Everyday English: Fishing

Some people love to get back to nature, going camping, hiking or fishing. They enjoy being with trees and animals. How about you? Have you tried fishing before? First, you need to learn how to swim, or make sure you go someplace with a lifeguard!

A: If it’s a nice day tomorrow, I’ll have a barbecue[1]. Care to join me?

B: Sorry, if the weather’s good, my husband and I will go fishing.

A: That sounds good. I’ve never tried fishing. Where’ll you go?

B: I’m not sure. My husband likes fishing. This will be my first time. I think we’ll go to a lake and fish from a boat. They stock it with fish.

A: So, you’ll be sure to catch something. That sounds like a nice thing to do.

B: Well, if you’re free, please join us. We’d be happy to have you along. We can spend a few hours getting back to nature and enjoying the fresh air.

A: Thanks, but I can’t spend a few hours without a washroom. I drink a lot of coffee.

B: Don’t worry, if you need the washroom, just go behind a tree. And they have port-a-potties everywhere.

A: Great. If I could swim, I would come, but I’m afraid I’ll drown.

B: No sweat[2], if the boat capsizes, you’ll have on a life jacket and there’ll be a lifeguard.

A: Yes, but I don’t have a fishing pole[3]. If I had fishing gear, I’d join you.

B: Relax, if you don’t have any equipment, you can rent it there. They have everything you need. They even have electronic fish finders[4].

A: That sounds cool. But, I’m squeamish. If I didn’t have to touch worms or bait a hook, I’d come, but that’s part of fishing.[5]

B: That’s okay, if you don’t want to do that; I’ll do it for you. It doesn’t bother me. I can clean your fish for you, if you like.

A: Thanks. If you really want me to come, I’d be happy to. But, are you sure I won’t be disturbing you? Like they say, two’s company, three’s a crowd!

B: That’s why I want you to come. If I have to spend 4 hours alone talking with my husband, we’ll start to argue for sure!

Vocabulary

1. barbecue: 燒烤野餐會。

2. no sweat: 〈美俚〉不用擔心。

3. fishing pole: 釣竿。

4. fish finder: 魚（群）探測器，能夠幫助釣魚者發現魚兒的位置。

5. bait: 置餌于（鉤上、陷阱中等）；hook: 掛鉤，吊鉤。

Exercise

1. care to a. join us when we go

2. stock b. two people are good together, three are too many

3. have sb. along c. wear

4. get back to nature d. enjoy away from city, such as in parks or

countryside

5. spend a few hours e. temporary toilet outside

6. port-a-potty f. someone who works to help swimmers who are in

trouble or danger

7. capsize g. business puts fish in lake for customers to take

8. have on h. boat turns upside down in water

9. life jacket i. don’t like to see or touch disgusting things

10. lifeguard j. good idea! Fun!

11. gear k. use some time

12. cool l. Would you like to...?

13. squeamish m. wear this to stay up in water in emergency

14. doesn’t bother me n. things that are used in this sport or hobby

15. two’s company, three’s a crowd o. some people don’t like it, I’m okay

Answers: 1–l, 2–g, 3–a, 4–d, 5–k, 6–e, 7–h, 8–c, 9–m, 10–f, 11–n, 12–j, 13–i, 14–o, 15–b

Usage Tips

1. 很多愛好，比如野營和釣魚，都需要裝備和用具，英語中，我們用gear一詞來表達這個意思。像曲棍球和滑冰這樣的體育運動，也需要配以gear。equipment是其同義詞，它除了也能用于這些愛好與運動之外，還可用于某些職業，比如消防員，他們的gear有繩索、特制手套和特制工具等等。gear一詞還常見于球友（歌友）俱樂部用語之中，舉例如下：If you love Manchester United, you can buy their gear: such as shirts, posters...

2. care有很多種用法。在本文中，care用來表示的意思是“Would you like...?”如：(Would you) care for some coffee? 或 (Would you) care to join me? 另外，它也可用于否定句中，如：I don’t care for that music. 這句話的含義即為：I don’t like it。