20110105 Iceboating (1)

Iceboating

One doesn't need summer to enjoy the water!

When the coldest depths of winter come to Long Island, New York, the sea and lakes freeze into smooth sheets of ice. If you are fortunate, you might hear the crack of the Long Island iceboats speeding through the chilly air. "When those boats go by at 80 miles per hour, it sets off a vibration," says Bill Kanz, long-time iceboater and member of the orient Ice Yacht Club. "There's nothing like it. It's a roar like a fighter jet going over you."

The boats sit above the ice on skates and have a sail that catches the wind. The boats draw out the whole community of Orient, bundled in their warmest garments. Orient, a pretty village at the tip of Long Island, is located 100 miles or so from New York City. Surrounded by water on most sides, Orient is ideal for iceboating. "It's really special. When the ice is frozen thick enough, the whole village comes out, even those who don't iceboat," Kanz says. "It's very social; people will hang around talking all day."

set off something 啟動/引發

=> cause something to make a loud sound

eg: set off fire alarm

=> 觸發火警警報器

eg: We accidentally set off the alarm and the security people arrived right away.

=> 我們不小心啟動了警報器，然後保全人員馬上就到了。

eg: These fireworks can be easily set off.

=> 這些煙火很容易被引爆

eg: A careless joke set off a big argument between the couple.

=> 一個無心的玩笑引起這對夫妻之間很大的爭執

vibration n. 震動/顫動

eg: Vibrations from the construction site were felt miles away.

=> 工地所傳出來的震動幾哩之外都還可以感覺到

eg: Even at a high speed, the car's engine causes very little vibration.

=> 即使在高速行駛時，這部車子的引擎造成的震動也很小。

hang vt. 掛起來

hang vi. 徘徊/逗留

hang around 聚在一起/泡在一塊

=> stay in a place for a little while

eg: My brother loves to hang around with his high school buddies even though he graduated years ago.

=> 我哥哥畢業多年了，但是很喜歡和高中時的哥兒們聚在一起。

eg: We hang around at the cafe until late last night.

=> 昨晚我們在咖啡廳待到很晚

fortunate

=> lucky

roar v. (獅/虎等)吼叫

garment n. 服裝/衣著

//== Chat room ==//

The boats draw out the whole community of Orient, bundled in their warmest garments.

draw out 吸引

=> 抽出/引出，本課為吸引的意思

draw out 鼓勵某個人說話

eg: You could draw a shy child speaking out in public.

=> 你可以鼓勵一個很害羞的小孩在公眾場合講話

withdraw 從一個地方抽回或者縮回來

=> 從一個地方抽回或者縮回來，一個軍隊可以withdraw(撤退)

withdraw from the contest 退出比賽

withdraw money 提款