李華前段時間通過了駕駛執(zhí)照的考試, 現(xiàn)在可以自己開車了。邁可也坐在她的車里,從他們二人的對話中,李華學(xué)到了兩個常用語: take it easy和to chew out。
L: 考完試了,現(xiàn)在有了駕照真好。我覺得我能夠去任何地方,做 任何想做的事了。
M: I know what you mean. American kids feel the same way when they turn 16 and get their licenses. Too bad you don't have a car.
L: 那有什么關(guān)系,我可以跟你借啊,對不對?哎呀 Hey! What do you think you are doing? Do you want to be killed? Michael,你看那個騎自行車的孩子,我差點兒撞了他!
M: Hey, hey, take it easy Li Hua! You really scared that kid. He looked really scared.
L: Michael, 你剛才說什么?什么easy?
M: I said take it easy! That means you need to calm down, not get too excited.
L: Take it easy? Take it easy是冷靜下來,別太氣了的意思? Take是T- A-K-E. It是I-T. Easy是E-A-S-Y,對吧?
M: Yes, you've got it. That boy was almost in a very bad accident, and he was startled. You don't need to make him feel worse.
L: 你說的不錯,看樣子他都快哭了。
M: Hey, Li Hua, you're going to be driving on your own soon. I hope you learn to take it easy and not get angry at everyone.
L: 你說的對。要是我冷靜開車的話,也許我的車會開的更好。
M: I'm sure you will. You just finished a difficult test. You should take it easy. Let's go get some lunch, my treat.
L: 你要請客?。啃?,我是應(yīng)該放松放松了。 我要好好享受今天剩 下的時間。
M: Man, Li Hua, you really chewed that kid out.
L: 你指的是剛才騎車的那個小孩?你說我對他怎么了?
M: You chewed him out! I mean you yelled and got angry at him. Chewed, C-H-E-W-E-D; Out, O-U-T.
L: 噢,你是說我發(fā)脾氣大罵了那個孩子,是吧?
M: That's right. If someone gets angry and yells at you, and starts criticizing your behavior, they are chewing you out.
L: 原來如此,我也不知道為什么我大罵那個小孩,大概是當時我也 害怕的緣故。
M: Are you upset about something else? You seem to have a bad temper today.
L: 我是有點氣,因為昨天劉教授對我生氣。因為我該教中文的課, 我去晚了五分鐘。劉教授就對我大發(fā)脾氣。
M: That's too bad. I don't like being chewed out like that either. Especially when I know I was wrong.
L: Hey, 那可不是我的錯,我自行車的鏈子又脫落了。 為什么發(fā)生 這類事情你總是怪我?
M: Hey, take it easy, Li Hua! Don't chew me out! I was talking about myself, not you.
L: 我的天,是我不對,不知道我今天是怎么回事。我想跟每個人 發(fā)脾氣。
M: You must be stressed. First, Professor Liu chewed you out, then you almost ran over the kid on the bike.
L: 你說的對,我真不該對任何人都發(fā)脾氣。我應(yīng)該開開心心的。
M: At least you should be happier than I am. Yesterday, my roommate chewed me out. He said I always make a mess in the living room, and he is tired of cleaning up after me.
L: 也許你是把房子弄得很亂,可是你室友也不該對你發(fā)脾氣啊。
M: He was right, though. I really need to get rid of my bad habits.
今天李華學(xué)到了兩個常用語,一個是Take it easy,意思是冷靜下來,或者放輕松些。另一個是to chew out,意思是發(fā)脾氣罵人。