تساعدكم على التحدث والفهم والتواصل في أستراليا عبر حلقاتها المتعددة والتي يمكن متابعتها عبر هذا .
هذا الدرس مفيد للمتعلمين من المستوى فوق المتوسط إلى المتقدم. بعد الاستماع للحلقة، جربوا معلوماتكم في هذا .
هدف الدرس:
كيف تتحدث عن التوفير في تكاليف الكهرباء؟
عبارات مفيدة عند الحديث عن التوفير في تكاليف الكهرباء:
- My electricity bill was through the roof last month because they raised electricity rates.
- Electricity will cost a pretty penny this month.
- My kids are cranking up the heater every day.
- I set the thermostat between 18-20 degrees.
- I read somewhere that every degree above 20 adds 10% to the electricity bill.
- Hopefully, I don’t blow a fuse again once I see next month’s bill.
عبارات مفيدة عند التحدث إلى مقدم الخدمة حول خطط الطاقة:
- I’d like to enquire about switching to a new energy plan.
- One option is you can bundle your electricity and gas.
- What if we had solar panels installed?
- The initial investment is a bit steep, but we’ve been considering running the house on solar energy to cut costs.
تعبيرات باللهجة العامية:
through the roof
يتم استخدام تعبير (Through the roof) للدلالة على وصول شيء ما إلى مستوى عال جدا أو مرتفع مثل الأسعار.
مثال:
The price of petrol is through the roof.
pretty penny
يتم استخدام تعبير (Pretty penny) للدلالة على تكلفة شيء ما والتي تكون مكلفة أو باهظة الثمن.
مثال:
The diamond necklace she bought cost a pretty penny.
crank up
يتم استخدام تعبير(Crank up) للتعبير عن تشغيل جهاز ما والقيام برفع الصوت أو الحرارة على سبيل المثال.
مثال:
He cranked up the volume of the TV.
light-bulb moment
يتم استخدام تعبير (light-bulb moment) للتعبير عن لحظة إلهام أو توارد فكرة أو خاطرة في ذهن الانسان.
مثال:
I had a light-bulb moment when I heard him talk about his business.
blow a fuse
يتم استخدام تعبير (blow a fuse) للتعبير عن لحظة الغضب الشديد عند حدوث موقف معين.
مثال:
He blew a fuse when she failed to show up for the meeting.
run on
يتم استخدام تعبير (run on) للتعبير عن الطاقة المحركة لتشغيل جهاز أو محرك او مركبة ما.
مثال:
The car runs on fuel.
Cut costs
يتم استخدام تعبير (Cut costs) للتعبير عن القيام بخفض التكاليف والنفقات لشيء ما.
مثال:
In order to cut costs, he stopped ordering takeaways.
مفردات:
Electricity bill
مستند يوضح مقدار الطاقة التي استخدمتها لفترة زمنية معينة وتكلفتها
Electricity rates
تكلفة كل كيلو وات (وحدة قياس الكهرباء) في الساعة
Thermostat
جهاز أوتوماتيكي لتنظيم درجة الحرارة
Celsius
مقياس درجة الحرارة المستخدم في أستراليا
To switch
القيام بالتغيير من نظام لآخر
Energy consumption (or usage)
مقدار الاستهلاك أو الطاقة المستخدمة
To bundle
القيام بجمع أشياء أو أنظمة سويا
Pay-on-time discount
خصم يمنح عند دفع فاتورتك قبل أو عند تاريخ الاستحقاق
Investment
أي شيء تملكه أو تنفق عليه ويدر عليك دخلاً أو يزيد في القيمة
Steep
باهظ الثمن
Green energy
الطاقة التي تأتي من الموارد الطبيعية مثل الشمس أو الرياح
Eligible
أن يكون لديك الحق في القيام بشيء ما أو مؤهلا للحصول عليه
Solar feed-in tariff
ما يمكنك كسبه من فاتورة الكهرباء عندما تولد الطاقة الشمسية طاقة أكثر مما تستخدمه أسرتك
معلومات ثقافية:
هل تعلم بأن الأشخاص الذين يعيشون في كانبرا ونيو ساوث ويلز وكوينزلاند وجنوب أستراليا وتسمانيا مشمولون بإطار عمل عملاء الطاقة الوطني (NECF)؟
يحدد NECF الحماية المتوفرة لمستهلكي الطاقة، توفر التشريعات المحلية هذه الحماية في كل من إقليم الشمال وفيكتوريا وغرب أستراليا.
يمكن للمستهلكين أيضًا اللجوء إلى استراتيجيات لتحقيق أقصى استفادة من الطاقة المقدمة لهم بشكل فردي.
كما اقترحت بعض الطرق البسيطة لتوفير الطاقة تتضمن تقليل استخدام الماء الساخن، واستخدام الأجهزة بحكمة والتدفئة والتبريد بكفاءة.
نص المحادثة بالكامل:
Worker checking installation of solar panels on roof of new home, Netherlands Source: Image Source
Hi! This is the SBS Learn English podcast, where we help Australians to speak, understand and connect.
My name is Nikki and, like you, I’m learning new English phrases and words every day.
Today, we are practising phrases you can use when you are talking about saving on electricity and talking with your energy provider about different plans – that is, the way you buy your electricity.
Let’s listen in on a conversation between friends Maryanne and Allan about their electricity bills.
Maryanne:
My electricity bill was through the roof last month because the costs just went up.
Allan:
Ah, mine too! Electricity will cost a pretty penny this month as well. My kids are cranking up the heater every day.
Maryanne:
You know what I do to save on heating? I set the thermostat between 18-20 degrees Celsius. I read somewhere that every degree above 20 adds 10% to the electricity bill.
Allan:
Light-bulb moment! That’s a good tip! I’ll give that a try. Perhaps I won’t blow a fuse again once I see next month’s bill.
What interesting phrases to use, right? Let’s take a closer look at Maryanne and Allan’s conversation.
Maryanne said,
My electricity bill was through the roof last month because the costs just went up.
An electricity bill is a document that outlines the amount of power you've used over a particular length of time and how much it costs.
You can pay for your bill monthly, meaning every month, or quarterly, meaning every three months.
When the cost of something has gone "through the roof" it means that it has risen to a very high level. For example: "The price of meat has gone through the roof!". You can also use it to talk about other numbers that have risen, for example: "Sales of summer dresses have gone through the roof since the sun came out."
Allan agreed with Maryanne and replied,
Ah, mine too! My electricity will cost a pretty penny this month as well.
When something "costs a pretty penny", it means that it is very expensive. We can use this informal phrase to talk about all kinds of things. For example: "His new car cost a pretty penny." Or: "The house they moved into cost a pretty penny."
Allan also said,
My kids are cranking up the heater every day.
To "crank something up" means to increase the volume, temperature or output of something. For example: "Crank up the volume on the TV. I can’t hear what the reporter is saying."
Maryanne replied, giving Allan a helpful tip,
I set the thermostat between 18-20 degrees Celsius.
A thermostat is a device that controls temperature automatically.
Celsius is the scale of temperature we use in Australia. In other countries, such as America, Fahrenheit is used.
Allan liked what Maryanne suggested and said,
Light-bulb moment!
A "light-bulb moment" is a moment when you suddenly understand something or have a very good idea. For example: "I had a light-bulb moment when I heard him talk about his business. I suddenly understood what I should do with my life."
Allan also said,
Perhaps I won't blow a fuse again once I see next month’s bill.
To "blow a fuse" means to get very angry. For example: "I’m worried she might blow a fuse when she finds out I left all the lights on in the house."
Another way to cut down on electricity costs is to ask your energy provider about the energy plans they offer, and then choose the best plan for your power needs.
Listen in on this conversation between Maryanne and Allan. This time, Maryanne is a customer who is calling her energy provider, and Allan is the customer service employee who answers her call.
Maryanne:
Hi, I’d like to enquire about switching to a new energy plan. We’ve been very careful about our energy consumption, but our current bill is still quite high.
Allan:
Of course. One option is that you can bundle your electricity and gas, and that will save you $10 a month. You’re also eligible for a pay-on-time discount.
Maryanne:
I see. What if we had solar panels installed? The initial investment is a bit steep, but we’ve been considering running the house on solar energy to cut down on costs.
Allan:
Green energy is a good alternative as well. It might be better for the planet and you'll be eligible for a solar feed-in tariff.
Maryanne and Allan talked about some options so she can save on electricity costs.
Let’s hear them again. First, we had Maryanne,
Hi, I’d like to enquire about switching to a new energy plan.
Maryanne said she’d like to enquire about switching to a new energy plan.
To "switch" means to change one thing for another. For example: "I switched seats with my friend." Or: "I switched from coffee to tea."
Allan replied, One option is that you can bundle your electricity and gas and that will save you $10 a month.
To "bundle" means to group things together. When you bundle certain services together and get them from one company, you can get a discount on fees. In this case, bundling together electricity and gas will save Maryanne $10 a month.
Allan also said You’re also eligible for a pay-on-time discount.
To "be eligible" means to have the right to do or get something. For example: "He is eligible to vote this year because he is 18 now." Or: "I am eligible to apply for a visa because I have been here long enough."
A "pay-on-time discount" is a discount you get on your bill when you pay it before or on the due date. The discount will vary depending on the energy provider.
Maryanne said, The initial investment is a bit steep, but we’ve been considering running the house on solar energy to cut down on costs.
An investment is something you buy or do that will eventually make you money or reward you in some way. Examples of investments include a house, jewellery, a business, or even an education, because once you have paid for these things, they usually make you richer in some way.
When the cost of something is "steep", it means it is very expensive. For example: "Air fares are steep at the moment because there are so few flights."
To "run on" something means to be powered by it. For example: "This car runs on electricity."
Maryanne is considering running her house on solar energy.
Allan replied Green energy is a good alternative as well.
"Green energy" is energy that is made using natural resources, such as the sun or the wind.
Allan also said, It will lower your usage and you will be eligible for a solar feed-in tariff.
When you make solar energy in your home, you can often earn money back from the electricity company if your solar energy generates more power than your household uses.
This is called a solar "feed-in tariff". This means that you both save and earn if you use solar energy.
Our guest today is Mandarin News anchor, Rena Li, and she will be sharing something that everyone will find useful – tips on how to save on energy costs.
Rena:
One of the ways I save on energy is to use as little hot water as I can. Do you know that hot water makes up 25% of the average household bill? I try to reduce this by using cold water when I do the laundry and by taking short showers.
Nikki:
Ahh, I see. Do you have any tips when it comes to heating or cooling? I find that my bills are especially high when it's very hot or very cold like now during winter.
Rena:
I’m the same. So what I do is I keep the thermostat between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius during winter and 25 to 27 degrees Celsius during summer.
Nikki:
That’s a good tip! What I’ve also found useful to do is to seal doors and windows to prevent cold air from getting into my house in winter. I do the same in summer, because if hot air gets in from outside, my cooling system has to work harder.
Rena:
Yes, that will help a lot! Another really easy way to cut down your bill is to simply turn off your appliances at the wall when they are not in use.
Nikki:
That’s easy! I hope these tips really do help me cut down on electricity costs, especially during these winter months.
Rena:
Yes, but if you find that you’re being charged for more than you've used, or if you are having problems with your energy provider, there are laws that protect you.
Nikki:
Yes! And I know one way to keep up to date with news on energy and everything else is to tune into SBS WorldWatch.
Rena:
SBS WorldWatch features languages other than English, with a line-up of news bulletins from leading international broadcasters in more than 35 languages – including Mandarin, which I present for.
Nikki:
That’s a great way to keep informed! Thank you so much for all the tips, Rena!
الاختبار:
ترقبوا حلقة جديدة من تعلم الإنجليزية مع أس بي أس.
أو من خلال تطبيق راديو أس بي أس، أو من أي منصة تحصلون من خلالها على البودكاست.
