英語趣味課堂：都柏林-Dublin

Marion: So you lived in Dublin for awhile, didn't you Mauve? What's life like in Dublin?

Mauve: I think life in Dublin is very different from everywhere else in the country. It's the biggest city in Ireland. It's got a population of about a million I think, even though the population of Ireland is only 4 million,

so most people...

Marion: So it's a quarter of the whole population.

Mauve: Exactly. It's a very young population, I think, the Dublin population, I suppose like all cities there's plenty to do, in terms of cinemas, theatres, I don't know, you know whatever else, comedy club and all that kind of, plenty of night clubs, loads of restaurants. It's very international now, at the moment I suppose, like there's Japanese restaurants, and well there's always Indian and Chinese, and there's like, I don't know, French and Spanish, and every type of restaurant.

Marion: So it's kind of a cosmopolitan city.

Mauve: Yeah, exactly

Marion: Or big by Irish standards, I suppose. Yeah, it's probably like a village for other people.

Mauve: I know. Even though when I went to New York then, in June, it wasn't such a culture shock, cause even though, there are high rise buildings and every thing but it wasn't that different though. You know, I think that Dublin has come on a lot and it's by no means rural anymore, you know, in comparison to other cities in Ireland, like Cork and Gaul, we're very rural, but, I don't think Dublin is.

Marion: Yeah, I think Dublin is like an international city, and it can stand on it's own.

Mauve: Definitely, yeah, you can compare to London or, you know, New York.

Marion: And the standard of, like the cost of living, is very high in Dublin, though, isn't it.

Mauve: Yeah, it is. Rents are much higher there. It's more expensive to eat out and I suppose to do everything really. You need a good salary to live in Dublin I think.

Marion: Yeah, yeah!

Mauve: Big bucks!

學(xué)習(xí)內(nèi)容：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

young population

Dublin is a city that has a very young population.

If a city has a 'young population' it means that most of the people in the city are children or younger adults. The word 'population' refers to the people that live in a specific place. Notice the following:

The young, active population of this town make it a fun place to live.

It is easier to provide for older people if a country has a young population.

cosmopolitan city

Dublin is kind of a cosmopolitan city.

If a place is 'cosmopolitan' it has people and experiences from all over the world. Notice the following:

My hometown is not cosmopolitan at all.

New York is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

high-rise buildings

It wasn't such a culture shock, even though there are high-rise buildings.

'High- rise buildings' are buildings with many floors or stories that stand very tall into the air. Notice the following:

We have an apartment in a high-rise building downtown.

The skyline of the city is beautiful with many high-rise buildings.

by no means

Dublin is by no means rural anymore.

The phrase 'by no means' can easily replaced with 'not' or 'in no way' but we use this phrase foremphasis. Notice the following:

It is by no means my favorite job ever, but it pays the bills.

By no means is your room clean.

stand on its own

I think Dublin is a city that can stand on its own.

If something can 'stand on its own' it doesn't need help from anyone. It is independent, in this case, from other cities. Notice the following:

I think this school can separate from the corporation and stand on its own.

She graduated from school, has her own apartment and can stand on her own.