英语博客(A cup of English):Independence Day.（在线收听）

Beginners.

Oh my goodness, we're all tired today. Thankfully it's Sunday, and there are not a lot of pressing things to do. Yesterday was the 4th of July, Independence day, here in the U.S. As you can imagine, it is an important and fun national holiday, and a great excuse to make a lot of noise. We started the celebrations, by going to a local golf club for lunch. My in-laws were there and three of our nephews. It was close to 100 degrees, so we were all pleased to jump into the swimming pool that overlooks the golf course. The children had a great time. There was also a barbecue. Hamburgers, hotdogs, baked beans, coleslaw, and tonnes of things to put all over the meat: onions, tomatoes, chilis, mustard etc etc. That and an ice cold drink hit the spot! I lazed by the swimming pool and watched the children splash about, giggle, and in the case of my daughter, squeal at a pitch that is not humanly possible. It was actually too hot for this english girl, so I jumped in the pool a few times to cool off. I 'hogged' the parasol, as they say here. That means that I absolutely made sure that I could be completely shaded; I was not about to be generous with the little bit of shade that was available. At about four o'clock, it was actually hotter than when we first arrived, so we headed home. I cleaned a few rooms, and my husband and our boys prepared the entertainment for the evening.

Grammar notes.

Expressions: pressing, to hog, to hit the spot, coleslaw.

Exs:

I have some pressing business today. I must get to the office early and be thoroughly prepared!

He hogged the whole sofa! He didn't let anyone sit on it!

I was really hungry before we got to the restaurant. Gosh, that fish and salad hit the spot. It was exactly what my body needed.

To make coleslaw you must do the following: shred cabbage and carrots. Add raisins, and mix with mayonnaise. It's that simple.

Advanced.

As night fell, it became beautifully bearable outside. The harsh sunshine was no longer beating down on everyone, so friends, family, and neighbors started to gather in our cul-de-sac to let off fireworks. This is a job for the men, ladies. And it's no job for the faint hearted. Each of the men had a large box or several, of all kinds of terrifying looking explosives. Rockets, blasters, bangers, screamers, and, just for those of use who actually enjoy seeing something beautiful that doesn't go "BANG!", some pretty, colorful fireworks. Chairs were lined up for people to relax and watch the show. There was pizza, cake, homemade icecream, and fresh cherries sitting on the back of a pick-up truck for anyone who fancied a bite to eat. So, one by one, the men put a firework in the middle of the empty cul-de-sac, lit it with a lighter, and quickly got out of the way. "Boom! Bang! Crash! Flash! Boom!" The noise went on and on. Some of the children would hold their ears, and the others just loved the noise, and jumped up and down with excitement. My daughter and her younger cousin wanted to stay in my house and watch from a window. I was actually pleased about that, as my head was throbbing from all the explosions. Supervision was the word for the night, I think. My sister-in-law, Lisa, watched the children like a hawk, making sure that none of them got too close to hot fireworks. In the dark, lots of accidents can take place, of course. But, thankfully, everyone was fine, and a lot of fun was had by all.

Grammar notes.

 Vocabulary: cul-de-sac, faint hearted, to fancy, to throb.

Exs:

The street where we live is not a through street, it is a cul-de-sac.

My neighbor is very faint hearted. She doesn't like loud noises, scary movies, or anything that moves quickly.