Vocabulary Preparation:

 

arbiter of taste someonewho has a lot of influence in deciding what is fashionable or sociallydesirable （时尚或风格的）权威，决定者

bombastic / bRm5bAstIk/ adj. containinglong words that sound important but have no real meaning夸夸其谈的；大话连篇的

commentator / 5kRmEnteItE / n. someone who knows alot about a particular subject, and who writes about it or discusses it on thetelevision or radio 评论员

subversive / s[b5v\:sIv / adj. intended to weakenor destroy a political system or government 颠覆性的；破坏性的

outrageous / aJt5reIdV[s / adj. very shocking andextremely unfair or offensive 令人震惊的；骇人的

razor / 5reIz[ / n. a tool with a sharpblade, used to remove hair from your skin 剃胡刀

appeal / [5pi:l / v. / n. to attract or interest somebody; aquality that makes people like something or someone 吸引；吸引力；魅力

squash / skwRF/ n. theaction of compressing with violence, out of natural shape or condition 压制；粉碎

crossed / krRst / adj. angry or annoyed 生气的；恼怒的

foil / fRIl / n. anything that servesby contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities 陪衬物；烘托者

connoisseur /7kRn[5s\:/ n. someonewho knows a lot about the arts, food, drink, or some other subject （艺术、食品、酒等的）鉴赏家，鉴定家

pedantic /pI5dAntIk/ adj. tooconcerned with unimportant details or traditional rules, especially inconnection with academic subjects 过分拘泥传统的；学究气的

bearing / 5be[rIN / n. the way in which youstand, walk or behave 姿态；举止

hamster /5hAmst[  / n. a small furry animal which is similar to a mouse, and which isoften kept as a pet 仓鼠

feign / feIn / v. to make believe withthe intent to deceive 假装；冒充

subliminally / 7sQb5lImIn[lI / adv. (of influences ormessages) affecting one’s mind without being aware 下意识地；潜意识地

hog /hCg/ v. to takegreedily; take more than one's share 攫取；独占

caravan / 5kAr[vAn / n. a vehicle that a carcan pull and in which people can live and sleep when they are on holiday（可供居住的）拖车；大篷车

defecate/ 5defIkeIt / v. to to get rid ofwaste matter from your bowels排便；排粪

pickup / 5pIkQp / n. a small truck withlow sides that can be easily loaded and unloaded 皮卡；轻型货车

cockroach / 5kCkr[JtF / n. a large brown insectthat is sometimes found in warm places or where food is kept 蟑螂

demolition / 7dem[5lIFn / n.  an event (or the result of an event) thatcompletely destroys something 摧毁；拆除

loathe /l[JT/ v. todislike something very much 厌恶；憎恨

hangar / hAN[ / n. a large building inwhich aircraft are kept 飞机库；飞机棚

toxic/ 5tCksIk / adj. containing poison,or caused by poisonous substances 有毒的；中毒的

maze/ meIz/ n. acomplicated and confusing arrangement of streets, roads etc 迷宫

dilapidated/ dI5lApIdeItId / adj. old and in agenerally bad condition  失修的；破败不堪的

abut / [5bQt / v. to lie adjacent toanother or share a boundary 邻接；紧靠

realm / relm / n.  any area ofactivity, interest, or thought 领域；范围；场所

anonymous / [5nRnIm[s / adj. having no knownname or identity or known source 匿名的；无名的

syllable / 5sIl[bl / n. a word or part of aword which contains a single vowel sound 音节

screech / skri:tF / v. to make an unpleasant high-pitched noise on the road （车辆、轮胎等）发出刺耳声

hairpinturn hairpin bend 急转弯

grunt /grQnt/ n. a short,low sound made by a person or an animal (especially a pig) 哼声；咕哝声

subsidize / 5sQbsIdaIz / v. to aid or support(an industry, a person or a public service) with money （政府）资助；出资支持

 

 

Notes:

 

Jeremy Clarkson (1960—) is an English broadcaster,journalist and writer who specializes in motoring. He is best known for hisrole on the BBC’s mostpopular TV show Top Gear alongwith co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May. 杰里米·克拉克森（BBC“极速对决”的名主持）

Richard Hammond (1969—)  isan English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hostingthe car programme Top Gear. 理查德·哈蒙德（BBC“极速对决”的三主持之一）

James May (1963—) is an Englishtelevision presenter and journalist. He is best-known for his role asco-presenter of the motoring programme TopGear. On Top Gear, May hasthe nickname "Captain Slow" for his careful driving style. 詹姆斯·梅（BBC“极速对决”的三主持之一，号称“龟速船长”）

BMW or BMW AG, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturingcompany founded in 1916, headquartered in Munich, Bavaria,Germany. 宝马

Audi is a premier German luxury car brand famous for quality and intiricateengineering. Audi is the main luxury brand within the Volkswagen group. 奥迪

Bugatti VeyronSuper Sports is a mid-engined grand touringcar, designed and developed by the Volkswagen Group and manufacturedin Molsheim, France by Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. 布加迪威龙（世界顶级超跑的典范）

Fritos is thename of a brand of corn chips inventedin the 1930s by Elmer Doolin and produced since 1959 by Frito-Lay. 芙乐多玉米片

Toyotais aJapanese automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. It was the largest automobilemanufacturer in 2012 (by production). 丰田汽车公司

Kalashnikov is aRussian-made automatic rifle "AK-47" 卡拉什尼科夫冲锋枪

Bolivia is a landlockedcountry located in central South America. It is borderedby Brzzil to the north andeast, Paraguay and Argentina to thesouth, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west. 玻利维亚（南美洲西部国家）

Top Gear is a highly popular BBCTV show about motor vehicles, primarily cars, and is the world's mostwidely watched factual television programme. 英国疯狂汽车秀；极速对决

The Royal Air Force (RAF)is the aerial warfare service branch of the BritishArmed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air forcein the world. 英国皇家空军

The Stig is a characteron the British motoring television show TopGear. The Stig's primary role is setting laptimes for cars tested on the show, as well as instructingcelebrity guests, off-camera, for the show's "Star in a ReasonablyPriced Car" segment. “车神”Stig（《英国疯狂汽车秀》中的神秘赛车手）

The ChevroletCamaro is an automobile manufacturedby General Motors under the Chevrolet brand 雪佛兰科迈罗汽车

 

 

Exercise:Answer the following questions.

 

1. Accordingto the interview, what kind of character traits the three presenters have thathelps make them arbiters of taste? Why?

2. When itcomes to the measurement of a good car, which is more important, speed or safety?What do you think of Jeremy’s comments on BMW?

3. Top Gear isa car programme in which three middle-aged men explored their passion for carsand how cars matter to other people, but Top Gear has successfully attracted ahuge family audience that is 40% female. How do you explain the phenomenon?

4. In theinterview, Jeremy Clarkson talked about the chemistry that exists betweenRichard, James and him. How do you understand their teamwork?

5. What do youthink of the role the mysterious professional race car driver Stig played inTop Gear? In what way is he helping the programme to be moreoverwhelming?