BBC 6分钟英语 衣服的意义

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BBC, learning English. Hello, and welcome to Six Minute English.

I'm Rob and I'm Will. Hello.

Hi, there. Will Now have to say, I like that shirt you're wearing today.

I haven't seen that one before.

Yes, I got it at the weekend.

But to be honest, I don't give my clothes much thought.

I just throw on the 1st thing.

I see, what about you? Well, I try to look presentable.

I wouldn't want to appear too scruffy.

Clothes say an awful lot about it, don't they will?

A lot depends on the job you do in a bank.

You're supposed to look pretty smart all the time.

But if you work for a design company, say, a suit would look out of place.

That means unsuitable. People in the creative industries tend to dress down.

That means dress casually, you know, jeans and A-T shirt.

Yes. Then there's the whole question of what to wear to an interview.

I reckon, if you put on something smart, you can't go far wrong.

Yes, but the meaning of clothes goes far deeper than what you should or shouldn't wear in the workplace.

Will It can really influence what people think of us now, rightly or wrongly, they can make snap judgments or quick decisions about us.

Yes, you're right. It's a cultural issue.

It's about how we see ourselves too.

Now, take the sari. It's been around for centuries and is still the main form of dress for millions of women in the Indian subcontinent.

That's that very long garment with all those amazing colors and designs, isn't it?

It always looks so elegant. Yes, it does.

So will. Can you answer this question?

What is the maximum length of Assari?

Is it A, 12 M? B 9 M or C 7 M?

Surely it can't be 12 M long.

Um, I'm going to say 9 M.

OK. Well, we'll find out if you're right or wrong later on.

But now let's listen to Doctor Sahinda Barri talking about the sari.

She uses a word that means covered.

Can you hear what it is?

Salaries in circle were waste are often pleated and then swept across the upper body with folds of fabric draped over the shoulder or veiling the head.

There are more than 80 different ways of wearing a sari, and they've been worn in the Indian subcontinence since the 1st Millennium.

It's a garment woven into the histories of the countries from which it comes.

So draped means covered. Then she used the word garment, that's another word for a piece of clothing.

And then she said, there are 80 ways of wearing a sari.

Rob Amazing, isn't it? Some Asian women in the West, where sar is just for ceremonial occasions, that means special events like weddings.

I suppose. In a sense, it's not that practical for day to day use, but it certainly makes a beautiful splash of color or a display of color when they do wear it.

What she said has got me thinking about English traditional dress.

And to be honest, rob, I can't recall anything off the top of my head.

Off the top of your head, will that's because you're not wearing a hat.

Don't be ridiculous, rob Off the top of my head, it's an idiom and it means I can't think of anything immediately.

Yes, well, I do know that actually it was my attempt at a joke.

But you're right, the British dress sense has become a bit semi It looks the same.

Apart from the fashion industry, which is highly regarded throughout the world.

Well, you wouldn't catch me wearing most of the men's gear you see on the catwalk.

Hmm. But seriously, will clothes are undoubtedly an important business.

Let's listen to Doctor Sir Hindobarri again as she reflects on her mother's use of the sari.

And yet the sari makes me feel safe too, because I associate it with her body and the world she made for me.

And now, as I struggled to keep hold of the sorry, the rituals and the memories around it, I fear losing the world.

It signifies, and her too. She talked about the way she struggles.

That means she finds it difficult to make the sari important in her life.

And she uses the word signifies, which means giving the meaning of something.

The sari obviously has an emotional attachment for her, and when you think just how much money people spend on clothes, it shows how vital it is.

And let's not forget football shirts.

Will fans want to be seen in their team's latest shirt design?

Don't they? I know I do.

By the way, what team do you support?

Rob Ah, well, it's Chelsea, of course.

Come on, you blues. Ah, what about you will Sotham Hotspur.

Ah, never mind. Someone has to.

Now, remember, at the beginning of the show, I asked you, what is the maximum length of a sari?

Is it A 12 M? B, 9 M or C 7 M?

Yes. And I said, 9 M? Well, you know your sar is well, because that is the right answer.

Well done. Now, before we go, it's time to remind ourselves of some of the vocabulary that we've heard today.

Will

scruffy, out of place, dress down, make snap judgments, draped garment, ceremonial occasions, splash of color off the top of my head.

Struggle signifies Thank you. Will Well, that's the end of today's six minute English.

You can listen to more programs on our website, a BBC learning english dot com.

Please join us again soon. Bye.

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