Lesson Fivteen 第十五课

你们大家可能都已经认识了Michael和李华这两个大学生了。Michael讲英文，李华是个中国学生，能讲英文，但是她还在不断地跟Michael学。大家可千万不要认为这两个在纽约的大学生老是到外面去玩。其实他们学习都很努力，现在他们就要在李华的宿舍里一起念书，准备考试。李华今天会学到两个常用语，一个是：what's up，这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法。 另一个是： no brainer，意思是某件事很容易， 不用动脑子就能做成。

L: 嗨，Michael，快进来。

M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?

L: 什么？

M: What's up? What are you doing?

L: What's up? 我倒是听人这么说过，可是我还没有弄清楚这句话到 底是什么意思，我应该怎么回答？

M: What's up is really a common greeting.

L: 噢，what's up就是一般打招呼，不是指我的头上是什么呐？

M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"

L: 我知道了，what's up就是中文里我们说的：怎么样？

M: Well, it's really only spoken language.

L: 要是我去看一个我已经有两个月没见的朋友，我在见到她的时 候我可以说What's up，对吗?

M: Yes, definitely!

L: 那别人对我说what's up？, 我又该怎么回答呢？

M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.

L: 要是你问我，What's up? 我就可以说： Oh， not much, just getting ready for our test. 意思就是：噢，没什么，就是在准备我们的考 试。

M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.

L: 对，你怎么回答都行。 好吧，我们该学习了。

我真是希望这次考试赶快过去。

M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.

L: 你是说我压力太大，没有脑子？ 你知道我脑子很灵的呀！

M: Smarter than me, that's for sure. What I mean is that this test will be really easy. No brainer means something that reqires little or no thought.

L: 好，你承认我比你聪明。不过，我还得跟你学英文。你说，no brainer就是某件事很容易，不需要动脑子就行呀？

M: Yeah.

L: 我知道了。象我哥哥那天去买车，运气好，碰到一个公司半价出 售。 在这种情况下决定买不买，不就是no brainer吗？

M: That's right.

L: 那次那个漂亮女孩邀你出去玩，你接受不接受邀请不也是很容易 定的吗？

M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.

L: 对，决定是容易做，但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。

M: That's true. When the University gave you a scholarship to come study here in New York, it was a no brainer for you too.

L: 当然啦，大学给我奖学金来纽约念书，作这种决定还要动脑筋 啊？更何况我学习成绩那么好。

M: So then why are you bothering to study?

L: 这还用问？ 再聪明的人也得念书嘛！

M: On, ok, let's get back to work.

李华今天学到了两个常用语，一个是：what's up？ 这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法； 另一个是：no brainer，意思是某件事很容易，不用动脑子就能做成。这次[流行美语]就学习到这里。再见。

Michael和李华今天早上都有课，现在正往课堂走。李华今天会学到两个常用语：to goof off 和to hit the sack。

L: Michael, 别往我头上扔雪块，行吗？你怎么象个小孩呀！

M: Li Hua, I'm just goofing off.

L: 你就是讨厌。 我不懂什么是goofing off.

M: Actually Li Hua, to goof off does mean that I'm acting stupid and not being serious. Goof is a verb.

L: 噢，to goof off 就是干无聊的事，那你确实很无聊，老向我扔雪 块。

M: To goof off is a great term. Young people use it a lot. It is often used to describe how young people are behaving.

L: 年轻人经常用to goof off来形容别人的行为？我记得念中学时班 上有个学生老是打断老师的话，喜欢开玩笑，你可以说这个学生 是goofing off吗？

M: Yeah, that's right. Children or young people often goof off. Do you remember when we were at the movies and those high school students threw candy at the screen, you could say they were goofing off.

L: 对，没错，小孩和年轻人经常会做一些无聊的事开玩笑。我才不会忘掉我们那次去看电影的事呢。那几个中学生往银幕上扔糖果， 真是太无聊了，他们还以为好玩呢。

M: To tell you the truth, when I went to the library in high school with my roommates we would usually waste time and ended up goofing off.

L: 你是说，你念中学时跟同学去图书馆念书，结果在那儿互相扔纸球？

M: Yeah, that's right.

L: 怪不得你一开始考不上大学呢！ 行，教室到了，下课等我一起去图书馆，可千万不要goof off。

L: 这课真是枯燥无味。我最讨厌晚上上课，每次上完课，我都感到很累。

M: That's right. Even though it's not that late, I'm ready to hit the sack!

L: 你说什么？你要去捅一个口袋？Sack不是麻袋吗？我以为你很累了，而你现在要去运动？

M: No, no. It's a colloquial saying. I mean I'm going to bed. Sack, here means bed, and hit means going to.

L: 噢，原来to hit the sack是指去睡觉，sack在这里是指床， hit是去 床上睡觉的意思。 那我要坐下，能不能说 to hit the chair?

M: No, not really. This phrase -- to hit the sack -- has a pretty limited meaning.

L: 哟，to hit the sack只能指去睡觉，别的地方还不能用！那要是我 午想睡个午睡，能不能说：I want to hit the sack?

M: No, it's usually used to talk about going to bed at night, after a long day at work or school.

L: 午睡也不能用，只能指一天工作和学习后晚上去睡觉。那现在我 已经上了一天的学，再加上晚上上了这堂枯燥无味的课，我可 以说：It's time for me to hit the sack。 对不对？

M: That's correct, Li Hua. But don't forget that we have a test tomorrow.

L: 我当然不会忘掉明天的考试。

M: Ok, now go hit the sack, but after tomorrow's test we will have to study seriously for next week's test, no more goofing off.

L: 明天考试后你想好好学习，为下星期的考试作准备。没问题，我 帮你准备，我们俩都会考得很好。

M: Yeah, I'm going to hit the sack. Bye, Li Hua!

Michael 今天教了李华两个常用语，一个是：to goof off，意思是做一些无聊的事，开玩笑；另一个是：to hit the sack，这是指晚上上床睡觉。这次[流行美语] 今天就学习到这里，我们下次节目再见。

现在大家可能都已经很熟悉Michael和李华了吧！他们俩都在纽约上大学。纽约有许多酒吧都是爱尔兰移民开的。今天Michael要带李华去看一个酒吧。Michael在讲话时会用两个常用语：to bum和turn-off。

L: 嗨，这儿好热闹啊！Michael， 在爱尔兰酒吧里大家喝些什么呢？

M: People normally drink a large beer that is usually served warm.

L: 我可从来没喝过热的啤酒，一大杯也喝不了，要一小杯行不行？

M: Well, you can order whatever you want, but I need to bum a couple of dollars, if you don't mind.

L: 随便我要什么都行呀！那好，就来一小杯。对了，你刚才说要是我不在意的话，你想bum a couple of dollars, 那是什么意思啊？

M: What I mean is, can I borrow a couple of dollars from you.

L: 原来你要问我借几块钱！

M: Yes. But don't use this word for big things. For example, you would not ask your friend, “Can I bum your car?”

L: 噢，在问别人借大的，象汽车之类的东西时，不能用bum这个字，bum 只能用在问人借小东西的时候。

M: Yeah, it's usually used when asking for something small, like a piece of gum or candy.

L: 哟，你们美国人，怎么一片口香糖，一颗糖还要借啊？难道真的还要还吗？

M: No, small things you don't need to return, such as gum and candies.

L: 这很重要，因为在这种情况下，我们中国人就不说借了，我们大概会说：给一颗糖吧。

M: You are right Li Hua. But if you feel cold at a friend's home and you asked to bum a sweater, then you would return it when you were going to leave.

L: 对，要是在朋友家感到冷要借一件毛衣，那一般都应该还的。所以，这要看情况，对不对？

M: Yes, if you will let me bum a couple bucks tonight, I promise to pay you back tomorrow.

L: 行，行，行，就借你两块钱，你问服务员要酒吧，我来付钱。可明天别忘了还我。

M: Okay. Two beers please!

L: 我以前有一个朋友，每次跟她一起出去，不管去看电影，还是去 喝咖啡，她总是问我借钱。

M: A girl I used to hang out with acted the same way. Whenever a group of us went out, she would always ask to bum money. It got to be a real turn-off.

L: 你也碰到过这样的人哪？ 等等，a real turn-off? 这是什么意思呀？把什么东西关掉？

M: No, a turn-off is something that repels someone.

L: 噢， 是一个让人讨厌的什么东西。 是不是指一个人的性格里有什么地方让你不喜欢他？

M: Yes, that's right. Let me give you an example. Your ex-boyfriend always smoked cigarettes around you, that was a real turn-off.

L: 是啊，我以前的男朋友跟我在一起的时候老是抽烟，那真是讨厌。

M: A girl I once dated always interrupted me whenever I was talking. That was a real turn-off.

L: 对，你告诉过我，你从前的女朋友老是打断你的话，让你很讨厌。 我还有一个朋友把脏衣服在房间里到处乱扔， that was also a turn-off.

M: See, you've learned how to use turn-off. By the way, I also have dirty clothes lying around my apartment. Does that bother you?

L: 哼，你也把脏衣服到处乱扔？你要是不打扫乾净的话，别想请 我到你家去。

M: Ok, I'll try to clean it up.

各位听众，今天李华从Michael 那里学到了两个常用语，一个是： to bum，意思是借钱或其他东西；另一个是：a turn-off，意思是让人讨厌的地方。这次就到此结束，下次节目再见。