现在大家可能都已经很熟悉Michael和李华了吧!他们俩都在纽约上大学。纽约有许多酒吧都是爱尔兰移民开的。今天Michael要带李华去看一个酒吧。Michael在讲话时会用两个常用语:to bum和turn-off。
L:嗨,这儿好热闹啊!Michael,在爱尔兰酒吧里大家喝些什么呢?
M: People normally drink a large beer that is usually served warm.
L:我可从来没喝过热的啤酒,一大杯也喝不了,要一小杯行不行?
M: Well, you can order whatever you want, but I need to bum a couple of dollars, if you don‘t mind.
L:随便我要什么都行呀!那好,就来一小杯。对了,你刚才说要是我不在意的话,你想bum a couple of dollars, 那是什么意思啊?
M: What I mean is, can I borrow a couple of dollars from you.
L:原来你要问我借几块钱!
M: Yes. But don‘t use this word for big things. For example, you would not ask your friend, “Can I bum your car?”
L:噢,在问别人借大的,象汽车之类的东西时,不能用bum这个字,bum只能用在问人借小东西的时候。
M: Yeah, it‘s usually used when asking for something small, like a piece of gum or candy.
L:哟,你们美国人,怎么一片口香糖,一颗糖还要借啊?难道真的还要还吗?
M: No, small things you don‘t need to return, such as gum and candies.
L:这很重要,因为在这种情况下,我们中国人就不说借了,我们大概会说:给一颗糖吧。
M: You are right Li Hua. But if you feel cold at a friend‘s home and you asked to bum a sweater, then you would return it when you were going to leave.
L:对,要是在朋友家感到冷要借一件毛衣,那一般都应该还的。所以,这要看情况,对不对?
M: Yes, if you will let me bum a couple bucks tonight, I promise to pay you back tomorrow.
L:行,行,行,就借你两块钱,你问服务员要酒吧,我来付钱。可明天别忘了还我。
M: Okay. Two beers please!
L:我以前有一个朋友,每次跟她一起出去,不管去看电影,还是去喝咖啡,她总是问我借钱。
M: A girl I used to hang out with acted the same way. Whenever a group of us went out, she would always ask to bum money. It got to be a real turn-off.
L:你也碰到过这样的人哪?等等,a real turn-off? 这是什么意思呀?把什么东西关掉?
M: No, a turn-off is something that repels someone.
L:噢,是一个让人讨厌的什么东西。是不是指一个人的性格里有什么地方让你不喜欢他?
M: Yes, that‘s right. Let me give you an example. Your ex-boyfriend always smoked cigarettes around you, that was a real turn-off.
L:是啊,我以前的男朋友跟我在一起的时候老是抽烟,那真是讨厌。
M: A girl I once dated always interrupted me whenever I was talking. That was a real turn-off.
L:对,你告诉过我,你从前的女朋友老是打断你的话,让你很讨厌。我还有一个朋友把脏衣服在房间里到处乱扔,that was also a turn-off.
M: See, you‘ve learned how to use turn-off. By the way, I also have dirty clothes lying around my apartment. Does that bother you?
L:哼,你也把脏衣服到处乱扔?你要是不打扫乾净的话,别想请我到你家去。
M: Ok, I‘ll try to clean it up.
今天李华从Michael那里学到了两个常用语,一个是:to bum,意思是借钱或其他东西;另一个是:a turn-off,意思是让人讨厌的地方。