流行美语 (Popular American) 327

李华早上起床，发现昨天晚上下了整整一夜的雪，足足有两英尺深，看来今天是出不去了。今天我们要学两个常用语：total和zapped of energy.

(Knock on Li Hua's door, Li Hua opens it)

LH: Larry! 这么大的雪你怎么跑来了，路上一定特别难走吧？

LL: Li hua, you are right. When I left my apartment, I didn't think the road conditions were that bad, but the roads really are treacherous¹. I couldn't see where I was going!

LH: 啊？你是开车过来的？那你身上哪来的这么多雪呢？

LL: I just walked five blocks to your house because I got in a wreck². My car is totaled.

LH: Your car is totaled? 什么是totaled? 是不是开到一半陷在雪里了？我帮你去一起把车推出来吧！

LL: No, Lihua, when you say something is "totaled", it means that it is demolished³ beyond repair.

LH: Oh no Larry! 你说你的车已经撞得没办法修了，彻底报销了？怎么会呢？How did you total your car?

LL: I turned onto your street and I hit a patch⁴ of black ice. I lost control of my car and it went sliding at full speed into a telephone pole. The entire front end is totaled.

LH: 哦，原来你是因为开到冰上，车子失去了控制，结果撞到电线杆子上，车前面全都撞烂了。你当时一定吓坏了吧？

LL: You're right. I am really shaken up right now. Totaling my car is probably the scariest experience I have ever had.

LH: 好在撞烂的是你的车，而不是你的人。你好象除了受了点儿惊吓以外，毛发未伤嘛！

LL: You're right. Although my car is totaled, what's most important is that I'M not totaled.

LH: 没错，我们教授Johnson上次出了个小车祸，胳膊就骨折了，更不要说大车祸了，太可怕了。

LL: Yeah, I feel really lucky. People usually get badly injured when they total their cars. My knee feels a little funny, but other than that, I think the airbags did their job.

LH: 别多说了，快进来，赶紧叫拖车公司来把你的车拖走！

******

李华把Larry让到屋里，Larry忙着给拖车公司打电话，请他们帮忙把自己撞坏的车拖回家。

LL: Thanks for your help Li Hua, the towing⁵ company will be here soon to pick up my car.

LH: 不客气，只要你人没事我就高兴了。一会儿要不要出堆雪人、打雪仗。或许可以帮你转移一下注意力。

LL: Oh Lihua, I don't think I can. This is such a stressful situation. I feel totally zapped of energy.

LH: You are zapped of energy? 你是说精力旺盛？浑身上下有使不完的劲？那好，我们现在就走。

LL: No, Lihua, when I say I am zapped of energy, I mean that my energy level is very low and I am feeling tired.

LH: 哦，你说的zapped of energy意思是精疲力竭，一点力气都没有了。我能理解，你不仅出了车祸，把车子撞了个稀巴烂，而且走五条街到我这儿来，一定累死了。No wonder you're zapped of energy.

LL: Yeah, plus there is already about two feet of snow on the ground. Walking through that much snow can really zap the energy right out of you.

LH: I know you feel zapped. 你既然这么疲惫，不如躺在沙发上休息一会儿吧。我去给你泡杯茶，好不好？

LL: Yes, I would love that. Plus my knee still hurts a little, I think I should rest it for a while.

LH: 好，那你赶快躺下，你早上有没有吃东西，要不要我给你做个三明治填填肚子？

LL: Oh, Lihua, you're the best! Yes, even if you don't mind, I'd love a peanut butter and jelly⁶ sandwich. You know, I cannot believe how zapped I feel. I can barely⁷ keep my eyes open!

LH: 等等，我去给你拿个枕头和毯子来，让你在沙发上好好休息一下，再喝杯茶，吃点东西，补充补充能量。

LL: (Yawn) Thank you so much Lihua! I will certainly do the same for you next time you feel zapped of energy.

今天李华学了两个常用语，一个是total, 意思是彻底报销。另一个是zapped of energy意思是疲惫不堪。
 

1 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

2 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

3 demolished   

v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光

参考例句：

• The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
• They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。

4 patch   

n.补丁；斑；一小块地；vt.补，修补

参考例句：

• This patch looks a bit unprofessional.这块补丁有点像出自外行之手。
• We managed to patch our quarrel.我们设法平息争吵。

5 towing   

v.拖，拉，拽( tow的现在分词 )；拖带

参考例句：

• a car towing a trailer with a boat on it 拖着一辆载有小船的拖车的小汽车
• The tug is towing three barges. 那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 jelly   

n.冻，果子冻，胶状物

参考例句：

• We had toast and jelly at breakfast.我们早餐吃的是烤面包和果冻。
• The medicine was a clear jelly.这种药是透明的胶状物。

7 barely   

adv.仅仅，几乎没有，几乎不

参考例句：

• The male bird is barely distinguishable from the female.雄鸟和雌鸟几乎无法辨别。
• He took barely enough money to keep the children in bread.他赚很少的钱仅够孩子们勉强糊口。