美國(guó)之音之流行美語(yǔ)371 out of place...
Larry和李華一起去Larry的老板家，參加公司同事派對(duì)。他們會(huì)用到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)：out of place和show your true colors.
Larry: Lihua, are you feeling OK? You're so quiet tonight.
LH: 哦，我沒事兒。不過，和這么多辦公室白領(lǐng)在一起，有點(diǎn)不自在。
Larry: Ah, I see. You're always surrounded by young students when you're on campus. I can see why you feel a little out of place here.
LH: Out of place，是什么意思？
Larry: "Out of place" - It's an English phrase. If you're feeling out of place, you don't feel like you belong. You're not used to your current surroundings.
LH: Out of place， 就是覺得和周圍的環(huán)境格格不入，不自在。我現(xiàn)在的確感覺out of place， 因?yàn)槲移綍r(shí)都是和同學(xué)在一起，現(xiàn)在突然和這些上班族在一起，不知道該和他們聊些什么。
Larry: It's OK, Lihua. It's a natural reaction. Everyone feels that way when in unfamiliar places.
LH: 是嘛？你也會(huì)覺得out of place - 不自在？
Larry: No, I work with these people every day, so I'm pretty comfortable in this kind of setting. But, there are some places where I do feel out of place - like when I go to parties with your friends on campus.
LH: 啊? You feel out of place at student parties? 你參加我同學(xué)的派對(duì)時(shí)覺得不自在？你才畢業(yè)沒多久啊! 已經(jīng)不習(xí)慣校園生活了么？
Larry: I was a student...a couple years ago. To be honest, whenever I go back to campus now, I feel really old - and all the students look so young! I hate to admit it, but I feel out of place when I'm surrounded by students.
LH: 原來，你一回學(xué)校就覺得自己老，哈哈，沒關(guān)系，你看，現(xiàn)在這一屋子的人里，除了我，你是最年輕的了! 不過，你和這些中年人在一起倒不感覺feel out of place，真奇怪! 我可是渾身不自在! I feel so out of place!
Larry: I'm not used to seeing you acting so shy. You're usually so outgoing and friendly. Don't be afraid to show your true colors.
LH: Show my true colors? 給他們點(diǎn)顏色看看？!
Larry: (Chuckle) No! To show your true colors means to be how you truly are. You know, to just be your normal self.
LH: To show my true colors， 就是作我自己，本色流露。你剛才說，我自自然然作自己，是個(gè)非常outgoing - 外向的人？
Larry: Sure! I'm always amazed by how easily you can make new friends at a party. When you are relaxed and your true colors are showing, you are very friendly - and fun!
LH: 呵呵，你夸得我真不好意思! 不過，和你的這些同事在一塊兒，我不知說些什么好。我擔(dān)心，my true colors - 我的本色，會(huì)讓他們不喜歡。
Larry: Lihua, eventually you will be out in the work force, too. Maybe if you try interacting with these people now, you won't feel so out of place later after you get a real job. Just show your true colors and be your friendly self.
LH: 你說得對(duì)。我早晚要參加工作，所以現(xiàn)在就應(yīng)該試著和上班族相處。我應(yīng)該輕松地和他們聊天。
Larry: Right! Just follow my lead. I will introduce you to my colleague Annie over there. And when you get the chance, ask her something about her job - like how long she has been working here and what she does.
LH: 問問Annie在這個(gè)公司工作了多久，都干些什么。好! 沒問題!
Larry: See? I think you're feeling less out of place already.
LH: 是啊，我沒有剛才那么不自在了。我覺得，我已經(jīng)開始放松，作自己了! I'm already showing my true colors!
Larry: Great. Let's go! Oh! One more thing. Don't ask her age, her income or how much she paid for her clothes. Oh, and don't ask if that's her real hair color, either.
LH: ??？不能問年齡，收入，衣服的價(jià)錢，也不能問她有沒有染發(fā)？這么多地雷，我又開始覺得緊張了!
Larry: Just relax. You'll do fine! Just show your true colors......without any offensive questions.
今天李華學(xué)了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)，一個(gè)是out of place，意思是“格格不入，不自在”。另一個(gè)是show your true colors，意思是“流露本色，作自己”。
