School's Out! 学校放假了!
Rob: Hello and welcome to Ask About Britain. I'm Rob…
Yang Li: And I'm Yang Li.
Rob: It's time to answer another question about life in Britain and today's question is very seasonal.
Yang Li: 季节性的。Yes, we only have to look outside the window to see its winter. I don't like to go to work at this time of year; I would rather stay in bed!
Rob: Me too. But as this letter from Tiffany says, not everyone has to go to work at this time of the year.
Yang Li: 是的。Tiffany 给我们发来的问题是有关学生放寒假的问题。
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I'm Tiffany from Guangdong Province in China. Chinese students are having their winter vacation so I wanted to know how British students spend their winter break? Thank you very much.
Yang Li: Tiffany 来自中国广东。那里的学生们都开始放寒假了，她想知道英国的学生们都如何度过寒假。 So Rob, are students here on their winter vacation?
Rob: Well, we don't call it a vacation. We would call it the winter holiday or a winter break.
Yang Li: 刚才这两个词翻译成汉语其实就是寒假，或冬天的假期。
Rob: But just like in China, students here are on their break from school, college or university.
Yang Li: I remember my winter break. Lots of free time to do lots of activities…
Rob: …and sleeping! Anyway, there is only one way to find out what students do in the holidays in the UK and that is to ask them. Let's hear what they've been saying…
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I'm so far behind with work, I'm going to be in the library – like I was doing today - for most of it … Christmas is spent with the family, new year's hasn't been decided yet, but hopefully it should involve some alcohol, or a lot of alcohol.
Yeah, just staying around London, doing, like, essays and stuff, and spending it with the family, really.
Rob: Those students seem very conscientious.
Yang Li: 勤奋用功的学生! They have studying to do. Going to the library and doing essays and stuff.
Rob: But come on! Christmas and New Year falls during the winter holiday so there's lots of celebrating to do aswell.
Yang Li: Yes, which is why the first student said it should involve some alcohol.
Rob: And it's a good time for catching up with family.
Yang Li: For catching up with family 见个面，聊聊近况. Say hello to Mum and Dad. Let’s hear from another student.
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Most of my break's going to be spent on studying, because I’m going to have exams straight after.
Yang Li: Oh no! He has got to study because he has exams straight after the holidays. Straight after 就是紧接着.
Rob: Good luck with those. Spending your holidays studying is not a fun thing to do.
Yang Li: But it's necessary. But I'm sure not all students are studying during the winter break?
Rob: This man isn't. Have a listen.
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We finish here on Wednesday, then I’m going to go down to Hampshire where my parents live, spend a few days with them. Then after that, maybe go up north, just get a cottage and go out walking during the day, come home, have a few drinks. And generally getting later and later getting up in the morning, until we don’t get up until it’s already dark again, that's normally the way it goes!
Yang Li: So no studying for him. 这个学生的父母住在英国的南面， 英语里往南走就是going down south.
Rob: He says he's going down, because he's travelling south, to his parents in Hampshire. But then he's going north.
Yang Li: 如果是从南向北走呢， 那就是up. He's going up north to a cottage for a holiday.
Rob: He's hoping to go walking and have a few drinks.
Yang Li: 喝上几杯! What is it about students and drinking?!
Rob: And sleeping too!
Yang Li: I am sure Tiffany is not like that. 不过希望Tiffany 通过今天的节目或多或少地了解了英国学生的寒假活动，如果其他同学也有对英国生活和文化的疑问请随时给我们发电子邮件。
Rob: Yes, if you have any questions about life in the UK, please email us at chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.
Yang Li: 谢谢收听，下次节目再会。
Rob: Bye.
词汇学习：
1. seasonal 季节性的
2. winter break 寒假
3. conscientious 勤奋用功的
4. to catch up 见面聊聊近况
5. straight after 紧接着
6. going down to（从北）往南
7. going up to （从南）往北
8. to have a few 喝几杯