Michael是一个在纽约上大学的美国年轻人,他经常跟中国学生李华一起玩。Michael向李华学中文,李华向Michael 学英文。Michael 正在准备考试,有很多功课要做,但是李华要他出去休息休息,两人约好下午在动物园见面。他们在对话中会用这两个词:all-nighter和cram。; O, L# i* j4 j
L:嗨,Michael. 我在这儿!: c( n$ p4 R: H) ?% d, P/ t5 d
M: Hey, Li Hua. Oh, the elephant house, let's go in and take a look.
. M; Y+ J% N" @4 S5 o8 F, Q L:噢,那是大象馆啊?好,进去看看。不行,不行,这儿太臭了。走吧!' b" t$ x( A( q0 o
M: Oh, yeah. Let's get out of here. In fact, I've got a lot of studying to do. I'm going to need to pull an all-nighter.5 T( m. D9 r0 U9 g$ J
L:我知道你有很多功课,但是你在准备考试的时候也总得休息休息嘛。我听说这次考试会很难。你刚才说 all-nighter 是不是开夜车的意思呀?
, m- y3 w: ?: y M: Yeah, that's what I meant. Li Hua, you're smart!
* @& g c" S" O; X8 F L:我是猜出来的,all的意思是整个,全部,nighter和night 很像。我想一个人要整夜学习,那不就是开夜车吗?但是,有一点我不太懂,你说:to pull an all-nighter,什么是pull ?
7 `: k7 s r3 Z M: Pull means to get yourself through a difficult time.
, M$ B* Z. c- e$ N7 L% o L:噢,pull an all-nighter,就是迫使自己整夜念书,因为要这样做是很辛苦的。
: z1 @; i& M* C3 M) W3 C- l! R M: Yep. You wouldn't have to pull an all-nighter because you have been studying all semester, I haven't been.
) I) K3 N" f- @# } L:这你可说对了。我不需要开夜车,因为我整个一学期都在学习。你要开夜车,因为你平时不学习。5 \, q- ?2 b O. g4 _, n
M: I know, I know, you're a better student than I am.* l& a7 q7 x( N8 x+ x4 l: ]
L:Michael, 我真喜欢纽约的秋天,空气很清新。你要是能跟我一起玩,不用回去念书,那该多好啊!9 @! z7 v( u! X2 ?. F9 j i8 D
M: I don't want to go study either, but I should.- b4 {: \- t3 Z
L:对啊,你要是上星期多花点时间念书不就好了嘛。现在你得临时抱佛脚了。3 X; l) k& _1 z: Y3 j
M: I perform better on tests when I cram.+ z1 X# }( |1 Q. _ T2 \
L:Cram? Cram是把什么东西塞进去的意思,跟学习有什么关系呢?2 V! j0 ]2 E/ V1 p0 |( ?
M: Well, it's sort of the same meaning. I'm going to do a lot of studying at the last minute, that's what it means to cram.5 [- q2 [1 K6 a1 _
L:意思差不多?噢,我知道了!Cram就是我们中文里说的填鸭式方法,就是硬把食品塞给鸭子吃,这样鸭子就长得肥。北京烤鸭 就是用这种鸭子做的。你说的cram是临时抱佛脚,在考试前猛记猛背,把知识往脑子里塞。你还认为这是好办法?
. t" j! h# K- c5 w. j M: Well, everyone's different. Cramming works for me.
" L; r2 f8 |; L& _: Z L:你认为临时抱佛脚对你来说行得通。可是,Michael,想把半学期的内容在一个晚上记住,这样做可真傻。
7 B2 k/ H- F3 o& V M: Stop being my mother, Li Hua!6 h& f0 C& m9 J9 t" w k
L:我才不想当你妈呢,你不听我的话,那就算了。Michael,cram这个词是否还能用在别的场合呢?
- }/ `& e6 b* T+ N+ p4 n M: Not really. It's only used to describe studying for a test, usually college or high-school level.
2 d9 \+ H V- E. n- |+ y L:噢,只能指大学生或中学生在考试前开夜车,临时抱佛脚。( d9 G/ }6 K. g2 U8 B& y
M: And that's what I need to do, right now. It's getting late and I know I will have to pull an all-nighter.
: v: a6 O0 n9 V L:好吧,我明天早上给你打电话。. z- a* M0 F0 p( A" ~1 [3 {
M: No, don't worry about me, I'm sure I will still be cramming. m. k7 M% F# C# ?' u: g: I5 i
L:哟,你还准备开夜车开到天亮呐?Ok, well, good luck!
% ~/ q- U3 I, C" W 今天李华向Michael学了两个常用语,一个是:all-nighter,意思是开夜车;另一个是:cram,这是指中学生或大学生在考试前临时抱佛脚。 |