VOA慢速英语2021--Post-pandemic Gift Ideas

 

In many places around the world, the coronavirus pandemic is still affecting people's lives. With lockdowns still in place, friends are still not able to gather as they once did.

However, in other places, especially where vaccination¹ numbers are high, things are starting to return to normal. And "normal" often means simply being able to spend time in person with the people in your life for the first time in well over a year.

With parties and get-togethers starting up again, it is a great time to bring a gift.

But selecting a great gift for someone takes thought. Knowing their tastes and hobbies is important. What do they like to do for fun? During the pandemic, a person may have started a new hobby, like painting. That is important to know.

When I asked friends on social media what they would most like to get as a post-pandemic gift, the top answers were travel, live music shows and hugs from friends and family.

Writer Katie Workman² for the Associated Press gives her ideas in a recent story. We share them with you here.

For the food lover³

With restaurants closed, many people taught themselves to cook. Luckily for the gift-giver, there are many things you can give to those who love to cook.

If you are from or visit an area that is known for a certain type of food, bring that. In the United States, Workman says that might mean cheese from Wisconsin, maple⁴ syrup⁵ from Vermont, peaches from Georgia or peanuts from South Carolina. I would add oranges from Florida or salmon⁶ from Alaska.

Other gifts could be special oils or sauces to cook with. Fresh herb plants for the kitchen make a good gift, too. Cookbooks and cooking tools can also be thoughtful⁷ gifts for friends who love to cook. Or you may want to get them a fun apron⁸ to protect their clothing while cooking.

For the entertainer

People who often entertain, or give parties, are easy to buy for. Any gift that adds to fun entertaining is a good idea. Bringing flowers as a gift or a bottle of nice wine will never be a bad idea. But after more than a year you may want to think of something extra special as a gift. You can give them items they can use during a party, such as pretty glasses, a pretty cake stand or decorative⁹ serving bowls.

Think of items to decorate the table. Beautiful cloth coverings for the table or napkins make nice gifts. Knowing their favorite colors may help. Beautiful candles to light during dinner are also nice. And fun games are a good choice too.

For the art lover

Some of the best places to find unusual gifts are gift shops at museums. In a museum gift shop, you can find interesting gifts that you probably cannot find in other stores.

Of course, you can find art books and posters. But you can also find bags, coffee cups or jigsaw¹⁰ puzzles all decorated with famous works¹¹ of art. Again, knowing what your friend likes is important.

For the gardener or plant lover

If someone likes to grow things in a garden, you are lucky. There are so many things you can give them as gifts. Gardening tools are always useful. So are colorful containers. These can be used by outdoor and indoor gardeners.

A birdfeeder is an unusual present. And who wouldn't want more birds? Also, decorations for the garden or yard can be great gifts. Again, make sure you know the person's style. If not, your gift of a garden gnome¹² drinking a beer in his gnome underwear¹³ might be re-gifted.

There are many ways to say, "Thank you." or "I've missed you." or "Well, wasn't that a crazy year!" But probably the most important gift you can give is just being there ... in person.

Words in This Story

hobby – n. an interest or activity engaged in for pleasure

pretty – adj. attractive to look at usually in a simple or delicate¹⁴ way

decorative – adj. used to make something more attractive : used for decoration decorate – v. to make (something) more attractive usually by putting something on it

napkin – n. a piece of material (such as cloth or paper) used at table to wipe the lips or fingers and protect the clothes

poster – n. a usually large printed sheet that often contains pictures and is posted in a public place (as to promote something)

puzzle – n. a puzzle consisting of small irregularly cut pieces that are to be fitted together to form a picture

garden – n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown

gnome – n. an imaginary¹⁵ dwarf¹⁶ believed to live inside the earth and guard treasure

hug – n./v. to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship

1 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

2 workman   

n.工人，工匠，技工

参考例句：

• A bad workman finds much fault with his tools.蹩脚的工匠总是埋怨自己的工具不好。
• There was a workman up the ladder.有一个工人在梯子上工作。

3 lover   

n.情人，恋人；爱好者

参考例句：

• Every lover sees a thousand graces in the beloved object.情人眼里出西施。
• Mr.Smith was a lover of poetry.史密斯先生是一名诗歌爱好者。

4 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

5 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

6 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

7 thoughtful   

adj.思考的，沉思的，体贴的，关心的

参考例句：

• She is thoughtful for her friends.她很体贴她的朋友们。
• This is a thoughtful essay.这是一篇具有思想性的随笔。

8 apron   

n.围裙；工作裙

参考例句：

• We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
• She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

9 decorative   

adj.装饰的，可作装饰的

参考例句：

• This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
• The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

10 jigsaw   

n.缕花锯，竖锯，拼图游戏；vt.用竖锯锯，使互相交错搭接

参考例句：

• A jigsaw puzzle can keep me absorbed for hours.一副拼图就能让我沉醉几个小时。
• Tom likes to work on jigsaw puzzles,too.汤姆也喜欢玩拼图游戏。

11 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

12 gnome   

n.土地神；侏儒，地精

参考例句：

• The Swedes do not have Santa Claus.What they have is Christmas Gnome.瑞典人的圣诞节里没有圣诞老人，但他们却有一个圣诞守护神。
• Susan bought a garden gnome to decorate her garden.苏珊买了一个土地神像来装饰她的花园。

13 underwear   

n.衫衣，内衣，贴身衣

参考例句：

• He had removed his underwear.他已脱去了内衣。
• They left off their woollen underwear when the weather got warm.天气转暖的时候，他们不再穿羊毛内衣。

14 delicate   

adj.巧妙的，敏感的；易损的，娇嫩的

参考例句：

• Be careful with those wine cups — they are very delicate.当心那些酒杯—它们很容易碎。
• The delicate handicraft works will not bear rough handling.精致的手工艺品经不起粗鲁的摆弄。

15 imaginary   

adj.想象中的，假想的，虚构的，幻想的；虚数的

参考例句：

• All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
• The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。

16 dwarf   

n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小

参考例句：

• The dwarf's long arms were not proportional to his height.那侏儒的长臂与他的身高不成比例。
• The dwarf shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. 矮子耸耸肩膀，摇摇头。