英语趣味课堂：参加婚礼：Attending Wedding
Travis: Well, actually not my brother, my cousin is getting married. On my family's side of the family, on my father's side of the family, I have quite a few cousins and quite a few uncles and aunts. My dad is one of eight children, so we've always been very close and basically we've been a nuclear family around my grandparents of my dad's side, so my cousin, Brian, is going to be getting married in Puerto Viarta, Mexico, and I think that wedding is taking place about August 9th.
Todd: Oh, wow.
Travis: So we are all going to be going out there as a family. Hopefully we'll have as many as maybe forty of us, and whoever the bride invites , and we'll be on the beach for about 3 or 4 days, and have a wedding of Saturday, so it should be pretty exciting.
Todd: Mexico, that's an interesting choice. I mean, that's pretty far away.
Travis: It is pretty far away so it should be kind of expensive for all the guests to get there, which might be planned on my cousin's side because he might be trying to limit the amount of people who come to his wedding, so it won't get to overly large, and Mexico is actually cheaper to have a wedding than the United States because the power of the dollar versus the power of the peso, is you know, quite strong,
so you can go down to Mexico and for maybe a third the price have the same lavish wedding you might have in the United States, though Puerto Viarta might be a little more expensive than a normal Mexican wedding because Puerto Viarta is sort of a tourist and resort community.
Todd: Have you been to Puerto Viarta before?
Travis: I've never been there before. In fact, even though I am from Southern California and from Los Angeles basically, which is only two hours from Mexico, I've never been to Mexico.
Todd: I'm from San Francisco and even I've been to Mexico.
Travis: Well, Tijuana is a place everybody goes to, and it's never had any big appeal for me. Typically, southern Californians will go there, as soon they turn 18 , cause at 18 you can drink in Tijuana, and you can't drink in California when you're 18. You have to wait until you are 21, so that's a big reason to go I suppose, but I never made it down there.
Todd: Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy Mexico.
Travis: I'm sure I will.
学习内容：
Learn Vocabulary from the lesson
father's side of the family
I have quite a few cousins on my father's side of the family.
Your 'father's side of the family' includes your father's parents, his aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, their husbands or wives and their children. This is frequently shortened5 to 'my father's side' in conversation. Notice the following:
My father's side of the family is much larger than my mother's.
I am going to a family reunion for my father's side.
very close
My dad is one of eight children, so we've always been very close.
If you are 'very close' with someone you have a good relationship with him and he knows about what is happening in your life. Notice the following:
I have always been very close to my parents.
My brother and sister are very close and talk almost every day.
nuclear family
Basically, we've been a nuclear family around my grandparents on Dad's side.
Usually 'nuclear family' refers to just the parents and the children that live in the same house. Travis is saying that his extended6 family is so close that they acted like a linear family. Notice the following:
My nuclear family and my grandparents live together.
I am in close contact with my nuclear family, but not as much with my extended family.
power of the dollar (or peso)
The power of the dollar is stronger, versus the power of the peso.
The 'power of the dollar' refers to value of a US dollar in Mexico, not just in terms of pesos, but what it can buy as far as things or services. Notice the following:
His wealth changes depending on the power of the dollar.
The power of the dollar decreased a lot in the last few years.
lavish
You can have the same lavish wedding in Mexico for a third of the price in the US.
A 'lavish' wedding is very fancy8 and elaborate9, sometimes a little extravagant or excessive. Notice the following:
He spends his money on lavish things, such as expensive sports cars.
She has always given us very lavish birthday and Christmas gifts.
1 basically
adv.基本上，从根本上说
参考例句：
His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。
2 versus
prep.以…为对手，对;与…相比之下
参考例句：
The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。
3 lavish
adj.无节制的;浪费的;vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍
参考例句：
He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。
4 resort
n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地;vi.求助，诉诸，采取(某种手段等)，常去
参考例句：
He couldn't have passed the exam without resort to cheating.他要不是靠作弊是通不过这次考试的。
Beidaihe is noted for its summer resort.北戴河以避暑胜地而著称。
5 shortened
v.弄短，缩短( shorten的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shortened the skirt by an inch. 她把裙子缩短了一英寸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Vacations have lengthened and the work week has shortened. 假期延长，工作周就缩短了。 来自辞典例句
6 extended
adj.延伸的;伸展的;延长的;扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词);伸展;延长
参考例句：
an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 linear
adj.线的，直线的，线状的，长度的，线性的
参考例句：
He's making linear measurements.他正在进行长度测量。
Here are linear measures in millimeters.这是毫米方式的线性量度。
8 fancy
n.想像力，幻想;喜好，爱;adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的;技巧的;vt.想象，自认为，喜好
参考例句：
He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。
9 elaborate
adj.详尽的;复杂的;vi./vt.详述;详细制订
参考例句：
You understand the situation;I needn't elaborate any further.你对情况是了解的，我不必再进一步详谈了。
He made an elaborate hairstyle.他做了一个复杂的发型。
10 extravagant
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
11 excessive
adj.过多的，过分的，过度的
参考例句：
The prices at this hotel are excessive.这家旅馆的价钱贵得过分。
She takes an excessive interest in clothes.她过分注重衣着。
