LL: No, not literally. To let off steam can mean to relax or it can mean to express pent-up feelings, usually of anger.
LH: 原來如此。To let off steam就是放松,也可以是發(fā)泄積壓在心里的感情,通常是火氣。所以你是說一個(gè)星期緊張地學(xué)習(xí)和工作后放松一下,感覺很好。Larry,這個(gè)常用語跟steam, 蒸氣有什么關(guān)系呢?
LL: It's a metaphor. One has to ease the pressure in a steam engine by releasing - or letting off - steam. Otherwise the engine might overheat and explode.
LH: 原來是從蒸汽機(jī)的原理來的。沒錯(cuò),蒸汽機(jī)如果不定時(shí)釋放一下的蒸氣,那就可能會爆炸。 Larry,如果你一直不放松的話,你該不會爆炸吧?
LL: No, I'm not going to explode. However, letting off steam is important to a person's mental health.
LH: 嗯,我同意,一個(gè)人如果沒有放松的機(jī)會,那對心理健康有很大影響。我通常就是用跑步運(yùn)動(dòng)來讓自己放松的。
LL: A lot of people exercise to let off steam. Other people prefer quiet activities like reading.
LH: 對,每個(gè)人疏解壓力的方法都不一樣。所以Larry,你是通過看書來讓自己放松的?
LL: I like to do exactly what we're doing now. I let off steam by relaxing and having a nice meal with a friend.
LH: 和朋友吃吃飯,聊聊天是挺放松的??墒侨绻阏娴暮苌鷼猓浅I鷼?,那你怎么發(fā)泄你的怒氣呢?
LL: Sometimes it helps to talk to someone. It's usually better to let off some steam before dealing with the issue directly.
LH: 那倒是,先跟別人談?wù)??;饸夂艽蟮臅r(shí)候,最好別去處理那事。
******
LL: Oops! I forgot that I have to work on Sunday. That just ruins my whole weekend.
LH: Oops? 我常聽到人們這么說,Larry,這是什么意思啊?
LL: People usually say oops to acknowledge that they have made a mistake or have had a minor accident. I mistakenly thought I had the whole weekend off, when I actually have to work on Sunday. Oops.
LH: 原來oops就是發(fā)現(xiàn)自己犯了小錯(cuò)誤或出了一點(diǎn)沒有意料的小插曲時(shí)說的,有點(diǎn)像中文里的“哎呀,糟了”。所以你是說,你差點(diǎn)兒忘了星期天還得上班。還好現(xiàn)在是星期五,你要到星期一再想起來,那可真是糟了。恐怕說Oops都太晚了。
LL: That's true. Oops! I just dropped my fork on the floor.
LH: 叉子掉在地上不是什么大事,叫服務(wù)員再拿個(gè)干凈的就是啦。
LL: That's okay. There's an extra one on the next table. I'll just take that one.
LH: 拿那個(gè)桌上的叉子也行,反正哪兒沒人坐。Oh no, 這回輪到我要說oops了。我想起來了,今天晚上我該給我媽媽打電話了。
LL: You still have time. We should be finished here soon and you can go right home to call your mom.
LH: Oops! 吃完飯趕回家也沒用,我忘了買電話卡了。沒電話卡,我怎么打電話呢?
LL: I have a calling card. You can use it to call your mom. I don't mind at all.
LH: 啊,幸好你有張電話卡,Larry,真是太謝謝你嘍!
今天李華學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語。第一個(gè)是let off steam,是指發(fā)泄怒氣或其他情緒。另一個(gè)常用語是oops,這是一種語氣詞,通常是在當(dāng)一個(gè)人犯了小錯(cuò)誤時(shí)會說的。