BBC 6 Minute English | THE MEANING OF CLOTHES | English CC | Daily List...

source: Daily Listening    2016年10月10日
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0:06 I have to say, I like that shirt you're wearing today.
0:09 I haven't seen that one before.
0:11 Yes, I got it at the weekend.
0:13 But, to be honest, I don't give my clothes much thought.
0:16 I just throw on the first thing I see.
0:19 What about you?
0:20 Well, I try to look presentable.
0:23 I wouldn't want to appear too scruffy.
0:25 Clothes say an awful lot about us, don't they Will?
0:27 A lot depends on the job you do.
0:30 In a bank, you're supposed to look pretty smart all the time.
0:33 But if you work for a design company, say, a suit would look out of place – that means
0:39 unsuitable.
0:40 People in the creative industries tend to dress down – that means dress casually – you
0:44 know jeans and t-shirts.
0:46 Yes.
0:48 Then there's the whole question of what to wear to an interview.
0:51 I reckon if you put on something smart you can't go far wrong.
0:55 Yes.
0:56 But the meaning of clothes goes far deeper than what you should or shouldn't wear in
1:00 the workplace, Will.
1:01 It can really influence what people think of us.
1:04 Now, rightly or wrongly, they can make snap judgements - or quick decisions - about us.
1:09 Yes, you're right.
1:11 It's a cultural issue.
1:12 It's about how we see ourselves, too.
1:15 Now, take the sari.
1:17 It's been around for centuries and is still the main form of dress for millions of women
1:21 in the Indian subcontinent.
1:24 That's that very long garment with all those amazing colours and designs, isn't it?
1:29 It always looks so elegant.
1:30 Yes, it does.
1:32 So Will, can you answer this question: what is the maximum length of a sari?
1:37 Is it ... a) 12 metres
1:39 b) 9 metres or c) 7 metres
1:43 Surely it can't be 12 metres long!
1:47 I'm going to say 9 metres.
1:49 Okay.
1:50 Well, we'll find out if you're right or wrong later on.
1:54 But now let's listen to Dr Shahidha Bari talking about the sari.
1:59 She uses a word that means "covered".
2:02 Can you hear what it is?
2:06 Saris encircle the waist, are often pleated and then swept across the upper body with
2:11 folds and fabric draped over the shoulder or veiling the head.
2:14 There are more than 80 different ways of wearing a sari and they've been worn in the Indian
2:19 subcontinent since the first millennium.
2:22 It's a garment woven into the histories of the countries from which it comes.
2:28 So draped means "covered".
2:32 Then she used the word garment.
2:34 That's another word for a piece of clothing.
2:37 And then she said there are 80 ways of wearing a sari, Rob.
2:41 Amazing!
2:42 It is, isn't it?
2:44 Some Asian women in the West wear saris just for ceremonial occasions – that means special
2:49 events like weddings.
2:50 I suppose, in a sense, it's not that practical for day-to-day use.
2:55 But it certainly makes a beautiful splash of colour – or a display of colour - when
3:00 they do wear it.
3:01 What she said has got me thinking about English traditional dress.
3:04 And, to be honest, Rob, I can't recall anything off the top of my head.
3:09 Off the top of your head, Will?
3:11 That's because you're not wearing a hat.
3:13 Don't be ridiculous, Rob.
3:14 Off the top of my head.
3:17 It's an idiom and it means I can't think of anything immediately.
3:21 Yes, Will.
3:22 I do know that actually.
3:23 It was my attempt at a joke.
3:25 But you're right: the British dress sense has become a bit samey (it looks the same)
3:31 – apart from the fashion industry, which is highly regarded throughout the world.
3:35 Well, you wouldn't catch me wearing most of the men's gear you see on the catwalk.
3:39 But, seriously, Will, clothes are undoubtedly an important business.
3:45 Let's listen to Dr Shahidha Bari again as she reflects on her mother's use of the sari.
3:51 And yet the sari makes me feel safe too because I associate it with her body and the world
3:59 she made for me.
4:01 And now, as I struggle to keep hold of the sari, the rituals and the memories around
4:06 it, I fear losing the world it signifies – and her, too.
4:14 She talked about the way she struggles - that means she finds it difficult - to make the
4:18 sari important in her life.
4:20 And she uses the word signifies, which means giving the meaning of something.
4:25 The sari obviously has an emotional attachment for her.
4:30 And when you think just how much money people spend on clothes, it shows how vital it is.
4:35 And let's not forget football shirts, Will.
4:38 Fans want to be seen in their team's latest shirt design, don't they?
4:42 I know I do.
4:43 By the way, what team do you support, Rob?
4:45 Ah, well, it's Chelsea, of course.
4:47 Come on, you Blues.
4:48 What about you, Will?
4:51 Tottenham Hotspur.
4:52 Never mind, someone has to.
4:54 Now, remember at the beginning of the show I asked you: what is the maximum length of
4:59 a sari?
5:00 Is it ... a) 12 metres
5:03 b) 9 metres or c) 7 metres
5:06 Yes.
5:07 And I said 9 metres.
5:08 Well, you know your saris well because that is the right answer.
5:11 Well done!
5:12 Now, before we go, it's time to remind ourselves of some of the vocabulary that we've heard
5:17 today.
5:18 Will.
5:19 scruffy out of place
5:25 dress down make snap judgements
5:30 draped garment
5:35 ceremonial occasions splash of colour
5:40 off the top of my head struggle
5:45 signifies Thank you, Will.