来自世界不同地方的六位学生在美国相遇。他们都是交换学生，到美国大学就读一个学期，学习英语，了解美国文化，同时修专业课程。英语“日常会话” (Everyday Conversations)系列围绕这六位学生在美国的经历展开。这套材料适于中级或中级以上英语水平的学生使用。
两个学生（Peter and Akinyi）谈清洁安全饮水的重要。
Peter: Is that a straw?
Akinyi: Yes. Isn’t it great? This is a solution to water scarcity.
Peter: You’re starting to sound a bit like Lee. Are you studying water scarcity in a class? And how is a straw the solution?
Akinyi: I’m studying the business model of one company that creates these filter straws. Believe it or not, this straw is a portable water purifier.
Peter: Is there really a large need for a water purifier to be portable?
Akinyi: Definitely. We all know that clean and safe water is essential to healthy living. But lack of clean water can affect the education of many children in the world.
Peter: Really? How?
Akinyi: Well, for example, students might get sick from drinking unsafe water and miss school.
Peter: And if students can carry filter straws, then they can always drink safe water?
Akinyi: Exactly. The straws have iodine, charcoal and filters – these combine to reduce harmful particles and remove bacteria. And they last up to a year!
Peter: Wow. That seems like a great solution for people without access to clean and safe drinking water.
让我们来学习一些词语（也可阅读英文解释）：
A straw：喝饮料用的吸管
Water scarcity ：缺水，也可指缺少清洁饮水
A business model ：商务模型，通常包含宗旨、目标以及达标步骤或举措
A filter ：过滤装置，用于过滤清除水或空气中的有害物质。在这个对话中，过滤吸管是用于饮水。吸管带有过滤装置，可以将有害细菌（可致病的微生物）和颗粒物质从水中去除。
形容某件东西 portable，是指它可以被携带，即便携式的。
To purify 的意思是净化。A water purifier是生水净化器 。
Essential: 必要的，极其重要的，绝对需要的
Iodine：碘。它有杀菌功能，可被用来净化水。
Charcoal ：木炭。它可清除水中有害物质，并改善水的味道，因此也被用来净化水。
Bacteria ：细菌，（复数bacterium）
有兴趣听更多英语对话吗？请浏览“英语学习”专题网页。
American English 网站提供可供英语学生和教师免费使用的多种英语资源。American English Facebook网页提供每天更新的英语学习资料。
“日常会话”由美国国务院教育与文化事务局英语语言项目处（Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs）资深项目官员海蒂·豪兰（Heidi Howland）编写。
Everyday conversations: What do you want to drink? [audio]
Six students from around the world meet. What do they have in common? They are all exchange students studying at a U.S. university for a semester. Throughout the semester, they learn more English, learn about U.S. culture, and learn more about their fields of study. This series of Everyday Conversations is about these six students and their experiences during a semester at a university in the U.S. These conversations are for intermediate-level English-language learners or higher.
Two students (Peter and Akinyi) discuss the importance of clean, safe drinking water.
Peter: Is that a straw?
Akinyi: Yes. Isn’t it great? This is a solution to water scarcity.
Peter: You’re starting to sound a bit like Lee. Are you studying water scarcity in a class? And how is a straw the solution?
Akinyi: I’m studying the business model of one company that creates these filter straws. Believe it or not, this straw is a portable water purifier.
Peter: Is there really a large need for a water purifier to be portable?
Akinyi: Definitely. We all know that clean and safe water is essential to healthy living. But lack of clean water can affect the education of many children in the world.
Peter: Really? How?
Akinyi: Well, for example, students might get sick from drinking unsafe water and miss school.
Peter: And if students can carry filter straws, then they can always drink safe water?
Akinyi: Exactly. The straws have iodine, charcoal and filters – these combine to reduce harmful particles and remove bacteria. And they last up to a year!
Peter: Wow. That seems like a great solution for people without access to clean and safe drinking water.
Now let’s review the vocabulary.
A straw is a thin, hollow tube that is used to suck water or other drinks from a container.
Water scarcity is the lack of water or the lack of access to clean, safe water.
A business model is a design for the success of a business, including its purpose, goals and ways to achieve its goals.
A filter is a device that removes unwanted things (such as particles) from a liquid or gas. In this conversation, a filter straw is a straw for drinking water. The straw has a filter, and this filter removes unwanted bacteria (very small living organisms that often cause diseases) and particles from the water.
When something is portable, it is easy to carry and move around.
To purify means to remove bad substances from something. A water purifierremoves harmful substances from water.
Essential: necessary; extremely important; absolutely needed.
Iodine is a chemical element. It is used in water purification because it kills many bad small organisms in water.
Charcoal is a form of carbon. It is used in water purification because it removes harmful materials in water and improves the taste of water.
Bacteria (plural of bacterium): very small living organisms that often cause diseases.
Ready to learn more English? Our materials can help.
The American English website offers a variety of free resources for learners and teachers of English. The American English Facebook page posts learning materials for English-language learners daily.
Everyday Conversations are developed by the State Department’s Heidi Howland, a senior program officer in the Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
