常春藤生活英语【42】The Quiet Contest 无声游戏

Dialogue A
Helen is in the car with her two sons in the back.
Helen:　If you kids don't keep it down, I'm going to go crazy.
Gary:　Relax, Mom. We are only singing the songs you are crazy about.
Helen:　I know, but I really need some silence¹ right now.
(Helen suddenly has an idea.)
Helen:　Do you want to have a contest?
Jerry:　Sounds like fun. What do we win?
Helen:　There's really no winner. But if you don't try like crazy, you will lose and have to do the dishes tonight.

海伦在车子里，她的两个儿子在后座。
海　伦：你们两个小鬼如果不小声一点，我会疯掉。
盖　瑞：放轻松，妈。我们只是在唱妳喜欢的歌而已。
海　伦：我知道，但我现在真的需要静一静。
（海伦突然想到一个点子。）
海　伦：你们想比赛吗？
杰　瑞：听起来很有趣。我们赢了有什么？
海　伦：没有什么赢不赢的。但你们如果不努力试的话就会输，而且今天晚上得洗碗。

Dialogue B
Helen is explaining how to play the game.
Helen:　This is called the quiet contest and there is only one rule: the first person that talks is the loser.
Gary:　No way. I don't want to play. It's boring. I like to have fun.
Helen:　Start now!
Kids:　Hmmm…ummm.
Helen:　Did you say something, Jerry? What was that, Gary?
Jerry:　This contest is driving me nuts.
Helen:　Game over. You lose. You'd better make sure the dishes are clean. Now, who wants to play again? Go!

海伦正在解释如何玩这个游戏。
海　伦：这叫无声比赛，规则只有一个：先说话的人就是输家。
盖　瑞：才不要。我不想玩。好无聊哦。我想要好玩一点的。
海　伦：现在开始！
孩子们：嗯……嗯。
海　伦：杰瑞，你说什么？盖瑞，那是什么声音？
杰　瑞：这个比赛快把我搞疯了。
海　伦：游戏结束。你输了。你最好要把碗盘洗干净。现在谁还要再玩一次？开始！

Phrases² for Learning³

1.keep it down　　安静一点
Can you keep it down? People are trying to sleep here!
你可不可以小声点？这边的人还想睡觉呢！

2.go crazy　　发疯
Stop the banging⁴! I'm going crazy.
不要再敲啦！我快疯了。

3.be crazy about...　　对……着迷；热衷……
Since he was 12, Larry has been crazy about football.
自十二岁起，赖瑞就一直很热衷美式足球。

4.like crazy　　拼命地
Vincent studied like crazy for the whole weekend.
文森整个周末都拼命地念书。

5.do the dishes　　洗碗盘
It's your turn to do the dishes this week.
这星期轮到你洗碗了。

6.drive + 人 + nuts　　使某人发疯
My nagging⁵ wife really drives me nuts.
我那碎碎念的老婆真是让我抓狂。

Tips⁶ In Use

This contest is driving me nuts.
（这个比赛快把我搞疯了。）

drive + 人 + nuts　　令某人抓狂
= drive + 人 + bananas
= drive + 人 + crazy

nuts 原为坚果类的复数，作用跟 bananas 一样，在此类词组中当形容词用，代替 crazy。

The noise from the nearby factory drives me crazy.
（附近工厂传来的噪音令我抓狂。）

1 silence   

n.沉默，无声，静寂，湮没，无声息；vt.使缄默；int.安静！

参考例句：

• She raised a hand for silence.她举手示意大家安静。
• They drove home in silence.他们默不作声地开车回家。

2 phrases   

n.短语( phrase的名词复数 )；成语；说法；乐句

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

4 banging   

vt.猛击，猛撞（bang的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• The baby was banging the table with his spoon. 小宝宝用调羹敲打着桌子。
• Stop banging around, children, Father is trying to sleep. 孩子们，别到处乱敲！爸爸想睡觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 tips   

abbr.Tax Intercept Programs 税务拦截计划；to insure prompt service (gratuities) 确保快捷服务（赏金）；topical information packages 论题信息包n.顶端( tip的名词复数 )；倾斜；末端；（鸟或飞机的）翼尖v.（使）某物侧边提高，倾斜，翻倒( tip的第三人称单数 )；给小费；将（所盛之物）倒出；轻打

参考例句：

• the tips of your fingers 手指尖
• See Tips&Tricks for an exploit. 参见Tips&Tricks章节。 来自互联网