英语每日一听 | 每天少于5分钟

What makes you cry? Being moved by a soppy or sad movie, waving a loved one off, or getting emotional after splitting up with your partner can all cause tears to roll down our faces.  We all have the power to cry, but is that a good thing? 是什么让你哭泣？被一部烂片或悲伤的电影所感动，挥手离开所爱的人，或者在与伴侣分手后变得情绪激动，都会让我们泪流满面。我们都有哭泣的力量，但这是一件好事吗？...

‘Life is for living’, according to the well-used expression: What we choose to do is up to us. That may not be completely true, but there is no harm in dreaming about what we’d like to achieve in our life. Many of us write a list of things we’d like to do before we die – often called a bucket list. “生活就是为了生活”，这句话用得很好：我们选择做什么取决于我们自己。这可能并不完全正确，但梦想我们想要...

We’ve all heard cats meow and hiss, but why do they purr? There are a number of theories out there - from the commonly held belief that they are simply happy, to British comedian Eddie Izzard’s light-hearted suggestion that they are impersonating a drill. 我们都听过猫叫和嘶嘶声，但它们为什么会发出咕噜声？那里有许多理论 - 从普遍认为他们只是快乐的信念，到英国喜剧演员 Eddie Izzard 的轻松建议，他们正...

Most of us dream of meeting that special someone. For lack of a better phrase, that Prince or Princess Charming who will sweep us off our feet. But to quote the old adage from Shakespeare, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Sometimes our dream partner may have an unfortunate surprise to share with us – they may not live in the same town, city, country, or even on the same continent as...

It affects one in six people in England each week, according to UK charity Mind. That's the ratio of people who report experiencing a common mental health problem, such as  depression . Whether temporarily  down in the dumps , or chronically  depressed , many rely on  anti-depressants  to  lift their dejected mood . But, they have a cost – one ex-user told the BBC tha...

The average worldwide commute is around 40 minutes. But UK workers are travelling 54 minutes and Londoners commute approximately 80 minutes by car and over two hours by train every day, according to the UK Department of Transport. Drawing on all that travelling experience, what can these commuters teach us about how best to behave during all that time spent in cars, trains, and buses? 非洲联盟的最...

What do you do with old stuff? That top you bought for a party three years ago, for example. You wore it once and it's been hanging in your wardrobe ever since. You could  throw  it  away , but that seems  wasteful  – after all it's still perfectly  usable . So, what to do? In the UK, we might take it to a  charity shop . 你用旧东西做什么？例如，你三年前为派对买...

When you've got to go, you've got to go. At least that's the old saying! It refers to the often inconvenient need for a person to visit the toilet. It can happen to us all. There you are, out and about - when suddenly your bladder informs you that you need to spend a penny. The logical thing to do is tie a knot in it until you get to your destination, but what if...

'Kids these days, eh?' Three simple words that try to summarise many a misunderstanding across a generational divide. On one side, the older generation – stuffy, antiquated, and oppressive. On the other, the younger generation – rebellious, ignorant and disobedient, and lacking in self-control. Or at least that's what popular stereotypes would have us believ...

The course of true love never did run smooth, Lysander tells us in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Wise words many, would say. In the fast-paced world of modern life, it can be difficult to meet anyone, let alone our soulmate. Fortunately, there's an app for that, though wooing a potential partner is still up to you.  真爱的道路从来都不是一帆风顺的，Lysander...

Grey hair can be the beginning of the end. A silver signal that youth and beauty are fading and only old age remains. And while grey at 60 may not be surprising, many start to turn prematurely as young as 20. If we want to hide it, modern haircare products allow us to easily cover up our natural grey and preserve our youth a little longer...

This summer, the UK, and much of the northern hemisphere, has experienced a heatwave – a sustained period of roasting temperatures and scorching sunshine. While many welcome the Sun and warmth, too much can be dangerous to health. So what are the best ways to keep cool? 今年夏天，英国和北半球的大部分地区都经历了热浪——持续的高温和烈日。虽然许多人欢迎阳光和温暖，但...

Have you ever had a summer job? For many young people, summer is a heady period where education stops and fun begins. That said, holidays, festivals and time spent with friends cost money. And the very group who have the time to capitalise on the fun summer has to offer may not have the funds to do so. The solution? A summer job. 你有过暑期工作吗？对于许多年轻人来说，夏天是一个...

Business meetings are, arguably, a necessary part of any organisation where people work collectively to accomplish a goal. But badly managed, meetings can be unproductive, boring and feel like a complete waste of time. In a recent survey conducted by governance technology firm eShare, it was found that the average UK employee spends over 10 hours weekly preparing for and attend...

The noble tree house – all natural materials, sturdy construction, aloof from the troubles of the world. In a more dangerous time in human history, their position above the ground would protect the dweller against environmental difficulties and possible predators. As modern construction has improved, these arboreal residences have become less of a practical dwelling&n...

By now, most of us will have heard of GMOs. In case you haven't, GMO stands for genetically-modified organism. This basically means that an organism has had a foreign genetic sequence introduced into it. In theory, this gives the organism certain advantages – it may become hardier by developing a resistance to disease, or in the case of GM food, may be bigger and...

If you asked me to dance, I'd probably freeze on the spot. I lack rhythm and coordination and some people say I have two left feet! But with some persuasion and Dutch courage I can be tempted to take to the dance floor and shake some moves – and that, apparently, is only natural. 如果你让我跳舞，我可能会当场僵住。我缺乏节奏和协调，有人说我有两只左脚！但...

It's good to have friends that we can talk to and share our thoughts and opinions with. More importantly, they're people we can ask for help or advice. But recently it seems, many of us are developing a new relationship with a mystery person that we'll never meet! 有朋友可以交谈并分享我们的想法和意见是很好的。更重要的是，他们是我们可以寻求帮助或建议的人。但最近似乎，我们中的许多人正在与一个我们永...

The first thing sold online was a CD. It sold in 1994 for $12.48. In 1995, Amazon launched its online bookshop, and later that year the online auction site that would become eBay sold its first item. Fast-forward to the modern day and online shopping is huge business. In contrast to the recent UK announcements that many high-profile retail chains and department stores&nbsp...

Whether it’s studying for exams, working on a project or struggling with a dissertation, we’ve all been under immense stress at some point. When it gets a bit overwhelming, we can reach a level of exhaustion that is unprecedented – the dreaded burnout. However, that feeling of exhaustion is not just physical; it can be mental as well. 无论是准备考试、做项目还是写论文，我们都曾在某些时候承受过巨大...

We all know what a dog means when it wags its tail – it means they’re happy, right? Well, maybe not according to leading animal psychologists who analyse what a dog may be or may not be feeling.  There may be more of a tale in the movements of a dog’s tail than most of us think. 我们都知道狗摇尾巴意味着什么——这意味着它们很高兴，对吧？好吧，也许不是根据分析狗可能是或可能不是感觉的主要动物心理...

Have you ever wondered if you see the same colours as other people? Most people know what blue is when they see it.  It’s the colour of sea, sky and sapphires. They see the colour and call it ‘blue’ because they were taught the word and associated it with what they saw. But how do you know what you see as blue isn’t someone else’s red, and vice versa? 你有没有想过你是否看到和其他人一样的颜色...

Have you ever watched one of the many TV shows set during the apocalypse - a dystopian future where life as we know it is over and people are only focussed on survival? If it’s not zombies, it’s viruses or natural disasters. One thing that seems to be a quintessential part of these series is survivors searching for food and resources. Is that why people stockpile food when things go bad? 你有没有...

You can’t cross the same river twice, the popular saying goes. This wisdom reminds us that everything changes - expecting to relive your bygone days of success in the same way is unrealistic. But, apparently, this doesn’t apply to music. Over the last decade or so, for one reason or another, a number of high-profile bands have decided to stop resting on their laurels and have reunited. But why? 俗...

Do you sometimes find yourself drawing random patterns and designs during meetings and lectures? Some people believe it shows you aren’t listening or paying attention. However, there are studies which claim the opposite, and that doodling might actually be beneficial. 您有时会发现自己在会议和讲座中随意绘制图案和设计吗？有些人认为这表明你没有倾听或注意。然而，也有研究声称相反，涂鸦实际上可能是有益...