VOA流行美語第91課:without a hitch

字號(hào):

第91課:without a hitch
    期終考試今天全部結(jié)束,Larry和Li Hua準(zhǔn)備開個(gè)party來慶祝一番。Li Hua會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語:without a hitch和chow down。
    (household utensil noise)
    LH: Larry, 你看我們準(zhǔn)備的東西夠不夠???這是我第請(qǐng)朋友來開party,要是東西不夠吃,那就糟糕啦!
    LL: Calm down, Li Hua. I'm sure the party will go off without a hitch.
    LH: 你說我們的party會(huì)怎么樣 - without a hitch - 那是什么意思?。?BR>    LL: Oh, if something goes without a hitch, it means that everything goes smoothly and nothing will go wrong.
    LH: 對(duì),hitch這個(gè)字也可以解釋為障礙,那something goes without a hitch, 就是進(jìn)展順利。
    LH: Larry,你的意思就是我們的party will go off without a hitch,肯定能辦好,不會(huì)有問題...那我可不可以說:There won't be any hitches?
    LL: No, No, Li Hua, you can't use it that way. You can only say that something goes without a hitch. This is an idiomatic expression. You can't generally substitute the word hitch for problem.
    LH: 啊,原來something goes without a hitch是一個(gè)習(xí)慣用語,不能把hitch 和problem兩個(gè)交替來使用。那想說什么事一帆風(fēng)順,我們就只能說:什么事情goes without a hitch.
    LL: Okay, Li Hua, now that you understand the phrase, can you give me an example?
    LH: 我來想一想。有了。近這次考試我覺得我考得不錯(cuò) - My exams went without a hitch.
    LL: I wish I were as confident as you are. Now, can you give me another example of how to use without a hitch?
    LH: 嗯...我近申請(qǐng)了暑期里到一個(gè)公司去工作。他們約我上星期去面談。我覺得那個(gè)面談進(jìn)行得挺順利的,所以 - It went off without a hitch.
    LL: Hey congratulations!
    LH: Thank you, Larry. 哎喲,我們趕快準(zhǔn)備吧??腿笋R上就要到了!
    ******
    (party SFX)
    LL: See, everybody is enjoying the party, I told you it would be fine.
    LH: 嗯,大家好象都玩得挺開心。我原來還擔(dān)心吃的不夠呢,現(xiàn)在看來說不定還做多了!
    LL: I don't know about that. Some people are really chowing down. Hey, look at Jim, he's eating one hot dog after another!
    LH: 就是啊,我也注意到Jim挺喜歡吃熱狗的,可是你說什么? 這兒有的人是在chowing down? 什么是chow down?。?BR>    LL: Well, chow is slang for food and to chow down is to eat a lot and to do it enthusiastically.
    LH: 噢,chow這個(gè)字在口語里可以表示食物。那么chow down就是吃得很多,而且還興致勃勃的。那不就有點(diǎn)兒像我們中文里說的狼吞虎咽嗎?
    LL: Yep. Look, Jim has finished his hot dog. He's now moved on to eating a piece of cake. He's definitely chowing down. He acts as though he hasn't eaten in days.
    LH: 對(duì),Jim他剛吃完熱狗,現(xiàn)在又在吃蛋糕了 - He is really chowing down. 好象幾天沒吃飯一樣的。哎,對(duì)了,Larry, 這也說明我們準(zhǔn)備的東西受歡迎哪!
    LL: That's right! See, Li Hua, I told you that the party will go off without a hitch.
    LH: 哎,Larry, 說了這么半天了,你都吃什么啦?
    LL: What have I chowed down? Well, I have been busy helping you and haven't got time to eat yet.
    LH: 哎喲,真是抱歉,你光顧著幫我招待客人,自己都還沒顧上吃呢!
    LL: That's OK. I think we should chow down now before all of the good stuff is gone!
    LH: 好啊,那我們趕緊開吃吧,要不然好東西都沒了!
    今天李華從Larry那兒學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語。一個(gè)是without a hitch, 表示事情進(jìn)展順利。另外一個(gè)是chow down, 相當(dāng)于中文里所說的狼吞虎咽。