流行美语 (Popular American) 257

Larry去李华家吃饭。他告诉李华说，自己今天特别倒霉。李华今天要学两个常用语：nightmare 1和group hug.

LL: I had the worst day at work today. It was an absolute 2 nightmare!

LH: 上班做恶梦？Larry, 你可要小心点儿，上班睡觉是要被老板炒鱿鱼的！

LL: No, no. I didn't HAVE a nightmare at work...Being at work today was LIKE a nightmare.

LH: 噢，你是说今天上班很痛苦，就像是做了一场恶梦啊，听起来挺吓人的。

LL: It wasn't so much scary 3 as it was unpleasant 4. Any situation that is really bad or unpleasant can be called a nightmare - even a really angry person can be a nightmare.

LH: 我知道了，nightmare是指令人不愉快的人或者事。那你今天上班出什么事了？

LL: It all started with my boss. He is usually a nice guy, but today he was really angry with his staff - me, included. He was a total nightmare.

LH: 我记得你老板人挺随和的，今天怎么会突然发脾气呢？

LL: Well, he wasn't happy that we hadn't finished a project by the deadline. When he came into the office this morning, he told everyone we better have it finished by the end of the day - or he was going to become our worst nightmare!

LH: Your worst nightmare? Yikes! 你们不是一直都在赶着完成那个项目吗？老板这么生气，大家一定很沮丧吧？

LL: That is exactly what happened, Li Hua. After work, my day didn't get better. On my way over to your house, the traffic was a nightmare.

LH: 我也从新闻里看到堵车的消息了。你今天可真够倒霉的。我特别理解你现在的心情，还记得我博士生资格考试那天吗？

LL: I do remember. As I recall 5 that day was a total nightmare for you.

LH: 是呀，我当时论文打到一半，电脑突然死机了。What a nightmare.

LL: But the nightmare turned out okay in the end, didn't it?

LH: 我只好从头再来。还好，我的论文最后还是得了优秀。

LL: Then maybe my nightmare will have a good ending, too.

******

LL: You know, Li Hua, when my co-workers and me were feeling down after the boss yelled 6 at us, we had a "Group Hug" and all felt better.

LH: A "group hug"? 在办公室里集体拥抱？

LL: Well, I know it sounds kind of strange, but sometimes when a group of people or a team is down and they need to cheer themselves up they have a "group hug."

LH: 你的意思是，大家情绪低落的时候，group hug一下，感觉就会好起来？

LL: Well, after my boss left and everyone was feeling down, one of my co-workers said aloud, "Group Hug!" We all stood up, hugged in a circle one time, and then felt much better.

LH: 真有意思，group hug能让你们提高工作效率吗？

LL: It really did. The group hug reduced the tension 7, and we all were able to get back to working on the project.

LH: 我可以在我的中文课上试试看。中文很难学，所以学生们有时会因为进步慢而感到气馁。

LL: A "group hug" could help lighten 8 the mood in class, especially after a really hard test.

LH: Larry, group hug是怎么做的呢？

LL: Well, usually someone says, "Group Hug" or "Let's have a group hug." Then the group forms a circle and each participant 9 puts their arms over their neighbors' shoulders.

LH: 大家站成一圈，胳膊搭在旁边人的肩膀上，是这样吗？那下次我发考卷的时候，如果学生们考得不好，我就可以说，不要灰心，Let's have a group hug.

LL: Yes, that's it! In my family, when my brothers and sisters would have an argument, my mom would say, ''Let's stop fighting and have a group hug.'' It was like magic - we'd all stop fighting.

LH: Larry, 我知道你今天情绪不好，但是我们两个人不能说是group hug吧？

LL: No, you are right, Li Hua. To have a true group hug, you need three or more people. But I'd be happy with just a regular hug from you, Li Hua!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是nightmare, 是令人不愉快的人或事。另一个是 group hug，是集体拥抱。