【英语趣味课堂】匹兹堡-Pittsburg

 Todd: OK, hello!

 

Alex: Hi!

 

Todd: Hi, what's your name?

 

Alex: Alex Cromer.

 

Todd: Cromer!

 

Alex: Yes, sir.

 

Todd: And how do you spell that?

 

Alex: C-R-O-M-E-R

 

Todd: OK, and where are you from Alex?

 

Alex: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

Todd: OK, what's Pittsburgh like?

 

Alex: Pittsburgh is, let's see, it is very quiet. It's medium size, so there's not a lot of people but enough to make it fun but you know, it's very quiet.

 

Todd: OK, what's the best thing about Pittsburg?

 

Alex: Ooh, the best thing? I'd have to say, Oakland! Oakland is a part of Pittsburgh. It's where Pittsburgh University main campus is. And there's lots of stuff to do. Lots of college kids around. It's fun to hang out.

 

Todd: OK, did you go to the University of Pittsburg?

 

Alex: No sir. I go to Penn State.

 

Todd: Oh, Penn State!

 

Alex: Yeah!

 

Todd: OK, are they a rival universities?

 

Alex: Very much.

 

Todd: OK, what's the worst thing about Pittsburgh?

 

Alex: Oh, well the fact that it's kind of quiet sometimes, makes it, kind of a bit boring. I mean, sometimes there is not a lot of things to do. But other than that it's OK.

 

Todd: What's the weather like?

 

Alex: Ooh, it depends really. It gets really cold in winter and really hot in the summer, so it's kind of mixed. 

 

学习内容：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

not a lot but enough

 

There's not a lot of people but enough to make it fun.

 

When 'not a lot but enough' people do something it means the number of people doing something isn't big, but the ones that do it have an impact.  According to the example, there is an acceptable¹ number of people living in Pittsburgh to make it a fun and interesting city. Notice the following:

 

He doesn't have a lot of friends, but enough to keep him busy.

We don't have a lot of sugar, but enough for the recipe.

main campus

 

Oakland is where Pittsburgh University main campus is.

 

The 'main campus' is the central campus or where most of the classes and offices are. Notice the following:

 

They have very good transportation to the main campus.

All of my classes are on the main campus this semester.

hang out

 

There are lots of college kids around, and it's fun to hang out.

 

When you 'hang out' in a place you casually² spend time there for your own enjoyment³. Notice the following:

 

This is a really nice room to hang out and read.

He hangs out watching television most of the time.

rival universities

 

Are University of Pittsburgh and Penn State rival universities?

 

Universities that compete with the University of Pittsburgh in sports or academics are its 'rivals' or 'competitors.' Notice the following:

 

Having rival universities make competition fun and exciting.

We are playing one of our rival universities in football this weekend.

boring

 

The fact that it's quiet makes it boring.

 

If something is not fun or interesting then it is 'boring.' Notice the following:

 

The guy I went on a date with last night was extremely boring.

The previews looked good, but the movie was really boring.

1 acceptable   

adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的

参考例句：

• The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
• Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。

2 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

3 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。