ESL Podcast 398 – Parts of a City

Tanya: We’ve been here for three days and I’m still getting lost.

Darren: Here’s a map. These are the residential¹ neighborhoods. See? This is where we’re staying.

Tanya: I know, I know. But where were we today? The tour bus went down so many alleys² that I lost my bearings after 10 minutes. I thought we were going in circles.

Darren: Look, we drove through downtown first, past the financial district. Next, we drove past the housing projects to the historic district.

Tanya: I remember all that.

Darren: Okay, then. From the historic district, we drove through uptown. Got that?

Tanya: Yeah, that’s where things get a little hazy³. How did we get to the outskirts⁴ of town? One minute we were in uptown, and the next minute, we were at the city limits.

Darren: We took one of the back roads along here. See? Now do you understand the lay of the land?

Tanya: Yup, definitely. Ask me anything. I know this city like the back of my hand.

Darren: No, thanks. That’s like the blind leading the blind!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

2 alleys   

胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径

参考例句：

• I followed him through a maze of narrow alleys. 我紧随他穿过一条条迂迴曲折的窄巷。
• The children lead me through the maze of alleys to the edge of the city. 孩子们领我穿过迷宫一般的街巷，来到城边。

3 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

4 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。