【英语趣味课堂】都柏林-Dublin

Marion: So you lived in Dublin for awhile, didn't you Mauve? What's life like in Dublin?

 

Mauve: I think life in Dublin is very different from everywhere else in the country. It's the biggest city in Ireland. It's got a population of about a million I think, even though the population of Ireland is only 4 million,

so most people...

 

Marion: So it's a quarter of the whole population.

 

Mauve: Exactly. It's a very young population, I think, the Dublin population, I suppose like all cities there's plenty to do, in terms of cinemas, theatres, I don't know, you know whatever else, comedy club and all that kind of, plenty of night clubs, loads of restaurants. It's very international now, at the moment I suppose, like there's Japanese restaurants, and well there's always Indian and Chinese, and there's like, I don't know, French and Spanish, and every type of restaurant.

 

Marion: So it's kind of a cosmopolitan¹ city.

 

Mauve: Yeah, exactly

 

Marion: Or big by Irish standards, I suppose. Yeah, it's probably like a village for other people.

 

Mauve: I know. Even though when I went to New York then, in June, it wasn't such a culture shock, cause even though, there are high rise buildings and every thing but it wasn't that different though. You know, I think that Dublin has come on a lot and it's by no means rural² anymore, you know, in comparison³ to other cities in Ireland, like Cork⁴ and Gaul, we're very rural, but, I don't think Dublin is.

 

Marion: Yeah, I think Dublin is like an international city, and it can stand on it's own.

 

Mauve: Definitely⁵, yeah, you can compare to London or, you know, New York.

 

Marion: And the standard of, like the cost of living, is very high in Dublin, though, isn't it.

 

Mauve: Yeah, it is. Rents are much higher there. It's more expensive to eat out and I suppose to do everything really. You need a good salary to live in Dublin I think.

 

Marion: Yeah, yeah!

 

Mauve: Big bucks⁶!

 

学习内容：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

young population

 

Dublin is a city that has a very young population.

 

If a city has a 'young population' it means that most of the people in the city are children or younger adults.  The word 'population' refers to the people that live in a specific place. Notice the following:

 

The young, active population of this town make it a fun place to live.

It is easier to provide for older people if a country has a young population.

cosmopolitan city

 

Dublin is kind of a cosmopolitan city.

 

If a place is 'cosmopolitan' it has people and experiences from all over the world.  Notice the following:

 

My hometown is not cosmopolitan at all.

New York is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

high-rise buildings

 

It wasn't such a culture shock, even though there are high-rise buildings.

 

'High- rise buildings' are buildings with many floors or stories that stand very tall into the air. Notice the following:

 

We have an apartment in a high-rise building downtown.

The skyline of the city is beautiful with many high-rise buildings.

by no means

 

Dublin is by no means rural anymore.

 

The phrase 'by no means' can easily replaced with 'not' or 'in no way' but we use this phrase for emphasis⁷. Notice the following:

 

It is by no means my favorite job ever, but it pays the bills.

By no means is your room clean.

stand on its own

 

I think Dublin is a city that can stand on its own.

 

If something can 'stand on its own' it doesn't need help from anyone. It is independent, in this case, from other cities. Notice the following:

 

I think this school can separate from the corporation⁸ and stand on its own.

She graduated from school, has her own apartment and can stand on her own.

 

1 cosmopolitan   

adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的

参考例句：

• New York is a highly cosmopolitan city.纽约是一个高度世界性的城市。
• She has a very cosmopolitan outlook on life.她有四海一家的人生观。

2 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

3 comparison   

n.比较，对照；比拟，比喻

参考例句：

• They make a comparison of New York to a beehive.他们把纽约比作一个蜂巢。
• This dress is really cheaper by comparison.比较起来，这件衣服确实便宜。

4 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 emphasis   

n.强调，重点，重要性

参考例句：

• The emphasis has shifted markedly in recent years.最近几年重点已经明显改变了。
• Particular emphasis will be placed on oral language training.将会特别强调口语训练。

8 corporation   

n.公司，企业&n.社团，团体

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation. 这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• The inflation did the corporation up. 通货膨胀使这个公司破产了。