流行美语 第 49 课

在今天的对话中Michael 会教李华两个常用语：一个是under the weather，另一个
是to grab 1 a bite 2 to eat。

M: Hello?
L: 喂，Michael，你今天怎么了？我怎么在学校没看到你，打电话到你上班的地
方也没人接。你没事儿吧？
M: Oh, its nothing. I am just a little under the weather today, so I decided 3 to take the
rest of the day off and really rest.
L: 什么？你说天气不好，所以你就请一天假。天气好好的吗，你干吗撒谎呢？
M: No no, I said "I am under the weather today". Under, U-N-D-E-R; The Weather,
W-E-A-T-H-E-R. Under the weather, it means 4 sick.
L: 噢，under the weather 就是生病的意思啊，那你还不赶快看医生啊？
M: Oh, don't worry. It's not very serious. Usually when someone says that they are
under the weather, they mean they feel bad, but are not very sick.
L: 你的病不严重，那我就放心了。可是你为什么今天觉得under the weather 呢？
M: Last night I went out to eat with a friend. After dinner, it started to rain heavily 5. We
didn't have umbrellas, and I had to walk to a long way back to my car in the rain. I
think I caught a cold, so now I feel under the weather.
L: 难怪了，你吃完饭就淋着雨走了那么长的路。哎呀，你以后可千万小心，万一
得了什么大病那该怎么办呢？
M: It's ok, Li Hua. I can take care of myself. That's why I am resting at home. That
reminds me, how is your mother doing? Didn't you say she was under the weather last
week?
L: 噢，我妈妈现在好多了。不过上星期可真把我们吓坏了。上星期一她突然说不
舒服，提前下班，第二天就开始咳嗽，浑身发软。
M: Oh no! You must have been worried she had SARS.
L: 没错，我家里人都担心她感染了萨斯。所以每个人都嚷着自己 under the
weather，不过啊，第二天我妈妈的情况好转，他们每个人也都觉得自己好了。
M: They were all thinking 6 about SARS, so they also felt under the weather. In fact,
they were all ok.
L: 就是啊，他们觉得自己under the weather，我看纯粹是心理作用。
M: So why were you trying to call me at work today?
L: 我打电话想问问你今天晚上要不要一快去吃饭。
M: Well, I'd like to, but I really think I should stay at home tonight. Maybe this
weekend we can grab a bite to eat.
L: 你说我们这个周末吃什么？
M: I said we can "grab a bite to eat". Grab, G-R-A-B; a bite, B-I-T-E; to eat, E-A-T. It
means we can go out and have a quick meal somewhere this weekend.
L: 噢，grab a bite to eat 就是随便到那个餐馆吃一顿，对不对。
M: That's about right. To be exact 7, it means to find some quick and simple food, like
fast food.
L: 啊？尤其指吃快餐啊，我可不想这样随便grab a bite to eat 。我想去个有气氛
的好餐馆。再说了，Michael，你也不应该老吃垃圾食物。
M: I know, I know. It's just that I often don't have a lot of time between classes and
work. So at lunchtime, I usually have to go to a fast food place and grab a bite to eat. I
don't have time to go anywhere else.
L: 如果你觉得中午时间很紧，那你就因该在家里把午饭准备好带到学校。你看，
你每天到外面grab a bite to eat，那样你的开销多大啊。
M: I don't always grab a bite to eat at fast food places. Sometimes I make lunch at
home. But it takes a lot of time in the evening, and sometimes I am busy then, too.
L: Michael，你真是太不会照顾自己了，冒着雨乱跑，整天吃垃圾食品，难怪你会
under the weather，以后你真的要好好照顾自己呢。

今天Michael 身体有点不舒服，就是under the weather:Michael 约李华等他身体好
了一起去grab a bite to eat，也就是随便到外面吃点快餐。