流行口語 第167課

Larry 和李华在海滩享受温暖的阳光．不过李华有点儿心事，因为她的朋友 Joe 向她借了钱，却一直没有还．今天李华会学到两个常用语： deadbeat 和 cool it。
LL: Li Hua, relax and enjoy the day. Joe isn't a deadbeat. He'll pay you back as soon as he can.
LH: 我也希望 Joe 会还我钱啊．你说 Joe 不是一个 deadbeat，那是什么意思啊？
LL: A deadbeat is someone who does not pay his/her debts¹ or fulfill² his/her obligations³. Joe is not a deadbeat. He always pays people back.
LH: A deadbeat 就是一个故意赖帐的人．你说 Joe 不是那样的人，可要是他一直不还我钱，那我该怎么跟他提这件事，又不伤他的自尊心呢？这事儿真麻烦！
LL: You're right; money is an awkward⁴ subject. I usually just avoid lending people money altogether. That way I don't have to worry about deadbeats.
LH: 唉，我也不喜欢借钱给别人啊，可我是真的想帮他忙啊。
LL: Yeah, I know what you mean. Just be careful who you help in the future: there are a lot of deadbeats out there.
LH: 我知道，下回啊我再要借钱给别人，一定会格外小心，因为借钱不还的人还是有的．对了， Larry，我还听过别人说 deadbeat dads．那是什么意思啊？
LL: Well, after a divorce⁵, a man is supposed to send money to his ex-wife to help her support their children. A man who doesn't send money is a "deadbeat dad."
LH: 哦～，我懂了， A deadbeat dad 就是离婚以后不肯负担孩子抚养费的父亲。
LL: Exactly. I know a guy whose father was a deadbeat dad. The poor guy's mother had to work three jobs to support her children.
LH: 这个妈妈要做三份工来抚养她的孩子，就是因为爸爸不肯抚养孩子啊．难道法律都不惩罚这些不负责任的父亲吗？
LL: Well, the courts can tell a deadbeat dad that he needs to pay child support, but that doesn't mean that he actually will.
LH: 什么！法庭告诉他们要付钱，他们不付也没事儿呀？喝，真是糟糕！
………………………………………………………………
LL: Wow! Those kids over there are really loud. I wish they'd cool it.
LH: 那些孩子啊是挺吵的．你要他们怎么着， cool it？那是什么意思啊？
LL: I wish they would "cool it" means⁶ calm down. It can also mean to stop what one is doing.
LH: 哟～， cool it就是安静下来，或者停止做某件事的意思．你的意思是要那些孩子别再吵了。
LL: Exactly. I wonder where their parents are? I'm surprised that their parents haven't told them to cool it yet.
LH: 就是啊，那些孩子啊在那里鬼吼鬼叫好一会儿了．他们的爸妈到底听见了没啊？怎么不好好管教自己的孩子呢？
LL: It's hard to enjoy the day with such noisy kids around. I'm considering going over there myself and telling them to "cool it."
LH: 啊？你想自己过去叫那些孩子安静一点啊？我不知道这样做好不好呢。
LL: Why not? Their parents obviously⁷ aren't going to do it and those kids are ruining the day for a lot of people.
LH: Larry，也许啊你该冷静一点， cool it，别跟那些孩子一般见识了．不然，我们可以搬到远一点的地方坐嘛。
LL: Yeah, that's probably a good idea.
LH: 来吧，我们把东西收一收，搬到海滩的另一边去好啰。
LL: Okay, let's go.
 
　　今天李华学到了两个常用语．第一个是： deadbeat，是指“借钱不还，想赖帐的人”．另一个常用语是： cool it，是指“安静下来，或者是停止做某件事”。
 

 

1 debts   

债( debt的名词复数 )； 负债情况； 人情债； 情义

参考例句：

• They were behindhand in settling their debts. 他们没有及时还清债务。
• I need to pay off all my debts before I leave the country. 我得在离开该国前偿清所有债务。

2 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

3 obligations   

n.债务( obligation的名词复数 )；义务；[法律]债券；合约

参考例句：

• Belgium replied that she had always been faithful to her international obligations. 比利时政府答复说，比利时一贯忠实履行其国际义务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It would never do to neglect official obligations. 玩忽职守是绝对不行的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

5 divorce   

n.离婚；分离；vi.离婚；vt.离婚；脱离

参考例句：

• Did he divorce his wife or did she divorce him?是他要和妻子离婚，还是妻子要和他离婚？
• None of us like the divorce of word and deed.我们都不喜欢言行不一。

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。

7 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。