流行口語 第150課
时间:2019-02-20 作者:英语课 分类:美国之音《流行美语》
这是星期天的早晨.李华和 Larry 正在星巴克咖啡馆里喝咖啡.今天李华会学到两个常用语: on the spot 和 schmooze.
LL: I'm dreading 1 my Chinese exam tomorrow. The teacher will give us a topic and she expects us to talk about the topic for two minutes on the spot.
LH: 你明天要考中文呀?老师给每个学生一个题目,让你们当场就这个题目讲两分钟,这好难喔.吔,不过 Larry,别担心,你可以先跟我练习啊!对了,你刚才说 on the spot,那是什么意思啊?
LL: Oh, to do something "on the spot" is to do it immediately - right then and there.
LH: On the spot 就是“立刻、当场”的意思.所以你刚才是说教授在考试的时候啊当场给题目,你就得立即上台讲两分钟。
LL: Exactly. It's always nice to have time to prepare, but sometimes doing something on the spot can be fun.
LH: 有充份的时间做准备那当然好啊.但是,我可想不出有什么事情马上要做而且能让我感觉有意思的.你给我举个例子好不好。
LL: Well, we can decide right here - on the spot - to go to the movies. That would be fun, right?
LH: 嗯~,我们现在就决定去看电影,那当然好玩儿呀.可是我们不知道看哪部电影,到哪里去看吶。
LL: That's a problem. Where can we find the newspaper or a computer on the spot!
LH: 就是嘛,我们既不能上网,也没有报纸可以查电影时间表.而且,你明天不是有中文考试吗?你现在应该在家里背单字嘛!
LL: I should. If I don't study the vocabulary, then I won't be able to come up with a speech on the spot.
LH: 对,要当场发表两分钟讲话,不熟悉有用的词汇是不行的。
LL: No, it's more like a good strategy 2 for failing my test. Hey, why don't you help me study?
LH: 一点没错,要是你不多记住一些单词啊,那你肯定要考砸的.你要我就在这里帮你复习功课? On the spot?
LL: Why not? I brought my Chinese book with me.
………………………………………………………
LH: 我真不敢相信吔,咖啡馆的那个女服务员居然会送你一杯免费的咖啡!
LL: Well, it helps that I schmoozed her a little bit.
LH: Larry,你对那个女服务员怎么啦? Schmooze 是什么意思啊?
LL: To schmooze means 3 that someone is extra nice to him or her, usually in the hope that you'll get something in return.
LH: 哦~, schmooze 就是对某人特别好,希望啊能得到一些回报.那不就是“讨好、献殷勤”吗?你想让服务员对你客气一点,所以你就对她特别好啊?
LL: Well, no. I was actually hoping to get her to go out on a date with me, but I'll settle 4 for free coffee.
LH: 啊哈,原来你是想约那个女孩儿出去,现在你喝了一杯免费咖啡就满足啦?哎呀,你呀,你还不如去 schmooze 你的中文老师,让她明天评分的时候对你客气点.这不是更实际吗!
LL: Hopefully, I won't need to schmooze my teacher in order to get a good grade.
LH: 不讨好老师也能得好分数,你怎么一下子就变得这么信心十足啦.吔,不过,你要我帮你复习功课,那至少也该 schmooze 我这个义务家教吧!
LL: Hey, you're my friend, you're supposed to do things out of friendship, not because you want something.
LH: 我知道啦,我是跟你开玩笑的!不过,你要是想对我好一点, schmooze 我一下,我也不会反对哦!
LL: I'm always nice to you - and it's not because I'm trying to schmooze you.
LH: 那倒是,你啊一向对我不错,算得上是我最好的朋友啰!
今天李华学到了两个常用语,第一个是: on the spot,就是“即刻、当场、马上”的意思;另一个常用语是: schmooze,这是指“讨好某人、对某人献殷勤”,通常是想得到回报。
- She was dreading having to broach the subject of money to her father. 她正在为不得不向父亲提出钱的事犯愁。
- This was the moment he had been dreading. 这是他一直最担心的时刻。
- The only way to take the enemy position is by strategy,not by forceful attack.只可智取,不可强攻。
- Tactics differs from strategy.战术有别于战略。
- That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
- We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。