英语听力小短文走遍全世界48: 英国人的家

英语听力原文：

Some people would say that the Englishman's home is no longer his castle; that it has become his workshop. This is partly because the average Englishman is keen on working with his hands and partly because he feels, for one reason or another, that he must do for himself many household jobs for which, some years ago, he would have hired professional help.

有人会说，英国人的家不再是他们的城堡了，而变成了他们的车间。这一方面是因为一般的英国人热衷于用自己的双手工作，另一方面是因为他觉得，不管什么原因，有许多家庭工作他必须自己动手去做，而这些工作在几年前都会由雇佣的专业人士帮忙完成。

The main reason for this is a financial one: the high cost of labor has meant that builders' and decorators' costs have reached a level which makes them so high that the house-proud English people of modest means hang back. So, if they wish to keep their houses looking bright and smart, they have to deal with some of the repairs and decorating themselves. As a result, there has grown up in the post-war years what is sometimes referred to as the "Do-It-Yourself Movement".

这种现象的主要原因是经济因素：高成本的劳动力意味着建筑工人和装修工人的费用达到了非常高的水平，使得节俭的、讲究家里摆设的英国人退缩了。因此，如果他们想让他们的房子保持明亮整洁的话，他们不得不自己去做一些修理和装修工作。这样，在战后几年里，在英国形成了一种运动，有时被称为“自己动手运动”。

The "Do-It-Yourself Movement" began with home decorating but has since spread into a much wider field. Nowadays there seem to be very few things that cannot be made by the "do-it-yourself" method.

“自己动手运动”由家庭装修开始，但从那时候起到现在，已经扩展到了更多的领域。如今，似乎没有什么事情不能通过“自己动手”的方法来解决。

A number of magazines and handbooks exist to show hopeful handymen of ages just how easy it is to build anything from a coffee table to a fifteen-foot sailing boat. All you need, it seems, is a hammer and a few nails. You follow the simple instructions step-by-step and, before you know where you are, the finished article stands before you, complete in every detail.

有许多杂志和手册向不同年龄段的心灵手巧的人展示，制作从咖啡桌到15英尺(4.5米)的独栀小艇等一切东西是多么容易，只需一把榔头和几枚钉子就可以了。你只要一步一步地跟着简单明晰的指示做，还没等你反应过来，成品就会出现在你面前，所有的部分一应俱全。

英语词汇整理：

1. workshop n. 车间，工厂，作坊;研讨会，讲习班

eg: Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave ran a jazz workshop for young artists.

鼓手马库斯马贝尔格瑞夫为年轻艺术家们举办了一场爵士乐研讨会。

相关短语：

run a workshop 开办讲习班

workshop on 研究……的专题讨论会

in the workshop 在车间里

2. professional adj. 职业的，专业的，专门的 n. 专业人员

eg: She is a professional actress.

她是职业演员。

相关短语：

turn professional 成为职业运动员

professional team 专业团队;职业队

professional education 职业教育;专业教育

professional experience 工作经验;职业经验

professional staff 专门人员

professional skill 专业技能

3. financial adj. 金融的，财政的

eg: The company is in financial difficulties.

这个公司处于财务困难之中。

相关短语：

financial risk 财务风险

financial sector 财政部门

financial crisis 金融危机;财政危机

4. decorator n. 房屋装饰人 adj. 适宜于室内装饰用的

eg: I'm not an interior decorator, but I could always turn my hand to most things.

我不是什么室内装潢设计师，可室内装潢的大部分事情我都能够拿下来。

相关短语：

interior decorator 室内设计家

have the decorators in [俚语](女子)来月经，月经来潮

5. method n. 方法，办法;秩序，条理

eg: His book is totally without method.

他写的那本书毫无条理。

相关短语：

the method in 在……方面有条理

by any method 无论如何

by no method 决不，决非

in the method of 用……方式

6. hammer n. 锤，榔头 v. 锤击，敲打

eg: He cried loudly and hammered against the door.

他高喊着不停地猛敲大门。

相关短语：

hammer on(对准位置)钉牢;敲紧

hammer out 设计出;锤成;苦心想出

hammer at 敲打;致力于

hammer into 钉入;敲进;向……硬灌

hammer home 给……以深刻印象

drop the hammer [美国俚语]加大油门，加速

7. instruction n. 指令，教学， 教诲，说明

eg: I will take the medicine according to the instructions.

我会按说明来服药的。

相关短语：

draw instruction from 从……中得到教诲

have instruction in 在……方面受教育

instruction in 讲授……方面的知识

佳句采摘：

This is partly because the average Englishman is keen on working with his hands and partly because he feels, for one reason or another, that he must do for himself many household jobs for which, some years ago, he would have hired professional help.

这一方面是因为一般的英国人热衷于用自己的双手工作，另一方面是因为他觉得，不管什么原因，有许多家庭工作他必须自己动手去做，而这些工作在几年前都会由雇佣的专业人士帮忙完成。