英语每日一听 | 每天少于5分钟

Time to own up. When you’re sitting at your computer, do you work solidly all day? Or do you allow yourself to become distracted now and again… to open a few extra tabs, check social media, read a spot of news, browse the latest fashion trends, maybe catch up on some celebrity gossip, and look at some…  是时候拥有了。当您坐在电脑前时，您是否整天都在认真工作？或者...

Here’s a simple challenge: name a famous inventor. Perhaps Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci springs to mind. Or the pioneer of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell. But you might be hard-pressed to name many female inventors, even though women are behind some of the most widely used technologies in the modern world. 这是一个简单的挑战：命名一位著名的发明家...

We all have one, don’t we? A friend who’s always late. The one who turns up for coffee a full half hour after the appointed time. The one who seems to be forever ‘stuck in traffic’. The dear pal who sends a message saying “Sorry, bit delayed”, when they’re already 20 minutes behind schedule. I mean, what kind of a friend is that? Or just maybe, if you’re really honest, this per...

You know the feeling. You’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It’s going to be hours before you get home. As we know all too well, congestion is one of the downsides of modern city living. Don’t you wish you could just take to the skies and soar above it all in a helicopter?  你知道那种感觉。你被困在一个接一个的交通中。在你回家之前还有几个小时。众所周知，拥堵是...

If you don’t use it, you lose it. At least, that’s how the old  aphorism  goes. It refers to the idea that something which does not get  utilised  regularly quickly falls into  a state of decline . For example, a hobby that you haven’t done for a few years, like playing the trumpet. You might find yourself a bit  rusty  the next time you pick one up – or maybe yo...

Let's be honest – I'm sure we've all done something a little dishonest in our lives – maybe copying someone's work, borrowing some money from a friend and not paying them back or being given too much change in a shop and keeping quiet about it. Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're a good, upstanding citizen who believes that honesty is the best policy. 老实说——我敢肯定我...

Have you ever loved a TV show? I mean really loved it? Like, you can’t wait to get to work to talk about it loved it? What about the cliffhanger? That’s the unresolved situation at the end of the episode which makes you want to watch the next one. But, when will the next one be? 你曾经喜欢过电视节目吗？我的意思是真的喜欢它？就像，你迫不及待地想去上班谈论它喜欢它吗？悬念呢？这就是这一集结尾处...

What would make you happy? Really happy? A nice holiday, lazing on a tropical beach? Maybe a blowout meal with friends at a swanky restaurant? Or possibly splashing out on a pair of the latest designer jeans? All these pleasures cost money so does that mean we need lots of cash to feel good or does the old saying 'money can't buy happiness' still ring t...

Our parents always tell us that if we work hard, we will do well. If you're studying at university this ultimately means passing your exams and achieving a first-class degree. Easier said than done! So if you're struggling to complete that final assignment or feel your revision is going nowhere, how will you believe that getting a top-notch qualification is a rea...

Everybody likes to laugh sometimes, whether at a funny joke, an amusing incident or a hilarious photograph or sound. Comedians who parody well known people always tickle my funny bone! The great thing is that once we've had a good laugh, we feel happier. It would seem therefore, that bringing a bit of humour into more serious situations might be good for us. 每个...

How are you feeling today? I've got a few aches and pains, but nothing serious. However, when things become more critical, I would normally book myself an appointment with my GP – although by the time I get to see him, the problem will have probably gone away. That's because in the UK at least, we usually have to wait a few days before the doctor can fit us in, and th...

I need help! I have to fix a leaking pipe in my bathroom but I'm not sure where to begin. I know I lack the necessary DIY skills, but luckily there are numerous books and online videos that will hopefully give me the information I need. Publications that help us to help ourselves are nothing new, but the range of them is increasing with advice being given far beyond practi...

Cosuming food can be a  pleasurable  thing – we enjoy feasting on the mix of tastes and textures and it stops us feeling hungry too. Of course, food also gives us energy and the vitamins and minerals that our body needs. It's no wonder we spend so much time preparing and eating food. But what many of us don't consider is how our emotions are affected by what we put into our  bellies...

There's no doubt that in today's digital world, computer games are extremely sophisticated and capable of creating virtual reality experiences that were unimaginable only a few years ago. So I am interested to see that the simplistic games that I grew up with, are making a revival. But why? 毫无疑问，在当今的数字世界中，电脑游戏非常复杂，能够创造出几年前还无法想象的虚...

Do you like drinking coffee? I certainly do. In fact you could say I'm an addict because I have to drink a cup every morning to kick-start my day and get my brain working! Latte, cappuccino, espresso – you name it, I'll drink it. And I'm not alone – it seems like everyone has a coffee cup glued to their hands as they rush to the office. So how would we survive if there was a&nb...

It’s very common these days for people to have a  gym   regime . Whatever the drive behind it, whether health-related, performance-related or just plain  vainglory , it is not uncommon for people to take some sort of regular exercise each week. 如今，人们拥有健身计划非常普遍。无论其背后的驱动力是什么，无论是与健康相关、与表现相关还是仅仅是虚荣，人们每周进行某种定期锻炼并不少见。 But...

As a child, I was always told to 'eat my greens'. These were the unappealing vegetables that sat on the edge of my plate. Peas, broccoli and green beans, all looked and tasted disgusting. Let's face it, when there were so many other edible treats to enjoy, why eat boring veg? 小时候，我总是被告知“吃我的蔬菜”。这些是坐在我盘子边缘的不吸引人的蔬菜。豌豆、西兰花和青豆，看起来和尝...

School playground crazes come and go but the latest collectable toy is proving popular with children and adults alike. My kids have gone mad for the platsic spinning disc called a fidget spinner and I have to admit, I've become a little addicted too – but why? 学校操场的热潮来来去去，但事实证明，最新的收藏玩具深受儿童和成人的欢迎。我的孩子们对称为指尖陀螺的 plats...

I wonder how many of you will read this article or listen to my voice right through to the end? With our busy lifestyles and continuous distractions, it's hard to stay focussed on one task and I wouldn't be surprised if I lose you somewhere along the way – but we'll see! 我想知道你们中有多少人会读到这篇文章，或者从头到尾听我的声音？由于我们忙碌的生活方式和不断的分心，很难...

How many plastic carrier bags have you got in your house? I seem to have cupboards full of them and it feels like they're taking over my home! The ubiquitous shopping bag is just one example of the million things we use made from this useful material, plastic. But unfortunately, it's not the easiest thing to recycle and this is causing an environmental problem.  &nbsp...

How much food do you buy each week? Are you someone who stuffs your fridge and cupboards full of edible treats so that you'll always have something to munch on and so that you'll never go hungry? Or maybe, like me, you're more efficient with your shopping, only buying what you need and using up your leftovers so that you keep food waste to a minimum.   你每...

Imagine a future where our streets are filled with ads 200m tall; where billboards change before our eyes to give us personalised messages; and where companies track our every move as we walk through a city, pinging our phones with special offers as we near their shops. 想象一个未来，我们的街道上布满了 200m 高的广告；广告牌在我们眼前发生变化，为我们提供个性...

Take five colours: red, black, blue, green and purple. How do they make you feel? It’s a question of supreme significance to designers and marketers. British fashion designer Wayne Hemingway explored this topic in a BBC radio programme about the psychology of colour. You can read a summary of his ideas below. Do you agree with him? Or do you think the meaning of colour depends on the culture...

Do you consider yourself to be rich? Do you have plenty of cash and no financial worries? Or maybe, like me, is it something you can only dream about? For most of us, the closest chance of becoming a millionaire would be to win the lottery but if you don't buy a lottery ticket, are there others ways of becoming super-rich? 你认为自己很有钱吗？你有足够的现金并且没有财...

Most of us know that the risk of getting ill is reduced when we look after ourselves. Taking regular exercise has proven to be good for our health and scientists have found that the risk of getting cancer and heart disease is reduced when we take part in physical activity – and now they've found cycling to work is one of the best activities to do this. Well, good news...