English Fun Facts | 英语趣事听说堂

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Lobster Uses Bladder to Communicate and Antenna to Smell

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Brie: Hey, Andrea!  Let’s go to Red Lobster for dinner tonight. The restaurant is finally open again after some of the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.  It’s been a while since the last time we went there, and I’ve been craving for their fresh and juicy lobster meat for a long while.  They always have the best fresh seafood in town. 

Andrea: What a coincidence! I’m very hungry, and so was thinking about seafood for dinner as well. But is the restaurant open for dine-in customers yet?  Either way, I think we’d better order to-go! I don’t want to risk contracting the coronavirus.

Brie:  They do take indoor diners, but we can certainly order online and do a curbside pick-up.  

Andrea:  Even if we do curbside, we’ll still have to wait in line.  I don’t want to spend all that money for a lobster just to wait around.  What if we went to the grocery store instead and just picked out a lobster from the lobster tank?

Brie:  You mean to take home and cook ourselves? You’ve got to be kidding!  That’s too much of a hassle!  Besides, how will we know which lobster is the best to select from the tank?   I’m certainly not a lobster chef, the store clerks are not lobster chefs, and it’s not like the lobsters are going to jump out and say to us, “pick me! pick me!”

Andrea:  Brie, your sarcasm cracks me up!   Though, in all reality, those lobsters are probably communicating their fear of us with each other!

Brie:  Yah, I bet that’s what they’re doing when I see them moving their little beard looking antennae.  They’re probably telling each other, “watch out!  Those humans are hungry for lobster!”

Andrea:  They might be communicating that, but I can tell you for certain it’s not by just moving their antennae!

Brie:  Then how?

Andrea: Well, it’s quite a fun fact!  Lobsters communicate by urinating on each other.  They have two bladders located on either side of their heads.  When they want to communicate their emotions to other lobsters, especially for mating or fighting, they squirt urine from a release nozzle located under their eyes that can travel up to 7 feet in front of them!  So, I guess you could say that they urinate from their faces.

Brie:  哇哦！龙虾是通过互相撒尿来进行交流的。 在它们的头两侧各有一个膀胱。 当它们想与其他龙虾交流感情时，尤其是在交配或争斗的时候, 它们会从位于眼睛下方的释放喷嘴中喷出远达7英寸，也就是1-2米距离的尿液！So you mean it’s very easy for them to see their own urine as they’re urinating?

Andrea:  Yes, and that urine contains pheromones, or chemical messages, that are used to communicate attraction, aggression, and recognition.  

Brie:  龙虾的尿液中含有费洛蒙信息素或化学传讯素，用于交流吸引力，攻击性和识别性等信息。So instead of communicating through making noise or by using gestures like other animals, they just squirt at each other?  Lobsters are so strange!  So, what is the function of their antennae then?

Andrea: Crustaceans, like lobsters and crabs, depend on their sense of smell to search out food, stay safe, and find a mate.  They use their four antennas, which are covered in tiny hairs, to smell. They also use their antennae to see.  A lobster's eyes can only detect light and shadows, but through using their antennae, they are able to see colors and images as well. 

Brie:  如同龙虾和螃蟹这样的甲壳类动物，它们通常依靠嗅觉来寻觅食物，发现危险和寻找伴侣的。 有趣的是它们的嗅觉器官是它们头部上由细小毛发覆盖的四条触须。另外，龙虾的触须还有视觉功能。龙虾的眼睛只能检测到一定的光线和阴影。因此龙虾能看到的大部分颜色和图像实际上是通过它们的触须来实现的！Thanks for this fun fact on Lobsters!  You know, the natural world continues to fascinate me every day!  But, can we please go to Red Lobster instead of the grocery?  Truth is, I’ve been preparing for a dinner with friends, and I accidentally burnt what I was planning to cook for the meal.  So, I wanted to get dinner at Red Lobster, instead!  I’m feeling absolutely devastated about the whole thing!

Andrea: Oh Brie, don’t die for want of lobster sauce!  You’re failed dinner plans are really not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.  Now that I know the real reason you want to go to the restaurant, I will be more than happy to oblige.

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

 Vocabulary:

Red Lobster  红龙虾，一家北美知名的休闲海鲜连锁餐厅

Restriction  / rɪˈstrɪk ʃən /  限制，约束

Coincidence  / koʊˈɪn sɪ dəns /  巧合

Curbside  / ˈkɜrbˌsaɪd /  路边

Hassle  / ˈhæs əl /  麻烦

Clerk  / klɜrk /  营业员

Sarcasm  / ˈsɑr kæz əm / 讽刺

Urinating  / ˈyʊər əˌneɪtɪŋ /  小便

Bladder  / ˈblæd ər /  膀胱

Squirt  / skwɜrt /  喷射

Nozzle  / ˈnɒz əl /  喷嘴

Pheromone  / ˈfɛr əˌmoʊn / 费洛蒙信息素

Crustacean  / krʌˈsteɪ ʃən /  甲壳动物

Antennae   /ænˈtɛn i/  触须（复数）

Devastated  / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪtid /  挫败的，被压垮的

Oblige  / əˈblaɪdʒ /  赞同，听从

Phrases:

To crack someone up  使某人突然哈哈大笑

Die for want of lobster sauce  因轻微的不便或不幸而死或被毁灭。这句俗语据说来自历史上的一名厨师，因为他发现自己没有制作法国王路易十四宴会上用到的龙虾酱的原料而自杀。

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

Disclaimer: This podcast is not sponsored by nor has any affiliation with the Red Lobster company. 

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Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros 

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Free Download / Stream: 

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Can you Hear the Difference between Hot & Cold Water?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Brie: What a cold and gloomy winter this has turned out to be! I’ve been watching this commercial for Twinings® Tea, and it’s making me want a cup of hot tea right now. The sound that the hot water makes as it’s being poured into the glass makes the tea seem so warm and enticing. 

Andrea: I agree, we’ve had a real cold spell this winter.  The creators of that tea ad you’ve been watching crafted those sensory sounds to remind people of what it’s like to boil a cup of light, stimulating, and aromatic tea .  Obviously, they were quite successful in their delivery!

Brie: Indeed! I wonder how they managed to do that? The commercials must have stimulated the connection between my sense of hearing and brain.

Andrea:  You are right, Brie! That commercial is successful because it mixes brain science with auditory and multisensory product branding and marketing.  There has been a lot of research that shows that we tie sounds to memories. For example, think of the nostalgia you feel when you hear a song on the radio that reminds you of a cherished moment in your life.   In this ad, the sound of pouring hot water triggers in me a pleasant memory of brewing a fragrant cup of hot tea! 

Brie:  What do you mean by the sound of pouring hot water?  It’s obvious by looking at the steam that the water is hot, but how can you tell based on the sound? 

Andrea: Hot water has its own characteristic sound, which, I must say, is quite an interesting fun fact!  Did you know that by pouring water into a cup, people are able to tell if the water is hot or cold based only on a slight difference in sound? The sound differences are subtle but definitely distinguishable if you pay close attention.  You need to have a good sense of hearing to perceive the difference.

Brie:  热水和冷水倒入杯中产生的声音是有细微差别的。如果我们在平时生活中用心倾听，就可以只依靠倒水声音的不同来能辨别水是冷是热了！ Interesting！What is the reason for the difference in sound between hot and cold water?

Andrea:  The reason that hot and cold water sound different when poured into a cup is due to their differing viscosities.  Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid to change shape and is defined by the internal shear stress between molecules rubbing against each other.  Hot water has a lower viscosity than cold water because heat causes the molecules to become excited and energized. Cold water molecules, on the other hand, are slower moving and tend to stick to one another more.  As the temperature of a fluid increases, its viscosity decreases.  Just think of honey: As it gets warmer, it becomes more runny.  As a result of these differences in viscosity, when cold water is poured into a cup, the splashes that it makes against the sides of the cup sound different than the splashes that hot water makes.  The more we practice listening when we pour hot and cold water, the more attuned our brain becomes to the differences in sound.   

Brie:  倒热水和冷水声音的不同跟它们粘度的不同有关。粘度是流体抵抗变形能力的一个量度，是由分子之间的内部摩擦来定义的。随着水温的逐渐升高，水的粘度是逐渐降低的。由于热水的粘度低于冷水，当将冷水倒入杯中时，其在杯壁上产生的飞溅声与热水产生的飞溅声是不同的。So, what kind of sounds do hot and cold water make when poured?

Andrea:  Hot water produces a sound that has a higher pitch than cold water due to the faster movements of hot water molecules. Since it is more viscous, cold water produces fewer bubbles than hot water when it is poured.  This causes cold water to produce a lower frequency sound. 

Brie:  由于热水的水分子处于更活跃的运动状态，并且热水含有更多的气泡，向空杯中倒热水声的音调是高于倒冷水声的音调的。 Why don’t we go outside and practice listening to test this out?  I will get a big bathtub and pour either hot water or cold water into it.  I will blindfold you and then you can get in the tub and listen to try to figure out whether I’m pouring in the hot water or the cold water!

Andrea:  Ha, very funny Brie, but that’s not exactly my cup of tea!  With your method, I don’t need to have a good sense of hearing to figure out the difference in temperature!  I’ll be able to tell immediately, thanks to a different sense:  My sense of touch!  I think you should be the one to get into the tub!

Brie:  Oh come on, I thought that was a good joke! I don’t want to get in a tub out where it’s freezing cold either, so that’s also not my cup of tea! 

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Twinings® Tea  唐宁茶，茶的一个品牌

Stimulating  / ˈstɪmjʊˌleɪtɪŋ /  使增强活力的，促进身体机能的

Aromatic  / ˌær əˈmæt ɪk /  芳香的，有香气的

Auditory  / ˈɔ dɪˌtɔr i /  听觉的

Nostalgia  / nɒˈstæl dʒə /  怀旧感

Fragrant  / ˈfreɪ grənt /  芳香的

Characteristic  / ˌkær ɪk təˈrɪs tɪk /  特点，特色

Distinguishable  / dɪˈstɪŋ gwɪʃə bəl /  可分辨的

Viscosity  / vɪˈskɒs ɪ ti /  粘度

Resistance  / rɪˈzɪs təns /  阻力

Shear stress  / ʃɪər  strɛs /  剪切应力

Attune  / əˈtun /  调和

Phrases:

Cold spell  一段时间的寒冷天气

Not (someone’s) cup of tea 不符合某人的喜好

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

Disclaimer: This podcast is not sponsored by nor has any affiliation with the Twinings® Tea company. 

Photo Credit: mrjn Photography on Unsplash

Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/LightsSappheiros

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-lbbHQbZNKg

How Did the Jeep Get Its Name?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Brie: Hey, Andrea, the new year is right around the corner! I’m thinking about buying a new car since it’s the season when they go on sale.  Although I’m attached to my current car for sentimental reasons, I see now that it’s time to say goodbye. 

Andrea: Good idea, Brie.  You’ve probably been driving that same car for at least ten years now.  It’s definitely time to get a newer and more reliable car for the winter! Do you have any specific car models on your mind that you’d like to look at?

Brie: Well, I’m torn between the Jeep Cherokee and the Toyota RAV4 at the moment.  I like that they are both charming, small SUVs.  Jeep is an American brand and well-known for its off-roading capabilities, while the Toyota RAV4 , a popular Japanese car, just got redesigned last year.

Andrea: It sounds like you have a tough choice to make!  Buying a car is a major expense, and you should definitely consider all factors before making the final decision! I think a Jeep is a nice vehicle.   Hmm...have you ever wondered where the name “Jeep” comes from?

Brie:  I’ve never thought about it before. Well, a lot of automobile manufacturers name their brands after the names of their founders.  There’s Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Buick, Honda, and Toyota.  But I’m pretty sure there was no founder named Jeep.  I have heard that the term was used in the US military in World War I as slang to refer to untested vehicles and newly enlisted soldiers.  Could that be the origin of its name, since Jeep vehicles were used in the military?

Andrea:  You’re on the right track, Brie.  Although no one really knows where the name for the car came from, there are some interesting explanations. So, I’d say that how the name for the car Jeep came to be is actually quite a fun fact!  

Brie:  Alright, Andrea, let’s hear your theory for how the name came to be. I’m all ears!

Andrea:  Okay, well, the Ford company created the first Jeep vehicle in 1940 for use in the US military and called it a GP. That’s the letter G combined with the letter P.  Some people believe GP stood for “Government Pygmy”, while others think that GP was an abbreviation for “General Purpose”.  Either way, the acronym GP sounds a lot like the word we know today as Jeep. 

Brie: 福特在1940年制造了第一辆用于美国军事的吉普车，并将其称为GP。有一些人认为GP 是“Government Pygmy”的缩写，而另一些人则认为GP是“ General Purpose”通用的缩写。 无论哪种方式，首字母缩写GP听起来很像我们今天所熟知的吉普（Jeep）这个词。 But government Pygmy? What does that mean? It sounds strange.

Andrea:  I’m not sure, and it sounds weird to me too. But pygmy refers to a plant, animal, or human that is short in stature, so maybe it was originally a joke referring to how light and compact the government vehicles appeared to be.

Brie: I see, government pygmy 是对政府车辆中轻巧紧凑车型的一个戏谑称呼。Are there any other theories about the origin of the name of the Jeep vehicle?

Andrea: Well, a Jeep is a vehicle that drives well over rough terrain.  So, some people believe that the Jeep was named after Eugene the Jeep, a character from the popular newspaper comic strip Thimble Theatre that is now known as Popeye the Sailor. In the comic, Popeye had a magical pet that he called Eugene the Jeep who was known to be able to “go anywhere and do anything”, a motto that Ford used in its Jeep commercials.

Brie:  有些人认为吉普车是以一个颇受欢迎的报纸连环漫画《顶针剧院》，如今被称为《大力士水手》里的角色尤金尼吉普的名字来命名的。在漫画中，尤金尼吉普是大力水手养的一只神奇宠物。它因无所不在，无所不能而出名。福特甚至在其吉普车的广告中使用了这一格言 “go anywhere and do anything”。 So since the car company wanted the Jeep to be viewed as a strong, can-do-anything vehicle, it was named after a famous comic strip character that had the same qualities.

Andrea: That’s right!  Okay, Brie, which theory about how the name Jeep came to be is the correct one in your opinion?

Brie: I’d say it’s the simplest reason.  It was probably called GP or general purpose because it was a vehicle that could be used for all purposes.   I’m sure about it, and I don’t want to argue this topic any further.

Andrea: Well you’re really driving your point home.  What your saying is that it’s your way or the highway!

Brie: That’s right!   For now you have no other choice than to agree with me because I’m leaving to go buy my Jeep!

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Sentimental  / ˌsɛn təˈmɛn tl /  感伤的

Reliable  / rɪˈlaɪ ə bəl /  可靠的

SUV  / ˈɛs ˈyu ˈvi /  越野车

Off-roading  / ɔf roʊdɪŋ / 越野

Capability  / ˌkeɪ pəˈbɪl ɪ ti /  能力

Automobile  / ˌɔ təˈmoʊ bil /  汽车

Manufacturer  / ˌmæn yəˈfæk tʃər ər /  制造商

Slang  / slæŋ /  俚语

Enlist  / ɛnˈlɪst /  入伍

Pygmy  / ˈpɪg mi /  侏儒

Abbreviation  / əˌbri viˈeɪ ʃən /  缩写

Acronym  / ˈæk rə nɪm /  首字母缩写

Stature  / ˈstætʃ ər /  身高

Comic strip  / ˈkɒm ɪk ˌstrɪp /  连环漫画

Thimble Theatre  《顶针剧院》，如今被称为《大力士水手》的连环漫画

Popeye the Sailor 大力士水手波比

Eugene the Jeep《大力士水手》连环画中一个既象猫又象狗的卡通动物，它的叫声是“Jeep, Jeep",因而被叫作"尤金尼吉普"(Eugene the Jeep)

Motto  / ˈmɒt oʊ /  座右铭

Phrases:

Around the corner  即将来临

Torn between (something)  难以取舍的

On the right track  做法對路；方法得當.

Drive (something) home  对某事态度明确，立场坚定

(Someone’s) way or the highway  用来形容别无他选，要么听某人的，要么就走人

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

Photo Credit: Brandon Green on Unsplash

Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/LightsSappheiros

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-lbbHQbZNKg

Why Do Americans Only Drink Eggnog during the Winter Holidays?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Andrea: I’m so excited, Brie!  It’s eggnog season again.  National Eggnog Day is December 24, so the time is soon approaching!

Brie: December 24th?  That’s more well-known as Christmas Eve.  Only you would think of Eggnog over the night before Christmas. 

Andrea: Well, eggnog makes me think of Christmas. Sipping on a rich and creamy eggnog is such a nice holiday treat! Since it’s only sold in the US from November to January, I find myself longing for it every year.  It’s sweet and smooth like ice cream and spiced with the flavors of the season:  nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove!  

Brie:  在美国，蛋奶酒仅于每年的11月到1月的时间段出售。 它吃起来像冰淇淋一样香甜润口，并且添加了当季的香料，比如：肉豆蔻，肉桂和丁香！I heard Eggnog is typically made out of eggs beaten with milk or cream and sugar. Is that right? 

Andrea: That’s right, and you can spice it up with a hint of cinnamon, or, if you drink alcohol, you can spike it with rum, brandy or whisky to give it a buzz.  Eggnog is so popular, it is said that Americans drink 135 million pounds a year!  Even if you’re not into the drink, you can still enjoy the flavor. This time of year you can find eggnog flavored everything, from lip balms to soaps, and even shampoos.  

Brie: 蛋奶酒通常是用牛奶，奶油，鸡蛋，再加入糖和其它香料混合而成的。蛋奶酒本身不含酒精，喜欢喝酒的人会在其中加入兰姆酒，白兰地或者威士忌，作成鸡尾酒，以提升其香味。每到圣诞节与新年期间，商店会出售带蛋奶酒味的小商品，从润唇膏到肥皂，再到洗发精.  Andrea, I don’t understand!  If eggnog is as popular as you say, how come in the US it is only available during the holiday season?  Most other drinks are sold year round.  What is so special about eggnog that makes it a popular Christmas drink in the US?

Andrea: That’s a good question, Brie.  I think it’s a mix of tradition and history.  Before I can give you a good answer, let me go back for a moment in history.  Eggnog became popular in the Americas after it was brought over from England in the early 1700s.  However, the drink dates back to at least the medieval ages as an offshoot of a British drink made from hot milk and alcohol called posset. In general, however, only the wealthiest in England could afford to make eggnog, since it was difficult at that time to obtain fresh milk. It is thought that due to the expense of the drink, the English drank it only on special occasions, of which Christmas was the most popular.  

Brie: 蛋奶酒在美洲流行开来是传统与历史结合的产物。人们认为蛋奶酒是在1700年代初,从英国引入美洲的。这种饮料的历史最早可以追溯到欧洲中世纪，是英国人用热牛奶和酒精制成的饮料的一个分支。 由于鲜牛奶的稀缺，英国富人也只能在特殊场合才喝蛋奶酒。I see, so it was due to the expense of making eggnog that made it a winter holiday drink.

Andrea:  That and the drink was served hot!  So, it was the perfect remedy for a cold winter’s day.  

Brie: But if it was only available to the wealthy, that doesn’t explain how it became so popular among the American colonists?

Andrea: While the drink was expensive in Europe, the situation was different for the  American colonists in the 1700s.  Milk was widely available due to an abundance of dairy farms in the colonies. Rum became the alcohol of choice for adding to eggnog in the American colonies, since it was readily available from the Caribbean and a lot less expensive than importing British ale.  With the accessibility of alcohol and milk, it was therefore easy to afford the delicious holiday treat. Even the first president of the United States, George Washington, was a diehard fan! He created his own recipe for eggnog which included rum, sherry, brandy, and whiskey that is still in existence today!  

Brie:  在当时，虽然这种饮料在欧洲很昂贵，但由于美国殖民地得天独厚的自然条件，制作蛋奶酒的成本在美洲被大大降低了。殖民地中有大片的奶牛场，这使得牛奶的产出尤为充裕。当时加勒比海地区又盛产兰姆酒，于是整个美洲都能买得起价格低廉的酒精作为蛋奶酒的首选成分。 美国第一任总统乔治·华盛顿也是蛋奶酒的忠实粉丝！ 他甚至创造出了至今仍然留存着的蛋奶酒独特调配方法，其中包括兰姆酒，雪利酒，白兰地酒和威士忌！Hmm, it sounds to me as though drinking eggnog was just an excuse to get drunk over the holidays.

Andrea:  Well, it kind of was!  Eggnog is famously known as the cause of an out of control riot that broke out on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve of 1826 at the now famous West Point Military Academy.  In fact, Jefferson Davis, who later became the President of the US Confederacy, was one of the rioters who got drunk on eggnog spiked with alcohol.

Brie:  Oh, you’re talking about the Eggnog Riot!  Look, I know you don’t drink alcohol Andrea, but it seems that based on what you have told me about the history of your favorite holiday drink, that the real fun fact here, is how much alcohol has influenced the history of the Christmas holiday tradition.  I think you should spike your drink! Come on! Come on!

Andrea:  Aw, no need to egg me on like that, Brie!

Brie:  Egg you on?

Andrea:  I mean, there’s no need to encourage me to do something that’s not good for me. I like my eggnog cold and alcohol free.  And that’s how I’ll continue to enjoy it for all future winter holidays to come!

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Eggnog  / ˈɛgˌnɒg /  蛋奶酒

Spice  / spaɪs /  加入香料

Nutmeg  / ˈnʌt mɛg /  肉豆蔻

Cinnamon  / ˈsɪn ə mən /  肉桂

Clove  / kloʊv /  丁香

Spike  / spaɪk /  在饮料中加入酒精

Rum  / rʌm /  兰姆酒

Brandy  / ˈbræn di /  白兰地

Whisky  / ˈʰwɪs ki /  威士忌

Buzz  / bʌz /  由于酒精导致的头晕

Medieval  / ˌmi diˈi vəl /  中世纪

Offshoot  / ˈɔfˌʃut /  分支

Posset  / ˈpɒs ɪt /  牛乳酒

Colonist  / ˈkɒl ə nɪst /  殖民者

Abundance  / əˈbʌn dəns /  丰裕，丰足

Caribbean  / ˌkær əˈbi ən /  加勒比海

Ale  / eɪl /  爱尔啤酒

Diehard  / ˈdaɪˌhɑrd /  极度忠诚的

Sherry  / ˈʃɛr i /  雪莉酒

Phrases:

Sipping on (something) 小酌

Egg (someone) on  怂恿，蛊惑某人做坏事

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/LightsSappheiros

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-lbbHQbZNKg

Were High Heels Always a Symbol of Femininity?

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Andrea: Why were you wearing high heels for so long?

Brie:  I wore them to work and didn’t find a chance to take them off.  

Andrea: You work pretty long hours.  Is wearing high heels a requirement at your workplace?

Brie:  It’s not a requirement at my work, I just like to wear high heels because they make me look taller and feel lady-like.  Though I have heard that not so long ago there was a lot of controversy over companies requiring their female employees to wear high heels, even though studies had shown that they could hurt their feet after extended wear.

Andrea:  That’s true. In the US in the 1990s, several airlines required their female flight attendants to wear heels of at least one half to two inches in height during work. High heels were also required as part of the dress code of cocktail waitresses in some casinos.  The US is not the only country that has grappled with this issue, though.  In Japan, females in customer-facing roles are often required to wear heels as part of the company dress code. In 2017, the UK put in place legislation that only requires women to wear high heels on the job if men in the same position are required to dress equivalently.  This legislation came about after a female worker was sent home from her job without pay, because she didn’t want to wear high heels.  

Brie:  I think that requiring a woman to wear high heels is a form of gender discrimination.  It doesn’t make sense why the rule would only apply to women.

Andrea:  I agree, but what I find especially strange about this whole controversy is that, historically at least, high heels were originally a fashion for men.

Brie:  Really?  So high heels weren’t always a symbol of femininity and female dress?   It can’t be!

Andrea:  Before you dig your heels too far into that conviction, let me go back in time through history to explain what I mean about this crazy fun fact!  Paintings have revealed that high heels date back to at least the 1590s.  The warriors of ancient Persia are known to be the first to wear shoes with one inch heels.  When they rode horseback, it made it easier for them to keep their feet in the horse stirrups while using their weapons in battle.   In fact, what we refer to today as the cowboy boot comes directly from this early shoe.  

Brie:  原来如今商店琳琅满目的女性高跟鞋最早的历史记载可以追溯到十六世纪末期。当时的高跟鞋是为战场上波斯男性设计的，他们为了在作战时能更稳地踩紧马蹬，坐稳马鞍，挥舞武器杀敌而成为了第一批穿上高跟鞋的人。So, the first high heels were made for purposes of war.  How then did they become a fashion statement?

Andrea:  Persian migrants introduced them to Europe.  By the 17 century, they were worn by male European royalty and aristocrats to show off power, wealth, and military prowess.  For men at that time, fashion was all about showing off sculpted calves and thighs, and high heels helped to make men look taller and do just that.   Louis the XIV, the French sun king famously known to wear high heeled shoes with red heels, believed that the higher the heel on a shoe, the better.  He wore heels of up to 5 inches in height!  In 1670, he even made it illegal for anyone other than nobility to wear them. 

Brie:  波斯移民随后把高跟鞋带到了欧洲。到17世纪，欧洲皇室贵族男士们都穿上了高跟鞋。他们认为高跟鞋可以让他们看起来更加高大，还可以让他们的腿看上去更加的健美。 法国太阳王路易十四以穿红色高跟鞋而闻名，他认为鞋的鞋跟越高越好,可以充分显示自信与权威。他甚至颁布法律禁止贵族之外的人穿高跟鞋，因为他认为高跟鞋是尊贵身份的象征。How come only royal and aristocratic men wore high heels and women of the same social standing did not?

Andrea:  At that time, high heels were seen as a sign of masculinity and demonstrated a man’s ability to crush his enemies. It was not befitting of a woman.  There was also a practical reason that women did not wear high heels.  Unlike men, they had to keep their legs covered under multiple layers of skirts, and the risk of falling and possibly miscarrying a baby was too high to risk wearing high heels.  Therefore, women only wore low heels or platform shoes. 

Brie:  在当时的欧洲，高跟鞋被认为是体现男子气概以及战胜敌人能力的标志， 并不适合女性。 贵族孕妇们也担心穿高跟鞋容易使她们被厚厚的裙摆绊倒，而导致流产。So, when did the situation flip?  When did high heels become a fashion statement only for women?

Andrea: The design of women's shoes changed in the 18th century, becoming higher, more decorative, and more narrow.  Innovations in shoe design and changes in women’s fashion made it more safe for women to wear high heeled shoes.  In the 1730s, wearing high heels was no longer trendy for men as their fashion became more practical and high heels came to be seen  as a less practical shoe choice.  Also, the shoe’s growing popularity among women made the shoes seem more feminine.  By the time of the French Revolution, high heels were only worn by women. 

Brie:  到了18世纪，随着女鞋设计的创新以及女性时尚潮流的变化，越来越多的女性开始穿起了让她们看上去更高，更具装饰性也更加安全的高跟鞋。 到法国大革命时期，高跟鞋已经演变成了女性们的专利。Wow, that is a very strange historical twist!  First, high heels were a symbol of masculinity and now they are a symbol of femininity.  For a long time, women were not allowed to wear high heels because they were seen as belonging to the dress code of men.  Now, high heels are so ingrained in the dress code of women that, in some industries, women are required to wear them to work!   I’m surprised, and now also kind of angry about this whole situation.

Andrea:  Yes, it is a strange turn of events, but don’t let that set you back on your heels.

Brie:  Set me back on my heels, what do you mean?  I already took my high heels off!

Andrea:  I mean don’t let this surprising fun fact be a setback for you, instead use this newfound information to make a positive impact!

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Controversy  / ˈkɒn trəˌvɜr si /    争议

Flight attendant  / əˈtɛn dənt /  空乘务员

Cocktail  / ˈkɒkˌteɪl /  鸡尾酒

Casino  / kəˈsi noʊ /  赌场

Legislation  / ˌlɛdʒ ɪsˈleɪ ʃən /  立法

Equivalently  / ɪˈkwɪv ə lənt li /  同等地

Discrimination  / dɪˌskrɪm əˈneɪ ʃən /  歧视

Femininity  / ˌfɛm əˈnɪn ɪ ti /  女性气质

Conviction  / kənˈvɪk ʃən /  定罪

Persia  / ˈpɜr ʒə /  波斯

Stirrup  / ˈstɜr əp / 马镫

Migrant  / ˈmaɪ grənt /  移民

Aristocrat  / əˈrɪs təˌkræt / 贵族

Prowess  / ˈpraʊ ɪs /  威力，实力

Nobility  / noʊˈbɪl ɪ ti /  贵族

Masculinity  / mæskjʊˈlɪnɪtɪ /  阳刚之气

Befitting  / bɪˈfɪt ɪŋ /  合适的

Ingrained  / ɪnˈgreɪnd / 根深蒂固的

Phrases:

Grapple with (something)  尽力解决，设法应对

Dig your heels into  尤指不顾他人劝说，坚持己见，一意孤行

Turn of events  形势的变化

Set (someone) back on (someone’s) heels  使人处于惊奇，不安或迷惑的状态, 而影响他的表现

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见!

Photo Credit: Ussama Azam on Unsplash

Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/LightsSappheiros

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-lbbHQbZNKg

Can you tell the difference between a mashed potato, apple, and onion without your sense of sight and smell?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Brie:  Come, come, you have to see this TV show I’m watching!  It’s a “Hell’s Kitchen” blind taste test! The chefs are competing to see who can correctly guess the flavors of different types of food. You won’t believe how bad most of the competing chefs are at guessing the flavor of ice cream in this game.  One chef has even mistaken banana ice cream for chocolate!  Can you believe that, Andrea?

Andrea:  He mistook the flavor of banana for chocolate?  How, Brie? Those flavors are so different!  I can taste the difference between banana and chocolate with my eyes closed. 

Brie: You are very confident in your taste buds, Andrea! One would assume that as professional chefs, the show contestants would have well developed tastes by now. 

Andrea:  Are they able to smell what they’re tasting?

Brie: No.  In the challenge, the chefs are blindfolded and fed the ice cream so quickly, they don’t have the chance to smell it. 

Andrea:  Aha!  Now I get what’s going on!  The chefs can’t tell the difference between the flavors because they can neither see nor likely smell the food they are tasting.   This reminds me of an interesting fun fact:  If you were to blindfold yourself and plug your nose, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a mashed potato, apple, and onion!

Brie: 你是说如果我们戴着眼罩，堵住鼻子来品尝捣碎的土豆泥，苹果泥和洋葱泥，我们是很难将它们区分开来的?！No way, those three foods taste completely different!  I’m pretty confident that I can distinguish one from the other under any circumstances.

Andrea:  If I were you, I wouldn’t be so sure.  Up to 80% of our sense of taste is based on our sense of smell.  How we experience the flavor of food is a result of how we experience the combined sensations of sight, smell, taste, and touch.  Without our ability to smell, our food will be very bland.   If the apple, potato, and onion have the same texture and consistency, then, without our ability to see or smell, we will perceive that they have a similar taste.  

Brie:  我们多达80％的味觉是由我们的嗅觉决定的。 食物的风味是综合了我们的视觉，嗅觉，味觉以及口感等的一个整体感受。因为土豆泥，苹果泥和洋葱泥具有十分相似的口感和味道，在我们看不见也闻不着它们的情况下，我们就很容易将它们混淆在一起了。So, you mean, if I plug my nose and close my eyes and then eat a mashed potato, apple,  and onion, I will not be able to tell the three foods apart because they taste and feel the same?

Andrea:  Exactly!  One thing I need to clarify, though, is that when it comes to food, taste and flavor are two distinct concepts that are often confused.  So, when I say taste, I am referring specifically to the chemical sense perceived by the receptor cells on the taste buds of our tongue that enables us to experience the 5 basic tastes:  Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savoury or umami.  When I say flavor, I am referring to the total sensory experience that occurs when we eat.  The brain interprets stimuli from the texture, smell, taste, and temperature of our food to create this sensation. The pain that we feel when we eat certain foods such as those that are spicy is also considered part of a food’s flavor.

Brie:  Alright, I sort of understand your point now.  Taste and flavor are two totally different concepts.  Taste，“味道”指的是我们舌头味蕾能感知到的化学感受。人的味蕾通常可以识别甜，咸，酸，苦，鲜这五种基本味道。 然而 flavor，“ 风味”指的是我们进食时， 大脑根据食物的质地，气味，味道和温度而产生的整体感官体验。 我们平时吃的辛辣食物的辛辣味并不是味道的一种，而是我们口腔感受到的痛感，因此辛辣味只是食物风味的一部分。But how does our sense of smell play such a crucial role in influencing the flavor of food? 

Andrea:  Great question!  Located high in our nose are nerves that are stimulated when we smell odors.  These nerves communicate with our brain which then triggers our saliva glands to secrete saliva.  Our taste buds are activated as the saliva mixes with our food when we eat, creating our sensation of taste. When our nose gets stuffed up, such as it sometimes does when we get sick, we are unable to perceive the flavor of our food.  This is because the scent molecules were unable to reach the scent receptors in our nose.

Brie: 当我们进餐时，食物的气味分子首先进入鼻子的上方神经，神经再将气味信号传递给大脑，大脑便会触发唾液腺分泌唾液，以为充分品尝食物的味道做准备。唾液与食物混合会激活我们的味蕾，从而产生味觉。 当我们感冒鼻塞的时候，气味分子很难到达我们鼻子里的气味接收体。这便是我们生病时，吃饭总是寡然无味的真正原因了。This reminds me of a Chinese saying 色香味俱全, which means a nicely cooked dish should look good, smell better, and taste delightful!  If a dish doesn’t plate in an appetizing way or has a bad smell, a taster’s interest in the dish is halved.

Andrea:  It would certainly be hell to be unable to distinguish between the flavors of food or eat something that does not look appetizing.  Well, I guess that’s why the show you are watching is called Hell’s Kitchen.  I enjoy eating homemade food with my family, and discussing what makes the flavors so good is what helps bring us closer together.  Indeed, I have my senses to thank for being in such good odor with my family!

Brie:  What do you mean when you say that you are in good odor with your family? Do you mean that you all smell good?

Andrea:  No, although the word “odor” refers to a smell, and usually an unpleasant one at that, when I say that I am in good odor with someone, I mean that I am in a good relationship with that person.

Brie:  I see, so being able to come together to enjoy the flavors of homemade cooking helps to improve your relationship with your family!

Andrea:  Yes, and for that I am thankful for my senses of smell and taste!

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Hell’s Kitchen  《地狱厨房》是以英国独立电视台节目为蓝本，于美国福斯广播公司播出的一个烹饪实境秀电视节目。

Chef  / ʃɛf /  厨师

Assume  / əˈsum /  假定，假设

Contestant  / kənˈtɛs tənt /  参赛者，选手

Blindfold  / ˈblaɪndˌfoʊld /  眼罩

Mashed  / mæʃt /  捣碎的

Distinguish  / dɪˈstɪŋ gwɪʃ /  区分

Circumstance  / ˈsɜr kəmˌstæns /  情况

Sensation  / sɛnˈseɪ ʃən /  感觉

Texture  / ˈtɛks tʃər /  质地

Consistency  / kənˈsɪs tən si /  黏稠度 

Perceive  / pərˈsiv /  感知，觉察   

Clarify  / ˈklær əˌfaɪ /  阐明，澄清

Distinct  / dɪˈstɪŋkt /  不同的

Umami  / uˈmɑ mi /  鲜味

Stimuli  / ˈstɪm yəˌlaɪ /  刺激物

Saliva gland  / səˈlaɪ və glænd /  唾液腺

Secrete  / sɪˈkrit /  分泌

Molecule  / ˈmɒl əˌkyul /  分子

Receptor  / rɪˈsɛp tər /  接收体

Appetizing  / ˈæp ɪˌtaɪ zɪŋ /  让人有食欲的

Phrases:

（To) be hell 糟糕的

（To) be in good odor with (someone) 和某人关系融洽

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

Disclaimer: This podcast is not sponsored by nor has any affiliation with the “Hell’s Kitchen” TV show. 

Background Music Credit: 

Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/LightsSappheiros

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-lbbHQbZNKg

Rubik’s Cube -  A Complex Puzzle or Not?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Andrea: Brie, you look so intensely focused!

Brie:  One second, Andrea, I’m about to solve this Rubik’s Cube. My goal is to be able to solve this puzzle game in any position in under 60 seconds.

Andrea:  Wow, you are quite an ambitious speedcuber!

Brie:  I sure am. If I can solve the Rubik’s Cube in less than one minute, then, statistically speaking, I’m solving it faster than 99.5% of the world’s population, and that is my ultimate goal! Aha! I just got it solved! 

Andrea: Bravo! Have you managed to solve it in under 60 seconds?

Brie: Well, let me check.  Dang, it took me about...60 minutes!

Andrea: Not bad! You ought to give yourself a pat on the shoulder!  Your time is faster than the inventor of the puzzle when he played it for the first time!

Brie: You mean Professor Rubik? The inventor of the Rubik’s Cube?

Andrea: Yes. Professor Ernő Rubik, the inventor and first solver of the Rubik’s Cube.  He spent over a month struggling to unscramble his invention. 

Brie: Really?! 三次魔方的发明人竟然用了一个多月的时间来解决自己发明的魔方难题?!That makes me feel a bit better about how fast I was able to solve the Rubik’s Cube!

Andrea: Actually, and here’s a fun fact, only 6% of the world’s population is able to solve the Rubik’s Cube. The mere fact that you can solve this puzzle game puts you in this top tier of solvers.  It has been calculated that there are 43 quintillion (that’s 43 with 18 zeros) possible ways to arrange the miniature cubes of the Rubik's Cube. The thing is, only one arrangement is correct!

Brie: 世界上有百分之94的魔方玩家从未能够解决魔方难题。一个看似简单的三阶魔方竟有这么多的不同排列可能，43后面再加18个零！

Andrea: The complexity of the puzzle has turned the game into a sport where competitive puzzle solvers, dubbed speedcubers, compete to solve the puzzle in seconds.  The current record holder is Chinese speedcuber Du Yusheng, who is able to solve the Cube in 3.47 seconds.

Brie: I wonder how much time and effort goes into becoming a super speedcuber like that?

Andrea: That’s certainly a question to puzzle over, but I heard that with 2 to 3 weeks of methodological and strategic training, a person can solve a cube in under 2 minutes.  

Brie: 你是说，对于一个初级玩家，一般只需要两到三个星期的训练，就能在两分钟之内解决三阶魔方难题？ How is that possible? As far as I can tell, it’s such a complex puzzle.

Andrea: I know that sounds crazy, but it is possible to master the puzzle in that short of a time period as long as you know the tricks of the trade.  The most important skill to develop is the ability to memorize algorithms, which are sets of moves that bring about the expected and most optimal results. They are the mathematically best way of finishing a task.  Algorithms can be combined to increase efficiency. The fastest Rubik’s Cube puzzlers reduce the guesswork by memorizing hundreds of these algorithms.

Brie: 原来，人们在长期玩魔方的过程中，总结并归纳了一套高效有用的魔方算法，要想成为真正的快速魔方玩家，能够记住算法，并且灵活运用，是至关重要的一项技能。对于那些能在几秒钟解决一个魔方难题的顶级玩家，他们通常能将上百个魔方算法记得是丝毫不差。 Solving a Rubik’s Cube definitely requires a good memory and fast fingers.

Andrea:  Exactly, both are important. In fact, the God’s Number of the Rubik’s Cube is 20.

Brie: God’s Number 上帝之数？What is that?

Andrea: The God’s Number is a mathematical term describing the maximum or worst case scenario number of rotational moves required to solve a Rubik’s Cube from any arbitrary starting position.  This means that when the position of the Rubik’s Cube is in the worst possible or most complex position, puzzle solvers should technically be able to solve the Rubik’s Cube within 20 rotations. 

Brie:  上帝之数原来是一个专用名词，指的是要解决一个处于任何排列位置的魔方所需要的最多步数。对于三阶魔方来说，它的上帝之数是“20”，意思是不管三阶魔方的起始位置有多么复杂，它都能通过最多20步的旋转来解决。

Andrea: Yes, I think that the researchers who identified the God’s number, and the speedcubers and others who are good at solving the Rubik’s Cube have definitely solved a Chinese puzzle.

Brie:  Andrea, the Rubik’s Cube is not a Chinese puzzle!  It was invented in Hungary! So, I guess you could say that it’s a Hungarian puzzle？

Andrea:  I don’t mean that it’s a puzzle from China or that it was invented by the Chinese.  I mean that they solved something that is very complicated.  For whatever reason, a common way to say that something is very difficult is to say it’s “a Chinese puzzle”, “it must be Chinese,” or “it’s Chinese to me”!

Brie: 明白了, “ a Chinese puzzle” 只是一个常用说法，用来形容一切伤脑筋的难题。类似于中国人常说的看起来像天书的意思。

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Rubik’s Cube  / ˌrubɪks ˈkyub /  三阶魔方

Ambitious  / æmˈbɪʃ əs /   有野心的

Speedcuber  / ˈspid ˌkyubər /  速解魔方者

Ultimate  / ˈʌl tə mɪt /  终极的/最终的

Dang  / dæŋ /  糟糕

Unscramble  / ʌnˈskræm bəl /  解答/解决

Top tier  / tɒp  tɪər /  顶级的

Quintillion  / kwɪnˈtɪl yən /  千亿/百万的三次方

Miniature  / ˈmɪn i ə tʃər /  小的/微型

Complexity  / kəmˈplɛk sɪ ti /  复杂

Dubbed  / dʌbd /  被昵称为， 被俗称为

Methodological  / ˌmɛθ əˈdɒl ə dʒikəl /  有方法的

Strategic  / strəˈti dʒɪk /  有策略的

Algorithm  / ˈæl gəˌrɪð əm / 算法

Guesswork  / ˈgɛsˌwɜrk /  猜测

Arbitrary  / ˈɑr bɪˌtrɛr i /  任意的

Hungary   / ˈhʌŋ gə ri /  匈牙利

Phrases:

Pat on the shoulder  拍拍肩膀以示鼓励认可

Puzzle over (something)  为...伤透脑筋，为...苦苦思考

Tricks of the trade （某一行业或活动的）绝招，绝活，门道

Chinese puzzle  难解或者难懂的问题以及情况，类似于中国人常说的看起来像天书

Alright, join us next time for another fun fact to help break the ice! 好了，这就是我们今天的有趣常识分享，如果喜欢我们，请别忘了点击订阅！拜拜，咱们下期再见！

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