咕咕愛囉唆

胡桃鉗The Nutcracker

老少咸宜的聖誕傳統芭蕾舞劇One of the world’s most popular ballets

漸漸地，全世界許多地方已經開始有聖誕節的氛圍了。

聖誕節也意味著表演彼得·柴可夫斯基精彩芭蕾舞劇《胡桃鉗》的時候。

《胡桃鉗》是小女孩克拉拉的故事；她收到一個士兵造型的胡桃鉗。

那是卓賽爾麥亞先生送她的禮物，卓賽爾麥亞先生都會送給孩子奇妙的玩具。

克拉拉的弟弟弗里茲也想要玩胡桃鉗。

克拉拉心不甘情不願地答應；弗里茲卻把胡桃鉗弄壞，讓克拉拉十分雞過。

那天夜裡，克拉拉下樓查看放在聖誕樹旁的胡桃鉗。

午夜鐘聲響起；老鼠從四面八方出現。

玩具娃娃、玩具士兵和其他玩具都活過來，開始和老鼠作戰。

克拉拉的胡桃鉗竭盡所能和老鼠王戰鬥。

就在它快要輸的時候，克拉拉朝老鼠王丢出她的拖鞋，把牠給殺了。

然後胡桃鉗變成一個英俊的王子，带著克拉拉前往他的王國。

It's beginning to look like Christmas in many places around the world. Christmas also means it's time for a performance of The Nutcracker, Peter Tchaikovsky's wonderful ballet. It tells the story of Clara, a young girl who receives a nutcracker shaped like a soldier. It's a gift from Mr. Drosselmeyer, who brings wonderful toys for the children. Fritz, her brother, wants to play with the nutcracker. Clara reluctantly agrees. Fritz breaks the nutcracker and greatly upsets Clara. Later that night, Clara goes downstairs to check on the nutcracker, which was left by the Christmas tree. The clock strikes midnight. Mice appear from everywhere. Dolls, toy soldiers and other toys come to life and begin to fight with the mice.

Clara's nutcracker fights as hard as he can against the King of the Mice. Just when it appears he will lose, Clara throws her slipper at the Mouse King and kills him. The Nutcracker then turns into a handsome prince and takes Clara on a journey to his kingdom.

ballet芭蕾舞

My wife and I went to the ballet Swan Lake last night. 天鵝湖

How long has Cora been studying ballet?

The ballet company is going on a worldwide tour in March. 芭蕾舞團   世界巡迴演出

upset惹人生氣或不開心

Mrs. Barnes upset the entire class when she told them there would be a huge English test in two days.

William always upsets people with his unfriendly manner and unkind remarks. 不友善的態度和刻薄的言詞總是惹人生氣

Children usually upset their parents when they don't listen to them.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas （song）

sentimental value

the value not just because of the price of the object but also because of who gave you the object

or maybe the memories associated with that object will give it sentimental value

we can say that some items don’t have any monetary value（that means they’re not really worth much）, but they have sentimental

reluctantly （adv.）/ reluctant （adj.）

it you doing something reluctantly, that means you do it, but you really weren’t super willing to do it in the first place

a tough nut to crack 碰到很難解決的問題或挑戰

The math problem is a tough nut to crack.

a tough nut to crack 形容某人很難相處或對付

Luke thinks his father-in-law is a tough nut to crack.

check on 檢查

Linda checks on her flowers every day to see it they have enough water.

Please check on the potatoes to see if they are done cocking yet. 請看一下馬鈴薯煮好了沒

check on someone 看一下某人好不好

Evonne stopped by Jack's place to check on him because he told her he hadn't been feeling well.

journey（n.）旅行；行程

Fran’s neighbor wished her a safe journey on her bike trip to the mountains.

The kids got lost on their journey through the mountains, but some hikers found them.

journey（v.）

Next summer my family and I plan to journey through Europe by train.

a clock strikes ＋（hour）

to come to life

slipper

Today we're traveling a city which [whose] name has changed twice.

It started out as Petrograd, then changed to Leningrad, but now is known as St. Petersburg.

It's the cultural capital of Russia.

Let's grab a bite to eat first.

Pirozhki are a great choice.

These bread buns are stuffed with all kinds of fillings.

Mashed fish, jam cottage cheese ju: a few options.

If you have expensive taste, then indulge yourself on one of the most famous dishes in St. Petersburg: pancakes and caviar.

These aren't just any fish eggs.

These are fish eggs fit for a tsar.

That's what the rulers of Russia used to be called.

Speaking of eggs, caviar isn't the only kind of egg that can be found in St. Petersburg.

O Jewel-covered eggs can be seen in the Fabergé Museum, located in Shuvalov Palace.

And while you're there, pick up a souvenir for yourself.

Museums are one of the highlights of St. Petersburg.

O The Hermitage Museum is considered one of the top five museums in the world.

Not only does it house famous works of art, but the

outside is beautiful as well.

O If you want to see more impressive architecture, wait until you see this next building.

The beautiful Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is a must-see.

You won't easily forget this church-turned-museum with its colorful onion-shaped domes.

Oh! How to fit everything there is to do in St. Petersburg all in one trip?

Now that's a tough egg to crack.

Oh. That phrase means that something is hard to figure out.

Get it?

Egg, crack, because of the Fabergé eggs and the caviar...

oh, you get it.

Anyways. That's all the time we have for today, friends.

I'll see you next time on SC Travel.

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