【英语趣味课堂】芝加哥-Chicago

 Todd: OK, hello, could you say your name please?

Diana: Yes, my name is Diana Heyne.

 

Todd: Diana, where are you from?

 

Diana: I live in Chicago.

 

Todd: Great, Chicago! How long have you lived in Chicago?

 

Diana: Actually, only for a year. I'm mostly a mid-western girl. I've lived all over the mid-west.

 

Todd: OK, like what places in the mid-west?

 

Diana: I was born in Iowa, and I lived in Indiana after that, and then I moved to Illinois, and then I grew up mostly in Michigan, but now I live in Chicago and I love it.

 

Todd: OK, so Chicago is your favorite place?

 

Diana: Yes.

 

Todd: OK, why do you like Chicago?

 

Diana: It's busy. Everyone in Chicago is always busy and they're doing their own thing, and it's just fun to be in such an exciting atmosphere.

 

Todd: OK. Does Chicago have a lot of good food, a lot of good restaurants?

 

Diana: Yes. If you like to eat Chicago is a good place to go. My favorite place is the Taco Burrito Palace.

 

Todd: Taco Burrito Palace. Wow. Sounds good.

学习内容：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

mid-western (girl)

 

I'm mostly a mid-western girl; I've lived all over the mid-west.

 

The 'mid-western' states of the United¹ States include Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and North  and South Dakota.  It is the middle region² of the U.S.  A 'mid-western girl' would come from or live in this part of the country. Notice the following:

 

Mid-western people have a reputation³ for being nice.

They serve very mid-western food here.

grew up mostly

 

I grew up mostly in Michigan.

 

If you 'grow up mostly' in one place it means⁴ that you lived there almost all of the time when you were growing up. Notice the following:

 

He grew up mostly in the northwest, in places like Seattle.

She grew up mostly at her grandparents' house.

doing their own thing

 

Everyone in Chicago is always busy, and they're doing their own thing.

 

When people 'do their own thing' they have their own personal plan or things that they like to do.  It means that people are independent.  Notice the following:

 

I think I'm going to do my own thing tomorrow. I need some time alone.

My kids are teenagers and are really into doing their own thing right now.

exciting atmosphere

 

It's fun to be in such an exciting atmosphere.

 

When we are surrounded by places and people that are fun and interesting we are in an 'exciting atmosphere.' Notice the following:

 

It's a very exciting atmosphere to walk around in.

She likes working in an exciting atmosphere, like a restaurant or bar.

good food

 

Does Chicago have a lot of good food, a lot of good restaurants?

 

'Good food' is food that is delicious or tastes good. Notice the following:

 

They only make a few different things here, but it's good food.

We go to the festivals for the good food.

 

 

 

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 region   

n.地区，地带，区域；范围，幅度

参考例句：

• The students went to study the geology of that region.学生们去研究那个地区的地质情况。
• It is unusual to see snow in this region.这个地区难得见到雪。

3 reputation   

n.名誉，声誉，声望，信誉

参考例句：

• We are very anxious to keep up the reputation of the firm.我们对于保持公司的名誉非常急切。
• He has not too good a reputation in the matter of honesty.就诚实而言，他的名声不太好。

4 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。