流行美語 第184課

Larry和李华正在商量要去看哪部电影。李华想看一部新的法国片，但是Larry却想看别的电影。今天李华会学到两个常用语：rattle¹ on和third degree。

LH: Larry，我真的很想看那部法国电影嘛!

LL: I'm sorry, Li Hua, but I don't like French movies. The characters always rattle on and on about philosophy and nothing interesting ever happens.

LH: 你说法国电影怎么啦？Rattle on那是什么意思？

LL: To rattle on about something means to talk about it for a long time without really saying anything interesting or important.

LH: To rattle on就是唠叨个没完没了，可是又没说出什么有意思的，或重要的事。你说法国电影都在滔滔不绝地谈哲学，才不是这样呢！我之所以喜欢法国电影就是因为他们探讨的都是很重要的议题，而且也不是象你说的rattle on and on.

LL: I think they do.

LH: 那你喜欢看英国电影吗？我知道最近在上演一部新的英国片。

LL: Sorry, but I think British movies are the same as French movies. The characters rattle on about fashion, manners, and society and don't really do anything.

LH: 什么！你觉得英国片也经常夸夸其谈地说时装、礼貌、社会风尚，可是却没有什么行动？嗨，那你是不是只爱看武打片？

LL: No, but I do prefer a movie in which people act on their beliefs rather than just rattling² on about them.

LH: 你喜欢电影里的角色要为自己的信仰努力，而不喜欢它们唠唠叨叨的空谈。那我同意！那你到底想看哪一部电影嘛？

LL: I wasn't rattling on. I was just expressing my opinion. How about this movie about the American Revolution? Is that okay with you?

LH: 那部有关美国革命的电影啊？可以啊，不过我希望电影里的人不要滔滔不绝地讲爱国主义，该不会都rattle on and on吧？

LL: Maybe a little, but there should be a lot of action, too.

******

LH: Larry，你跑哪里去了，怎么这么晚才来嘛！我买好电影票在这里等你等了20分钟了！

LL: Hey, don't give me the third degree! I'm a little late because my mom called, that's all.

LH: 原来是你妈妈打电话给你。对了，你又说我什么啦，我给你third degree?那是什么意思？

LL: To give someone the third degree means to question that person aggressively in order to get him/her to confess³ to something.

LH: To give someone the third degree就是盘问某人的意思。我可没有盘问你的意思。我只是等你等了很久，都快发火了嘛！

LL: Sorry. I didn't expect my mom to call. My mom gave me the third degree, too. She wanted to know why I haven't called her in such a long time.

LH: 你妈也质问你为什么这么久没打电话回家。那你是怎么跟她说的？

LL: I just told her that I've been really busy. The truth is that I avoid calling her, because every time I do call her, she gives me the third degree about something.

LH: 你也别这样，我想你妈不是真的在骂你，或生你的气；她只是很关心你，很担心你嘛！

LL: You're probably right, but sometimes she asks so many questions that it really feels like I'm getting the third degree.

LH: 如果你怕你妈问东问西的，也许你应该经常打电话给她。这样她就不会这么操心，也不会老是追问你一堆问题喽！Then she won't give you the third degree.

LL: You know, Li Hua, that's a good idea!

今天李华学到两个常用语。第一个是rattle on，这是形容唠唠叨叨，讲一些无关紧要的事情。另外一个常用语是third degree，这是有质问，盘问的意思。
 

1 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

2 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

3 confess   

vt.承认，坦白；vi.承认，坦白，忏悔

参考例句：

• Many Christians regularly confess their guilty actions and thoughts to a priest.很多基督徒都定期向牧师忏悔他们的罪行和恶念。
• I confess to some suspicion of your honesty.我承认对你的诚实有所怀疑。