2014年ESL之日常生活 01 Recovering After a Setback

 

Recovering After a Setback¹ 

Carl: Come on, let’s go. I have $500 burning a hole in my pocket. 

Shelly: Where are we going? 

Carl: We’re going to the track. I have a tip on a sure thing for one of this afternoon’s races. This is exactly what I need after last week’s setback. 

Shelly: You mean after losing all of your money last week. 

Carl: Right, but all I need to do is to get that monkey off my back and then I’ll have a reversal of fortune. Winning big this afternoon will be the start of a new winning streak². 

Shelly: Maybe what happened last week is really a sign of things to come. Maybe it was the start of a losing streak. 

Carl: Don’t jinx me with that kind of negativity. I’ve always believed that when you meet with a setback, come back with all you’ve got. 

Shelly: Does that mean what I think it means? 

Carl: Yes, that’s right. I’m plunking down all $500 on that race. I can’t lose. 

Shelly: But what if – 

Carl: Don’t say another word. When I win and get back in my stride³, you can say, “Congratulations!” 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

2 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

3 stride   

vi.大踏步走，阔步行进；n.大步，步态

参考例句：

• In a big stride he came out of the room.他一个箭步出了房间。
• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。