流行美语 (Popular American) 246

Larry到李华家来看蜘蛛人的DVD。李华今天要学两个常用语，rocket science和chemistry。

LL: What's the matter, Li Hua? I can't believe you are having trouble with the DVD player. I mean, it's not rocket science!

LH: Rocket science？这是我家，又不是航空航天局，怎么会有火箭科学。

LL: Well, when I said it wasn't rocket science, I meant it shouldn't be hard for you to get the DVD player to start.

LH: 噢，rocket Science在这儿的意思是指很难弄懂的东西。但是使用DVD机不该是什么难事。

LL: That's it! Getting the DVD player to work should be as simple as pushing a few buttons, and not nearly as complicated¹ as rocket science. . . Hey, look, you got it working, Li Hua!

LH：行了，没什么难的，只要知道按哪个键就行了。

LL: Now all we need is popcorn² to eat with our movie. I can go make some. I mean, making popcorn isn't rocket science.

LH: 好啊，你负责爆米花，东西都在厨房微波炉下面的抽屉里。

LL: Ok, I'm in the kitchen looking at the microwave, and I see three drawers. Which one is it?

LH: It's not rocket science, Larry. 你把三个抽屉都拉开看看不就行了吗！

LL: Oh, look at that! The popcorn was right on top. Now let me read the instructions. Hmm....Should be very easy. One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out.

LH: Larry, 你怎么这么长时间啊！要帮忙吗？用微波炉爆米花，不应该是什么rocket Science吧。

LL: It isn't rocket science, Li Hua. The instructions are very easy. It's just I can't get the plastic wrapper off the popcorn packet.

LH: 包装纸撕不开？I'm not a rocket scientist, but let me try. . .你看，只要抓住两边轻轻这么一拉就开了。

LL: Wow, Li Hua. Maybe you are a rocket scientist after all. That was pretty good. I better let you do the rest.

LH: Larry, 别这么懒，你又不是没用过微波炉。You know it's not rocket science.

******

(Operating microwave machine.)

LL: Mmmm...This popcorn is really good, Li Hua. And so is the movie. The chemistry between the lead actor and actress is really good.

LH: 化学？我最后一次上化学课还是高中的事。化学跟蜘蛛人和他的女朋友Mary Jane有什么关系呀？

LL: When two people are attracted to each other or get along really well -- they have chemistry.

LH: 我明白了，就像做化学实验的时候一样。中文里也有两个人之间有化学反应的说法，就是说两个人互相吸引，或者是很合得来。

LL: So, now that you know what I meant by "chemistry," what do you think -- do the actors in Spiderman have good chemistry or not?

LH: 我觉得有。他们演得很逼真，真让我觉得他们彼此相爱。但是我有一个问题，Larry.

LL: What is it, Li Hua?

LH: 有的时候化学物质混在一起可能起发生爆炸，那这是不是“坏的”化学反应呢？能用来形容人跟人之间的关系吗？

LL: Absolutely! When two people really don't like each other or can't get along -- that is bad chemistry.

LH: 我原来有两个邻居，可以说是势不两立，经常互相对骂，他们俩而就是纯粹的bad chemistry.

LL: It sure sounds like it. Speaking of bad chemistry, one of the people I work with really doesn't get along with my boss. They often argue about the littlest things.

LH: 你同事跟老板有bad chemistry？那可得小心，不定哪天就会被炒了鱿鱼。

LL: You're right, Li Hua...Say, Li Hua, what do you think about the chemistry between us?

LH: Larry, 这还用问吗！It's not rocket science. 我们认识都快七年了，没有good chemistry, 就不会一直做朋友做到今天了。

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是rocket science, 意思是很难做，很难懂的事情。另一个是chemistry, 是指人跟人之间的感情关系。
 

1 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

2 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。