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。