VOA慢速英语:A Few Steps Up From Fast Food, and Down the Road From Fine Dining, Lies the Diner

短语讲解：

1. And for a hungry explorer in America, nothing compares to the discovery of a good diner.

compare to与…相比
例句：Social life in a village cannot compare to that of a large city. 
乡村里的社交生活无法与大城市的相提并论。

2. People in other cities improved on the idea.

improve on在…加以提高
例句：He's never improved on his first book.
他从未写出比他第一部著作更好的书。

3. Owners added tables, to appeal to women who did not want to sit at a counter.

appeal to对…有吸引力
例句：This job rather appeals to me.
这工作对我有吸引力。

4. Diner owners were always searching for ways to make their businesses look more modern.

search for搜索, 搜寻
例句：They searched all the drawers for the missing paper.
他们翻了所有的抽屉找寻那份遗失的文件。

5. Diners are known for “comfort food.”

be known for因…而众所周知
例句：Guilin is known for its beautiful sceneries.
桂林因风景优美而出名。

6. This kind of food reminds people of the meals their mothers and grandmothers made.

remind of使(某人)想起…
例句：The film reminded him of what he had seen in Paris.
这部电影使他回想起在巴黎所看到的情况。

7. They are a thin, round cake made of flour, eggs and milk -- all cooked on a greased surface.

用…做成make of
例句：The table is made of wood.
桌子是木制的。

8. They could not keep up with the speed of American living.

keep up with跟上, 不落人之后
例句：You're walking too fast. I can't keep up with you.
你走得太快了, 我跟不上。

9. These people prefer to eat at places that have remained in the same spot for years.

prefer to较喜欢; 宁愿
例句：He preferred to die instead of stealing.
他宁愿死也不愿意偷窃。

10. Jim used to eat three meals a day there. Now, he stops by for coffee and a little something to eat.

used to过去一向,过去时常;过去曾(而现在不再)做
例句：I used to go to work by underground when I was in London. 
我在伦敦时,通常乘地铁上班。 
stop by顺便走访
例句：She stopped by my place the other day.
几天前她顺便来我家坐了一会儿。