【英语趣味课堂】阿根廷-Argentina

Todd: Hey, Katia, you just lived in Argentina for a year. So can you talk a little bit about why you went to Argentina?

Katia: Yes. Actually I did think it was a very interesting country, a very good experience for me. I was there for a year and I went there to do an internship¹ for five months but actually at the end of the internship, after the five months, they decided² to hire me and of course I said yes I was very happy to stay a little bit longer in Argentina and learn about Argentina and the Argentinians.

 

Todd: Was this the first time you had lived in Argentina?

 

Katia: Yes, first time.

 

Todd: Now you also come from a Spanish speaking country, so was it easy for you to adapt?

 

Katia: Yes, regarding³ the language of course it wasn't a barrier. I was able to understand and they were able to understand me but I haven't been in a Latin⁴ American country for a while so that was a little bit difficult, but other than that it was not a problem.

 

Todd: Now when you speak Spanish in Argentina, can they tell instantly⁵ that you are from Mexico?

 

Katia: They can right away tell that I'm not Argentinian. Some will struggle a little bit to know where I am from. Usually they were in between I'm either Colombian or Mexican.

 

Todd: And for your work environment it was always in Spanish?

 

Katia: It was always in Spanish.

 

Todd: Now you speak many languages right? You obviously⁶ speak English fluently and do you speak Russian?

 

Katia: And I also speak Russian.

 

Todd: That's because your parents are Russian?

 

Katia: My mother.

 

Todd: OK.

 

Katia: My mother is Russian and my father Mexican.

 

Todd: And do you speak any other languages?

 

Katia: I speak a little bit of Japanese.

 

Todd: Wow. It's almost like you have one language from every continent.

 

Katia: No not really. Probably the Arabic is missing⁷.

 

Todd: All right. So Arabic, now you lived in Morocco correct?

 

Katia: No, I only visited Morocco.

 

Todd: OK.

 

Katia: So I haven't lived in an Arabic country, nor African.

 

Todd: OK.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

internship

 

I went there to do an internship for five months.

 

Students often do an internship at a company where they work for no pay to gain work experience. Notice the following:

 

The local TV station offered me an internship.

She's doing an internship at Dell Computer.

hire

 

They decided to hire me.

 

When we get hired, that means some one gives us a job. Notice the following:

 

They said they weren't hiring now.

We need to hire two more employees.

adapt

 

So was it easy for you to adapt?

 

When we adapt, that means we become comfortable with something new or different than we are use to. Notice the following:

 

I was difficult to adapt to the hot weather.

Companies must learn to adapt to the changing global economy.

barrier

 

Regarding the language of course it wasn't a barrier.

 

A barrier is something that makes it difficult to get what we want. Notice the following:

 

The language barrier made it difficult to communicate.

Was language a barrier?

tell

 

Can they tell instantly that you are from Mexico?

 

When we can tell something that means we know it is true by observation. Notice the following:

 

I could tell he was nervous.

The teacher could tell we didn't understand.

1 internship   

n.实习医师，实习医师期

参考例句：

• an internship at a television station 在电视台的实习期
• a summer internship with a small stipend 薪水微薄的暑期实习

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 regarding   

prep.关于，至于；就…而论，在…方面

参考例句：

• Regarding John,I will write to him at once.至于约翰，我将立即给他写信。
• Regarding these facts,a special committee is to be appointed.鉴于这些事实，必须成立一个专门委员会。

4 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

5 instantly   

adv.立即，立刻

参考例句：

• She was used to having her orders instantly obeyed.她习惯了让人即刻服从她的命令。
• Though he slept soundly,he awoke instantly.他虽然睡得很香，但是马上就醒了。

6 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

7 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。