美国之音《流行美语》 392 shady...

 　　最近李华看到朋友Kevin经常向大家要用过的吸管，觉得奇怪，便决定和Larry一起探个究竟。李华会学到两个常用语：shady和to stock up。

　　LH: Larry, Kevin在做什么啊?

　　LL: Hmmm...that's a good question.

　　LH: 他最近总是在收集大家不要的吸管。啊！他们家是不是破产了。所以要收集吸管，再拿去卖啊？

　　LL: I don't think so, Li Hua. If they really went broke, he would just sell his Mercedes or iPhone.

　　LH: 说的也是。他看起来还是特有钱的。

　　LL: But it's a bit shady what he's doing. Why would someone collect straws?

　　LH: 你说shady是什么意思啊？

　　LL: Shady means suspicious or questionable¹. Kevin collecting a bunch of straws is definitely suspicious.

　　LH: Shady是可疑的意思。我也这么觉得。那我们要不要问他看看？

　　LL: Rather than asking him, why don't we sit back and observe him for a couple of days, and see what he's up to.

　　LH: 你说要观察几天？ 好啊！我们就做一回侦探！

　　******

　　第二天李华看到Larry.

　　LH: Larry! Kevin 今天没有再要吸管了耶。他好像完成了他的任务。那我们要怎么找出真相呢？

　　LL: He's not collecting straws anymore? Is he doing anything else that's shady?

　　LH: 你说他有没有做其他可疑的事...有了！他最近一直到美术教室的储藏室去。会是在做什么呢？

　　LL: The art classroom? Maybe that's where he stocks up all the straws! He wants to use those to create some artwork!

　　LH: 你说stock up... 是储藏的意思吗？

　　LL: Yes. To stock up means to store. He probably already put all the straws he's collected in the storage room, and he is now trying to create an artwork.

　　LH: 你说他已经把收集到的吸管通通放到储藏室了，现在要用那些吸管来做美术作品？

　　LL: Yup. That has to be it.

　　LH: 不可能啦！他没有选修美术呀。我跟他上的课几乎一模一样，我很清楚的。

　　LL: Hmmm..really? That's even more shady then.

　　LH: 但Larry, 我很好奇。为什么shady是可疑的意思呢？跟suspicious这个字也没什么关系啊。

　　LL: A shade is a place that is dark. Usually, things that are suspicious are done in the dark. Therefore, we say someone or something is shady when that thing or person is very suspicious.

　　LH: 哇，原来是这样，因为shade是指阴暗处，而做坏事的人通常都是在暗地里做事，所以很引人怀疑。

　　LL: That's right.

　　LH: 不过Kevin的事还是要弄个水落石出，我实在很好奇。

　　LL: Let's wait another day and see. Maybe we'll know tomorrow!

　　LH: 好吧！明天见。

　　******

　　第三天，李华提早来到学校，远远看到Larry刚跟Kevin讲完话。

　　LH: Larry!

　　LL: Li Hua! You're here so early today.

　　LH: 是啊。你在做什么呢？Why do you look all shady?

　　LL: I look shady?? What are you talking about?

　　LH: 我刚才明明看到你和Kevin在悄悄说话，Does it have anything to do with the straws that Kevin stocked up?

　　LL: Ohh that?! Shhhhh. I was just talking to Kevin to see what he was up to.

　　LH: 你趁我不在的时候去问Kevin?! 干嘛不叫上我一起，真不够意思。

　　LL: But guess what I found out?

　　LH: 快说说看！

　　LL: Here, follow me! Let's go into the classroom where we can sit down and talk.

　　李华跟Larry一起走进教室, 等在教室里的很多一起喊"Happy Birthday李华!"

　　LH: 天啊！Larry, 你们原来是用吸管做了这条船给我当生日礼物！我还以为....

　　LL: Well, we had to give you a surprise, but you realized Kevin was stocking up on straws. I had to pretend not to know.

　　LH: 谢谢啦！ 现在终于知道Kevin为什么鬼鬼祟祟得在收集吸管了！

　　今天李华从Larry那儿学到两个常用语，一个是shady,“可疑”的意思。另一个是to stock up, 也就是“储藏”。

1 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。