在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.blurry 模糊 2.appointment 约会 3.optometrist 验光师 4.drops 水珠 5.frames 框架 6.measurements 测量 原文 I Need Glasses I have been having trouble seeing the blackboard. Everything is blurry. I keep getting headaches. I told my mother about it，and she made an appointment with the optometrist. I went to a place where they made me read words and letters on a chart. Some of the words were big，and some were very small. I tried to read everything，but sometimes I couldn't see some of the small letters. The optometrist would cover one of my eyes while I read the chart. Then，she would cover my other eye. She even put some drops in my eyes. I asked the optometrist if I had passed or failed the test. She laughed，and said that it wasn't the kind of test that you passed or failed. She was just trying to find out if I needed glasses. I did need glasses. My mother and I looked around. There are many pairs of frames. I wanted something that was in style. I tried on many pairs of frames. Some of them looked good on me，and some of them looked really funny on me. I finally chose a frame that was my favorite. I gave them to a lady who did some measurements. She told me to come back on Friday to get my glasses. On Friday，I got my glasses. My friends like them. They said I looked smart in my glasses. I wore them to school on Monday，and I was able to see the blackboard clearly. I didn't realize how much I hadn't been able to see. Now I don't get headaches anymore. I'm glad that I had my glasses. Everything is a lot clearer now.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.surgeon 外科医生 2.veterinarian 兽医 3.janitor 看门人 4.construction crew 施工队 5.interior 内部 6.instructor 教练 原文 Career Choices What do you want to be when you grow up？ There are so many things that you can be. You might want to work in the field of law. You could be a police officer. You could be a judge and a lawyer. Maybe you'd like to work in the food industry. You could be a cook or a waitress. You might want to manage a hotel dining room. Perhaps you would want to do room service in a hotel. You could be a chef and make fancy meals for people. Maybe show business is what you'd like to be involved in. You could act in television shows or movies. You could sing or play an instrument in a band. If you like to help people，you could go into medicine. You could be a doctor or a nurse. You might be a surgeon and operate on people There are other jobs in the field of medicine too. You could be an X-ray technician or a lab technician. It takes a lot of education to be a doctor. Maybe you would rather be a teacher. You could teach in a primary school or a high school. If you don't want to work with children，you could become a professor at university. There are hundreds of other jobs to choose from to. You might want to fix cars or work in a store. You could be a dentist or a veterinarian. You could be a janitor or a zookeep. There are so many jobs that I just can't name them all. Maybe you'd like to be a minister or an organist in a church. You could be a babysitter or a shop clerk. You might be interested in astronaut or a baker. You could work in a bank or at a shop. You could work on a construction crew and build roads and houses. Maybe you'd rather decorate house，so you'd become an interior decorator. You could hair cut or be a driving instructor. The list is endless. There are even jobs that you may never have heard about. The choice is yours. You just choose whatever you want to be and do your best to become that. I could do on forever. You could work in a library. You could be a factory worker or a fisherman. You could make clothes or build bridges. You could wash windows or be a bricklayer. The possibilities are endless.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.gallery 画廊 2.phantom 幻影 3.portray 描绘 4.miserable scrooge 可怜的吝啬鬼 5.entertain 娱乐 原文 Creative People Some people are just born to create. That's what I think. Some people just have the need to write stories，compose beautiful music，or paint pictures. Creative seems to be inside them，and they need to let it out. It's good that we have people like that. Composers like Mozart and Chopin have given us music that is incredibly beautiful. It's not just the classical composers who have given us great pieces of music；there are modern composers who have written great songs also. Elton John is an example of someone of who has composed many wonderful songs. Andrew Lloyd Webber has given us some very popular musicals like Cats and The Phantom Opera. There are so many talented and creative people in this world. When you visit an art gallery，you marvel at how artists are able to recreate realism or make up something that seems totally unreal yet beautiful. The American artist Norman Rockwell painted some pictures that actually look like photographs. He tried to portray life as it was in America. Through his painting，one can get a good sense of American life through the years. On the other hand，artists like Jackson Pollock did not portray realism. Jackson Pollock painted abstract pictures. His paintings are just as good as Norman Rockwell's，but they are entirely different. Some books we read are classics. Mark Twain portray American life through his character Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Charles Dickens brought Victorian England to life through his books. Most people are familiar with his Christmas Carol，where the mean and miserable Scrooge learns the true mean of Christmas. People don't have to read the classics. There are modern writers who entertain reader through their stories. Stephen King has written a number of horror stories. Some of his books have even been made into movies. We are lucky to have creative people who share their gifts with us. If you are lucky enough to be creative，you should use your talent to create works of art that we all can share.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.caterpillars 毛毛虫 2.snowflakes 雪花 3.vanish 消失 原文 I am Curious I am curious about many things I would like to find the answers to a lot of questions that I have. What holds the stars up in the sky？ Why does the ice form on the top of the lake when it is cold？ Is there life on other planets？ Why do we not fall off the face of the earth？ How do caterpillars turn into butterflies？ All of these things are mysteries to me. There are so many questions that are unanswered. I think I should go to library and get a book to find out why people grow old. What makes a television work？ I also want to know where electricity comes from. Who is the strongest person in the world？ Who is the smartest person in the world？ Why do some people have blonde hair，and some people have black hair？ Why do people in different countries speak different languages？ Why do people have to die？ Why are no two snowflakes alike？ What makes people fall in love？ What makes the rivers run？ Why does the sun rise every morning？ How did the oceans form？ Why did the dinosaurs vanish from the earth？ I wonder if I'll ever find out the answers to all my questions. I think I'll have to study hard and stay in school to find out everything that I want to know. Some questions never get answered. It is good to be curious. People who are curious about things are the ones who learn a lot，and some curious people go on to invent things and make important discoveries.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.rag 破布 2.plain 朴素的 3.clown 小丑 4.tattered 破烂的 5.torn 破损的 6.worn 磨损 7.cherish 爱惜 原文 My Doll When I was an infant，I got a rag doll. It was a very plain，little doll，and it wore a clown outfit and a clown's hat. I used to take that doll to bed with me every night. I couldn't go to bed without my doll. My mother used to pretend that the doll was talking to me. She would make the doll dance and sing songs. I would talk to the doll. My mother would answer for the doll，but I was a baby，and I thought that the doll was actually talking to me. That doll was my best friend. I took her everywhere. One time I took the doll to a store with me，and I left the her on a shelf in the store. We were halfway home when I realized that I didn't have my doll with me. I was very upset. My mother and I rushed back the store. My doll was still there. I was so relieved. I hugged my doll，and I promised myself that I would never leave her anywhere again. I couldn't imagine life without that doll. Through the years，the doll became less import to my life. I had other things to do，but the doll still sat on my bed during the day，and I still took it to bed at night. I gave that doll a lot of love when I was little. In fact，I love the doll so much that she looks tattered and torn now. There are parts of her face and hands that are almost worn away. I had a lot of other toys when I was little，but none of them were ever so important as that doll. I don't play with toys anymore，but that doll is still in my room. She sits in a special chair in the corner. I'll always have that doll. No matter how worn out she is，I'll always keep her and cherish her as a part of my early childhood.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.sidewalk 人行道 2.cruel 残酷的 3.terrific 极好的 原文 Look for the Beauty I had learned that things don't always go the way that they were planned. If something doesn't happen the way that I want it to，I try to make the best of the situation. I always find that something good in everything that happens. Last year，I broke my ankle when I was walking on an icy sidewalk. At first，I was very upset. I was missing school，and there was a party that I wanted to go to. I couldn't do very much of anything. My ankle was very sore. I stayed at home and read a book. It was an excellent book，and one that I probably would not have had time to read under normal circumstances. My friends brought my homework to my house，and we had some really nice visits when they were here. I had to accept the fact that I couldn't go anywhere on my broken ankle，so I made the best of a bad situation. Once，I lost my way when I was out camping，I ended up in a very large field. I was afraid that nobody would find me，but I calmed myself down and took time to examine all the interesting wildflowers in the field. My family did find me. They were surprised at how calm I was. I have learned that there is something valuable inside every adventure and something beautiful inside every person. We had a new boy who came into our class. His clothes weren't in style，and he was not particularly handsome. Some of the boys and girls made fun of him. Sometimes，people can be really cruel. He seemed to handle it all right，but inside，I knew that it must hurt. Some of my friends and I invited him out with us. We found out that he had a terrific sense of humor，and he is probably one of the nicest people that I have ever met. He has since become one of my best friends. It makes me ashamed when someone that I know judges someone by how they look. It isn't fair to do that. You'll find that something good comes out of almost every situation. You'll find that something good about almost everyone that you meet if you look hard enough. If something doesn't work out the way you planned it，just make the best of the situation. Look for the beautiful in everything.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.culture shock 文化冲击 2.fairly 相当地 3.insult 侮辱 原文 Moving to Another Country My friend Steve moved to another country. He had lived in Canada all his life，and he moved to Japan. Life in Japan was very different for Steve than what he was used to. At first，Steve suffer from culture shock. His whole life seemed different. He was not used to the way of life in Japan. Steve was not used to the large crowds of people that walked up and down the street in Japan. In his hometown in Canada，the streets were fairly quiet. Steve had to get used to the food. In Japan ，the people eat a lot of fish. Steve had never eaten much fish before. Steve wanted pizza，but it was expensive in Japan. Steve said that he had to adjust his eating habits. The people in Japan have different customs than we do here in Canada. Steve didn't want to offend anyone，so he had to learn the customs. He had to learn about what Japanese people considered polite and rude. Sometimes ，in a foreign country，you can do something to insult someone without even realizing that you are being rude. At first，Steve had trouble with the language. He said that the only way to learn the language is to talk to people. Steve talked to a lot of people. He made a lot of mistakes，but people were patient with him，and they tried to help him with his Japanese. It wasn't long before Steve felt more comfortable in his new surroundings. You have to be willing to learn new customs and a new language if you move to another country. Steve feels very comfortable in Japan，and in Canada now. He is thinking about going to another country now. He thinks that he might like to try and live in Italy. I'm sure that he would get over his culture shock very fast if he moved there. Moving to a new country can be difficult，but if you are willing to learn，it can be very rewarding experience.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.campaign 运动 2.rubber 橡胶 3.palms 手掌 4.sweaty 流汗的 5.flutter 振动 原文 Giving a Speech I had to give a speech last week. I gave a speech to three hundred people. I had to give a speech in front of a group of students. I had to tell them about a campaign that we were having to raise money for cancer research. Giving a speech can be a difficult thing. When you stand in front of a big crowd，you can get very nervous. Some people feel like they have weak knees. Their legs feel as if they are made of rubber. Their heart beats very hard inside of their chest. Their palms get sweaty. Some people even get short of breath. For some people，giving a speech is their worst fear. When you give a speech，everyone is looking at you. They are waiting to hear what you have to say. When you have three hundred people looking at you，you have six hundred eyes that are on you. It is a little frightening when you think of it that way. Before I give speech，I take three big breaths. I calm myself，and I remind myself that what I have to say is important. I like to be sure of what I am going to say，so I practice my speech in front of a mirror at home. I like to look like I am relaxed and friendly. They say that practice makes perfect；so the more speeches you give，the better you will become at it. Whenever I have to give a speech，I imagine that the audience is just one big person. I focus on that person，and I pretend that I am just talking to them. I have become used to giving speeches. I am more relaxed now than I used to be. People tell me that I do not look nervous at all. I like to hear that. Sometime I do feel a little flutter of nervousness，but I just ignore it and do the best that I can. Giving a speech is not as scary as it appears to be. Anyone can do it with a little practice.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.buttons 按钮 2.sundae 圣代冰激凌 3.chores 家务 原文 The Future I sometimes wonder what life will be like in the future. Life has changed so much in just the past few years. I'm sure that there are still big changes that are coming. Do you think we'll still drive cars？ Maybe we'll get computerized vehicles that we won't have to drive. We'll push a few of buttons，and the vehicles will take us to wherever we want to go. Maybe there won't be roads. We might just fly through space to get where we want to go. Instead of telephones，we'll just use our computers. We'll be able to see each other when we talk. That type of thing is already happening. Maybe we won't have to cook our meals. My might be able to push buttons to order whatever we want. A nice roast beef dinner，or an ice cream sundae，might just pop out of a machine. It would be nice to have a robot to clean the house for you. In the past few years，the computers have been extremely important. People used to write to each other through the mail. Now，people communicate so much more frequently through e-mail. Most of my friends own computers. If we had all of these things to do the work for us，what would we do？ We would still need people to program the computers. We could spend more time being creative，rather than doing everyday chores. The future holds many surprises. I'm sure that technology will become even more and more amazing. When my parents were young，they had never even seen a color television. Nobody owned a computer. It doesn't take long for things to change a lot. Who knows what amazing things are in store for us？

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.sniffle 抽鼻子 2.tissues 纸巾 3.scratchy 沙哑 4.stale 不新鲜的 5.germs 微生物 6.thoroughly 完全地 7.banister 扶手 原文 How to Avoid Catching a Cold How many colds do you catch in a year？ Most of my friends catch quite a few colds. They cough，sniffle and sneeze. They carry around tissues and blow their noses all the time. Their eyes water，and they have scratchy throats. I don't get many colds. In fact，I can go for a whole year and never catch a cold. That is why I consider myself an expert on how not to catch a cold. I'll tell you how to avoid catching a cold. I think that you need to take a lot of vitamin C. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I drink fruit juice too. I also take vitamin C pills. Whenever I begin to feel a cold coming on，I make sure that I have taken my vitamin C pill，and I drink a lot of orange juice. That usually knocks the cold right out of my system. I make sure that I get a lot of fresh air. In the winter，a lot of buildings are shut up tight so that the air is stale，and people's germs circulate through the buildings. I get outside and breath in fresh clean air. If someone is rude enough to cough or sneeze right in front of me without covering his or her mouth，I just hold my breath for a second. I'm not sure if this works or not，but I don't want to breathe in anybody's cold germs. Many germs are passed through hands. It is important to wash your hands thoroughly，if you touch anything in a public place. If I hold a banister while I am walking down the stairs，I think of all the people who have used that banister，and I make sure that I wash my hands before I eat. Doorknobs also have a lot of germs on them. Money is another thing that is passed from hand to hand and is covered with germs. Sometimes，I see people stick money into their mouths. Just think of all the germs that you would be putting into your mouth if you did that. If you just give it a little bit of thought，you can avoid a lot of the germs that cause colds. If you eat food and stay fit，your body will be able to fight off the germs that cause the cold and other diseases. It is not always possible to avoid colds，but if do catch a cold，drink plenty of fluids and get a lot of rest.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.fascinating 迷人的 2.tornada 龙卷风 3.evacuated 疏散 4.precautions 预防措施 原文 Weather Sometimes，I watch the weatherman on television. It is fascinating to watch him point to different areas of the country on the map. He tells us where the weather will be nice and where it will be bad. The weatherman is not always right. Weather reporting is not an exactly science. Nothing is very exactly when it comes to the weather. The weather department does a lot of research，but they can never be sure of exactly what will happen. Sometimes，it looks like it will be clear，but the wind changes direction and clouds move in. The weatherman can warn people if there is a change of a hurricane and tornado. The weatherman can also warn people of floods. Sometimes，entire towns have to be evacuated because of bad weather. It is important to be aware of the weather. For example，it is not good to be caught in the middle of a field when there is going to be a thunderstorm. You might want to take extra precautions if there is going to be a heavy snowstorm. You would need to be in a secure place if a hurricane or tornado was predicted. You might want to cancel a picnic if you knew that it would rain that day. The weather affects us in so many ways. Some people are really affected by dull，cloudy day. If there be no sunny days ，they become very depressed. Heavy air pressure can cause some people to have headaches. Weather affects all of us in one way or another. It is always a topic of conversation. People always say things like“hello，it's a beautiful day today” Often，we plan our lives and activities around the weather. So，if you are planning on walking home tonight，keep an eye on the sky. Are those rain clouds up there？ You might need an umbrella.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.animated 活泼的 2.general 将军 3.reverently 恭敬地 4.fictional 虚构的 原文 The Best Teacher I have had a lot of teachers. Some of them were good，and some of them were boring. There is one teacher whom I remember very well. He is the best teacher that I ever had. His name is Mr. Alban. He was a history teacher. History is not my favorite subject. I don't really enjoy history a lot. When I was in Mr. Alban's class，he made history seem exciting. He was more of an actor than a teacher. If he was describing a war，he would make us feel all the emotions that the soldiers and their families would have felt. We could hear almost the guns firing and the people shouting. He would paint a picture in our minds that was very vivid. When I had a history test in his class，I didn't have to learn much. I would remember every word that he had said. I would see him doing the actions that went along with his stories. He was very animated. He would shouted out orders as if he was a general，or he would speak softly and reverently when describing the death of a great hero. The most important thing that I learned from Mr. Alban was that I did really like history. I just thought that I didn't like it because most people make it dull by just reading from the textbooks. History is not a series of dates and dull facts. History is what really happened. History is real life. All the historical figures had really families and emotions. They weren't just fictional people. After I took history from Mr. Alban，I realized that I really did have an interest in it. He was my favorite teacher，and I will always be grateful to him for making me aware of just how interesting history really is.