2011年ESL之旅行交通购物 04 Vacationing on an Island_在线英语听力室

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04 Vacationing on an Island

island – an area of land surrounded by water

* When did the Hawaiian Islands become part of the United States?

island fever – cabin² fever; a feeling of anxiousness when one cannot movearound freely³, often because of geographic⁴ limitations* I enjoyed the first few days of our vacation, but once we had seen everythingthere, we started to get island fever and I couldn’t wait to go back home.

to give (something) a chance – to delay one’s evaluation⁵ that something is bad,instead waiting long enough to find out whether it is good or bad; to experiencesomething fully⁶ before concluding whether one does or does not like it

* Yes, higher-level math such as trigonometry can be confusing at first, but give ita chance. It will probably get easier.

pace of life – the speed at which things are done in a particular lifestyle orculture, especially related⁷ to the amount of stress and the sense of urgencypeople have

* When Walter moved from New York City to Wyoming, it took him a while to getused to the slower pace of life.

isolated⁸ – far away from other people and cities; with a great distance betweenoneself and areas with people, without communication with other people orplaces

* Dangerous prisoners are sometimes isolated from the other prisoners.

living soul – a human being; a person who is alive

* This cemetery⁹ wouldn’t be so scary if there were other living souls around us.

secluded¹⁰ – being used by only one or a few people, without other people nearby

* Jacob looked for a secluded place where he would be able to propose¹¹ to hisgirlfriend without having other people see and hear them speaking.

privacy¹² – the ability to keep things secret, especially related to one’s confidentialinformation or personal thoughts and actions

* Adult children living with their parents may not have as much privacy as they’dlike.

serenity¹³ – tranquility; calm; a feeling of peace and relaxation¹⁴, without worry

* If we want to have more serenity in our lives, maybe we should considermeditation.

creature comforts – things that are not really necessary, but make one feelgood and relaxed, such as hot water and favorite foods

* Lynn doesn’t like to go camping, because she misses her creature comforts,like taking a long, hot bath while listening to her favorite music.

Internet access – the ability to go online to find information, read emails,participate in chat rooms, etc.; the ability to access the World Wide Web

* We don’t have Internet access at home, so I have to go to the library to read myemail.

cell phone service – the area where one can use a cell phone; an area whereone’s mobile¹⁵ phone can send and receive signals

* We don’t have very good cell phone service up in the mountains.

to rough it – to go camping or otherwise spend time outdoors, without many ofthe things that one relies on for comfort and ease¹⁶ at home; to live for a period oftime without certain technologies and other things that make life morecomfortable.

* Amanda thinks she’s roughing it if she doesn’t have a hair dryer¹⁷ and a curlingiron to do her hair each morning, so she would never want to go camping with us.

to unwind – to relax and become calmer, especially after a period when one hasexperienced a lot of stress.

* Do you think it’s a good idea to use alcohol¹⁸ to unwind?

whole point – the main idea or objective¹⁹; the most important reason whysomeone is doing something

* The whole point of going out to dinner is so that we don’t have to cook or washdishes.

to be cut off from civilization – to be separated from one’s normal life in a cityor town, without communication with other people or interaction²⁰ with technologies

* If you were cut off from civilization for one week, how would you survive?

stressful – filled with feelings of anxiousness and worry, often caused byneeding to do too many things in a short period of time

* Many people feel that the holidays are stressful, because they have to spend alot of time shopping, wrapping presents, buying special foods, and going toparties and other events.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why does Mohsen want to get off the island?

a) Because he’s sick and has a high fever.

b) Because he thinks the island is too hot.

c) Because he is tired of being there and wants to explore a larger area.

2. What does Mohsen mean when he says, “I’m cut off from civilization”?

a) He has been fired.

b) He doesn’t have very many friends.

c) He doesn’t have enough communication with other people.

______________

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

island

The word “island,” in this podcast, means an area of land surrounded by water:

“Richie dreams of vacationing on a tropical²¹ island where he can surf every day.”

The phrase “no man is an island” expresses the idea that humans need to bearound other people and cannot be happy by themselves, or that they need helpfrom other people: “Pierre seems self-sufficient, but no man is an island and I’msure he gets lonely sometimes.” The phrase “marooned²² on a desert island” isoften used as a small game to ask people what they would want to have ifsomeone left them alone on a small island: “If you were marooned on a desertisland, which book would you most want to have?”

to be cut off from (someone/something)

In this podcast, the phrase “to be cut off from civilization” means to be separatedfrom one’s normal life in a city or town, without communication with other peopleor interaction with technologies: “When Toshiyuki’s parents took away her cellphone for one week, she felt as if she had been cut off from civilization.” Thephrase “to cut (someone) off’ also means to stop supporting someone financially:

“His parents have been sending him money every week for years, but now thathe’s finishing college, they’re going to cut him off.” When driving, the phrase “tocut (someone) off” means to move in front of another car very quickly and with asmall distance between the two cars, so that it has to slow down: “Did you seehow that guy just cut us off? He almost caused an accident!”

CULTURE NOTE

The Hawaiian Islands are some of the best-known vacation “spots” (destinations)in the United States. However, there are also many island vacation spots in thesouthern United States, too, although they are less well known. Some areromantic, others are historical, and still others are simply fun to visit.

People often go the Florida Keys, which are a group of about 1,700 islands offthe “tip” (end) of the “peninsula” (a long, narrow piece of land that extends²³ intothe water). Many of those islands are popular vacation spots, offering “naturalattractions” (interesting things to look at in nature), shopping, and other things,depending on what the visitor is interested in.

Amelia Island is near the border between the states of Georgia and Florida. Ithas a fascinating history and many “bed and breakfasts” (a small hotel insomeone’s home, where breakfast is served by and eaten with the owner) wheretourists can “stay” (sleep overnight) while exploring the island during the day.

The State of Texas also has some interesting island vacation spots. The sandybeaches and warm weather “attract” (bring) many “sunbathers” (people who liketo sit or lay in the sun to get a tan) in the spring and summer, especially onMustang Island, Padre Island, and South Padre Island.

The islands “off of” (near) North Carolina and South Carolina are also beautifuland interesting to visit, but tourists generally shouldn’t go there during “hurricaneseason” (the time of year when there are many storms with very fast, destructivewinds), or they may get “caught” (involved unexpectedly) in a dangeroussituation.

______________

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT²⁴

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 671: Vacationingon an Island.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode²⁵ 671. I am your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful – and I do mean beautiful – Los Angeles, California.

Oh, I should mention that our website is eslpod.com, and you can download aLearning Guide to this episode on the website.

This is an episode called “Vacationing on an Island,” let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Mohsen: I need to get off this island. I’m getting island fever.

Ella: We’ve only been here two days. Give it a chance. We’re here to enjoy aslower pace of life, remember?

Mohsen: When you said we were going on an island vacation, I didn’t know we’dbe so isolated. There isn’t a living soul within five miles!

Ella: This isn’t isolated; it’s secluded. We have privacy and serenity. Isn’t thatwhat we wanted?

Mohsen: I wanted a vacation with all of the creature comforts.

Ella: That’s what we have, don’t you think? We’re staying in a very nice house.

Mohsen: Yes, but what about the creature comforts? I have no Internet accessand no cell phone service. This is what I call roughing it.

Ella: We agreed that we both needed a little time away to unwind. The wholepoint of this vacation is for us to relax.

Mohsen: I’m cut off from civilization and I have no access to email and myfavorite websites. What could be more stressful than this?!

[end of dialogue]

We begin our dialogue with Mohsen saying to Ella, “I need to get off this island.”

“To get off,” here, means to leave. Mohsen needs to get off this island. An“island,” of course, is an area of land completely surrounded by water. GreatBritain – at least England, Scotland²⁶, and Wales – is an island. Ireland is anisland. Hawaii is a state with a number of different islands. Mohsen says he’sgetting island fever. A “fever” (fever) is normally²⁷ when your body has a very hightemperature, too high because you are sick. Here, however, it means feelinganxious when you cannot move around freely; because of where you are, youfeel as though you are trapped. You can’t move and travel the way you want tobecause you’re on an island, and you can only go so far and then there’s thewater. So, “island fever” is this idea that you need to leave this place becauseyou feel that you are limited somehow. Now, we have the same idea when weare talking about people not on islands, we call that “cabin (cabin) fever.” “Cabinfever” is when you are in a place and perhaps because of the weather or someother reason you can’t leave and you want to, and so you start getting veryanxious about it. You start getting uncomfortable. A “cabin” is like a small, littlehouse that would be outside of the city near a lake or in the mountains.

Ella says, “We’ve only been here for two days. Give it a chance,” meaning evenif it’s bad right now, wait a little longer. “Give it time,” we might also say. “Give ita chance. We’re here to enjoy a slower pace of life, remember?” The “pace(pace) of life” is like the speed that things are done in a particular culture or in aparticular situation. To have a slow pace of life means to be very relaxed; youdon’t hurry around. Or, a certain culture – a certain area has a different pace oflife. The pace of life in New York City – in Manhattan – is very different than thepace of life on a farm in Minnesota, very different speeds that things happen.

Well, Ella and Mohsen are on this island to relax, but Mohsen says, “When yousaid we were going on an island vacation, I didn’t know we’d be so isolated.” “Tobe isolated” means to be far away from other people; it may also mean you don’thave communication with other people because you are so far away from them.

Mohsen says, “There isn’t a living soul within five miles!” The expression “a livingsoul” (soul) just means a human being. In many philosophies and religions, thehuman being has a physical body but also has a spiritual soul, sort of your beingthat is not physical, what is not physical that is part of you that makes who youare. That’s the idea. So, a “living soul” would be another human being, andMohsen says there is not a living soul within five miles, meaning you could travelfive miles from where you are now and you would not see another person.

Ella says, “This isn’t isolated; it’s secluded.” “Secluded” (secluded) is somethingthat is being used by a very few number of people, without other people nearthem. It’s really the same phenomenon – the same situation as “isolated,” but it’s a positive thing usually. “We’re going to a secluded beach,” we’re going to abeach that has very few people, that very few people perhaps even know about.

So it’s a positive thing, whereas²⁸ “isolated” is a negative thing.

Okay, so Mohsen is not very happy. Ella’s trying to make him happier by sayingthat it’s not isolated; it’s secluded. “We have privacy and serenity.” “Privacy” isthe ability to keep things secret, to not have other people around you in thissituation. “Serenity” is calmness; we might also say “tranquility.” It’s a feeling ofpeace and relaxation – “serenity” (serenity). Ella then asks, “Isn’t that what wewanted (isn’t that what we wanted for our relaxing vacation)?” Mohsen says, “Iwanted a vacation with all of the creature comforts.” “Creature (creature)comforts (comforts)” are things that are not necessary to live but make you feelrelaxed, things that help you. Having a hot shower, having good food, these arecreature comforts; they’re things that make you comfortable, things that makeyou feel better, feel good. Ella says, “That’s what we have, don’t we?” meaningwe have creature comforts here. “We’re staying in a very nice house.” I shouldalso mention that the word “creature” is often used for a living being, not justhuman beings; in fact, usually it refers to animals: “Get that creature out of myhouse! You know I don’t want dogs in here.” The dog is the creature. It has sortof a negative meaning about it when referring to animals – not always, butsometimes. When I use it, it always does!

Ella says that they’re staying in a nice house, and Mohsen says, “Yes, but whatabout the creature comforts? I have no Internet access and no cell phoneservice.” “Internet access” is, of course, the ability to go online to findinformation, to read your emails, and so forth²⁹. “Cell phone” is the same as“mobile phone” or “cellular phone.” It’s a phone that you can carry with you.

“Service” means that you are able to use the phone, that you have the ability tosend the electronic signals to the telephone company so that you can talk topeople. If you are out in a very isolated area the telephone company may nothave service there. That is, you may not be able to use their phone in that area.

Mohsen says, “This is what I call roughing it.” The expression “to rough (rough)it” means to go camping or spend time outdoors without the nice things you haveat home. “To rough it” could mean to live without technology that you are usedto: no television, no cell phones, no iPods or iPads or i-whatever. That’s to roughit.

Mohsen thinks that he is roughing it; he thinks that this is very uncomfortable.

Ella says, “We agreed that we both needed a little time away to unwind.” “Away”

here simply means at a distance from where they normally live and work. “Tounwind” (unwind) means to relax and become calmer, especially after a period oftime where you are very stressed. So you come home from work, you’ve had a difficult day, you sit down in front of the television, you get a glass of wine or abottle of beer or something else, and you unwind – you relax. You watch theDodgers on television, the local baseball station, or you watch some otherprogram, or you read, whatever; all of this is part of unwinding. Ella says, “Thewhole point of this vacation is for us to relax.” “The whole point” means the mainidea or objective, the most important reason why we are doing something; it’s avery common expression. “The whole point of going to a restaurant is not havingto cook and clean,” that’s one example.

Mohsen says, “I’m cut off from civilization and I have no access to email and myfavorite websites.” “To be cut off from (something)” means to be separated fromsomething. “Civilization” here just means the modern world, where you havetechnology and creature comforts. Mohsen thinks that he’s cut off; he’sseparated from civilization because he doesn’t have email and Internet access.

He then says, “What could be more stressful than this?!” “To be stressful” meansthat you are worried, you are anxious, you feel like you have many things to doand not very much time to do them in. I feel this way all time; I guess I need avacation on an island!

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal rate of speech.