Шесть студентов и студенток из разных стран мира – что у них общего? Все они приехали в американский университет по обмену на один семестр. Они будут изучать английский язык, культуру США, будут специализироваться в своей области. Эта серия Ежедневных диалогов посвящена жизни студентов в течение семестра в американском вузе. Диалоги рассчитаны на владеющих английским языком на среднем или более высоком уровне.
Студенты Ли и Яна говорят об электромобилях и об их экологичности.
Jana: Lee, I have a class soon on the other side of campus. Why did you drag me all the way over here to the parking lot of one of the environmental science buildings?
Lee: It won’t take long, and you’re gonna love it. Close your eyes. Ready? Check it out!
Jana: Is that what I think it is? For real?
Lee: Yup. Isn’t it great? The best electric car on the market! Energy efficiency and beautiful engineering in one car. I thought you’d appreciate that.
Jana: I totally do. I’d love to have one. But why does your class have this car here?
Lee: Well, energy efficiency is one of the easiest ways to combat climate change, right? But that alone doesn’t seem to get people’s attention. Even though energy efficiency reduces energy costs, people still need a little nudge to start making changes.
Jana: I think this car will get people’s attention.
Lee: Exactly. Our entire department is holding an event to get people more interested in ways to be more energy efficient. And an alum donated the car as a raffle prize!
Jana: When is that event? I’m definitely going to come and buy a raffle ticket!
Слова и выражения.
To drag someone somewhere means to make someone go somewhere he/she does not want to go. [Притащить, привести.]
Gonna is a shortened form of going to. It is used in informal spoken English. [Разговорное сокращение от going to.]
For real is an informal phrase used in spoken English. It is used to emphasize that something is actually true and accurate. [Правда? На самом деле?]
An electric car is a car that uses an electric motor. It uses electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another storage device. [Электромобиль.]
Energy efficiency is using less energy to provide the same service. For example, light bulbs that are energy-efficient use less energy but still provide the same amount of light as other light bulbs. [Энергоэффективность.]
Climate change means changes in the Earth’s weather, especially due to the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere that is caused in part by the increase in carbon dioxide. [Изменение климата.]
A nudge is a small push or encouragement to do something. [Подталкивать, побуждать.]
Alum is a shortened version of alumnus or alumna. An alumnus is a man who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school. An alumna is a woman who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school. [Выпускники.]
A raffle is a contest in which people buy numbered tickets in exchange for a chance to win a prize. Raffles are usually organized to make money for a good purpose. [Лотерея.]
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Вебсайт American English предлагает разнообразные бесплатные ресурсы для учащихся и преподавателей английского языка. Учебные материалы также можно найти на ежедневно обновляемой страницеAmerican English Facebook.
Ежедневные диалоги разработаны старшим сотрудником отдела программ английского языка Хейди Холланд (Бюро по делам образования и культуры Государственного департамента США).
