A Picnic Anyone?

Enjoy a picnic outdoors

It's a beautiful summer day. The sky is blue. The birds are singing. The sun is shinning. So make some sandwiches, grab some friends and head for a park near your house. It's International Picnic Day!

History 
Some historians believe that picnics started during medieval times. After a successful hunt, villagers would celebrate with an outdoor meal. Others believe that picnics started during the Victorian era. They were an important social time when young men and women could meet.

How to celebrate 
Early picnics usually consisted of lots of food and games. Today, picnics are more simple and relaxed. In fact, the phrase "it's a picnic" means something is easy. People usually eat food like sandwiches, chips and carrot sticks. These are foods people can eat with their hands.

What makes a good spot to have a picnic? That depends on you. Enjoy the sun or the shade from a tree. Just get out and have a picnic!

Info Cloud
dessert idiom 與甜點有關的片語

If you’re looking for more English idioms to say something is easy, just remember one word, dessert.

Umm, let’s start with pie as in, “easy as pie”, and by that I mean eating pie, because making pie requires time effort and some skill. Okay, you know, there are few things easier than lifting a forkful of pumpkin pie to my mouth and eating it.

Easy as pie. Now if you like cake more than pie, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered, “a piece of cake” is one of the more familiar idioms to mean something that takes little or no effort to do.

Okay. Since we’re on the topic of the cake, let’s introduce the easy idiom, “cakewalk”.

Cakewalks started in 18 century America as a formal of public entertainment. They were kind of like dance contest, the person or couple who had the fanciest or most entertaining dance moves won a big cake as the price.

Now, on a related note, some linguists believe that the cakewalk contest is also where the idiom “take the cake” came from. This idiom means ranking first, or surpassing all others, sometimes with a negative connotation. For example, I knew Jack was arrogant, but his brother really takes the cake.

a piece of cake 很容易達成的事
- That test was a piece of cake.
cakewalk 輕而易舉
take the cake 叫他第一名(多用於負面)
Of all the bad restaurants I been to, this one takes the cake.
as easy as pie 很輕鬆(像吃派一樣)

Closer Look 
After a successful hunt, villagers would celebrate with an outdoor meal.
After a successful [event], [somebody] would celebrate with [something]. 
- After a successful business trip, the salesman would celebrate with a trip to the beach with his family.
- After a successful competition, the team would celebrate with a pizza party.

Language Lab
outdoors adv. 在戶外, 在野外;
- The wedding was held outdoors.
- Freddy works outdoors, so he's tanned.
outdoors  n. 戶外
- Tim loves to enjoy the great outdoors with his family.

historian n. 歷史學家, 史學工作者
- Many historians are fascinated by ancient Chinese history.
- Charlie is a historian who specializes in Greek history.

celebrate v. 慶祝, 慶賀
- Paul and Vivian celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last Sunday.
celebration n. 慶祝
- The company's 50th anniversary celebration lasted for a whole week.

shade n. 陰涼處, 遮陰, 色彩的濃淡或深淺
- The big maple tree in the backyard provides welcome shade.
- Laura wants a lighter shade of blue for her bedroom wall.

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