從生活場景學英文口語（用英語學英語口語訓練）

2023-07-02 20:17:10 3

用英語學英語口語訓練：a sponge city 海綿城市

廣西南寧有個著名的「那考溼地公園」，裡面出現了「海綿城市」這個名詞概念。去考過了以後，我就在想一個問題：What is a sponge city? 什麼是海綿城市啊？

然而，我又不想直接查中文百度「海綿城市」，用中文來「漲知識」。

將來有機會跟人討論sponge city時，我還想能直接用英語討論sponge city的「微話題」。

那麼，我們就用英語來回答，既學習英語，使用英語，又用英語「漲知識」吧！

我也知道，直接用英語理解和記憶積累a sponge city一定是有比直接說中文「海綿城市」更大的困難的，但是，為了提高自己的英語能力和口語能力，我不能用中文「偷懶」的。

那我們就直接用英語「漲知識」，又「使用英語」吧。

1) URead 體驗英語：

Basically, 『sponge city』 is a phrase that was invented in China,」 says Austin Williams, an urban studies professor at Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou. 「Nobody used this phrase until Xi Jinping announced it.」

China's sponge cities: soaking up water to reduce flood risks

China bets on 'sponge cities' to cope with flooding and drought

Unlike most infrastructures in China, the plaza here in Shenzhen has no drains. When rain falls lightly, the water either filters down to the underground through permeable pavements or is soaked up by gardens designed to catch rain. Almost no rainwater flows into street gutters around this plaza. During a period when many big cities -- most recently Houston -- are experiencing extreme rainfall and major flooding, the innovations show in a small way the kinds of preparations that may be needed.

Sponge City: Solutions for China’s Thirsty and Flooded Cities

Flooding is just one of the major water management issues facing China’s urban areas. More than half of China’s cities are considered water scarce. If these water challenges are unresolved, they could have significant economic and security implications for China.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to China’s urban water issues, a new nationwide initiative—the 「sponge city」 program—offers a flexible solution for both water-scarce and water-logged cities.

這段英語雖然讀起來有點長有點難有點「專業」，但還是要強迫自己從裡面的閱讀後，能用英語形成討論sponge city的一個「微話題」(至少用英語能「侃侃而談」上五六句話)。

2) UTalk 自己跟自己說英語，使用英語，形成「微話題」：

1. 讀到Basically, 『sponge city』 is a phrase that was invented in China,」 says Austin Williams, an urban studies professor at Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou. 「Nobody used this phrase until Xi Jinping announced it.」時，自己跟自己說英語：

Well you know ,China was the first country,not the USA,not Japan, or any other countries, to use the concept of a sponge city.

China was the first one to say a sponge city.

And China's President Xi Jinping was the first person to say a sponge city in China,and the world, too.

說這樣的英語，記這樣的英語不難吧？還需要中文「輔助」？

2. 讀到China's sponge cities: soaking up water to reduce flood risks以及China bets on 'sponge cities' to cope with flooding and drought時，使用英語：

Well a sponge city is about water management, to be more exact, about rainwater management in a city.

When there is too much (rain)water,that is, flooding, a sponge city can soak up(take in) the rainwater to reduce chances of being flooded in the city.

And when there is not enough rainwater, that is, a drought, a sponge city can provide enough rainwater for it.

So the city is just like a sponge, storing water and giving water at the same time.

3. 讀到Sponge City: Solutions for China’s Thirsty and Flooded Cities時，我們從中有了很好的「說英語」的詞彙了：

Well a sponge city is a solution(=an answer) to thirsty(drought) city and a flooded city.

關於sponge city，能用英語記，用英語說這麼多英語，做個五六句話的「微話題」，已經可以給自己打滿分了，比你只會說英語的sponge city的一個中文單詞「海綿城市」已經強千百倍。

歐，對了，我們甚至可以說：A sponge city is a wetland啊！

Why not?