新西兰英语 627 Agriculture Fieldays

 　　Every year in June, Mystery Creek¹ near Hamilton is the place to go for farmers and city people interested in the rural community. This year is the 44th year for the New Zealand National Agriculture Fieldays. The event opened today and continues until Saturday. Today about 27,000 people attended. In total for the four days last year, 117,495 people attended. It is the biggest event of this kind held in the Southern Hemisphere. Farmers from all over New Zealand like to attend. International visitors also find it interesting.

　　There are more than 1,000 exhibitors. They show the latest farm machinery²: tractors, farm bikes, chain saws, irrigators, hay makers³, milking machines and so on. It is a good opportunity for farmers to look at machines that they need to buy in the future. There are opportunities for farmers to learn new methods of farming, through demonstrations⁵ and lectures. There are also opportunities for farmers to show their skills in competitions like building a fence or controlling their sheep dogs.

　　And there are opportunities for city people to learn more about what farmers do.

　　Vocabulary

　　Southern Hemisphere – all the countries south of the equator

　　irrigators – spray water on the land

　　demonstration⁴ – show people how something is done eg. cooking demonstrations

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。