流行美語 第231課

Larry有件事要告诉李华，但是他要李华保守秘密。 李华今天会学到两个常用语Hush-hush和Blabbermouth。

LL: So, Li Hua, I have some news I'd like to share with you, but I'd like you to keep it hush-hush.

LH: Hush-hush? 我知道，hush-hush是要人别出声， 保持安静。Larry，你为什么要我别出声呢？

LL: Something that is hush-hush means¹ private and secret. It is something you don't want other people to know about.

LH: 原来hush-hush在这里是指秘密的，不能告诉别人。 难道你有什么秘密吗？

LL: I got a new job!

LH: Wow! 你找到新工作了，太好了， Larry。 我还以为是什么不可告人的事情呢。这么好的消息你为什么不告诉大家呢？

LL: Well, I am excited about it, and I do want to tell everyone, but my new job won't start for several months. I want to keep it hush-hush until I'm ready to tell people at my current² job.

LH: 新工作要几个月以后才开始，你现在还不想让老板和同事们知道。那好，我一定为你保密。不过这个秘密我们要保守多久呢？

LL: About two months. Then I'll tell my boss and co-workers, and you won't have to keep my news hush-hush any more.

LH: 两个月以后你就要告诉老板和同事了。我想他们一定会舍不得你走。 Larry，我也要告诉你一个秘密。 It is all very hush-hush.

LL: What's that?

LH: 我的一个学生最近在华盛顿申请了一份工作， 听说是去一个秘密机构。

LL: If it is so hush-hush, how do you know about it?

LH: 因为我给她写了推荐信， 那个单位还找我谈话，调查这位学生的情况。

LL: Hmm, a hush-hush organization. Is she applying to become a secret agent?

LH: 你说她在申请作特工？ 这我可不能告诉你， 你知道我必须保密。

LL: Oh, I know. I'm just curious. Sometimes it is hard to keep things hush-hush. Like the fact that my friend Dave is dating your friend Mary.

LH: Dave 和Mary? 他们在谈恋爱？ 我怎么没听说呢？

LL: Dave asked me to keep it hush-hush for a while, because he wanted to be sure that Mary liked him and that it wasn't a one-time thing.

LH: Dave要确定Mary是否真的喜欢他后才公开。这我完全理解。

******

LL: I thought about telling you, Li Hua. But I didn't want to be a blabbermouth.

LH: Blabbermouth这个词我知道， Blabbermouth指的是嘴快、不能保守秘密的人。

LL: Wow, you are *good*, Li Hua. A blabbermouth is someone who blabbers; they talk, talk, talk and can't keep a secret.

LH: Larry，在Dave这件事上， 你可真是守口如瓶啊，You are not a blabbermouth。 有你这样忠实的朋友，Dave一定很放心。

LL: Thanks, Li Hua. Dave and Mary have been dating for several weeks, and he told me I could tell you and our other friends now.

LH: Dave让你告诉我啦？那他和Mary一定很合得来， 太好了！Larry, Dave当时幸亏没有告诉Jennifer， 全世界的人就都知道了。

LL: Jennifer is a blabbermouth? What do you mean?

LH: 她总喜欢打听和议论别人的私事，然后到处乱说。

LL: Have you ever said anything about it to her?

LH: 我怎么好意思对她说：Don't be such a blabbermouth!

LL: Well, then I'll remember the next time I have something I want to keep hush-hush: Don't tell Jennifer the blabbermouth!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是hush-hush，意思是不要公开的，是秘密的。还有一个是blabbermouth，这是指那些嘴快，不能保守秘密的人。
 

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 current   

n.涌流，趋势，电流，水流，气流；adj.当前的，通用的，流通的，现在的，草写的，最近的

参考例句：

• Electric current is often powerful enough to kill a man.电流常强得足以致命。
• There is a story about her in the current number.最近一期上有关于她的故事。