流行美语 (Popular American) 281

小燕下班后，跟Larry到一家爱尔兰酒吧去喝酒。今天我们要学两个常用语，一个是tough call, 一个是tone 1 it down.

(Sound of a bar and Irish music in the background)

LL: Wow, Xiaoyan, you must be exhausted 2. Did you work a full shift 3?

XY: 我今天连着当了两班，double Shift, 快累瘫了。好在这是纽约，能赚不少小费。

LL: So let's eat and drink, shall we? Here's the menu.

XY: 好啊，我饿极了。你觉得点点儿什么好？

LL: It's a tough call, Xiaoyan. There are a lot of great choices, so it's difficult to say that one in particular is the best.

XY: 这有什么好难的！我告诉你什么叫难吧，我的日子才叫难呢！

LL: You know? You are different than Li Hua when you don't understand something. She's so sweet...and you're...

XY: 我怎么样？你是不是觉得我太张扬，不够温柔？我跟李华可不一样。(语气中带有一丝嫉妒)

LL: 'A tough call' is a difficult decision to make, especially when there are so many choices or when something is not clear. For example, choosing the best meal on this menu is a tough call, because so many choices are good!

XY: 我知道了，tough call是说很难选择。你是说菜单上很多东西好像都不错，所以很难决定，it's a tough call. 你看，这还有这么多种啤酒，我真不知道该点哪种。It's a tough call too.

LL: Not for me! Excuse me, waiter, I'll have a Guinness please. Make that two Guinnesses, because my friend here is battling a tough call on what beer to order. So have you had to make any other tough calls in your life recently, Xiaoyan?

XY: 有啊。我正拿不定主意，不知道该回去读书，还是再在金龙干一年，多赚点钱。It's really a tough call!

LL: Yeah, especially since you live in New York, where there are lots of opportunities, yet high costs of living. Ah, here come our beers!

XY: 来，让我们为年轻和机会干杯。

*******

LL: The beers are good! How do you like your food, Xiaoyan? Is it better than Golden Dragon's food?

XY: Ha! That's not a tough call at all. 金龙的菜是最好的！

(Cut off due to blaring music音乐声音放大)

LL: (Shouting over the music)Wow that's loud! I wish they'd tone it down!

XY: 什么？ Tone it down? 你是想说 turn it down 吧。

LL: Just a minute. (to the waiter) Hey, could you turn down the music, please? We're trying to have a conversation, and we can't hear each other's voices. Thanks!

(音乐声音变小)

XY: Larry, tone it down和turn it down的区别到底在哪里啊？

LL: Well, 'turn it down' means to reduce the noise level of things like music and overall 4 voice level. 'Tone it down' means to cool the overall tone or attitude that someone or someplace has.

XY: 我有点明白了。Turn it down是降低音量。Tone it down是降低声调、语气、改善态度、变得更为和缓的意思。Tone it down能用来指行动吗？比如说，我想请你吃饭，因为我觉得你...

LL: Oh my, Xiaoyan. I think you DO need to tone it down. Perhaps you've had too many beers, haha!

XY: 那其他情况呢？比如说生活习惯和穿着打扮，can we use 'tone it down' for that, too?

LL: Yes. If people are acting 5 out of control, or if they are wearing obnoxious 6 clothing to a formal party, then they need to tone it down.

XY: (生气地) 你是说我的穿着、举止不得体吗？

LL: Hey, Xiaoyan, tone it down. There's no reason to get excited and upset at me. I don't mean YOU specifically 7. I'm talking about a situation in general.

XY: 那好，这次原谅你。啊，你看那个男的，怎么穿了一件粉红色的外衣，太离谱了。Now, HE needs to tone it down. 不好，他好像冲我们走过来了。

LL: It's your lucky day, Xiaoyan. He's coming over here to buy you a drink!

XY: 不好，三十六计走为上！我们赶快买单吧。

LL: Absolutely. Check please!

我们今天学习了两个常用语。一个是tough call, 意思上很难做的选择。另一个是tone it down, 是指降低语音、语调，让举止、态度变得更加和缓的意思。