2014年ESL之日常生活 24 Getting and Making Threats

Getting and Making Threats 

Ruth: I’m really glad you’re getting so much support from the public. Look at all of these bags of fan mail. 

Carl: Only about half of that is fan mail. The rest is hate mail. 

Ruth: Hate mail? Who would send you hate mail? 

Carl: Lots of people. People who are disgruntled write to me about their grievances¹. 

Ruth: Really? 

Carl: Don’t look so surprised. We’ve gotten bomb threats, and I’ve even received a few death threats. 

Ruth: Death threats?! Aren’t you worried about your personal safety? 

Carl: Not really. Most people are just venting² and others are trying to intimidate³ me. I’m not going to buckle⁴ under just because I get a few letters. 

Ruth: But it only takes one mentally unbalanced person to carry through on threats. Have you considered getting a bodyguard⁵? 

Carl: No, I don’t need any protection. I just need to keep plugging away and getting things done. 

Ruth: I finally know what to get you for your birthday. 

Carl: What? 

Ruth: A bulletproof vest. 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 venting   

消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风

参考例句：

• But, unexpectedly, he started venting his spleen on her. 哪知道，老头子说着说着绕到她身上来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• So now he's venting his anger on me. 哦，我这才知道原来还是怄我的气。

3 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

4 buckle   

n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲

参考例句：

• The two ends buckle at the back.带子两端在背后扣起来。
• She found it hard to buckle down.她很难专心做一件事情。

5 bodyguard   

n.护卫，保镖

参考例句：

• She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
• The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。