美国之音《流行美语》 359

　　Larry和李华在公园里散步，今天我们要学两个常用语： on the bright side和no-brainer.
LH: Larry, 周末在公园里走走，真舒服啊!
L: Normally¹ I would agree with you Lihua, but when it's 100 degrees out like it is today, I might prefer my air-conditioned apartment.
LH: 天是够热的。不过你知足吧，起码今天公园里人不多，难得这么清静!
L: That's true. It may be hot, but if we look on the bright side, the park isn't crowded at all.
LH: Look on the bright side? 这是什么意思？
L: Lihua, when you look on the bright side, you try to see something good in a bad situation.
LH: 哦，on the bright side就是从好的方面讲。你是说，虽然今天天气很热，但是从好的方面看，正因为天热，人们都不愿意出来，所以公园里才会这么清静。
L: Right! Here is another example. There is supposed to be a big rain storm later today, but looking on the bright side, that will help cool down the weather.
LH:哦，今天晚上可能会下大雨，可是从好的方面看，这可以让气温降下来，天气能凉快些!
L: You got it!
LH: 对了，Larry，天这么热，你干嘛穿长衣长裤啊？
L: Yeah, I am pretty hot in these clothes. But on the bright side, I won't get a sunburn.
LH: 老土! 你不知道世界上有种东西叫防晒霜么？
L: Very funny. Yes I do, but on the bright side, I can save a little money by wearing long clothes instead.
LH: 可是Larry, 你们美国人不是喜欢把皮肤晒得黑黑的么？你干嘛要把自己捂起来呢？
L: Yes, lots of Americans like to get a tan² in the summer, but there is a really big downside: skin cancer.
LH: A downside?
L: That's right. If you want to point out something bad about a situation, you can tell people to consider the downside.
LH: 明白了，downside就是“缺点”，不好的方面。和the bright side正好相反。Larry，你看那只小狗，正在和主人玩儿接飞盘的游戏，真好玩儿！我真希望自己也有条小狗！
L: Yeah, dogs are a lot of fun, but there is a big downside: you have to spend lots of time and money taking care of them.
LH: 那倒是，那养只猫咪怎么样？
L: Well, I don't think cats are as much fun to play with as dogs. But on the bright side, they are much more independent.
******
LH: Larry, 我们今天除了散步还要干点什么呢？玩儿扔飞盘怎么样？
L: Lihua, if I do any running around in the sun today, you're going to have to take me to the hospital with heat stroke³.
LH: 这倒也是。这么大热的天，我们还是不要跑跑跳跳的了。
L: Yeah, that's a no-brainer.
LH: A no-brainer? 什么意思啊？
L: When you think something is really obvious, you can say that it's a no-brainer.
LH: 哦，no-brainer就是不用动脑子就知道的事，也就是明摆着的事情。你是说，天气这么热，明摆着，咱们不能跑跑跳跳。
L: Exactly! Here is another example. Some people don't like to buckle⁴ their seatbelt in the car, but to me, that's a no brainer.
LH: 是啊，坐车系安全带，这是一定要的啊。就跟在户外要防晒一样。没什么可说的。
L: Yeah, you would have to be really stupid to risk getting skin cancer.
LH: 哎， Larry, 看样子马上就会下雨了，咱们赶快走吧，省得挨浇。
L: Of course, Lihua, that's a no-brainer. We definitely⁵ wouldn't want to stay outside in a thunderstorm⁶!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是on the bright side 表示“从好的方面讲”。另一是no-brainer, 意思是“明摆着的事情”。

1 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

2 tan   

n.鞣制革，黄褐色；adj.黄褐色的，鞣皮的；vt.晒黑，鞣(革)，鞭打；vi.晒成棕褐色

参考例句：

• She had gotten a good tan after the holiday at the sea.在海边度假之后，她的皮肤晒得黑黑的。
• His arms and legs had a dark tan.他的手臂和腿晒得黑黑的。

3 stroke   

n.笔画，击打，连续的动作，中风，心跳；vt.奉承，轻抚； vi.击打，心跳...

参考例句：

• He drove in a nail with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把钉子敲进去了。
• He broke the lock with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把锁砸坏了。

4 buckle   

n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲

参考例句：

• The two ends buckle at the back.带子两端在背后扣起来。
• She found it hard to buckle down.她很难专心做一件事情。

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 thunderstorm   

n.雷雨；雷暴

参考例句：

• Thunderstorm is common in summer.雷电交加的暴风雨在夏天很常见。
• The thunderstorm will perhaps settle the weather.大雷雨可能使天气稳定下来。