流行美语 第 30 课

Michael 这个美国学生由于各方面的压力太大而情绪不太好。今天他想去找李华一
起出去放松放松。现在他正在敲李华的门。Michael 会教李华两个常用语：to play
hooky 和to snap¹。

L：Michael，你在这儿干什么？你不是有课吗？
M：Yes, I'm supposed to be in class right now. But I didn't read the assignment for class
today, and I just didn't feel like going, so I decided² to play hooky.
L：你真够呛，没看今天上课的材料就不想去上课，还想在家玩什么游戏！什么
是hooky 呀？
M：No, to play hooky means to skip class.
L：噢，原来to play hooky 是指逃学，旷课。我还以为是玩什么游戏呢！Michael,
你要进来坐会儿吗？
M：Actually, I was going to the student center to hang out and have lunch. I was
wondering if you would like to come with me.
L：你要到学生中心那儿去看看，然后再吃午饭呀？我跟你一起去，我本来就要
去吃午饭。不过，我只有一个小时的时间，下午我得去工作。
M：It seems like you have been working a lot lately. I have an idea! Why don't you call
in to work and tell them you're sick! You can also play hooky from work.
L：我最近工作是很忙。Michael，你的意思是让我打电话给工作的地方说我生病，
这样就可以不去上班？这也可以说是to play hooky?
M：Yes, you can play hooky from school or from work.
L：你可真能出馊主意！自己逃学还不算，还要我装病不去工作。不行，我工作
的地方星期一总是很忙的，而且上星期我真的生病，请了两天假。I don't want to
play hooky from work. 我说得对不对，Michael？
M：Yes, very good. I guess you'd better go to work then. It's too bad I can't spend more
time with you. Well, if you have only one hour for lunch, we'd better hurry.
L：别着急，一个小时来得及。等我拿件大衣。
L：Michael, 你很幸运，没有象我那么多的压力。我得自己赚钱付学费，还要养
活自己。你可以随便play hooky, 我可不行。
M：Hey, I may play hooky once in a while, but I usually study hard. Do you think I
don't feel any pressure to get good grades? If I don't do well, I won't get a good job
later on.
L：哟，哪儿来那么大的火气呀！我知道你不是经常逃学，你学习很努力，争取
得到好分数，将来找一份好工作。你不用发那么大的脾气嘛！
M：I'm sorry, Li Hua. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that right now I'm so
stressed. That's part of the reason why I didn't go to class today.
L：没关系，我知道你最近压力很大。你说 "I didn't mean to snap at you", 那是什
么意思呀？是不是指你很生气地跟我说话？
M：Yeah, to snap, s-n-a-p. To snap at someone means to yell³ at someone or talk to them
in an angry way.
L：to snap at someone 就是对某人大声嚷嚷，或者很生气地和某人说话。Michael，
你一般不对人那么讲话的。我想可能是你最近压力太大了。
M：Yeah, but that's no excuse for snapping⁴ at you. I know you didn't mean to make me
angry.
L：我是没有让你生气的意思。没关系，每个人都有情绪不好的时候嘛！Michael，
我以前好象听到别人用过to snap at someone，可不太清楚它的意思。有一次，一
个小孩说他打破了什么东西。。。
M：His mother must have snapped⁵ at him when he broke something at home.
L：对，他是说他妈妈骂他因为他打破了一个花瓶。可是，Michael，这里的snap
是过去时，那该怎么拼呢？
M：Past tense for snap is s-n-a-p-p-e-d. I can say, "I snapped at you but I apologized."
L：得了，不用道歉了。啊呀，不好了，时间到了，我得去上班了。See you later,
Michael!
M：Bye, Li Hua!

今天李华又从Michael 那儿学到两个常用语，to play hooky 就是逃学，或者装病不
去上班；to snap 就是对某人嚷嚷，很生气地对某人说话。这次<流行美语>播送完
了，下次节目再见。

1 snap   

n.啪地移动，突然断掉；v.猛咬，咬断，谩骂，砰然关上

参考例句：

• He broke off the twig with a snap.他啪地一声把那根树枝折断了。
• These earrings snap on with special fasteners.这副耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 yell   

vi./n.号叫，叫喊

参考例句：

• This gave them a chance to yell.这给了他们大声喊叫的机会。
• When his schoolmate made the last goal,the boy gave out with an untrammeled yell.那个男孩在他的同学踢进最后一球时不禁纵声欢呼。

4 snapping   

adv.显著地，强烈地，非常地v.猛地咬住( snap的现在分词 )；（使某物）发出尖厉声音地突然断裂[打开，关闭]；厉声地说；拍照

参考例句：

• The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away. 细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fire is snapping. 火劈劈啪啪地响。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 snapped   

v.猛地咬住( snap的过去式和过去分词 )；（使某物）发出尖厉声音地突然断裂[打开，关闭]；厉声地说；拍照

参考例句：

• The wind had snapped the tree in two. 风把树喀嚓一声刮断了。
• He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了，暴躁地斥责孩子们。 来自《简明英汉词典》