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。8 J$ L4 J! G, S& X J
L:嗨,Michael,快进来。$ P2 n" t% M; ~/ e
M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?
9 E q( \: c" n: `- f( I L:什么?) T2 T# \0 R+ e/ I% S* h0 T
M: What's up? What are you doing?" _& P h" Q! o9 y; F: A: N+ W% X
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?
4 g' f7 p) g0 H: A; x# F M: What's up is really a common greeting.; `5 M3 t7 D' a8 J5 l) K. ~5 _& ?
L:噢,what's up就是一般打招呼,不是指我的头上是什么呐?$ {1 a5 K; i _. |
M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"
* `# l! m- A; ^: {3 T L:我知道了,what's up就是中文里我们说的:怎么样?
' H! z5 ?! I: P$ J6 l M: Well, it's really only spoken language.
+ @6 x: o) \3 g* m 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?3 G$ ^ O8 k/ k8 @+ T
M: Yes, definitely!: {- c J! Z0 R' _" z0 s" Y' e% X+ ]
L:那别人对我说what's up?我又该怎么回答呢?
4 ?/ U0 j. G& P) S8 g% H M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.
' _( \! o k g. q- w 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。. F1 a7 ^1 W" C; j
M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.- @" F$ d# |, z3 g1 a: q
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。
. H' n. k! w& _: [9 }* N M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.8 Y v1 k( X1 {3 l
L:你是说我压力太大,没有脑子?你知道我脑子很灵的呀!9 n8 u+ b9 i5 ]! [2 v
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.( d2 A6 F7 ?5 i% A
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?' e, \( a5 r( J
M: Yeah." ?- ~- c1 Z! G
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?/ B: r* L: j, B( Y+ \5 F. q
M: That's right.' l* b7 V" d: E% X4 K. I
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?: v% H* R* }; v4 k, `! w I* n" c
M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.
9 H/ t! q# j: v5 v% @& c L:对,决定是容易做,但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。
# Q: V) q; O" [ 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.8 L7 e5 ?3 k0 o6 a
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。& u: a4 L1 \3 E9 D
M: So then why are you bothering to study?% A8 @, _. P a1 h2 H( i! E
L:这还用问?再聪明的人也得念书嘛!
2 j9 Y$ _9 O# p$ P. Y7 i M: On, ok, let's get back to work.- X( `. h" u, C4 E j% `
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。 |