2011年ESL之日常生活 24 Visiting a Ranch（打印版）

2011年ESL之日常生活 24 Visiting a Ranch（在线收听）

24 Visiting a Ranch

GLOSSARY

ranch – a large farm where many cows, horses, and other large animals areraised

* When Victor got a job working on a ranch, the first thing he did was to buy agood pair of boots.

to fit right in – to be the same as everyone or everything else; to appear tobelong in a particular place or situation; to be dressed as other people aredressed and act as other people are acting

* Reya was worried about how her son would do on his first day at school, but hefit right in.

alongside – together with another person; doing something next to or at thesame time as another person

* Little kids often play alongside each other rather than playing alone.

to look the part – to appear the way people expect one to appear; to dress andact as one is expected to dress and act

* When Pepe was auditioning for a role as a hippy, he decided to look the part byletting his hair grow long and growing a beard.

cowboy hat – a very large hat made from felt (thick, soft fabric), traditionallyworn by men who work outdoors with cows and sheep, used to protect one’s faceand eyes from sunlight

* A lot of people wear cowboy hats when they go to country-western dances.

lasso – a long rope with a large circle tied at one end that is thrown to fall overthe horns or neck of a cow and then pulled so that the circle becomes smallerand the animal cannot run away

* When Marty was just learning how to use a lasso, he threw it at objects beforehe started trying to throw it at live animals.

chaps – a piece of clothing similar to pants and made of leather, worn over one’spants to protect them while riding a horse

* Chaps are great for riding horses, but they make it very difficult to walk.

cattle drive – the process where several cowboys work together to move manycattle (cows) over a long distance

* How many cows die on a typical cattle drive?

horse – a large animal with four legs, used to pull heavy things, such as farmequipment or carriages, and ridden on by people

* If you give a horse an apple or carrot, it will eat it out of your hand.

livestock – animals that are raised on a farm, usually for food, such as cows,sheep, pigs, or goats

* They have many different kinds of livestock on their farm, but they’reconsidering specializing in sheep.

bridle – the pieces of leather that are placed over a horse’s head and held in therider’s hands to control where the horse goes

* Make sure the bridle isn’t too small, because you don’t want it to hurt the horse.

bit – the metal bar that is put in a horse’s mouth and held between its teeth,attached to the bridle and used to control how the horse moves

* Sarah thinks it isn’t right to use a bit while riding a horse. After all, would youwant to have to hold a piece of metal in your mouth?

ta-da – a phrase spoken or sung when introducing or showing something in asurprising or humorous way

* Ta-da! What do you think of my new dress?

saddle – the large piece of hard leather placed on a horse’s back for a rider to siton

* After spending all day sitting on the saddle, Mohammed’s back, bottom, andlegs were sore.

horseback riding – the practice of riding horses, usually for fun

* They opened a business to offer lessons in horseback riding to children, butthey won’t teach children less than six years old because of the risk of falling.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What does Annie plan to sit on during the cattle drive?

a) A horse.

b) A truck.

c) A cow.

2. Which of these things goes into a horse’s mouth?

a) Bridle.

b) Bit.

c) Saddle.

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WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

to look the part

The phrase “to look the part,” in this podcast, means to appear the way peopleexpect one to appear or to dress and act as one is expected to dress and act:

“Alexei believes that if he wants to succeed in the business world, he needs tolook the part, so he always wears nice suits and expensive ties.” The phrase “totake part” means to participate or to be involved in something: “The universityencourages students to take part in extracurricular activities. The phrases “toplay a part” or “to have a part to play” means to have a role in some activity:

“Every employee plays a part in our company’s success.” Finally, the phrase“round these parts” means in this local area: “Very few rich people live roundthese parts.”

bit

In this podcast, the word “bit” means the metal bar that is put in a horse’s mouthand held between its teeth, attached to the bridle and used to control how thehorse moves: “Is it difficult to teach a horse to use a bit?” A “bit” also means asmall piece or a small amount of something: “This room would look better with abit of color on the walls.” The phrase “to do (one’s) bit” means to do what one issupposed to in order to help a group reach a goal or as part of a project: “Somepeople think that they’re doing their bit for the environment by recycling, but that’sjust the beginning.” Finally, the phrase “a little bit” means somewhat or maybe:

“Nick was a little bit sad when he heard he didn’t get the job, but he’s confidenthe’ll find something soon.”

CULTURE NOTE

Cowgirls in the Old WestWhen people think about the “Old West” (the lifestyle in the Western UnitedStates in the late 1800s), they often “picture” (imagine; see images in their mindof) cowboys, but cowgirls were often working “alongside” (next to; with) them.

This was especially true on smaller ranches, where there wasn’t enough moneyto hire men for all of the work, so the wives and daughters had to help, too.

One of the “challenges” (difficult things; obstacles) for women working ascowgirls in the 1800s was that women were expected to wear long, heavy skirts,and a traditional saddle was “indecent” (socially unacceptable and scandalous orshocking). The “sidesaddle” was a special kind of saddle that allowed a womanto ride a horse with both legs on one side of the horse, but it wasn’t “practical”

(able to be used in a real way) for working on a ranch.

Around 1900, cowgirls began wearing “slit skirts” (pants with very wide legs thatappeared to be a skirt), which let them ride horses “in public” (where they couldbe seen by other people). Around the “turn of the century” (late 1800s and early1900s), Wild West Shows became popular. At these shows, people could watchcowboys and cowgirls “show off” (demonstrate) their skills. One cowgirl inparticular, Annie Oakley, became very well known for her “shooting skills” (abilityto shoot a gun).

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas tries tocollect stories about cowgirls’ “role” (what one does and is expected to do) in theOld West and educate people about their “contributions” (how someone helps agroup achieve some goal).

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Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – b

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 747: Visiting aRanch.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 747. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Did you know that we are on Facebook? Oh yes, we are! Go tofacebook.com/eslpod. You can also follow us on Twitter @eslpod. And, mostimportantly, you can go to our website at – what else – eslpod.com.

This episode is a dialogue between Piero and Annie. They’re going to somethingcalled a “ranch,” basically a large farm with many different kinds of animals. Let’sget started. Yee-haw!

[start of dialogue]

Piero: What’s all this?

Annie: I’m visiting my sister and brother-in-law’s new ranch next month and I’mgetting ready for it. I know I’m a city girl, but I plan to fit right in on that ranch andwork alongside all of the other cowboys.

Piero: Well, you look the part. You’ve got your cowboy hat, a lasso, and arethose chaps?

Annie: Yes, of course. How else could I ride with them on the cattle drive?

Piero: Cattle drive? Are you sure it’s a working ranch?

Annie: I think so. Why would they buy a ranch if they don’t plan to have horsesand livestock?

Piero: Don’t ask me. What’s all that stuff in the bags?

Annie: That’s all equipment I’ll need to ride a horse: a bridle, a bit, and ta-da –my own saddle!

Piero: This is all stuff that they should have at the ranch already, don’t you think?

Annie: Yes, but I’ll need to go horseback riding this weekend to practice.

Piero: That’s a good idea. Have you been riding horses long?

Annie: This weekend will be my first time.

Piero: You’re riding a horse for the first time this weekend and you plan to workat your sister’s ranch next month?

Annie: Sure, how hard could it be? It’s just like riding a bike, right?

[end of dialogue]

Piero begins by asking Annie, “What’s all this?” What is all of this stuff? Whatare all of these things? Annie says, “I’m visiting my sister and brother-in-law’snew ranch next month and I’m getting ready for it.” A “ranch” is a large farm thatusually has lots of cows, horses, and other large animals on it. We often talkabout ranches especially here in the western part of the United States, wherethere used to be very large amounts of land owned by one or two people – afamily typically – and they would use that land for cows and horses and growingfood. The word “ranch” is, in American English, typically associated with stateslike Texas or Arizona or California, where there were these large pieces of landthat you would find animals on.

That’s where Annie’s going; she’s going to a ranch owned by her sister and hersister’s husband, which would be Annie’s brother-in-law. She says, “I know I’m acity girl” – that is, she’s someone who is raised in a city, not out on a farm, wewould call that, perhaps, a “country girl” or “boy” – “but I plan to fit right in on thatranch and work alongside all of the other cowboys.” “To fit in” or “to fit right in”

means to be the same as everyone around you. So, you’re wearing same kindsof clothes, you’re acting the same, you’re doing the same things; that’s to fit in.

Annie wants to work alongside all of the other cowboys. “Alongside” (alongside –one word) means together with someone else; doing something with someone,standing next to them, or working with them. “Cowboys” are people, usuallymen, that ride horses, and they take care of the cows and other large animalswhen they’re riding on their horses. Cowboys are an important part of WesternUnited States culture, and that’s what Annie wants to do.

Piero says, “Well, you look the part.” The expression “to look the part” (part)means that you look the way people expect someone to look, to dress, to act forthat particular situation. The word “part” here refers to an actor or an actresswho is playing a certain character in a TV show or movie or play. Someone who, for example, is in the play Romeo and Juliet and is playing the character ofRomeo would have what we would say the “part” of Romeo. “I have Romeo’spart,” meaning that’s the person I’m going to be in the movie or in the play. “Tolook the part” means that you look just like that person should look.

Piero observes that Annie has a cowboy hat, a lasso, and chaps. A “cowboy hat”

is a very large hat; I’m sure you’ve seen one. It is made of a thick, soft fabric,traditionally worn by men although women can wear them, too. They’re verymuch associated with Western U.S. culture. You’ll see them in movies about theWest. A “lasso” (lasso) is a long rope with a large circle on it that can be used tothrow at an animal, for example, in order to catch the animal. “Chaps” (chaps)are clothing that’s similar to a pair of pants. They’re often made of leather.

They’re actually worn over your pants to protect them while you are riding ahorse. I do not have a cowboy hat, a lasso, or chaps, and I’ve never ridden ahorse, but I’ve seen movies, so I know what they are.

Annie says, “Yes, of course (she has these things). How else could I ride withthem (the cowboys) on the cattle drive?” A “cattle drive” refers to a processwhere you have several cowboys who work together to move the cows – wewould also call them “cattle” (cattle) – from one place to another over a very longdistance. So, it’s how you would move the animals if you were moving to anotherranch, for example, or if you were taking them to be sold somewhere.

Piero is surprised, he says, “Cattle drive? Are you sure it’s a working ranch?”

That is, it’s a ranch that is still operational, that is still functioning as a ranch.

Annie says, “I think so. Why would they buy a ranch if they don’t plan to havehorses and livestock?” “Horses,” you probably know, are large animals with fourlegs. “Livestock” are animals that are raised – are born and grow up on a farm –usually for food or for something the animal produces. Livestock could beanything from cows, sheep, pigs, goats; these are all possible animals that wewould call “livestock” (livestock – one word). Piero is asking Annie if this is, infact, a real ranch with horses and animals. Annie says, “I think so.” Why wouldthey have a ranch without these things?

Piero says, “Don’t ask me. What’s all that stuff in your bags?” In your luggage,the things you use to carry your clothes when you travel. Annie says, “That’s allequipment I’ll need to ride a horse: a bridle, a bit, and ta-da – my own saddle!” A“bridle” (bridle) is something made of leather that you put over the horse’s head,and it allows you to control the horse more easily. There’s another word that isalso pronounced “bridal” (bridal), which refers to a woman who’s getting married;we call that woman a “bride.” So, “bridal” would be the adjective referring to thethings related to the bride. You wouldn’t want to put a bridle on the bride, of course, unless perhaps you’re the future husband! Annie says that she has abridle and a bit (bit). A “bit” here is a metal bar that goes in the horse’s mouth,and is used along with the bridle to control the horse. “Bit” has many meaningsin English however; take a look at our Learning Guide for some of those. Theexpression “ta-da” (ta-da or ta-dah) is something we use when we areintroducing something surprising, but we’re doing it in sort of a humorous way.

It’s an expression that perhaps used to be used by magicians when they wereabout to do something surprising for the audience. But now, we use it in ahumorous, joking way to show something to someone that they might besurprised to see. You want to show someone, for example, your new pair ofsunglasses. So you turn around away from them, and you put them on, and thenyou turn back around and you say, “Ta-da! What do you think?” And they say,“Oh! They’re beautiful,” even if they’re not, because, of course, you don’t want toinsult the person. Right? Well, Annie is surprising Piero by saying and showingthat she has a saddle (saddle). A “saddle” is the thing that you use to put on topof the horse to sit on the horse so you don’t fall off.

Piero says, “This is all stuff that they should have at the ranch already, don’t youthink?” Annie says, “Yes, but I’ll need to go horseback riding this weekend topractice.” “Horseback (one word) riding” is when you ride a horse. You get ontothe horse’s back, literally, and you ride the horse; you make it move and you gowith it – usually. I have never been horseback riding, and I really don’t want togo horseback riding!

Piero says, “That’s a good idea. Have you been riding horses long (for a longtime)?” Annie says, “This weekend will be my first time.” Piero says, “You’reriding a horse for the first time this weekend and you plan to work at your sister’sranch next month?” Piero’s surprised since, of course, Annie doesn’t have verymuch experience riding horses; she’s never done it before, and she wants towork on the ranch riding horses. Annie says, “Sure, how hard could it be?” Thisquestion is asked when we think something will not be very difficult. She says,“It’s just like riding a bike, right?” It’s similar to riding a bicycle, which I don’t thinkit is. But what do I know? I’ve never ridden a horse.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.