2012年ESL之日常生活 19 Getting Rid of Bugs and Rodents

 

Getting Rid of Bugs¹ and Rodents² 

Apartment Manager: This is the one-bedroom apartment we have for rent. Let me show you around. 

Sherin: Wait! Did you see that? It looked like a mouse or a rat. 

Apartment Manager: There aren’t any rodents or any other vermin in this apartment complex. I make sure of that. 

Sherin: Are you sure? 

Apartment Manager: Sure, I’m sure. Only last month, I bought some mousetraps and rat poison and got rid of them all. This complex is rodent-free. 

Sherin: Oh, I see. 

Apartment Manager: And the month before that, we had roaches, ticks, and fleas³, but I fumigated⁴ and they’re gone. 

Sherin: You called a pest control company? 

Apartment Manager: I didn’t need a pest control company to get rid of a few bugs. I did it myself. 

Sherin: Oh, okay. 

Apartment Manager: And six months ago, we had bedbugs, but thanks to my diligence, they’re gone, too. So you want to see this apartment or don’t you? 

Sherin: I think I’ll pass. This conversation is making my skin crawl. 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 rodents   

n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句

3 fleas   

n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求）

参考例句：

• The dog has fleas. 这条狗有跳蚤。
• Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 fumigated   

v.用化学品熏（某物）消毒( fumigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The hospital ward was fumigated after the outbreak of typhus. 发现斑疹伤寒以后，医院的病房进行了烟熏消毒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Grain should be fumigated within two weeks after harvest. 谷物收获后两周内就应进行熏蒸消毒。 来自辞典例句