【英语趣味课堂】是否应该学做饭-Whether Should be Taught Cooking

Fred: Hi, this is Fred from Canada and I'm here with Tarta from Thailand. Some people think that cooking should be taught in school. I agree with that idea. I feel that definitely¹ there should be some cooking classes in school. How do you feel about that, Tarta?

Tarta: Well, I don't think that cooking class is supposed to be teaching² at school because I learn cooking from my mom and my grandma and it gives me lots of, you know, good relation between mom and daughter and it's kind of a family activity too.

 

Fred: OK, that's a good point, but you see, you know, a lot of mothers are working nowadays in this new day and age and so it's difficult for them to find time to teach their kids how to cook, and so what you're finding³ is more and more children have bad eating habits. They don't eat properly. They don't get the amount of vegetables per day that they should eat, or fruits or protiens for that matter, and so I feel that if there were cooking classes in school then that could also help the situation because it would make them have a better eating lifestyle.

 

Tarta: Yeah, but why school? I mean, why you want to waste all the time studying cooking at school, not like instead of doing that, then you can learn all the top subjects like science, biology, chemistry and probably you're mom can't teach you all those complicated⁴ subjects, you know.

 

Fred: Yeah, but I'm sure there's a balance. I mean, you have so many hours of class per day. If you only took like one or two hours a week that would be enough for the kids to, you know, maybe find some interest into cooking, and then it would start from there. Then it would just snowball. Alright, like, they could start having some cooking classes, then, the children starts liking⁵ cooking this kind of thing, and then he goes back home, and he shares this new cooking recipe⁶ with his mom or his grandmother. Don't you think that would also bring the family closer?

 

Tarta: OK, if you're supposed to cook at school, and then you have to buy all the ingredients⁷, and those ingredients.... why you have to shop, you know? And some ingredients are already at your house and you just do your own cooking, but if you do at school then you have to go shopping outside and look for the ingredients from the textbook, and it's so complicated.

 

Fred: I agree but, I mean that's just a slight problem isn't it. I mean, there's people working at the school that could be in charge of doing that and then once the class starts, well, all the ingredients are already on the table so there's no problem. They just start cooking, right?

 

Tarta: And one more thing. Like if you think about all the techniques, like family tastes and all, you can't find in cooking class at school.

 

Fred: Well, you got me there, Tarta. That's true.

 

Tarta: OK, Fred, you better come to my house, and I will show you how to cook.

 

Fred: Really? OK, I take your word on that Tarta.

 

Tarta: Yeah.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

this day and age

 

A lot of mothers are working nowadays in this new day and age.

 

We use the phrase⁸ 'this new day and age' to talk about modern living.  Notice the following:

 

In this day and age it is unacceptable to smoke in front of children.

Kids are very aware of the world around them In this day and age.

for that matter

 

They don't get the amount of vegetables per day, or fruits or protiens for that matter.

 

The phrase 'for that matter' makes the the second statement⁹ stronger.  Notice the following:

 

You should not go to work sick. You shouldn't even get out of bed for that matter.

I am so busy I never see my kids much these days, or even my wife for that matter.

snowball

 

A student might become interested in cooking and then it would just snowball.

 

When something snowballs that means¹⁰ it grows bigger and bigger.  Notice the following:

 

I lost my job and got in debt¹¹. Then I borrowed more money and got in more debt and soon it all just snowballed.

Once you tell a lie, you then have to tell another lie, and another lie. Soon it just snowballs.

you got me

 

Well, you got me there.

 

The phrase 'you got me' is similar in meaning to 'you are right'. 

 

OK, you got me. I forgot it was your birthday.

Well, you got me. I actually do agree with you on that point.

take your word

 

I take your word on that.

 

When we take someone's word that means we believe what they say is true.  Notice the following:

 

If you say you already sent the money, then I take your word on it, but I have not received anything.

He said the bus was late. I guess we have to take his word on it.

1 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。

2 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

3 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

4 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

5 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

6 recipe   

n.食谱，处方，秘诀

参考例句：

• What is your recipe for success?你取得成功有什麽窍门？
• This recipe is certainly interesting and different.这种烹饪法的确很有意思而且与众不同。

7 ingredients   

n.（混合物的）组成部分( ingredient的名词复数 )；（烹调的）原料；（构成）要素；因素

参考例句：

• All ingredients are readily available from your local store. 所有的原料都可以方便地从你当地的商店买到。
• We never use second quality ingredients to build building. 我们决不使用次等材料用于建筑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

9 statement   

n.陈述；声明；综述

参考例句：

• The government will put out a new statement tomorrow.政府将于明天发布一项新声明。
• Put down your statement in black and white.把你的话用白纸黑字写下来。

10 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。

11 debt   

n.债务，义务，负债状态，罪，过失

参考例句：

• The man was pressed to pay off his debt.那人被逼还债。
• The firm had to charge off the debt as hopeless.公司只得把那笔没希望要回的债务注销。