流行美语 (Popular American) 296

Larry准备跟李华一起出去吃饭。今天我们要学两个常用语：at my wit's end和give somebody a piece of your mind.

LH: Larry, 你最好快点。我们预约的时间是七点半，现在已经七点一刻了。如果再不走的话，肯定要迟到了。

LL: I know, but I can't find my wallet! Oh, and I forgot that I have to feed my neighbor's dog tonight!

LH: 你今天这是怎么了，钱包找不到，又忘记帮邻居喂狗，这样下去，以后鞋带也要别人给你系了！

LL: No, I just had a really busy and stressful day today. I'm telling you, I'm really at my wit's end.

LH: The end of what? 我知道你今天很忙，可也不至于语无伦次啊。

LL: I said I'm at my wit's end. When you are at your wit's end, it means¹ that you are completely² overwhelmed³ with problems, or you are experiencing a lot of stress.

LH: 哦，我知道了，at my wit's end意思就是因为压力太大，事情太多，而毫无头绪，不知所措。Larry, 你别急，深呼吸... 再来一次，吃饭晚几分钟不要紧。你刚说，要帮邻居喂狗，她又出差了吗？

LL: Tonight she's going to the hospital to visit her sick father. On top of that, she just lost her job and her boyfriend broke up with her. She's really at her wit's end, so I'm trying to help out.

LH: 怎么这么可怜。爸爸生病住院不说、同时又被炒鱿鱼，还跟男朋友分手。难怪她会at her wit's end. 跟她比，你这点困难简直就是小巫见大巫。

LL: It's not just that I'm missing⁴ my wallet. I'm also at my wit's end at work. My boss has given me five new projects to do next week, and I haven't even finished the old ones yet.

LH: 啊？老板分配给你五个新项目，难怪你会一脸官司。我也一样，每次周末去看我父母，他们都没完没了地叮嘱我，该穿什么衣服，如何待人接物，赶紧换个更好的男朋友。一天下来，I feel like I'm at my wit's end.

LL: Wait, what is that last thing that they tell you?

LH: Huh? ...没什么重要的。告诉你个诀窍，每次我事情多得忙不过来的时候，我就会列个单子，把所有要干的事情都写下来。

LL: That's a good idea, but I have a better one. Since I can't find my wallet I'll just let you pay for dinner, and we can just bring back some leftovers⁵ to feed to my neighbor's dog. OK?

LH: Hmm ... 也就是说，如果我花钱把你和邻居家的狗喂饱，你的问题就迎刃而解了，you won't be at your wit's end anymore? 听起来好象不太划算。不过算了，请客就请客，我都快饿疯了。

******

Larry和李华在餐馆里。

LH: 怎么这么久还不上菜？我们都点了一个小时了。饿死我了。

LL: Me too. If it doesn't come soon, I'm going to find the manager and give him a piece of my mind.

LH: Give him a piece of what? 向经理投诉我支持，给他东西就不必了吧。

LL: Actually, when you give someone a piece of your mind, it means that you tell them how angry you are at them.

LH: 原来你是说，给餐馆经理a piece of your mind意思就是让他知道我们对他们的服务有多么的不满意。

LL: Exactly. And if after this long wait the food is really bad, I just might go back into the kitchen and give the cook a piece of my mind too.

LH: Wow, Larry, 看来你真是需要好好休息一下了。来，深呼吸，再吃块面包。

LL: You're right Lihua. I would love to go on vacation, but my boss just gave me a lot of work to do, remember? I'd like to give her a piece of my mind, but I don't want to get fired.

LH: 你可千万不能跟老板发火。万一被炒了鱿鱼，You would really be at your wit's end.

LL: Well at least then I could take a vacation.

LH: 菜怎么还不来！都是因为你说喜欢在这家餐馆的儿童菜单上画画，我们才会到这儿来。幸好我现在心情还不错，否则，I might give you a piece of my mind.

LL: Lihua, I would rather wrestle⁶ a tiger than face your anger.

LH: 你是说我比熊还凶吗？

LL: Haha ... Look, the waiter is coming over with our food.

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是at my wit's end，意思是束手无策，黔驴技穷.另一个是give somebody a piece of your mind，意思是直言不讳地指责别人。
 

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 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

3 overwhelmed   

[ overwhelm ]的过去式

参考例句：

• She was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. 她感到愧疚难当。
• If (one was) overwhelmed by passion, it could lead to serious blunders. 当感情完全淹没理智时，就可能铸成大错。

4 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

5 leftovers   

n.剩余物，残留物，剩菜

参考例句：

• He can do miracles with a few kitchen leftovers.他能用厨房里几样剩饭做出一顿美餐。
• She made supper from leftovers she had thrown together.她用吃剩的食物拼凑成一顿晚饭。

6 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。