A: Hello, welcome to Word Wise from Language Tips. I’m Marc.
B: And I’m Christie.
A: We know that G8 summit was held in Hokkaido, Japan. This annual event has leaders of the world's 8 most powerful economies talk about issues that affect the globe.
B: Yes. And their meals, too, affect the globe. It’s reported that the G8 summit leaders had a sumptuous 8-course dinner and a 5-course lunch , while issues of food shortages and the need to double rice production for Africa were discussed.
A: Vow! Seems they do enjoy the meetings, huh? Well we noticed the word sumptuous in the news.
B: Yes, I did. Does it mean “big meal" ? 是“豐盛的”意思嗎?
A: If you have a sumptuous feast, it means you have a big, lavish meal. It costs a lot of money, and includes a lot of tasty food, such as diced fatty flesh of tuna fish, milk-fed lamb with herbs, giant crab, all of them are preapred for the G8 summit.
B: 我要是那兒的廚師就好了，助理也行。開玩笑而已。我們再來看一段對話。
Example:
Wife: Honey, I’ve made a menu for Saturday's dinner party. There are caviar which you like most, cold roast fillet--my father’s favorite, I also made salad, and steamed fish tomato sauce …
Husband: Oh, sweetheart, you don’t have to make such a sumptuous feast. It’s just a casual get-together.
B: The wife must be very good at cooking. 她準備做一頓大餐。
A: Yes. Housewives used to prepare big dinners for the whole family during holidays. But today more and more people would rather go to good restaurants and enjoy the dinner without all the fuss.
B: Marc, 你知道嗎，one of the most famous Chinese feasts is called “滿漢全席, it is a Royal Feast of Complete Manchu-Han Courses”. It includes the delicacies of Man style and Han style.
A: A really sumptuous feast it seems. So when will you treat me this?
B: Come on, it’s very expensive.
A: Oh, it's too bad. Perhaps we can cook it together.
B: Good idea.
A: You’ve been listening to Word Wise from Language Tips. Join us again for more Word Wise and more words at language.chinadaily.com.cn.
