生活英语对话 Episode 68: Is the cat ill?

本单元是关于那只猫病了吗的对话

Helen: Hey guys, do you think the cat's okay?
Alice: The cat? Seems fine to me. Why?
Helen: I think we should take her to the vet¹. She doesn't seem right to me.
Alice: She's fine.
Helen: No, she's not! You guys never listen to me. Tim, can you take her to the vet?
Tim: I'm sorry Helen. I'm up to my ears in work at the moment. Anyway, she seems fine, aren't you Kitty?
Helen: I told you she's not well! Right, if you lot don't care, I'll take her!
Tim: Blimey, what's up with her?
Alice: Oh, she's just a bit down in the dumps at the moment.
Tim: Right. Why's that?
Alice: Tim! You're such a bloke, aren't you?


Vocabulary:(字汇)

a vet 兽医
a shortened version of 'a veterinary surgeon' (an animal doctor)

blimey 难以置信的惊叹词,主要用在英式英语
an expression of surprise or annoyance², used mainly in British English

a bloke 男人(非正式用法)
an informal term for 'a man'

本单元的语言点是有关 'up' and 'down' 的习惯语，请看下面的解释和例句

Idioms with 'up' and 'down'

Idioms 习惯语
Idioms use language metaphorically⁴. This means that the meaning of an idiom is not the same as the meanings of the individual words in the idiom. For example, if you 'go down memory lane', it means you think about the past (the metaphorical³ meaning), not that you walk down a street called 'memory lane' (the literal meaning).

Idioms are fixed⁵ groups of words. This means that the wording of an idiom can not be changed. For example, you can say 'go down memory lane', but you can't say 'go down memory street'


Idioms with 'up'

To be up: 'What's up?' means: 'What's the matter or problem?' This is often used when someone is upset or behaving strangely.

Example:
What's up with Helen at the moment? She seems really upset.

This idiom is also used as an informal greeting.

Example:
Hi, David. What's up man?' 'Just the usual. How're you doing?

To be up someone's street: to be ideal for someone, or be related to something which someone knows a lot about.

Example:
Ask Sarah that question about football. It's right up her street: she's been a fan for ages.

To be up to my/the ears: to be really busy or occupied with something, so that you have little free time.

Example:
Tim can't help her because he is up to his ears in/with work.
To be on the up and up: to be getting increasingly successful.

Example:
His life has been on the up and up since he published his first book. Now, he's making a film in Hollywood.

To be up-to-the-minute: to be the most recent or latest; to be very fashionable.

Example:
These are up-to-the-minute statistics, and they show that the rush hour starts at 4.30, not 5.


Idioms with 'down'

To be down in the dumps: to be sad or miserable⁶.
This idiom refers to an old use of the word 'dumps', which was used to refer to a sad piece of music.

Example:
Helen has been down in the dumps since Michal returned to Poland.

To be/look down in the mouth: to be or look sad and unhappy.
To be down in the mouth means that someone's expression is sad; they are definitely not smiling.

Example:
Helen looks really down in the mouth at the moment, doesn't she? -Yes, she does. I think she's missing Michal.

To be down-to-earth: to be realistic or practical; to not be a dreamer.
In some ways, this idiom is the opposite of 'to have your head in the clouds' (to be unrealistic).

Example:
My sister's very down-to-earth. She always buys me useful presents, like kettles and tools. She never buys me anything silly and fun.

To be/look down at heel: to be or look untidy and uncared for.
This is an idiomatic⁷ reference to the condition of someone's shoes, when they are very worn and need replacing or repairing.

Example:
He seemed well-educated, but looked so down at heel. His clothes were scruffy⁸ and he needed a haircut.

To be down on one's uppers: to be very poor.
This is another idiomatic reference to the condition of someone's shoes. It means that their shoes have lost the sole and heel, only the top (upper) part of the shoe remains⁹.

Example:
David's really down on his uppers at the moment. He lost his job, and he can't pay the rent for his house anymore.

To go down memory lane: to look back into the past, in a nostalgic and warm way.

Example:
I love school reunions. They're a lovely chance to go down memory lane.

1 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

2 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

3 metaphorical   

a.隐喻的，比喻的

参考例句：

• Here, then, we have a metaphorical substitution on a metonymic axis. 这样，我们在换喻（者翻译为转喻，一种以部分代替整体的修辞方法）上就有了一个隐喻的替代。
• So, in a metaphorical sense, entropy is arrow of time. 所以说，我们可以这样作个比喻：熵像是时间之矢。

4 metaphorically   

adv. 用比喻地

参考例句：

• It is context and convention that determine whether a term will be interpreted literally or metaphorically. 对一个词的理解是按字面意思还是隐喻的意思要视乎上下文和习惯。
• Metaphorically it implied a sort of admirable energy. 从比喻来讲，它含有一种令人赞许的能量的意思。

5 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

6 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

7 idiomatic   

adj.成语的，符合语言习惯的

参考例句：

• In our reading we should always be alert for idiomatic expressions.我们在阅读过程中应经常注意惯用法。
• In his lecture,he bore down on the importance of idiomatic usage in a language.他在演讲中着重强调了语言中习惯用法的重要性。

8 scruffy   

adj.肮脏的，不洁的

参考例句：

• Despite her scruffy clothes,there was an air of sophistication about her.尽管她衣衫褴褛，但神态老练世故。
• His scruffy appearance does not reflect his character.他邋遢的外表并不反映他的性格。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。