Gold vending machine
NB: This is not an accurate word-for-word transcript
Dima: Hello and welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, DimaKostenkoKate: and me, Kate Colin.
Dima: Kate will be our language guide for today.
Today we'll hear a fascinating report about a new vending machine that'sunlike any other. But first - Kate, how would you describe what a vendingmachine is?
Kate: Responds + short dialogue to introduce synonyms (slot machine, dispenser)-- soft drinks-snacks-newspapers-transport tickets-Mars bars…Dima: Well Kate, if you're only using vending machines to buy things like chocolatebars, you are in for a surprise! As Steve Rosenberg, the BBC's correspondentin Berlin has discovered, a German company is planning to install some very different dispensers at stations, airports and shopping centres. Would you liketo hear more?
Kate: Well, hearing all these phrases from you - 'very different' and 'unlike any other'
- I must say I'm a bit intrigued.
Dima: You won't be intrigued(好奇) for too much longer because in a moment we'll hearfrom Steve Rosenberg to find out what those machine will be selling. I'll sayjust one thing: it's something really valuable.
6 Minute English ? bbclearningenglish.com 2009Page 2 of 4Kate: OK, let's listen, and as you are listening, try to find out what it is. Also, listenout for these words and phrases. 'On the go goodies', meaning small things thatwe buy and consume without stopping - like chocolate bars, crisps and othersnacks, for example. And - 'precious', which means very expensive andvaluable.
Dima: Here's Steve Rosenberg:
Clip 1I'm standing next to a vending machine at a Berlin railway station. It offers a typical selectionof on the go goodies. There are fizzy drinks and crisps, chewing gum... But very soonmachines like this one could be selling something far more precious than a packet of peanuts.
As well as chocolate bars you'll be able to buy gold bars.
Dima: So Kate, what is it that the new vending machines will be selling?
Kate: Steve says it isn't going to be 'on the go goodies'. Not chewing gum, notpackets of peanuts（花生）. It will be the precious metal gold! Well, sounds interesting,but I am not quite sure I understand… Why would anyone want to by a goldbar from a slot machine?
Dima: Well apparently, with the global financial crisis more and more people decidethat they can no longer rely upon stocks and shares the way they used to.
Kate: 'Stocks and shares' - that's a useful expression, often heard among businesspeople. It means part of the ownership of a company which people can buy asan investment.
Dima: Indeed, they can. But in reality many start turning to other types of investment,which they consider safer - like buying precious metals. And with this new slotmachine, buying gold simply can't be easier! The price will be adjusted daily,6 Minute English ? bbclearningenglish.com 2009Page 3 of 4and in the next part Steve Rosenberg quotes some prices at current rates. Andhere comes your challenge for this week: what currency unit is mentioned? Is ita) eurob) dollar, orc) pound? Kate, which of these three currencies would you expect to hear in areport about gold, recorded in Germany by a reporter of a British broadcaster?
Kate: RespondsDima: We'll check your guess later, but first, what's your language point for thesecond part of the report Kate?
Kate: It's the expression 'to keep a close eye on', meaning to watch closely. Stevesays 'built-in video cameras will be keeping an especially close eye on all thecustomers', so his word of warning is, watch out how you behave when you usethem:
Clip 2The machine will dispense a gram of gold for about 40 dollars and a 10 gram bar - for just under 350 dollars. But one word of warning. If you put in your money and nothing comesout, don't start banging your fist on this treasure chest - built-in video cameras will be keepingan especially close eye on all the customers.
Dima: That was our correspondent Steve Rosenberg at a railway station in Berlin.
Now, before we talk about the answer to this week's question, do you mindgoing through some of today's vocabulary again Kate?
Kate: Responds. We began by talking about vending machines - that is machinesfrom which small items such as packaged food or drinks can be bought byinserting money. Because cash is inserted through a slot, they are also knowncolloquially as slot machines. And another synonym is dispensers. We thenmentioned the phrase on the go goodies meaning small things that we buy and6 Minute English ? bbclearningenglish.com 2009Page 4 of 4consume without stopping - like chocolate bars, crisps and other snacks, forexample. And then, the word precious, which means very expensive andvaluable. We talked briefly about stocks and shares, which means part of the ownership of a company which people can buy as an investment. And finally,the expression to keep a close eye on, meaning to watch very closely.
Dima: Thanks Kate. Finally, back to our question. Which currency was used in thereport to talk about the price of gold?
Kate: Responds (the choice was euro, dollar and pound and I said… which wascorrect/wrong…)Dima: Responds. I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Until next week.
Both: Goodbye!（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑） |