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Silence
简体
Silence
沉默

Learn the Zero Conditional

Date: Sep 07 2011

Themes: Travel

Grammar: Zero Conditional

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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The expression “silence is golden” isn’t true for everybody. Some people can’t stand a lot of noise and like nothing better than a little peace and quiet. But others find silence uncomfortable. They prefer a little background noise at all times, and would rather it be too loud than too quiet.

But whether or not you think it’s golden, true silence is pretty rare. If you live in a big city, you’re constantly surrounded by noise from the street like car horns, sirens, buses and trains. Finding a few moments of silence can be a challenge at home, too, especially if you have children, a big family, or a lot of roommates.

It’s easier to find silence in remote places. But if you head out to the country in search of a little peace and quiet, don’t forget to silence your cell phone!
If you can stand a little noise now, listen to Ella and Marni chat about silence.

俗语“沉默是金”并不适合于每一个人。有些人无法忍受太多的噪音,而衷情于平和与宁静。可其他人却会感觉沉默令人不舒服。在任何时候,他们都喜欢略微吵闹的环境,而且他们认为过于吵闹总要好于过分安静。
但是,不管你是否认为“沉默是金”,真正的沉默是极为罕见的。如果你居住在大城市中,你将持续被街上的各种噪音包围,比如汽车喇叭、警笛声、公交车和火车的声音。在家中寻求片刻宁静也是一种挑战,尤其是如果你有孩子、有一个大家庭或者有很多室友时,更是难上加难。在偏远的地方能比较容易地找到安静。但是,当你去郊外寻找些许平和与安宁的时候,不要忘记将手机静音!
如果你现在还能忍受些许噪音,就来听艾拉和玛尼聊聊沉默吧。

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Ella

Ella

Marni:  You know, Ella, that old expression “silence is golden”?

Ella:  Sometimes, maybe, but I don’t mind a little background noise.

Marni:  I just want some peace and quiet. I just want, you know, ten minutes of silence.

Ella:  For me, the house I live in is pretty old, so all the creaks and stuff like that kind of creeps me out. So for me, I love to have like background noise going on.

Marni:  I wonder if it’s my profession, you know, teaching. I just talk all day, I don’t shut up all day, so it just hits that point when I come home, I just want it to be quiet. I just want some peace and quiet. Just a little me time.

Ella:  Yeah, for me I feel like if it’s too quiet, then my thoughts just keep running and running and running. So it helps me relax when there’s some noise around.

Marni:  All that noise helps you relax? That’s fascinating. Yeah, I’m totally the opposite. I really, I think it sounds like a racket, so much background noise. Just shut up, you know?

Ella:  As soon as I get home I turn my laptop on, I have my stereo going, I throw on the TV. That just helps me relax.

Marni:  So you probably don’t really like going camping or getting out into the woods where it’s just quiet and still.

Ella:  Yeah, I usually bring a stereo if I go camping.

Marni:  Wow. Remind me to never go camping with you.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Discussion

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Marni loves silence. She is a teacher, so she has to talk all day and is always around noisy children. When she gets home, she just wants a little peace and quiet.

Ella, on the other hand, doesn’t like silence. If it is too quiet, she can’t relax. Sometimes silence even creeps her out. At home, she always turns on her stereo or TV for background noise.

It’s hard for Marni to understand how Ella can stand all that noise. Ella even likes to bring a stereo with her when she goes camping. Marni says she could never go camping with Ella. She loves the peace and quiet of remote places.

Do you like silence, or do you prefer to have some background noise? Is there a lot of noise where you live?

 

Comments

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Whitney S

Whitney S

Colombia

I simply love the silence :)

09:32 AM Sep 07 2011 |

dearpesar

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i like silence when there is noise and noise when there is silence Wink

07:54 AM Sep 07 2011 |

samantha-zhang

China

i think  silence in our modern life is not a good way to express your feeling .There are too much compative in now .if you do not say your points out, others can’t find your smart and will be wash out by the wise man.

07:54 AM Sep 07 2011 |

lihua13630218602

China

Hello, I want to find a foreign friend to help me learn English, I can teach her to learn Chinese, thank you

07:28 AM Sep 07 2011 |

Learner of Life

Indonesia

Not any voice is annoying… 


As long as it doesn’t disturb the activity I do, I’m not really matter about any voice around me. However, well! many time some background noise disturb me and make me not too concentrate in doing my activities. That’s why I don’t like that kind of background noise n prefer to silence. Moreover if I need time to deep thinking or away form other people… time to just stay alone, silent place will the best choice for me to stay ^_

05:39 AM Sep 07 2011 |

Bruce_zhou

China

Really it is hard for me to say “silence is golden or not”,you know ,good or not it’s depend on what situation you are in and what mood do you have at that time,if you have feels little bit lonely,maybe you want get someone talk about here or other backgroud voice,maybe you will be feeling better,when you want do something on concentrating,maybe you eague have a quite backgroud,don’t like some one around with you,on the other hand,keep silence can avoid lost friends,why i have to say that,you know ,many times we lost friends all because gossiping,as we all know ,gossiping is not a good habit just ruins people’s lives ,impolite you know,so at this time ,we should keep silence you can avoide losing friends.above is my point of view 

05:32 AM Sep 07 2011 |

farhadatbari

Afghanistan

ooommm i think quiet and silence is not interest for life cuz if u want to injoy ur life u need for noise background where is alot of noise .i realy like background noise.


 

05:09 AM Sep 07 2011 |

Arlinrat Aui

Thailand

when i hang out, i prefer to have some background noise and music but home i like silence ^^ 

03:45 AM Sep 07 2011 |

Irish9904131

China

As far as I am concerned ,it depends .Most often is that I prefer silence ,because too much noise may keep me from concentrating  myself on things I  am doing , for instance ,when I am reading a books, u know,  I would like to enjoy the mental food in a  quiet atmosphere ,in which ,i can think better. But , sometimes , I prefer some noise , for example ,when I  have some feeling to express ,such as excitement , anger , sadness,etc, it could be better to have some noise ,then , people may not pay too much attention to me ,and I can have my own way to express my feeling ,such as ,crying, singing ,even shouting. .

03:37 AM Sep 07 2011 |

dragonwarrior

China

That is ture … .. if you talk too much , you really dont wanner anybody and anythings interupt you .   At that moment , the only thing you want to do is stay in silence and have a relax …...

02:31 AM Sep 07 2011 |

iamghost

Viet Nam

when your teacher ask you some question, you have to answer her, so silence is not golden.Tongue out

01:55 AM Sep 07 2011 |

Jobee

Jobee

China

man is all being of curiotisy.when you are so in silence ,you’ll feel lonely,on the contrary,you’ll be fed up when you are in noise.we just switch.we spend time in noise and silence,both.

01:41 AM Sep 07 2011 |

liuying1108

China

Well for me, i think i prefer staying in somewhere with some background noise, especially with some music~ 100 percent quite makes me feel lonely, i don’t why but it really makes me feel less comfortable~ So, i guess i’m in Ella’s team~~

12:39 AM Sep 07 2011 |

bkmiller69

bkmiller69

United States

I like silence but there is a lot of noise in my place.

09:09 AM Sep 06 2011 |

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