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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Larry去李华家吃饭。他告诉李华说,自己今天特别倒霉。李华今天要学两个常用语:nightmare1和group hug.
LL: I had the worst day at work today. It was an absolute2 nightmare!
LH: 上班做恶梦?Larry, 你可要小心点儿,上班睡觉是要被老板炒鱿鱼的!
LL: No, no. I didn't HAVE a nightmare at work...Being at work today was LIKE a nightmare.
LH: 噢,你是说今天上班很痛苦,就像是做了一场恶梦啊,听起来挺吓人的。
LL: It wasn't so much scary3 as it was unpleasant4. Any situation that is really bad or unpleasant can be called a nightmare - even a really angry person can be a nightmare.
LH: 我知道了,nightmare是指令人不愉快的人或者事。那你今天上班出什么事了?
LL: It all started with my boss. He is usually a nice guy, but today he was really angry with his staff - me, included. He was a total nightmare.
LH: 我记得你老板人挺随和的,今天怎么会突然发脾气呢?
LL: Well, he wasn't happy that we hadn't finished a project by the deadline. When he came into the office this morning, he told everyone we better have it finished by the end of the day - or he was going to become our worst nightmare!
LH: Your worst nightmare? Yikes! 你们不是一直都在赶着完成那个项目吗?老板这么生气,大家一定很沮丧吧?
LL: That is exactly what happened, Li Hua. After work, my day didn't get better. On my way over to your house, the traffic was a nightmare.
LH: 我也从新闻里看到堵车的消息了。你今天可真够倒霉的。我特别理解你现在的心情,还记得我博士生资格考试那天吗?
LL: I do remember. As I recall5 that day was a total nightmare for you.
LH: 是呀,我当时论文打到一半,电脑突然死机了。What a nightmare.
LL: But the nightmare turned out okay in the end, didn't it?
LH: 我只好从头再来。还好,我的论文最后还是得了优秀。
LL: Then maybe my nightmare will have a good ending, too.
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LL: You know, Li Hua, when my co-workers and me were feeling down after the boss yelled6 at us, we had a "Group Hug" and all felt better.
LH: A "group hug"? 在办公室里集体拥抱?
LL: Well, I know it sounds kind of strange, but sometimes when a group of people or a team is down and they need to cheer themselves up they have a "group hug."
LH: 你的意思是,大家情绪低落的时候,group hug一下,感觉就会好起来?
LL: Well, after my boss left and everyone was feeling down, one of my co-workers said aloud, "Group Hug!" We all stood up, hugged in a circle one time, and then felt much better.
LH: 真有意思,group hug能让你们提高工作效率吗?
LL: It really did. The group hug reduced the tension7, and we all were able to get back to working on the project.
LH: 我可以在我的中文课上试试看。中文很难学,所以学生们有时会因为进步慢而感到气馁。
LL: A "group hug" could help lighten8 the mood in class, especially after a really hard test.
LH: Larry, group hug是怎么做的呢?
LL: Well, usually someone says, "Group Hug" or "Let's have a group hug." Then the group forms a circle and each participant9 puts their arms over their neighbors' shoulders.
LH: 大家站成一圈,胳膊搭在旁边人的肩膀上,是这样吗?那下次我发考卷的时候,如果学生们考得不好,我就可以说,不要灰心,Let's have a group hug.
LL: Yes, that's it! In my family, when my brothers and sisters would have an argument, my mom would say, ''Let's stop fighting and have a group hug.'' It was like magic - we'd all stop fighting.
LH: Larry, 我知道你今天情绪不好,但是我们两个人不能说是group hug吧?
LL: No, you are right, Li Hua. To have a true group hug, you need three or more people. But I'd be happy with just a regular hug from you, Li Hua!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是nightmare, 是令人不愉快的人或事。另一个是 group hug,是集体拥抱。
1 nightmare | |
n.恶梦,可怕的事物,无法摆脱的恐惧 | |
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2 absolute | |
adj.十足的;绝对的;不受任何限制的 | |
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3 scary | |
a.引起惊慌的;害怕的 | |
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4 unpleasant | |
adj.使人不愉快的,使人厌恶的,煞风景的 | |
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5 recall | |
n.回忆,召回,取消;vt.回想起,召回,与...相似,恢复 | |
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6 yelled | |
v.叫喊,号叫,叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 tension | |
n.(紧张)状态;拉(绷)紧;张力,拉力 | |
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8 lighten | |
vt./vi.减轻,变轻;照亮,变亮 | |
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9 participant | |
n.参加者,参与者,比赛的人 | |
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