英语播客 A Cup of English 2016 Party Central

Isn't it fun when you stumble across(1) something interesting or worthwhile in a very unlikely place? Perhaps you have gone for a walk through a forest, and along the way you find a beautiful stone statue. Or you are at the beach, and you find a small cave with hieroglyphics in it. These are exciting things to find. My daughter and I found the largest party store in the whole of the U.S in a small town called Moses Lake. Ok, it's not historic, or beautiful, but it is fascinating. If you heard my previous podcast, about Moses Lake, you will know that it is really in the middle of nowhere. And it isn't even a very populated town. So why would the company called Party Central decide to build their biggest store in this out-of-the-way(2) place? My answer is really that I don't know, but I'm assuming(3) that the company has a good reason. Domini had finished a weekend of basketball and wanted to have a quick look in some shops. This store looked entertaining so we walked in. From the outside I couldn't tell how big it was; however, when we went in, it seemed to open up into a huge, cathedral-like place that was filled with plastic this and plastic that. There were enormous shelves on every aisle that must have been at least 20ft tall, and about 200ft long. And there was aisle after aisle of party supplies: plates, hats, cutlery, masks, balloons, makeup, presents, prizes, oh the list goes on to infiniti. I noticed that the employees who worked in this store were quite slim; its not surprising, seeing as they probably walk for miles each day just around the store. My daughter and I had a good look around. We only bought a Valentine's card and a small box of candies. I really didn't want to buy anything; I found the huge quantity of products quite off-putting. When I went to pay, I said to the employee, "This is the biggest party supply store I have seen!" That's when he told me that it is the biggest in the U.S. "Really? In Moses Lake?" I asked, wondering why it wouldn't be in a big city like Chicago or Los Angeles. Hmm, I'm still puzzled. Perhaps the middle of nowhere is the best place for a huge party.

1. 'To stumble across/ upon' means to find accidentally.

a. The children stumbled upon a purse in the mud. It looked like it had been there for years.

b. While she visited her grandmother, she stumbled upon a family secret.

c. Howard Carter and George Herbert, with the help of many workers, stumbled upon Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922.

2. 'Out-of-the-way' means remote.

a. Even in the middle of nowhere, in this out-of-the-way place, you can places find to stay.

b. After getting lost on the moors, the travelers took shelter in an out-of-the-way abandoned farm.

3. 'To assume' is to have an idea about something without really knowing facts.

a. He comes to see us every weekend, so I'm assuming he will this weekend.

b. I assumed that he was an athlete because he is tall and strong, but actually he is a dancer.