流行美語第九十六課

字號(hào):

今天Larry和Li Hua一起去醫(yī)院看望一個(gè)生病的朋友Laura。Li Hua會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語:pick-me-up和lay off。
    (street noise)
    LH: 哎,Larry, 我覺得Laura生病以后一直情緒不好 - 我真的很替她擔(dān)心。
    LL: Well, this visit should be a nice pick-me-up for her. I'm sure she'll like the flowers you bought her.
    LH: 我也希望她會(huì)喜歡我買的這些花??墒牵琇arry, 你說我們?nèi)メt(yī)院看她,對(duì)她是個(gè) "pick-me-up", 什么是"pick-me-up" 啊?
    LL: A pick-me-up as one word is something that makes someone feel better or gives them energy.
    LH: 噢,原來"pick-me-up" 合起來是一個(gè)詞,表示“能讓人振作起來、讓人心情好起來的東西”。所以你說我們?nèi)メt(yī)院看Laura會(huì)讓她心情好起來啊!
    LL: That's right. Here is another example - If you receive a birthday card from your best friend, you must feel good. So, the card for you is a "pick-me-up".
    LH: 對(duì)呀,好朋友送我生日卡片,那肯定會(huì)讓我很高興。只可惜生日一年只有。Larry, 我如果情緒低落,你猜我會(huì)怎么辦?我吃巧克力。Chocolate is a good pick-me-up.
    LL: I don't really like chocolate, so when I need a pick-me-up, I usually eat ice cream.
    LH: 我也喜歡吃冰淇淋,不過,和冰淇淋比起來,我還是覺得“逛街買東西”更容易幫我調(diào)節(jié)心情。
    LL: Well, that's a good pick-me-up for girls, but most guys don't enjoy shopping that much.
    LH: 你說得太對(duì)了?!肮浣仲I東西”常常能讓女孩子一下子心情就好起來,可是對(duì)男生來說恐怕就不那么靈了。唉,真可惜Laura現(xiàn)在在醫(yī)院里,要不然我可以約她出來逛街呢!
    LL: Well, I'm sure that seeing her friends and getting such pretty flowers will be a great pick-me-up for her.
    LH: 就是啊,見到我們還有這些好看的花她一定會(huì)高興起來的。前面就是醫(yī)院了。哎,Larry, 走了一路,我有點(diǎn)兒累了。我們先到這家咖啡館喝杯咖啡怎么樣?
    LL: Yeah, I'm kind of tired, too. I could use a little pick-me-up.
    ******
    LL: Laura seemed so spacey. I think that maybe the doctors should lay off the painkillers.
    LH: 就是啊,Laura好像顯得昏昏沉沉的,所以你覺得醫(yī)生應(yīng)該給她開止疼藥 - painkiller ?。?BR>    LL: No, I meant they should S giving her painkillers. To lay off something is to stop using it or to stop doing it, and to lay off someone is to stop bothering him or her...
    LH: 噢,原來Lay off something的意思就是“停止用某種東西”或者“停止做某件事”。那lay off someone的意思就是“別再煩某個(gè)人”。原來你說的是醫(yī)生應(yīng)該給Laura停用止疼藥嗎?
    LL: You got it! You see - Painkillers tend to make the person spacey. That's why I think the doctors should lay off the painkillers for Laura.
    LH: 說得也是,止疼藥是會(huì)讓人暈暈乎乎的。哎,Larry, 我們能不能再到那個(gè)咖啡館買杯咖啡呀?我看了Laura那么難受的樣子,我也得提提神了- I need another pick-me-up.
    LL: Hey, Li Hua, you ought to lay off the caffeine. You're going to become addicted!
    LH: 你要我別喝那么多咖啡,不然會(huì)上癮?嗨,Larry, 別管我的事, lay off me, 我啊,就是想喝這杯咖啡!
    LL: Alright, alright. Don't be mad at me.
    LH: 哎喲,我也不是真的和你急嘛。我只不過是想用"lay off someone" 來舉個(gè)例子, 哎,你說我用得對(duì)嗎?
    LL: Yes, you sure used it correctly. Now, shall we lay off the English lessons for a while? I think I will have some ice cream as a pick-ME-up.
    LH: 好啊,我們倆這個(gè)“英語課”要先告一段落,你吃冰淇淋。我呢,還是喝我的咖啡!
    今天李華從Larry那兒學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語,一個(gè)是pick-me-up, 意思是“給人提神、讓人心情一下子好起來的東西”;李華學(xué)到的另外一個(gè)常用語是lay off, lay off something意思是“停止做某件事”, lay off someone意思是“別煩某個(gè)人”。