【英语趣味课堂】尴尬的瞬间-Embarassing Moment

 My most embarrassing¹ moment was probably when I lived in Germany. One day I decided² to go shopping and I drove into town. I had a car. And I was very, very pleased because I found a parking space immedately which was rather unusual. I did my shopping, which only took half an hour and I went back to my car, and to my absolute³ horror⁴ it was no longer on the ground but it was suspended⁵ in the air. I really did not know what to do at this point so I walked back into town and I went to the police station. The police were very kind to me and I was very grateful for that and they interviewed me. They asked me what had happened and I said 'I'm really sorry, I didn't buy a parking ticket' and they said 'We hadn't even noticed that!', they said 'Do you realise where you had parked?' and I said 'Well no, I have no idea' and they said 'Well actually you parked into the entrance to a car park and as a result nobody could get out of the car park because you were parked in the entrance'. So I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time then. It was very embarrassing: I hadn't seen the sign, I hadn't noticed the car park which was rather silly. Erm, but now my friends think it is really funny when I tell them the story. I also think it's funny but it was an expensive mistake!

 

 

学习内容：

 

embarrassing

 

My most embarrassing moment was probably when I lived in Germany. 

 

When something is 'embarrassing,' it causes us to feel self conscious. We usually feel embarrassed when we make a mistake.  When you are embarrassed, your face turns red.  Notice the following:

 

He always says really embarrassing things.

I can't believe that I fell down the stairs in front of everyone.  How embarrassing!

parking space or rather unusual

 

I found a parking space immediately, which was rather unusual. 

 

A 'parking space' is a place to leave your car when you are not using it.  There are usually parking spaces outside of store.  If something is 'rather unusual' it means that it is not common.  Notice the following:

 

I just need to find a parking space, and then I will be there.

He was actually early today, which is rather unusual.

absolute horror

 

To my absolute horror, when I went back to my car, it was no longer there. 

 

If we discover something to our 'absolute horror,' it means that we are completely shocked and probably never imagined this situation to be possible.  It is kind of like a nightmare⁶ situation.  Notice the following:

 

He looked at the hotel bill in absolute horror.

I discovered, to my absolute horror, that I was lost and didn't have my cell phone.

suspended in the air

 

I found my car was no longer on the ground but it was suspended in the air. 

 

When something is 'suspended in the air,' it means that it is hanging in the air so the part that usually sits on the ground is not touching⁷ anything.  Notice the following:

 

I didn't see the plant suspended in the air, and I hit my head on it.

He has a bicycle, which is suspended in the air, in his living room.

laugh and cry at the same time

 

When they told me that, I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. 

 

If something makes you want to 'laugh and cry at the same time,' it makes you feel very different emotions at once.  In this case, Ruth feels happy because she still has her car, but sad because she has to pay money for her mistake.  Notice the following:

 

Getting offered a new job made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.  She was excited for a new opportunity, but sad to leave her friends.

I was sad because I was leaving, but her comments were so funny that I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

expensive mistake

 

Now, my friends and I think it's funny, but it was an expensive mistake. 

 

An 'expensive mistake' is either one that costs you a lot of money or costs you something valuable, like time.  Notice the following:

 

Getting surgery⁸ on my eyes was a very expensive mistake.  I still have to use glasses.

Hiring an employee who wasn't qualified⁹ was a very expensive mistake for the company.

1 embarrassing   

adj.使人尴尬的，令人为难的v.（使）窘迫，（使）局促不安( embarrass的现在分词)

参考例句：

• His jokes didn't even raise a smile, which was embarrassing. 听了他讲的笑话，都没人笑一下，真是太尴尬了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was in the embarrassing position of having completely forgotten her name. 当时我完全忘记了她的名字，很是尴尬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 absolute   

adj.十足的；绝对的；不受任何限制的

参考例句：

• The first year of the course was an absolute doddle.第一年的课程简单极了。
• I look upon this as an absolute necessity.我认为这是绝对必要。

4 horror   

n.惊骇，恐怖，惨事，极端厌恶

参考例句：

• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation.公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。
• The thought of working nights fills me with abject horror.一想到要夜间工作我就觉得惨兮兮的。

5 suspended   

a.被暂时搁置的

参考例句：

• A lamp was suspended from the ceiling. 一盏吊灯悬在天花板上。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area. 英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 nightmare   

n.恶梦，可怕的事物，无法摆脱的恐惧

参考例句：

• I was glad to awake from such a nightmare.我庆幸终于从噩梦中醒来了。
• I had a nightmare last nightand,lost sleep.昨夜我作了个恶梦，失眠了。

7 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

8 surgery   

n.外科，外科手术；手术室

参考例句：

• What time does surgery finish?门诊什么时间结束？
• Your condition is serious and requires surgery.你的情况很严重，需要动外科手术。

9 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。