你们大家可能都已经认识了Michael和李华这两个大学生了。Michael讲英文,李华是个中国学生,能讲英文,但是她还在不断地跟Michael学。大家可千万不要认为这两个在纽约的大学生老是到外面去玩。其实他们学习都很努力,现在他们就要在李华的宿舍里一起念书,准备考试。李华今天会学到两个常用语,一个是:what's up,这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法。另一个是:no brainer,意思是某件事很容易,不用动脑子就能做成。 `( f2 h0 u# x& x1 ?" a! ]4 b
L:嗨,Michael,快进来。+ R9 A; w9 H9 W# S4 d: J7 k. ]
M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?
3 Y& Y/ m: }+ Q& W/ J' r L:什么?
7 y- [% Q, R% w; v: \# C M: What's up? What are you doing?# W! _: z4 u' @2 U
L:What's up? 我倒是听人这么说过,可是我还没有弄清楚这句话到底是什么意思,我应该怎么回答?0 L+ P1 B& ~# k8 m7 M# K# X8 _
M: What's up is really a common greeting.
+ S0 `. Y C, x* \# P: y3 n3 g L:噢,what's up就是一般打招呼,不是指我的头上是什么呐?
4 Z: l8 j4 i+ \: l& f/ ^1 v, O5 R M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"* |5 h3 q0 X+ Z$ J, \' H. i
L:我知道了,what's up就是中文里我们说的:怎么样?* G* h: h6 ^ Q1 Y" c5 k
M: Well, it's really only spoken language.
" {2 S0 }8 D. c. O L:要是我去看一个我已经有两个月没见的朋友,我在见到她的时候我可以说What's up,对吗?
, ]1 W8 u( R+ g* c3 `% U M: Yes, definitely!# j$ |4 D4 z, F6 w% `3 T7 j
L:那别人对我说what's up?我又该怎么回答呢?
/ M: f) F% S6 w M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.3 z% g- s& u4 m/ k+ f p
L:要是你问我,What's up? 我就可以说:Oh,not much, just getting ready for our test. 意思就是:噢,没什么,就是在准备我们的考试。
P8 T$ C8 P2 t! ^/ `1 r" s) Y ]. a M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.3 U+ y% D+ _) D) d+ H- b! P
L:对,你怎么回答都行。好吧,我们该学习了。我真是希望这次考试赶快过去。, Y3 j2 L- I" C! r* Y) M+ u
M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.+ Z/ }; o# [+ m5 I$ ^$ @
L:你是说我压力太大,没有脑子?你知道我脑子很灵的呀!2 E6 X0 m1 N3 y4 A& F0 A
M: Smarter than me, that's for sure. What I mean is that this test will be really easy. No brainer means something that reqires little or no thought.
4 X; ~( a7 `% t L:好,你承认我比你聪明。不过,我还得跟你学英文。你说,no brainer就是某件事很容易,不需要动脑子就行呀?
! ~( K* X Y2 q J M: Yeah.8 |: m9 _ M8 D
L:我知道了。象我哥哥那天去买车,运气好,碰到一个公司半价出售。在这种情况下决定买不买,不就是no brainer吗?
; `2 H7 f3 Z$ z( F' w1 a& l M: That's right.0 {: y' g7 `2 T- |" Q0 A- F
L:那次那个漂亮女孩邀你出去玩,你接受不接受邀请不也是很容易定的吗?
3 H& {4 o& A( W! a M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.5 i n( }% S, Q- k
L:对,决定是容易做,但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。
! _0 f+ b( M/ K! {" c M: That's true. When the University gave you a scholarship to come study here in New York, it was a no brainer for you too.! s1 Q1 m: c9 I! C! e
L:当然啦,大学给我奖学金来纽约念书,作这种决定还要动脑筋啊?更何况我学习成绩那么好。1 j. [( B" i/ W. Z) F. y) R" N
M: So then why are you bothering to study?
: r- c2 j, m* W2 n& e* { L:这还用问?再聪明的人也得念书嘛!$ V8 _1 b/ I1 T6 G$ n
M: On, ok, let's get back to work.# C7 s3 F) Q6 s& @, p g
李华今天学到了两个常用语,一个是:what's up?这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法;另一个是:no brainer,意思是某件事很容易,不用动脑子就能做成。 |