【英语趣味课堂】克莱斯特彻奇-Christchurch

 Todd: So, Hello!

 

Gabrielle: Hi!

 

Todd: Can you say your name please?

 

Gabrielle: Gabrielle:

 

Todd: Gabrielle. Now, Gabrielle you talked to us last year.

 

Gabrielle:That's right!

 

Todd: And you said that you're from Christchurch?

 

Gabrielle: Uh-huh, from Christchurch in New Zealand.

 

Todd: OK, can you talk about your city?

 

Gabrielle: Absolutely! Absolutely! Well, Christchurch I guess compared to Japan is pretty small, but for New Zealand it's quite a big city. I think it's a great place. Yeah, we've got the beach, the mountains, yeah so city center and nature, really close.

 

Todd: Sounds nice! How many people live in Christchurch?

 

Gabrielle: Oh, that's a good question. Gosh! Were certainly not up to a million! I guess about 600,000 people.

 

Todd: Wow, that's it! Just 6!

 

Gabrielle: That's it. Big city in New Zealand!

 

Todd: Wow! So there's three big cities in New Zealand!

 

Gabrielle: That's right! That's right! We're probably the second or third biggest city.

 

Todd: Uh, what's the transportation¹ like?

 

Gabrielle: Well, I use my bike usually or a car. We certainly don't have the trains like Tokyo, but there's a bus system. It's not too bad, but most Kiwis have cars. Yeah, more convenient².

 

Todd: OK, now can I ask you about costs?

 

Gabrielle: Sure! Sure!

 

Todd: OK, and you can say Japanese yen³ prices.

 

Gabrielle: Yeah! Yeah!

 

Todd: How much is an apartment? A one bedroom apartment, downtown?

 

Gabrielle: Well, to be honest we don't have that style. We've got plenty of space so we usually rent a house which has three bedrooms and a garden, for example, and much cheaper, much, much cheaper. I'm just trying to convert⁴.

 

Todd: Three bedrooms and a garden!

 

Gabrielle: Yeah! And often we go "flatting" which means⁵ we share the house with maybe a couple of friends, probably pay about, I was paying $80 a week for my room so, oh, sorry my conversion⁶ rate is not working too quickly at the moment.

 

Todd: That's really cheap though!

 

Gabrielle: It's incredibly cheap. Yeah, much, much cheaper! Much bigger!

 

Todd: Wow! sounds like a nice place! OK, how much is, New Zealand prices OK, how much is a loaf of bread?

 

Gabrielle: A loaf of bread! To get the good bread, probably about $2.50 a loaf, yeah, so, maybe about, oh sorry, my conversion's not working, I've been in Tokyo for too long!

 

Todd: How about a movie ticket?

 

Gabrielle: A movie ticket would be about $13, so it's much cheaper than here. Yeah, definitely⁷!

 

Todd: And bus fare!

 

Gabrielle: Bus fare, a dollar fifty, two dollars for one way.

 

Todd: How about if you're going to buy your friend a sweater, a nice sweater, how much would that cost?

 

Gabrielle: Well, I like the good outdoor brand sweaters so I would probably say about $50 but an everyday sweater you could get about $15 New Zealand. Yeah.

 

Todd: OK, Wow! Sounds like a great place. Oh, and last one, the weather, when is the best time of year to visit?

 

Gabrielle: Oh, summer, definitely.

 

Todd: So that's December?

 

Gabrielle: Yeah, so we're going into summer now so December to February, but we have four seasons in one day, so you can count on all weather even within summer. Yeah! Yeah!

 

Todd: Do you have a really bad month to go, where the weather is not nice?

 

Gabrielle: Yeah, usually June, July, it probably rains the most, but we still get gorgeous⁸ sunny days in the winter so, yeah there's not really any bad time.

 

Todd: Oh, sounds nice! Thanks Gabrielle!

 

Gabrielle: No, problem!

No, problem!

1 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

2 convenient   

adj.便利的，方便的

参考例句：

• I have to find a convenient location for the shelves.我得找一合适的地方放这些书架。
• Come at any time that is convenient to you.你哪会儿方便就哪会儿来吧。

3 yen   

n. 日元；热望

参考例句：

• He wanted to convert his dollars into Japanese yen.他想将美元换成日币。
• He has a yen to be alone in a boat.他渴望独自呆在一条船上。

4 convert   

v.（在形式、状态、用途等方面）（使）改变

参考例句：

• I must convert sorrow into strength.我要化悲痛为力量。
• At what rate does the dollar convert into pounds?美元以什么汇率兑换成英镑？

5 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。

6 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

7 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。

8 gorgeous   

adj.华丽的，灿烂的，美丽的，宜人的，棒的

参考例句：

• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。
• What a gorgeous day it is today!今天天气多好啊！