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。
' R1 O7 K' `; H* r0 f F: S7 ~ L:嗨,Michael,快进来。
6 n( Q/ _2 a' {; N& w1 ?- @ M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?9 P4 T$ ^) s6 R" S3 U% n8 _9 M
L:什么?( q1 P% w$ ? W( T) _5 y: F
M: What's up? What are you doing?
( f$ Z" Q! j7 F& i! r9 o( o 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?) x8 |$ x$ {1 v4 {' @
M: What's up is really a common greeting.9 l9 B& \ ?1 k+ ~: N
L:噢,what's up就是一般打招呼,不是指我的头上是什么呐?
; B% X! g4 g2 m' p' Z M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"
$ l9 Y! X0 v2 d, K L:我知道了,what's up就是中文里我们说的:怎么样?& b( X% i5 x9 Z2 h) x
M: Well, it's really only spoken language.
! M W! }0 H9 J0 o1 w9 u+ a 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?
0 n; K( @& P1 @2 G& A% v* t M: Yes, definitely!
# T6 E/ B+ x6 |# G9 M L:那别人对我说what's up?我又该怎么回答呢?
, A: Q0 U3 h& X+ G M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.& L3 m/ A$ v/ I7 G& v
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。$ y1 x. u1 E7 h# {! P* C& R+ A" x' D
M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.
: v/ H# @5 S H. u 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。
2 k* I! n0 o5 D* V" }' C; W M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.
& X/ d8 p. K8 Z! b8 O: `! N L:你是说我压力太大,没有脑子?你知道我脑子很灵的呀!% z- P' F: b0 f! q) _# [
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.7 \- a1 |/ G! o: 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?
H' u3 J( Q f1 ? M: Yeah.: C( J% \4 i! B! L
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?* l' ~( X# O: |0 t7 E
M: That's right.' D: G0 e8 N+ ^: o6 Z
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? O( f: f5 Y5 C) n- w# l
M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.8 L. o! f: y3 Q$ H0 m+ H
L:对,决定是容易做,但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。, o- i0 _* t0 Z" }2 U3 N
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.
$ [3 P+ P( F2 @- W9 |! \ 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。/ @% C4 y2 P) `8 ~+ G' c
M: So then why are you bothering to study?% s- U: n) G- W" b% M( w
L:这还用问?再聪明的人也得念书嘛!, o# H- z0 W; Z+ u5 {
M: On, ok, let's get back to work.& f; N) J: Y5 P8 f6 z. G: K
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。 |