Jo: Welcome to another Real English programme from BBC Learning¹ English with me, Jo.

Lily: And with me, Lily. 在BBC两分钟的地道英语节目中，大家可以学到很多英式英语中新出现的词语，非常有用，Jo 今天学什么呢？

Jo: Well today's word is sticks S.T.I.C.K.S. Sticks.

Lily: Jo, 我知道作为最常用的名词 sticks 是棍棒的意思，不过，特意选择这个词，你一定另有用意吧？

Jo: Well we use the expression 'the sticks' to mean somewhere far from a town or city – in the countryside.

Lily: 明白了，the sticks 是表示距离城镇较远的乡下。

Jo: We usually say 'in the sticks' or 'out in the sticks'. So if you live in a remote place...

Lily: Remote 偏远的地方。

Jo: ... you could say I live in the sticks. Or if you visited a remote place you could say it was somewhere out in the sticks.

Lily: 让我们一起听两段对话。

Insert

A: I'm going to visit my grandmother tomorrow.

B: Where does she live?

A: She lives in the sticks – this really tiny village in Scotland².

A: So what did you do this weekend?

B: We went for a drive in the countryside and we had a lovely meal in this pub³ which was way out in the sticks.

Jo: So Lily, have you travelled much around the UK?

Lily: Oh yes, I've been to lots of towns and out in the sticks too.

Jo: And where would you say is in the sticks in China?

Lily: 枣庄 – 就是远离城市的乡下小村子 in the sticks.

Jo: So that's today's word – sticks.

Lily: Sticks 远离城镇的偏远地区，汉语就是乡下的意思。要了解更多的新词语吗？请随时登陆我们的网页:

Jo: It's www.bbcchina.com.cn. Bye for now.

Lily: 再会!