【英语趣味课堂】弹球盘-Pachinko

 Todd: OK, Kawabe, can you explain Pachinko? Foreigners don't understand pachinko.

 

Kawabe: OK. Explain pachinko.

 

Todd: Yeah, because when we get off the train and go home we often we often walk past pachinko parlours, or in the morning even.

 

Kawabe: It's everywhere

 

Todd: And there's a big line of people waiting to get in, so we don't understand it, like, why do people like pachinko?

Kawabe: OK, pachinko is, 1) it's a gamble, you know, you pay a lot of money to play that and if you win you can get a lot of money back, and 2) it's a, there's no 2. It's only 1). It's the gamble. That's it.

 

Todd: Well, how do you win money? Like, you just, you take the ball and you put it in the slot and it trickles¹ down?

 

Kawabe: Yeah, um, there is a slot you put your money, bill, into it, and OK, let's say I go into the pachinko shop and I pick out one of the seats and then, "OK, I'll play with this." And I, you know, take out my wallet and pick up a thousand yen² and put the bill into the slot and then the machine gives you a certain amount of the, you know, silver balls, and you play with it. What you do is just, roll, or touch the...

 

Todd: Dial!

 

Kawabe: Yeah, dial

 

Todd: Dial!

 

Kawabe: And move like 5 centimeters.

 

Todd: Uh-huh!

 

Kawabe: That's it!

 

Todd: What happens?

 

Kawabe: And the silver balls go up to the top and you know it comes down to the holes and sometimes it, you know, the balls get into the really nice hole and then I don't know how they work, exactly but anyway, if you got a good hole, you got the money. That's it! So, it's a really, that's too simple to enjoy. That is why you never see people smiling in front of pachinko. You know every one is making a grimace³ in front of the pachinko machine. Have you ever seen people smiling?

 

Todd: No, I've never been in a pachinko parlour. I just walk by.

 

Kawabe: You know they just sit in the machine and staring at one place and spend like 20, 30 minutes and when you're money's gone it's the time to you know, stand up.

 

Todd: Have you ever played?

 

Kawabe: Many times. Why not? Many times.

 

Todd: That's cool! Well, thanks, Kawabe!

 

学习内容:

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

parlor⁴

 

We often walk past pachinko parlors⁵.

 

A 'parlor' is a small sitting room or shop. In this case, a pachinko parlor refers to a place where a lot of people are gathering⁶ to play a game.

 

Notice the following:

 

I like going into all of the old fashioned parlors.

The traditional parlors are becoming quite rare.

get in

 

And there's a big line of people waiting to get in.

 

To 'get in' means to gain entrance to a place or event. 

 

Notice the following:

 

It seems very busy tonight I am not sure if we will be able to get in. 

You will need to make a reservation at the restaurant if you want to get in. 

gamble

 

It's a gamble, you know, you pay a lot of money to play that and if you win you can get a lot of money back.

 

'Gamble,' in this case, refers to something that is a risk. You don't know the outcome, but there is a good possibility that you will lose.

 

Notice the following:

 

Starting your own business right now is a bit of a gamble. 

I think it is a bit of a gamble hoping to get a table without booking first. 

slot

 

There is a slot you put your money into.

 

A 'slot' is a small gap into which you can put flat objects like coins or letters.

 

Notice the following:

 

There is a small slot where you can post the letters. 

Put the money in the slot. 

grimace

 

Every one is making a grimace in front of the pachinko machine.

 

A 'grimace' is a facial expression that you use to express concern and discomfort⁷. 

 

Notice the following:

 

Try not to grimace as it makes you look unattractive. 

We were all grimacing⁸ at the sight of her new dress. 

 

 

1 trickles   

n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Trickles of sweat rained down my head and neck. 我颈上头上的汗珠，更同盛雨似的，一颗一颗的钻出来了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
• Water trickles through an underground grotto. 水沿着地下岩洞流淌。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 grimace   

v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭

参考例句：

• The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。
• Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。

4 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

5 parlors   

客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店

参考例句：

• It had been a firm specializing in funeral parlors and parking lots. 它曾经是一个专门经营殡仪馆和停车场的公司。
• I walked, my eyes focused into the endless succession of barbershops, beauty parlors, confectioneries. 我走着，眼睛注视着那看不到头的、鳞次栉比的理发店、美容院、糖果店。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

8 grimacing   

v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• But then Boozer drove past Gasol for a rattling, grimacing slam dunk. 可布泽尔单吃家嫂，以一记强有力的扣篮将比分超出。 来自互联网
• The martyrdom of Archbishop Cranmer, said the don at last, grimacing with embarrassment. 最后那位老师尴尬地做个鬼脸，说，这是大主教克莱默的殉道士。 来自互联网