美国之音《流行美语》 361

　　Larry准备参加马拉松比赛，李华在帮他进行赛前训练。他们会用到两个常用语：on the dot 1和get a taste of one's own medicine

LH: Larry, 加油，就剩500米了！冲刺冲刺! 好..！

Larry: (Out of breath) How...did... I do?

LH: 成绩不错，但还是没进15分钟。

Larry: (Still a bit out of breath) Let me see that watch...Hey, this isn't above 15 minutes... this is 15 minutes on the dot!

LH: Dot? 点点？这个秒表是新的，上面什么都没有啊!

Larry: No, no. The watch is fine. I'm talking about the time. Look...it says 15:00. Exactly fifteen minutes...Fifteen minutes on the dot.

LH: 哦， on the dot就是“正好”的意思。你是说，你刚才的成绩是正好15分钟。可是Larry，我的意思是，你还是没有冲破15分这个关口。这样你下个月参加比赛时，名次是不会理想的!

Larry: I know, I know... wait a minute. Next month? I thought I had way more time to prepare than that!

LH: 啊？你忘啦？距离比赛还有整整一个月，30 days on the dot!

Larry: Well, at least I'm making progress...fifteen minutes is my best time so far. I think I'm done running for today. It's 5pm on the dot.

LH: 好吧，那今天就练到这儿吧。天儿也够热的，今天是35 degrees on the dot，35度呢!

Larry: Well, when you're running, it feels more like 40 degrees on the dot!

LH: 不过回家前，你还得做30个仰卧起坐。

Larry: You sure are a strict coach...how do you know so much about training?

LH: (得意地)我高中是田径队的，教练特严格，我都是跟他学的!严师出高徒嘛!

Larry: Oh really?? (pauses for a moment as if hatching 2 a plan) You know, Li Hua, there's a couple's race as well on race day. I think you and I should be a team!

LH: 双人跑？ 我也参加？那可不行，我整整10年没跑步了!10 years on the dot!

Larry: Hey, you've been making me run all over this track 3 for the past week; I think it's only fair that you got to taste of your own medicine.

LH: 什么，taste of my own medicine? 我的药的味道？

Larry: Actually, you've been working me so hard, but now it's time for you to go through the same ordeal 4 that you had put me through. In other words, you're getting a taste of your own medicine.

LH: 我明白了，get a taste of my own medicine就是自食苦果。你是说，这几天我逼你练得那么辛苦，现在你也要让我尝尝同样的滋味。

Larry: Right! Let's start early tomorrow...be here at 7 am on the dot. I can't wait to give you a taste of your own medicine!

******

第二天，Larry和李华开始了训练。

Larry: Come on, Lihua, just 500 more meters! Pick up your speed! And...you're done!

LH: (Out of breath) 时间怎么样？

Larry: Eighteen minutes.

LH: 啊？这么慢？ 18 minutes on the dot? 正好18分么？

Larry: No, not on the dot. More like 18 minutes and 16 seconds...

LH: 我要累死了，不练了不练了!

Larry: Now you know how it feels to taste some of your own medicine!

LH: 是啊，现在我体会到你的辛苦了。我真不该对你那么严格。

Larry: Good! Well, I guess I can tell you now...there's no couple's race.

LH: 根本就没有什么双人跑？!

Larry: Yeah, you were pushing me so hard...I just wanted you to get a taste of your own medicine.

LH: 为了让我自食苦果，你就用这招骗我？!哎呀，糟糕，刚才跑得太快，你妈妈送我的那条项链不知道什么时候掉了。

Larry: My mother's necklace?? That's been in my family for 100 years on the dot! Why did you wear that on a run?

LH: 哈! 你着急了吧! 项链就在我包里!怎么样， you just got a taste of your own medicine，你也知道被骗的滋味不好受了吧!

Larry: Indeed 5...

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是on the dot，表示“正好，精确地”。另一是get a taste of one's own medicine, 意思是“自食苦果”。