美国之音《流行美语》 370 talk toa brick wall

　　Larry和他妹妹吵架，来找李华诉苦。他们会提到两个常用语：talk to a brick¹ wall和get the picture.
Larry: (Sounding frustrated) Hey, Lihua.
LH: Larry, 你怎么不高兴啊？
Larry: I just got off the phone with my sister. She is about to graduate from high school and she is not serious about applying to college. No matter what I say, she just won't take my advice. (Sigh). Sometimes talking to her is like talking to a brick wall.
LH: 哦。你妹妹高中毕业不想考大学，不论你怎么劝她，她就是不听。对了，你刚才说talking to a brick wall，你干嘛要对着砖墙说话呢？
Larry: Not literally² talk to a brick wall. I'm saying talking to my sister is like talking to a brick wall. A brick wall doesn't listen, doesn't respond³ and doesn't care. And that's what it's like to talk to my sister about college.
LH: 我明白了! talk to a brick wall就是对牛弹琴。你跟你妹妹苦口婆心说了半天，可她根本连一句话也听不进去。你呀，就好像对着一面墙说话一样。
Larry: Right.
LH: Larry，你别太担心。你说了那么半天，我想多多少少还是会有点用的。
Larry: I suppose you're right. I guess she's just at that age where she doesn't like to hear advice from other people. My parents have lately been feeling the same way when they speak to her, too.
LH: 其实也不光是青春期的孩子才这么固执，有时候我跟我妈说话，也觉得I'm talking to a brick wall! 她怎么都听不进我的话!
Larry: Your mother? But she's such a sweet lady.
LH: Larry, 你可不知道! 每次我跟她说我毕业后要留在美国找工作，她都一万个不行。我无论说什么，她非要我回国不可，我感觉自己真像talking to a brick wall一样!
Larry: Oh, that does sound frustrating⁴. So what are you going to do?
LH: 我？我才不管她说什么。我的人生我作主!
Larry: (Laughter) I bet⁵ your mother feels like she's talking to a brick wall when she speaks with you - the same way you feel about speaking with her!
LH: Larry，你别笑了。你想想，妈妈不理解我，不支持我，我有多难受!
Larry: Yea, I get the picture.
LH: You got a picture? 什么照片啊，给我看看。
Larry: Not a picture - the picture. To say that you get the picture means⁶ that you understand something.
LH: Oh, I get the picture，就是说我明白。
Larry: Right. You can imagine that knowing about something creates a picture in your mind.
LH: 对，get the picture就好像看到了别人头脑中所想的画面，也就是了解了别人的想法。
Larry: Sometimes it's hard for people to understand exactly why other people want what they want, and it may seem talking to them is like talking to a brick wall. But you have to have patience - hopefully someday your mother will get the picture.
LH: 对，要想让别人了解自己的想法，有时得多花点时间和耐心。我想，你妹妹早晚也能了解你的想法。She will get the picture!
Larry: You don't understand, Lihua. If my sister doesn't get the picture now, it might be too late! What if she doesn't get into a good college?
LH: 你别光想你妹了，想想我吧。我妈非让我一毕业就回国，我怎么办？我必须得找个能一直留在美国的原因，说服我妈。这个，你可以帮我，You get the picture, Larry?
Larry: (Larry thought Lihua wanted to get married. gulps) Umm, I think so.
LH: 你可以帮我找工作啊!
Larry: OH! (happily) Right! I get the picture now. I will certainly try my hardest to find you a great job.
LH: Larry，你真好，总能猜透我的心思!
Larry: Well, I almost got the wrong picture a second ago.
LH: 啊？你差点猜错了？你以为我在说什么？难道是说让我嫁给你？! 你想得倒美!
Larry: (Nervous), Ah, Lihua, Let's not worry about that. Let me think how we can make your mother happy. She's always nice to me. Maybe if I talk to her, it wouldn't be like talking to a brick wall.
LH: 你愿意的话就去试试看，不过我妈耳朵根子硬得很呢!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是talk to a brick wall ，意思是“对牛弹琴”。另一个是get the picture ，意思是“理解别人的心思”。

1 brick   

n.砖；vt.用砖砌，用砖堵住

参考例句：

• She stared blankly at the brick wall in front of her.她面无表情地瞪着面前的砖墙。
• I bought a brick of ice cream for my daughter.我给女儿买了块冰砖。

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 respond   

vi.回答，响应

参考例句：

• I offered him a drink but he did not respond.我请他喝酒，但他未作回答。
• I greeted him but he didn't respond.我跟他打招呼，他没答理我。

4 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 bet   

v.打赌，以(与)...打赌；n.赌注，赌金；打赌

参考例句：

• I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说，你解决不了这个难题。
• I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。

6 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。