【英语趣味课堂】在医院的日常-Hospital Routine

Todd: So, back to the hospital, so, you were there all day, what do you do? Do you watch TV? I mean, do you play cards?

 

Barbara: Well, at first I was in too much pain to do anything, and, well, after awhile friends came to see me. They brought me books. I read a lot of books. I had my portable¹ CD player and listened to music and I guess the most important part of the hospital routine² is when they bring the food around – the meal times, but I couldn't eat.

 

Todd: Oh, no.

 

Barbara: So I could just watch from the sidelines as the other people in my room, were, you know, getting ready for meals, and they would get out their chopsticks and they would be discussing what was on today's menu and, yeah, they really got into it, and I was left out, you know.

 

Todd: That's terrible.

 

Barbara: Not able to eat anything. And there were three old ladies in the same room as me, and they commented on the food that was served up and they often said things like, “Oh, you know, I could cook better than this at home” and “Oh, I don't think this is very good” but… so all of the talk of food just made me salivate, made my stomach constrict³, and I was like dreaming about food all the time.

 

Todd: So when you got out and you could actually eat food outside of the hospital for the first time, what's the first thing you had?

 

Barbara: Soba.

 

Todd: Soba.

 

Barbara: Japanese soba noodles.

 

Todd: Well, soba is pretty good.

 

Barbara: Yeah. Yeah. And in a sense I lost my interest in I guess junk food and high calorie food.

 

Todd: I guess there's a lesson to be learned⁴.

 

Barbara: Definitely⁵.

1 portable   

adj.轻便的，手提式的；n.便携的东西

参考例句：

• I have a portable typewriter.我有一个便携式打字机。
• There is a pretty portable pair of steps in one corner of the room.屋角放着一架小巧玲珑的折梯。

2 routine   

n.例行公事，惯例；adj.例行的，常规的

参考例句：

• It is everyday routine.这是每天的例行公事。
• She found the hospital routine slightly dull.她感到医院的工作有点枯燥乏味。

3 constrict   

v.压缩，收缩，阻塞

参考例句：

• Men and women alike have been constricted by traditional sexual roles.男性和女性同样受到传统性别角色的束缚。
• Severe migraine can be treated with a drug which constricts the blood vessels.严重的偏头疼可以用一种收缩血管的药物进行治疗。

4 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

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。