Popular American - #96
流行美語(yǔ)-第九十六課
pick-me-up
lay off
今天Larry和Li Hua一起去醫(yī)院看望一個(gè)生病的朋友Laura。Li Hua會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ):pick-me-up和lay off。
(street noise)
LH: 哎,Larry, 我覺(jué)得Laura生病以后一直情緒不好 - 我真的很替她擔(dān)心。
LL: Well, this visit should be a nice pick-me-up for her. I'm sure she'll like the flowers you bought her.
LH: 我也希望她會(huì)喜歡我買的這些花。可是,Larry, 你說(shuō)我們?nèi)メt(yī)院看她,對(duì)她是個(gè) "pick-me-up", 什么是"pick-me-up" 啊?
LL: A pick-me-up as one word is something that makes someone feel better or gives them energy.
LH: 噢,原來(lái)"pick-me-up" 合起來(lái)是一個(gè)詞,表示“能讓人振作起來(lái)、讓人心情好起來(lái)的東西”。所以你說(shuō)我們?nèi)メt(yī)院看Laura會(huì)讓她心情好起來(lái)?。?/p>
LL: That's right. Here is another example - If you receive a birthday card from your best friend, you must feel good. So, the card for you is a "pick-me-up".
LH: 對(duì)呀,好朋友送我生日卡片,那肯定會(huì)讓我很高興。只可惜生日一年只有一次。Larry, 我如果情緒低落,你猜我會(huì)怎么辦?我吃巧克力。Chocolate is a good pick-me-up.
LL: I don't really like chocolate, so when I need a pick-me-up, I usually eat ice cream.
LH: 我也喜歡吃冰淇淋,不過(guò),和冰淇淋比起來(lái),我還是覺(jué)得“逛街買東西”更容易幫我調(diào)節(jié)心情。
LL: Well, that's a good pick-me-up for girls, but most guys don't enjoy shopping that much.
LH: 你說(shuō)得太對(duì)了。“逛街買東西”常常能讓女孩子一下子心情就好起來(lái),可是對(duì)男生來(lái)說(shuō)恐怕就不那么靈了。唉,真可惜Laura現(xiàn)在在醫(yī)院里,要不然我可以約她出來(lái)逛街呢!
LL: Well, I'm sure that seeing her friends and getting such pretty flowers will be a great pick-me-up for her.
LH: 就是啊,見(jiàn)到我們還有這些好看的花她一定會(huì)高興起來(lái)的。前面就是醫(yī)院了。哎,Larry, 走了一路,我有點(diǎn)兒累了。我們先到這家咖啡館喝杯咖啡怎么樣?
LL: Yeah, I'm kind of tired, too. I could use a little pick-me-up.
******
LL: Laura seemed so spacey. I think that maybe the doctors should lay off the painkillers.
LH: 就是啊,Laura好像顯得昏昏沉沉的,所以你覺(jué)得醫(yī)生應(yīng)該給她開(kāi)止疼藥 - painkiller ???
LL: No, I meant they should STOP giving her painkillers. To lay off something is to stop using it or to stop doing it, and to lay off someone is to stop bothering him or her...
LH: 噢,原來(lái)Lay off something的意思就是“停止用某種東西”或者“停止做某件事”。那lay off someone的意思就是“別再煩某個(gè)人”。原來(lái)你說(shuō)的是醫(yī)生應(yīng)該給Laura停用止疼藥嗎?
LL: You got it! You see - Painkillers tend to make the person spacey. That's why I think the doctors should lay off the painkillers for Laura.
LH: 說(shuō)得也是,止疼藥是會(huì)讓人暈暈乎乎的。哎,Larry, 我們能不能再到那個(gè)咖啡館買杯咖啡呀?我看了Laura那么難受的樣子,我也得提提神了- I need another pick-me-up.
LL: Hey, Li Hua, you ought to lay off the caffeine. You're going to become addicted!
LH: 你要我別喝那么多咖啡,不然會(huì)上癮?嗨,Larry, 別管我的事, lay off me, 我啊,就是想喝這杯咖啡!
LL: Alright, alright. Don't be mad at me.
LH: 哎喲,我也不是真的和你急嘛。我只不過(guò)是想用"lay off someone" 來(lái)舉個(gè)例子, 哎,你說(shuō)我用得對(duì)嗎?
LL: Yes, you sure used it correctly. Now, shall we lay off the English lessons for a while? I think I will have some ice cream as a pick-ME-up.
LH: 好啊,我們倆這個(gè)“英語(yǔ)課”要先告一段落,你吃冰淇淋。我呢,還是喝我的咖啡!
今天李華從Larry那兒學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ),一個(gè)是pick-me-up, 意思是“給人提神、讓人心情一下子好起來(lái)的東西”;李華學(xué)到的另外一個(gè)常用語(yǔ)是lay off, lay off something意思是“停止做某件事”, lay off someone意思是“別煩某個(gè)人”。