ESL Podcast 168 - The Home Improvement Store

When you own a house, there is always something that needs work. I have been putting off repainting the garage and I decided¹ that I would do it this weekend.

I went to the home improvement store early in the morning to get the supplies I’d need. I walked into the huge store and began looking for the paint department . I walked through the garden center and the lumber² department but couldn’t find the paint supplies. I tried to find a store employee to ask about it, but there was no one in sight. I walked down the plumbing³ aisles⁴ and finally found the paint department.

I looked at the paint swatches and found the color I wanted. I took a number to have my paint mixed. When my number was called, I gave the employee the swatch of the color I wanted and he told me he would call me again when it was ready. In the meantime , I got some brushes and rags. After about 20 minutes, the employee called my number and I picked up my paint. I took the paint and the other supplies and got into a checkout⁵ line.

After all of that, I was exhausted⁶ . And I hadn’t even started painting yet! Maybe I’ll do that next weekend.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。

3 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 aisles   

n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊

参考例句：

• Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
• They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。

5 checkout   

n.（超市等）收银台，付款处

参考例句：

• Could you pay at the checkout.你能在结帐处付款吗。
• A man was wheeling his shopping trolley to the checkout.一个男人正推着购物车向付款台走去。

6 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。