流行美语 (Popular American) 309

LH: Larry, 晚上你想干什么？

LL: I'm not sure Li Hua, did you have anything in mind?

LH: 我想去看新上映的喜剧片，讲好几个俄亥俄单身女子的那个。

LL: That movie? It looks like a total snoozefest! There's no way you'll get me in there!

LH: Snoozefest? 我猜snoozefest是无聊的意思吧？

LL: Yes, Li Hua, snooze is another word for sleep, and fest means¹ party. So a snoozefest is something that's so boring it puts everyone to sleep.

LH: 我可不觉得这个电影无聊。要不你说，看什么电影？

LL: I would like to see that new action movie about a spy² in Russia.

LH: 啊？你想看那个俄罗斯间谍片？光看介绍就知道，绝对是俗套的snoozefest!

LL: I don't think it sounds like a snoozefest to me. I find action movies to be very exciting.

LH: 看起来，我们两人对电影的品味完全不同。

LL: Yes, that sounds exactly right. So how are your classes going?

LH: 别提了，我刚完成的那篇文章枯燥极了。It is a total snoozefest. 题目是七十年代加拿大的经济和不列颠哥伦比亚省的捕鱼业。

LL: (Yawn) You're putting me to sleep just explaining it.

LH: 你还没去上过课呢！那位老先生讲起课来循循善诱，徐徐道来，经常说着说着就跑题了。It truly is a snoozefest.

LL: How do you deal with it?

LH: 一个字：coffee.

LL: That seems like a good plan. The other day I had a meeting at work that was also a total snoozefest. It took all of my energy to stay awake.

LH: 言归正传，咱们晚上到底看什么电影？赶快决定吧。

LL: Well, I guess we can see the movie you want to see.

LH: Thank you. 你怎么会改变主意的？

LL: I need to catch up on my sleep.

******

MC：李华和Larry看完电影后走出电影院。

LH: Larry, 你觉得那个电影怎么样？特别好看吧！

LL: Great? I don't Li Hua, I thought that movie was really passé .

LH: Passé. Passé 是什么意思？

LL: Passé Pass-AY, is a word borrowed from French that means lame³ or uncool when used in English.

LH: 什么？你居然会觉得这么好的电影没劲？Your taste in movies is so Passé 不说这个了，现在时间还早，咱们干点什么？

LL: We could go out to a club and go dancing.

LH: 好啊，去哪里跳舞？

LL: The one on 9th street is cheap.

LH: 你说九街上那间舞厅？But that place is so passé 那里的音乐都是老掉牙的。

LL: Yes, I'll admit it is a little passé.

LH: 咱们去市中心新开的那个舞厅怎么样？听说里面特别棒，It's not passé at all.

LL: I heard it's pretty cool, but it's kind of far away.

LH: 这倒是真的。那我们还是去九街上的那间吧。

LL: That sounds good to me. Say, did you ever finish that book I loaned⁴ you?

LH: 刚看完。

LL: What did you think of it?

LH: 还可以。我觉得it was a little passé作者在书里并没有提出什么新论点，都是别人提过的。

LL: Really? I did not think it was passé at all. I thought that the author made some interesting points.

LH: 书里只有个别片段让我感兴趣，但是总的来说，I thought it was a snoozefest.

LL: Well I for one liked it. Did I tell you that a new restaurant opened down the street from my job?

LH: 你们公司附近又开新餐馆了？How is it?

LL: I haven't been yet, but I read a review of it. It said the decorations are somewhat⁵ passé but the food is supposed to be delicious.

LH: 真的？什么风味的？

LL: I think it is a Moroccan restaurant.

LH: 我们下次去吃吃看。

LL: Sure, I think that sounds like a great idea Li hua.

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是snoozefest, 意思是无聊得只会让人睡觉。另一个是passé, 意思是落伍的，过时的。
 

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 spy   

n.间谍，侦探，侦察；vt.侦察，找出，发现；vi.做密探，侦查

参考例句：

• I'm sure my neighbours spy on me.我肯定邻居暗中监视我。
• The spy never told his family about his underground activities.那个间谍从来不把他的地下活动告诉他的家人。

3 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

4 loaned   

v.借出，贷与（尤指钱）( loan的过去式和过去分词 )；出借（贵重物品给博物馆等）

参考例句：

• I have loaned his bicycle. 我把他的自行车给借出去了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The ground was loaned out for numerous events including pop concerts. 场地被借用来搞过无数活动，包括流行音乐会。 来自辞典例句

5 somewhat   

pron.一些，某物；adv.多少，几分

参考例句：

• The cake we made was somewhat of a failure.我们做的蛋糕不大成功。
• The two office buildings are somewhat alike in appearance.这两座办公楼在外形上有点相似。