英语趣味课堂：四季变化-The Change of Seasons

My favorite season has to be autumn, although when it gets to autumn I feel slightly disapointed because I know that after summer the weather gets colder and the nights get shorter and the evenings get darker. I still really like autumn. One of my favorite things about autumn is whan all of the leaves fall off the trees and you can walk about and crunch in the leaves. However I think my favorite thing about autumn is the conkers. I love it when conkers fall off trees and you can collect them.

When I was at school we used to collect conkers and put them on stings and then we would have a competition to see who had the best conker. We would hit our conkers with somebody elses and if yours didn't smash then you could have one point so after your first game, your conker would be a oner. Then if you won twice, it would be a twoer and so on. It was a really good game and it kept us amused for hours. Conkers are great fun. Have you ever played conkers? Maybe you should. Why don't you try it this autumn?

学习内容：

disappointed

When it gets to autumn, I feel slightly disappointed because I know that the weather gets colder.

You feel 'disappointed' when a situation is not what you hope or expect it to be. Notice the following:

I was very disappointed that they couldn't come to my party.

My husband was very disappointed when his team lost the game.

walk about or crunch in the leaves

In autumn, when all of the leaves fall off the trees, you can walk about and crunch in the leaves.

When you 'walk about,' you move yourself around by walking to no particular location. It is a very relaxed and casual sort of walk. If you walk on dry, dead leaves, they make a crunching sound. Notice the following:

I just want to go outside and walk about for a while.

My kids love to crunch in the leaves.

conkers or collect

I love it when conkers fall off trees and you can collect them.

A 'conker' is a type of nut that grows on trees. When you 'collect' things, you gather them and put them in a specific place together. Notice the following:

If you cook conkers, you can eat them.

Be sure to collect all the sticks before you cut the grass.

smash

We would hit our conkers with somebody else's and if yours didn't smash, then you could have one point.

'Smash' is another way to say 'crush,' 'break' or 'destroy.' Notice the following:

The car got pretty smashed up in the accident.

When he got back to his car, he discovered that his window had been smashed in.

amused

It's really a good game, and it kept us amused for hours.

If you are 'amused,' you are entertained or occupied. Notice the following:

I can't believe you are so amused by such a simple thing.

His friends are really amusing.