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古人消暑方法 Ancient Ways to Stay Cool

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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 4112 Upper Intermediate
This summer it’s another record breaking heatwave across many countries. For many of us the air conditioner is indispensable in such hot scorching weather. But the air conditioner was invented only in the early 20th century. So how did ancient people spend the hot summers? Let’s listen to the news and find out! 今年夏天的高温,在许多国家又一次创下新纪录。对于现代人来说,空调在如此炎热的天气中是不可或缺的,但空调在20世纪初才被发明,那么古代人们是如何度过炎热的夏天呢? 让我们听听新闻并找出答案! 今年夏天的高溫,在許多國家又一次創下新紀錄。對於現代人來說,空調在如此炎熱的天氣中是不可或缺的,但空調在20世紀初才被發明,那麼古代人們是如何度過炎熱的夏天呢? 讓我們聽聽新聞並找出答案! Check out the Practice section for extra content.
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SIMPLIFIED PINYIN ENGLISH  
先秦 xiānQín pre-Qin, Chinese history up to the foundation of the Qin imperial dynasty in 221 BC
别致 biézhì unusual
安然 ānrán safely; peacefully; at a rest
炎炎 yányán scorching
在我们的印象里,古人肯定在夏天比我们过得难受,因为他们既没有空调又没有风扇。
zài wǒmen de yìnxiàng lǐ ,gǔrén kěndìng zài xiàtiān bǐ wǒmen guòdé nánshòu ,yīnwèi tāmen jì méiyǒu kōngtiáo yòu méiyǒu fēngshàn 。
With neither air conditioners or fans, we imagine that ancient people must have a harder time in the unbearable summer heat.
其实不然,他们度夏消暑的方式各有别致,那是相当有智慧的,用了很多现在看起来低碳、环保的妙招来安然度夏滴。
qíshí bùrán ,tāmen dùxià xiāoshǔ de fāngshì gè yǒu biézhì ,nà shì xiāngdāng yǒu zhìhuì de ,yòng le hěnduō xiànzài kànqǐlai dītàn 、huánbǎo de miàozhāo lái ānrán dùxià dī 。
On the contrary, they have unique and unusual ways to cool down in the summer, ways which are low carbon, environment friendly and safe.
炎炎盛夏,人们在一个大瓷缸中放入冰块,再将瓷缸放入房中,用以降低房间温度。这种用冰块降温的方法其实早在先秦就已经有了。
yányán shèngxià ,rénmen zài yígè dà cígāng zhōng fàngrù bīngkuài ,zài jiāng cígāng fàngrù fáng zhōng ,yòngyǐ jiàngdī fángjiān wēndù 。zhèzhǒng yòng bīngkuài jiàngwēn de fāngfǎ qíshí zǎo zài xiānQín jiù yǐjīng yǒu le 。
In the scorching hot summer, people put ice cubes in large porcelain jars, which were then placed in rooms to help cool the temperature. This method of cooling with ice was already used in the pre Qin dynasty
在周代,人们就开始用冰窖储藏冬天的冰块以备夏用。
zài Zhōudài ,rénmen jiù kāishǐ yòng bīngjiào chǔcáng dōngtiān de bīngkuài yǐ bèi Xià yòng 。
In the Zhou Dynasty, people had begun to use icehouse to store winter ice for summer use.
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