大学英语能力突破：新闻听力精讲

外教社精心打造的大学英语能力突破系列数字课程之“新闻听力精讲”，由华中师范大学外国语学院人气讲师刘文波担任主讲，她也是2016年“外教社杯”全国高校外语教学大赛视听说课组的冠军。听懂英语新闻对英语学习者来说是一大难关，要想把握新闻大意，在听到的密集信息中提取最关键、有效的部分，除了练好扎实的语言基本功外，还需要学习者了解新闻的文体特点，熟悉常见新闻主题的背景知识和词汇。2016年，大学英语四级考试（CET-4）的听力题型中加入短篇新闻题型，难倒了不少没有接受过专门训练的同学。因此本课程也加入了针对新闻听力应试的真题分析和技巧点拨，帮助学习者克服难关。本课程由“难点攻克”“主题特训”“技巧突破”和“模拟备战”四大板块构成。前三个版块细分为十讲，每一讲包含精讲微课、辅助练习和总结视频，讲练结合，即时反馈。最后一个板块包括8套四级新闻听力模拟题，为四级备考提供助力。

全新版大学进阶英语：视听说教程第三册

全新版大学进阶英语《视听说教程》网络课程可用于课堂教学外的巩固与补充，也可作为学生独立学习的网络课程。该课程选用美国《国家地理》的素材，图片震撼、场景真实、语言地道。《视听说网络课程》注重听力技能和口语表达的训练，练习设计循序渐进，科学合理；为兼顾四级考试的需求，网络课程每单元均含四级听力与口语训练的练习。听力播放支持语速调节，口语训练实现了较好的人机交互功能，便于学生根据自身需求进行个性化学习。

全新版大学进阶英语：视听说教程第一册

全新版大学进阶英语《视听说教程》网络课程可用于课堂教学外的巩固与补充，也可作为学生独立学习的网络课程。该课程选用美国《国家地理》的素材，图片震撼、场景真实、语言地道。《视听说网络课程》注重听力技能和口语表达的训练，练习设计循序渐进，科学合理；为兼顾四级考试的需求，网络课程每单元均含四级听力与口语训练的练习。听力播放支持语速调节，口语训练实现了较好的人机交互功能，便于学生根据自身需求进行个性化学习。

双语阅读 | 极简衣橱挑战

Have you ever pulled open the doors of your wardrobe, only to find yourself groaning loudly that you have nothing to wear? At this point it can be tempting to rush out and buy something new, fun, and affordable. But this kind of quick-fix buying probably leads to the “nothing to wear” dilemma in the first place. It is time to bring the minimalism into your wardrobe.你是否曾有过打开衣柜，却发现自己没有衣服可穿而只能大声抱怨的经历？这时也许你会急着冲出家门，去购入一些设计有趣、价格实惠的新衣服。但这种应急式的购买方式很可能会让你再次陷入“无衣可穿”的困境。那么，是时候用极简主义来打造衣橱了。One closet-reducing program is the capsule wardrobe. Though usually thought to be some contemporary notion, the term was originally coined by British fashion icon Susie Faux in the 1970s. A capsule wardrobe consists of the most essential clothing items, which serve as the building blocks of the closet. You can create entire looks with just the capsule wardrobe, and you can also layer capsule pieces with seasonal pieces and trendy, fast-fashion items.“胶囊衣橱计划”是精简衣橱的方法之一。虽然经常被视为当代的时髦概念，但该词最初是在上世纪70年代由英国时尚偶像苏茜·法克斯（Susie Faux）创造的。胶囊衣橱包含的是最经典的必备款衣服，以此作为整个衣橱的基础。你可以用胶囊衣橱负责全身行头，也可以将其与其他季节性的快时尚潮流单品搭配。Another minimalist fashion challenge is a popular movement “Project 333”. In “Project 333", fashion blogger Courtney Carver encourages people to create a wardrobe of thirty-three items every three months. It has inspired thousands of people since then to minimalize their wardrobe – and other parts of their life as well. YouTube fashion blogger Daria Andronescu also takes newbie by the digital hand and helps them on their way to sustainable style. Her “Wonder Wardrobe” YouTube channel boasts more than 40k subscribers, who are treated with regular tips, news and fashion finds.另一个极简主义时尚挑战是备受欢迎的“ 333计划”。在“ 333计划”中，时尚博主考特尼·卡弗（Courtney Carver）鼓励人们每三个月打造一个由33件单品组成的衣橱。这一时尚运动鼓舞了数千人去简化自己的衣橱以及生活的其他方面。油管时尚博主达里亚·安德罗涅斯库（Daria Andronescu）通过网络手段帮助时尚新手们形成 “可持续性”的穿衣法则。她的油管频道“美妙衣橱”（“Wonder Wardrobe”）订阅数超过4万，这些订阅者会定期收到她的穿搭建议、业内新闻和时尚新发现。The “minimalist wardrobe” concept represents a shift in thinking about how we wear clothes, which could inspire important changes in our consumption habits. Since the capsule collection is meant to be worn over and over, the idea is that we will invest in fewer, high-quality, well-made pieces. It is not only far better for the pocketbook, but also better for the environment in the long term. Join the minimalist wardrobe challenge now!“极简衣橱”的理念代表着我们对如何穿衣的想法发生了变化，由此我们的消费习惯也可能随之发生重大变化。由于胶囊衣橱里的衣服是会反复穿着，因此我们会购买数量较少，但是品质优良、做工精致的单品。这不仅对钱包友好，从长远来看也将有利于保护环境。快来接受极简衣橱的挑战吧！VOCABULARYtempting adj. 诱人的capsule n. 胶囊newbie n. 新手pocketbook n. 钱包

双语阅读 | 父亲在儿童教育中的作用

Home education is long considered as the bounden duty of a mother, who is regarded as the embodiment of devotion, selflessness, and unconditional love. A father’s territory, on the other hand, is often deemed as the workplace where he appears to achieve more sense of worth than he does at home. Besides, fathers’ more clumsy performances in baby-nursing are construed as the evidences that they are less sensitive about the emotional cues of babies. Although the paternal love often appears less direct and intense than its counterpart, it is an indispensable part of the healthy emotional, physical, and cognitive growth of a child. However, not every father lives up to his fatherhood, which is a sense of responsibility, a lifestyle that has no end.一直以来，家庭教育被视作是母亲的天职。母亲意味着无私的奉献和无条件的爱。而工作则被认为是父亲的主要阵地，因为工作似乎比家庭更能给父亲带来价值感。此外，父亲在育儿时较为笨拙的表现也被认为体现了其对婴儿情绪的感知能力较弱。然而，尽管父爱相较母爱显得更为含蓄、平淡，但对一个孩子的心理、身体和认知水平的健康发展来说是不可或缺的。事实上并非每个父亲都称得上称职。为人父代表着一种责任感，是一种贯彻一生的生活方式。Studies show that paternal involvement in children’s reading greatly contributes to their language and literacy development. Reading is an essential activity associated with the cognitive development of children. It’s a habit that can be cultivated through child-parent reading routines such as story-telling and text-retelling. Father-child reading is more beneficial to children’s acquisition of language than screen-based reading because it’s in-person and interactive. While mothers tend to be more descriptive, personal, and verbally encouraging, fathers make greater use of facial expressions and subtle body language. Father’s gaze and gestures (such as pointing to the book’s pictures) can help children concentrate on the reading process, which increases their learning efficiency. 研究表明父亲参与的亲子阅读对孩子的语言和读写能力的发展帮助很大。阅读活动对于儿童的认知发展起着关键作用。儿童的阅读习惯可以通过日常的亲子阅读（比如家长讲故事、儿童复述故事）来培养。父子共读比独自在屏幕上阅读更有利于儿童的语言学习，因为前者有面对面的互动交流。母亲更倾向于使用描述性、个人化和鼓励性的语言，而父亲则更多地通过面部表情和微妙的肢体语言与儿童互动。父亲可以通过眼神和手势（比如指向书中的图片）帮助儿童集中注意力，从而提高学习效率。Studies also find that when children play better, they read better, master more advanced vocabularies and develop more variegated communication skills. It is because young children’s cognitive abilities develop through new experiences and discoveries, which are key elements of play. Fathers who take active roles in the play encourage their children to push the limits, which helps them build independence, confidence, and progress. Also, it is easier for children to memorize words when they are uttered during the process of play. If fathers behave warm, nurturing, and supportive during the play, their children would be more prepared to the school than those whose fathers are less positively involved.研究同样发现玩耍有助于儿童提高阅读能力并掌握更高级的词汇和更丰富的交流技能。这是因为幼儿的认知能力会随着新的体验与发现发展，而接触新事物正是玩耍的核心要素。主动陪孩子玩的父亲会鼓励他们挑战自我，这从而使孩子更加独立和自信，取得更大进步。此外，儿童更容易记住在玩耍中听到的单词。如果父亲在玩耍时表现得热情、体贴和支持，他们的孩子将比那些父亲不那么积极参与的孩子更容易适应校园生活。Parenting is by no means the exclusive province of mothers. A qualified father is supposed to be more than a wage earner who comes home only to eat dinner and watch television. Consistent and active paternal involvement instills into children senses of security, well being, and confidence. Besides, the moral influence fathers have on children is as important as the emotional support they provide. Generally speaking, while mothers tend to see the rest of the world in relation to their children, fathers tend to see their children in relation to the rest of the world. Children turn to their fathers for laying down the rules which will mould their own characters and guide them to form new relationships in the future. While girls model their relationships with others based on their father’s character, boys model themselves after their father’s character. A good father shows his daughter what a good relationship with a man is and shows his son how to behave and survive in the world.育儿并非仅仅是母亲的职责。父亲也绝不意味着赚钱、回家吃饭和看电视。父亲始终如一、积极主动地参与孩子的成长会给孩子带来安全感、幸福感和自信心。除了情感上的支持以外，父亲对儿童的道德影响同样重要。一般而言，母亲总是以儿童为中心看待周围的世界，而父亲则关心儿童如何为外部世界所接纳。父亲会帮助孩子建立起人生准则，塑造孩子的个性，并指导他们在未来建立新的人际关系。女孩会根据父亲的性格选择所要交往的人，而男孩则以父亲的性格为榜样。一位好父亲会向女儿展示什么是男女之间的理想关系，向儿子则展示如何为人处世、如何在世界上生存。Vocabulary:bounden duty n. 天职construe v. 理解fatherhood n. 父亲的身份parent v. 养育instill v. 灌输mould v. 塑造

双语阅读 | NASA帮助孩子们居家实现太空梦

NASA帮助孩子们居家实现太空梦NASA offers at-home activities for children during the lockdown邓晶 供稿As most schools nationwide have been closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, children who have their eyes up at the stars can explore space from home with the help of NASA. During the lockdown, NASA has launched its "NASA At Home" website, full of educational resources geared to keep children engaged with science.为防止新冠病毒传播，美国大多数学校业已关闭，而在美国国家航空航天局（NASA）的帮助下，有着太空梦的孩子在家中即可探索太空的奥妙。人们居家隔离期间，NASA上线了“家里的NASA（NASA At Home）”网站，网站包含各类教育资源，让孩子在家也可以参与科学活动，NASA's website has a plethora of opportunities to learn more about astronomy and spaceflight. Children can easily find numbers of e-books, podcasts, videos, do-it-yourself science experiments, and virtual tours. For instance, Space Racers, an animated kids' TV series produced in collaboration with NASA experts, has released free educational content for students during school closures. A range of adventurous programs and activities has also been developed for all the children stuck in home lockdown, including a training program to become a home astronaut, build a hovercraft, launch rockets, and many more.家里的NASA网站提供了大量学习天文学和航空航天的机会。孩子们可以轻松找到许多电子书、播客、视频、可自己动手的科学实验以及虚拟游览等资源。由NASA专家协助制作的儿童系列动画片《航天小飞机》在学校关闭期间便作为教育内容免费向学生们开放。此外，NASA为所有居家隔离的孩子开发了一系列冒险计划和活动，包括关于成为家庭宇航员、制造气垫船、发射火箭的训练计划。Here are two examples of the experiences children can enjoy.以下是孩子们可以参与的两项体验。Choose which plant next to grow in spaceStudents are encouraged to help choose which plant astronauts will next grow in space. The plan is for SpaceX's October cargo resupply mission to provide astronauts with a space-faring legume - but which legume has yet to be decided. Students can join team Alfalfa, Lentil, or Mungbean to help scientists to work out which plant would be best for munching on the ISS.NASA鼓励学生们帮助宇航员选择下一种将在太空中种植的植物。该计划服务于太空技术探索公司SpaceX十月份的货物补给任务，即为宇航员提供一种可在太空存活的豆科植物，但具体选择哪一种豆科植物目前尚未决定。学生可加入苜蓿、扁豆或绿豆团队，帮助科学家们确定哪一种最适合国际空间站的宇航员们食用。"Spacecraft AR" appNASA's "Spacecraft AR" app brings the agency's many spacecraft right to users’ living room, so they can check them out with augmented reality. The educational app, which was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will place interactive 3D models right in front of the users.NASA的“Spacecraft AR”移动应用将该机构的许多航天器带到用户的客厅，让用户通过增强现实技术（AR技术）得以仔细观察那些航天器。这一教育类应用由NASA喷气推进实验室开发，还会将交互式3D模型直接推送到用户的面前。Just dive into NASA's learn-at-home activities and experiences, and be ready to become a space station explorer.快来了解NASA的居家学习活动和体验，成为空间站探险家吧。Vocabularygear v. 使适合于plethora n. 大量astronomy n. 天文学legume n. 豆科植物munch v. 大声咀嚼

练习 | BBC新闻：全球50多万人死于新冠肺炎

BBC新闻：全球50多万人死于新冠肺炎燕山大学 刘立军 供稿TRANSCRIPTHello, I'm Tom Watts with the BBC News. More than half a million people worldwide have now lost their lives as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. By far, the worst affected country is the United States, with more than 125,000 deaths. Nicolas Rusher has more details. The figures are grim. Besides the record number of deaths, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 earlier reached a new milestone of 10 million. But there are significant regional differences. While most European countries believe they have the situation under control, in the Americas the virus is spreading like wildfire. In Brazil, the worst affected country after the US, more than 57,000 people have died. And while the number of deaths in Russia and India is relatively low, the number of confirmed cases is dangerously high, racing the prospect of more deaths in the future.VOCABULARY1. grim adj. unpleasant and depressing 令人不快的；令人沮丧的。例如：grim news令人沮丧的消息2. milestone n. a very important stage or eventin the development of sth. 重要事件；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑QUESTIONSRead the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).1. Less than half a million people worldwide have now lost their lives because of the coronavirus pandemic.2. By far, the worst affected country is the United States, with more than 125,000 deaths.3. Besides the record number of deaths, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 earlier reached 11 million.4. Most European countries believe they have the situation under control.5. In America, the virus is spreading like wildfire.6. Brazil is the worst affected country after the US, more than 57,000 people have died.7. The number of deaths in Russia and Iran is relatively low, however, the number of confirmed cases is dangerously high, racing the prospect of more deaths in the future.KEYRead the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).(F) 1. Less than half a million people worldwide have now lost their lives because of the coronavirus pandemic. （正确表达） More than half a million people worldwide have now lost their lives because of the coronavirus pandemic.(T) 2. By far, the worst affected country is the United States, with more than 125,000 deaths.(F) 3. Besides the record number of deaths, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 earlier reached 11 million. （正确表达）Besides the record number of deaths, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 earlier reached 10 million.(T) 4. Most European countries believe they have the situation under control.(F) 5. In America, the virus is spreading like wildfire. （正确表达）In the Americas, the virus is spreading like wildfire.(T) 6. Brazil is the worst affected country after the US, more than 57,000 people have died.(F) 7. The number of deaths in Russia and Iran is relatively low, however, the number of confirmed cases is dangerously high, racing the prospect of more deaths in the future. （正确表达） The number of deaths in Russia and India is relatively low, however, the number of confirmed cases is dangerously high, racing the prospect of more deaths in the future.

练习 | VOA常速： 疫情期间华盛顿的流浪汉

VOA常速： 疫情期间华盛顿的流浪汉燕山大学 刘立军 供稿TRANSCRIPTA Erickson doesn't look like your typical homeless person. He was once a counselor for teenagers in trouble. But these days he lives on the streets after falling on hard times. “The toll it takes on a body, physically, psychologically and emotionally, you know, having to get back and forth just to get breakfast, lunch, dinner, clothing, shelter.” Now there is COVID-19. “Not having cleaning agents or disinfectants and spaces in regardless of where it is. I think opens up the potential for people to get the infection. ”Erickson is one of nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States based on the most recent official count. In a pandemic they are at special risk. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 20 were homeless people. As a group, the risk of death is about double that of the overall population.“As folks come in and as we do checks throughout the day. If folks say that they're feeling symptomatic, we'll take them out of the population of the shelters and we'll bring them to one of our isolation and quarantine sites. And we'll test them there. If that comes back positive, then we'll go back and we'll find the close contacts for that person and also ask them to come into our isolation and quarantine as well.”Around the country, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground. “About a couple weeks into the pandemic, people quickly realized that it was spreading inside shelters very very very fast, and a lot of the focus was to do what we call de-concentrate shelters. So they started moving people out of shelters into larger spaces. Some jurisdictions rented arenas and others in hotel rooms. ”61 year-old Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby park, she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. But a new mask， that is tougher. “They try to give one I'd say every second or third day. But many of the people, we're losing them. Where do you go if you need to wash your hands? That's very difficult. Go inside the church here. But I have some cleanser that I carry in my jacket and I use that.”COVID-19 has made it harder for those like Michael Williams who's looking for work. The centers have adopted strict social distancing. “It takes extra long to get services you need because they only allow one person at a time. Without these spaces, it's kind of hard. I'm not able to apply for jobs. I can't get any income. And this is crazy. ” US unemployment is that a staggering 14 percent.A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 45 percent this year. “Iexpect that if unemployment continues to stretch for a long period of time, that we will start to see decreases in rent payments. And we will start to see eviction. ”The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing. But that's just temporary. “In the capital, housing is really expensive. And so until we start addressing how to have steady employment that pays closer to the cost of housing, were gonna keep seeing this crisis of homelessness.”Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years. “There is sufficient money in the United State to help the people who are homeless. It's just the distribution of those moneys. The wealthier are getting wealthier and they're ignoring the poor.”For VOA news, Volaki Wana Iglesias, Washington.VOCABULARY1. counselor n. 顾问;（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师2. disinfectant n. a substance that disinfects 消毒剂；杀菌剂。例如：a strong smell of disinfectant呛人的消毒剂气味3. symptomatic adj. being a sign of an illness or a problem 作为症状的；（有）症状的。例如：a symptomatic infection有症状感染4. jurisdiction n. 管辖区域；管辖范围5. staggering adj. so great, shocking or surprising that it is difficult to believe 令人难以相信的6. eviction n. 面临着被赶出家门QUESTIONSRead the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).1. Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for adults in trouble.2. According to the most recent official count, there are nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States.3. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 30 of them were homeless people.4. The risk of death of the homeless people is about double that of the overall population.5. In the United States, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground.6. Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby church, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches.7. A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 50 percent this year.8. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing.9. Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years.10. There is insufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people.KEYRead the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).(F) 1. Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for adults in trouble. （正确表达）Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for teenagers in trouble.(T) 2. According to the most recent official count, there are nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States.(F) 3. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 30 of them were homeless people. （正确表达）Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 20 of them were homeless people.(T) 4. The risk of death of the homeless people is about double that of the overall population.(T) 5. In the United States, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground.(F) 6. Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby church, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. （正确表达） Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby park, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches.(F) 7. A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 50 percent this year. （正确表达） A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 45 percent this year.(T) 8. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing.(T) 9. Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years.(F) 10. There is insufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people. （正确表达）There is sufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people.

练习 | 词汇掌故：钓的不只是鱼

VOA词汇掌故：钓的不只是鱼燕山大学 刘立军 供稿TRANSCRIPTNow, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.On this program we talk about common expressions and phrases in American English.Today, grab your poles and bait. We are going fishing!Fishing is a popular outdoor activity you can do in lots of different places. You can go ice fishing, deep sea fishing, or fly fishing in a river, to name a few examples.Whatever type of fishing you do, the equipment is similar. In addition to a fishing pole, you will need a fishing hook, a fishing line and sometimes, a sinker.But in conversation, we don't use the expression "hook, line and sinker" when we are talking about catching a fish. We use it to describe fooling someone who is easy to fool. In other words, they are gullible.When people believe a story "hook, line and sinker," they accept it completely - even though it is a big, fat lie. Note that the expression usually begins with the verbs "buy" or "fall." For example, "he fell for my excuse hook, line and sinker," or, "she bought my story hook, line and sinker."But what about people who are not so gullible? When something sounds even the slightest bit fishy, they do not believe it. The word "fishy" means "likely untrue." In other words, something that sounds fishy sounds like a lie. For this one, we also say smells fishy - a phrase I think is even better.Now, if you tell someone a fish story, you are telling them a story that is so strange or surprising that it seems very unlikely to be true. It is an exaggeration. We tell others fish stories when we want to brag or show off.This expression comes from the fact that people who fish often say their catch is bigger than it really was.But fish stories don't have to be about fish. We can exaggerate about anything. Take my friend, for example. He loves to tell people about the time he was attacked by a swarm of bees. Each time he tells the story, the amount of bees and bee stings increase. At last count, it was a million bees and thousands of stings. It's his very own fish story.Now, back to real fishing for a minute.Let's say you are planning a long, complicated fishing tour. This is not just a one- or two-day trip. It is a fishing expedition. You are not sure what you will catch. But you are going to spend a lot of time and effort trying to catch something.In conversation, a "fishing expedition" is very similar. A fishing expedition is a general search. It does not stick to a stated goal, but hopes to uncover useful evidence or information.For example, if a police detective is on a fishing expedition, she may ask all the people who were near a crime in their neighborhood. She does not know if any of them are guilty or if they know anything. But she hopes one of them will give evidence about the crime.Now, you can "fish" for many other things too.A writer can fish around for a good story idea. She may ask many people lots of general questions about their lives before finding something interesting to write about.And let's say your co-worker asks you a lot of questions about your personal life. He does not have a clear reason why. He just seems to be fishing around for information. It makes you more than a little uncomfortable.And it should! That's the thing with this expression. When we go fishing for information or evidence or whatever, we do plan to use it. In fact, we can also fish for something to feel better about ourselves.If I am fishing for compliments I want you to say something nice about me. So, for example, let's say I give you one of my homemade chocolate chip cookies. As you take a bite, you make sounds that show you really like it. Then I ask, "So, how are my cookies?" I know they taste great. I'm just fishing for compliments.Usually people who fish for compliments annoy others. But in this case, you probably will not feel annoyed. After all, you get to eat a delicious cookie!Speaking of delicious food, fried fish can also be very tasty. The fish is dipped into a batter and then fried in oil. The bigger the fish, the better!Funny enough, the expression to have bigger fish to fry has nothing to do with cooking fish. This expression compares an important problem to a minor one. People who have bigger fish to fry don't have time to deal with a small fish. I mean, problem.Now, let's hear these expressions used in a conversation between two, um, co-workers, you could say.Hey. Did you bring another flashlight? My batteries are low.Of course. I always bring an extra one, just in case. But I also have extra batteries if you want those instead.Just give me the flashlight.Isn't it helpful that I'm so prepared?Yes, it is. Now stop fishing for compliments and hand me the screwdriver. We don't have much time to open this lock!Hey, can I ask you something? Yesterday, Joe from the cafe asked me a lot of questions. I got the feeling he was fishing for information about our ... you know, job. Do you think he knows something?Joe? He doesn't know a thing. What did he ask you?He wanted to know what I did during the day and how I spend my nights. And then he asked me what I was doing tonight. It was weird.Sounds like he was just on a fishing expedition. But you know, he also asked me about my plans tonight.What did you tell him?I told him I was going to a book club.A book club? Really? And he fell for that?!Yeah, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. Didn't doubt it for a minute.You don't think that excuse sounds kind of fishy? I think it sounds very fishy.What's so fishy about my going to a book club? Is it so hard to believe I would belong to a book club?No! It's just that...I do read, you know!!You're right. You're right. I am sorry.Thank you.I didn't mean to judge you.Look, just forget about it. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry.What do you mean?"This is the police! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!"Oh no! The police!And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories.If you liked this week's story about fish expressions and our conversation between two bank robbers, let us know in the Comments Section.Don't worry. We're not fishing for compliments. We just want to know what type of stories you like!I'm Bryan Lynn. And I'm Anna Matteo.Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/202006/611751.shtmlVOCABULARY1. name a few说出一些或举些例子2. sinker n.（钓丝或渔网上的）铅锤，坠子3. gullible adj. too willing to believe or accept what other people tell you and therefore easily tricked 轻信的；易受骗的；易上当的4. weird adj. very strange or unusual and difficult to explain 奇异的；不寻常的；怪诞的QUESTIONSRead the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.On this program we talk about common expressions and phrases in American English.Today, grab your poles and bait. We are going fishing!Fishing is a popular outdoor activity you can do in lots of different places. You can go ice fishing, deep sea fishing, or fly fishing in a river, to name a few examples.Whatever type of fishing you do, the equipment is similar. In addition to a fishing pole, you will need a fishing hook, a fishing line and sometimes, a sinker.But in conversation, we don't use the expression "(Q1) _____________________" when we are talking about catching a fish. We use it to describe fooling someone who is easy to fool. In other words, they are gullible.When people believe a story "hook, line and sinker," they accept it completely - even though it is a big, fat lie. Note that the expression usually begins with the verbs "(Q2) ________" or "(Q3) _____." For example, "he fell for my excuse hook, line and sinker," or, "she bought my story hook, line and sinker."But what about people who are not so gullible? When something sounds even the slightest bit fishy, they do not believe it. The word "(Q4) ____________" means "likely untrue." In other words, something that sounds fishy sounds like a lie. For this one, we also say (Q5) ____________ - a phrase I think is even better.Now, if you tell someone a (Q6) _________________, you are telling them a story that is so strange or surprising that it seems very unlikely to be true. It is an exaggeration. We tell others fish stories when we want to brag or show off.This expression comes from the fact that people who fish often say their catch is bigger than it really was.But fish stories don't have to be about fish. We can exaggerate about anything. Take my friend, for example. He loves to tell people about the time he was attacked by a swarm of bees. Each time he tells the story, the amount of bees and bee stings increase. At last count, it was a million bees and thousands of stings. It's his very own fish story.Now, back to real fishing for a minute.Let's say you are planning a long, complicated fishing tour. This is not just a one- or two-day trip. It is a fishing expedition. You are not sure what you will catch. But you are going to spend a lot of time and effort trying to catch something.In conversation, a "(Q7) _____________________" is very similar. A fishing expedition is a general search. It does not stick to a stated goal, but hopes to uncover useful evidence or information.For example, if a police detective is on a fishing expedition, she may ask all the people who were near a crime in their neighborhood. She does not know if any of them are guilty or if they know anything. But she hopes one of them will give evidence about the crime.Now, you can "fish" for many other things too.A writer can fish around for a good story idea. She may ask many people lots of general questions about their lives before finding something interesting to write about.And let's say your co-worker asks you a lot of questions about your personal life. He does not have a clear reason why. He just seems to be fishing around for information. It makes you more than a little uncomfortable.And it should! That's the thing with this expression. When we go fishing for information or evidence or whatever, we do plan to use it. In fact, we can also fish for something to feel better about ourselves.If I am fishing for compliments I want you to say something nice about me. So, for example, let's say I give you one of my homemade chocolate chip cookies. As you take a bite, you make sounds that show you really like it. Then I ask, "So, how are my cookies?" I know they taste great. I'm just (Q8) ____________________________________.Usually people who fish for compliments annoy others. But in this case, you probably will not feel annoyed. After all, you get to eat a delicious cookie!Speaking of delicious food, fried fish can also be very tasty. The fish is dipped into a batter and then fried in oil. The bigger the fish, the better!Funny enough, the expression (Q9) ___________________________________ has nothing to do with cooking fish. This expression compares an important problem to a minor one. People who have bigger fish to fry don't have time to deal with a small fish. I mean, problem.Now, let's hear these expressions used in a conversation between two, um, co-workers, you could say.Hey. Did you bring another flashlight? My batteries are low.Of course. I always bring an extra one, just in case. But I also have extra batteries if you want those instead.Just give me the flashlight.Isn't it helpful that I'm so prepared?Yes, it is. Now stop fishing for compliments and hand me the screwdriver. We don't have much time to open this lock!Hey, can I ask you something? Yesterday, Joe from the cafe asked me a lot of questions. I got the feeling he was fishing for information about our ... you know, job. Do you think he knows something?Joe? He doesn't know a thing. What did he ask you?He wanted to know what I did during the day and how I spend my nights. And then he asked me what I was doing tonight. It was weird.Sounds like he was just on a fishing expedition. But you know, he also asked me about my plans tonight.What did you tell him?I told him I was going to a book club.A book club? Really? And he fell for that?!Yeah, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. Didn't doubt it for a minute.You don't think that excuse sounds kind of fishy? I think it sounds very fishy.What's so fishy about my going to a book club? Is it so hard to believe I would belong to a book club?No! It's just that...I do read, you know!!You're right. You're right. I am sorry.Thank you.I didn't mean to judge you.Look, just forget about it. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry.What do you mean?"This is the police! We have you surrounded! (Q10) _____________________________________!"Oh no! The police!And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories.If you liked this week's story about fish expressions and our conversation between two bank robbers, let us know in the Comments Section.Don't worry. We're not fishing for compliments. We just want to know what type of stories you like!I'm Bryan Lynn. And I'm Anna Matteo.KEYRead the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.On this program we talk about common expressions and phrases in American English.Today, grab your poles and bait. We are going fishing!Fishing is a popular outdoor activity you can do in lots of different places. You can go ice fishing, deep sea fishing, or fly fishing in a river, to name a few examples.Whatever type of fishing you do, the equipment is similar. In addition to a fishing pole, you will need a fishing hook, a fishing line and sometimes, a sinker.But in conversation, we don't use the expression "(Q1) hook, line and sinker" when we are talking about catching a fish. We use it to describe fooling someone who is easy to fool. In other words, they are gullible.When people believe a story "hook, line and sinker," they accept it completely - even though it is a big, fat lie. Note that the expression usually begins with the verbs "(Q2) buy" or "(Q3) fall." For example, "he fell for my excuse hook, line and sinker," or, "she bought my story hook, line and sinker."But what about people who are not so gullible? When something sounds even the slightest bit fishy, they do not believe it. The word "(Q4) fishy" means "likely untrue." In other words, something that sounds fishy sounds like a lie. For this one, we also say (Q5) smells fishy - a phrase I think is even better.Now, if you tell someone a (Q6) fish story, you are telling them a story that is so strange or surprising that it seems very unlikely to be true. It is an exaggeration. We tell others fish stories when we want to brag or show off.This expression comes from the fact that people who fish often say their catch is bigger than it really was.But fish stories don't have to be about fish. We can exaggerate about anything. Take my friend, for example. He loves to tell people about the time he was attacked by a swarm of bees. Each time he tells the story, the amount of bees and bee stings increase. At last count, it was a million bees and thousands of stings. It's his very own fish story.Now, back to real fishing for a minute.Let's say you are planning a long, complicated fishing tour. This is not just a one- or two-day trip. It is a fishing expedition. You are not sure what you will catch. But you are going to spend a lot of time and effort trying to catch something.In conversation, a "(Q7) fishing expedition" is very similar. A fishing expedition is a general search. It does not stick to a stated goal, but hopes to uncover useful evidence or information.For example, if a police detective is on a fishing expedition, she may ask all the people who were near a crime in their neighborhood. She does not know if any of them are guilty or if they know anything. But she hopes one of them will give evidence about the crime.Now, you can "fish" for many other things too.A writer can fish around for a good story idea. She may ask many people lots of general questions about their lives before finding something interesting to write about.And let's say your co-worker asks you a lot of questions about your personal life. He does not have a clear reason why. He just seems to be fishing around for information. It makes you more than a little uncomfortable.And it should! That's the thing with this expression. When we go fishing for information or evidence or whatever, we do plan to use it. In fact, we can also fish for something to feel better about ourselves.If I am fishing for compliments I want you to say something nice about me. So, for example, let's say I give you one of my homemade chocolate chip cookies. As you take a bite, you make sounds that show you really like it. Then I ask, "So, how are my cookies?" I know they taste great. I'm just (Q8) fishing for compliments.Usually people who fish for compliments annoy others. But in this case, you probably will not feel annoyed. After all, you get to eat a delicious cookie!Speaking of delicious food, fried fish can also be very tasty. The fish is dipped into a batter and then fried in oil. The bigger the fish, the better!Funny enough, the expression (Q9) to have bigger fish to fry has nothing to do with cooking fish. This expression compares an important problem to a minor one. People who have bigger fish to fry don't have time to deal with a small fish. I mean, problem.Now, let's hear these expressions used in a conversation between two, um, co-workers, you could say.Hey. Did you bring another flashlight? My batteries are low.Of course. I always bring an extra one, just in case. But I also have extra batteries if you want those instead.Just give me the flashlight.Isn't it helpful that I'm so prepared?Yes, it is. Now stop fishing for compliments and hand me the screwdriver. We don't have much time to open this lock!Hey, can I ask you something? Yesterday, Joe from the cafe asked me a lot of questions. I got the feeling he was fishing for information about our ... you know, job. Do you think he knows something?Joe? He doesn't know a thing. What did he ask you?He wanted to know what I did during the day and how I spend my nights. And then he asked me what I was doing tonight. It was weird.Sounds like he was just on a fishing expedition. But you know, he also asked me about my plans tonight.What did you tell him?I told him I was going to a book club.A book club? Really? And he fell for that?!Yeah, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. Didn't doubt it for a minute.You don't think that excuse sounds kind of fishy? I think it sounds very fishy.What's so fishy about my going to a book club? Is it so hard to believe I would belong to a book club?No! It's just that...I do read, you know!!You're right. You're right. I am sorry.Thank you.I didn't mean to judge you.Look, just forget about it. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry.What do you mean?"This is the police! We have you surrounded! (Q10) Come out with your hands up!"Oh no! The police!And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories.If you liked this week's story about fish expressions and our conversation between two bank robbers, let us know in the Comments Section.Don't worry. We're not fishing for compliments. We just want to know what type of stories you like!I'm Bryan Lynn. And I'm Anna Matteo.

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