【英语趣味课堂】变老-Ageing

Adrienne: Now, Vivian, do you mind me asking how old you are?

 

Vivian: I was 80 years old on November 3rd, 2004.

 

Adrienne: Wow! 80! What does it feel like to be 80?

 

Vivian: It's a little inconvenient¹ because my mind didn't turn 80 but my body did and I find it sometimes my mind follows my body too! And it's hard to be as quick as I used to be and I always want to do more, now than I able to do. I can't do what I used to do when I was younger.

 

Adrienne: Oh, that's disappointing and probably a little frustrating².

 

Vivian: Very frustrating! Very frustrating! Especially when you have been active all of your life and all of a sudden things are just, have slowed down to where you can't do all those running around, flying around tasks that you used to be able to do in the morning. 

Sometimes it takes me two days to get everything accomplished³. Well those are definite disadvantages to getting older. Are there any advantages? Can you give us some hope? Yes! Yes! There is hope. You have reached an age where you understand where you have been. I'm very fortunate that I lived in the 1900's. I was born in 1924. I saw the airplane invented. I saw the beginning of penicillin⁴. I saw the medication for polio which stopped it in its track. I saw so many things. World War II. I was married in World War II and my husband went overseas for two years during that time, and my first two years of marriage was by letters, so it was, it's a good time, 80, you look back on all those things and you're glad to be part of it. You begin to understand the changes that are taking place just as they took place when you were young, but you don't come to that realization⁵ until you become old. You don't become wiser. 

You just become more knowledgeable⁶.

 

Adrienne: Well, that doesn't sound so bad.

 

学习内容：

 

turn 80

 

It's a little inconvenient because my mind didn't turn 80 but my body did.

 

When you 'turn 80' it means that you have had your 80th birthday. 

 

Notice the following:

 

When I turn 80 I want to be living in a nice retirement⁷ village. 

We are planning on throwing him a big birthday party when he turns 80. 

frustrating

 

Oh, that's disappointing and probably a little frustrating.

 

Something is 'frustrating' if it is not going the way that you had planned, but you have no power to change it. Frustrating things can make you a little angry.

 

Notice the following:

 

It was very frustrating that the store was closed, as it meant that I could not buy my groceries. 

She finds it very frustrating that she cannot drive because it means that she finds it difficult to see her friends. 

accomplish

 

Sometimes it takes me two days to get everything accomplished.

 

When you 'accomplish' something it means that you complete or finish it. You can accomplish goals or plans. 

 

Notice the following:

 

I want to accomplish so much in my life, I have a lot of ambitions. 

She can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time if she really focuses. 

to be part of it

 

You look back on all those things and you're glad to be part of it.

 

'To be part of something' means that you are included in something or a member of it. 

 

Notice the following:

 

It would be great if I could be part of it. I would love to be in a band. 

She asked me to join in the choir⁸ and be part of it. 

knowledgeable

 

You just become more knowledgeable.

 

When somebody is 'knowledgeable' it means that they know a lot about something. 

 

Notice the following:

 

My teacher is very knowledgeable so we learn a great deal in class. 

The more knowledgeable I am about English, the better I will be able to speak it. 

 

1 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

2 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

4 penicillin   

n.青霉素，盘尼西林

参考例句：

• I should have asked him for a shot of penicillin.我应当让他给我打一针青霉素的。
• Penicillin was an extremely significant medical discovery.青霉素是极其重要的医学发现。

5 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

6 knowledgeable   

adj.知识渊博的；有见识的

参考例句：

• He's quite knowledgeable about the theatre.他对戏剧很有心得。
• He made some knowledgeable remarks at the meeting.他在会上的发言颇有见地。

7 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

8 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。