流行美语 第 72 课

今天李华碰到了倒霉的事，Michael 大力相助，真够朋友的。李华会学到两个常用
语：a drag 和to start from scratch。

M: Hey, Li Hua. How is your history project going?
L: 你还要问我历史课的事。唉，我可真倒霉呀！我的电脑坏了，把我写的东西全
丢了。可报告明天就要交呢。
M: Your computer crashed? Wow, that's a drag. Is there anything I can do to help?
L: 哎哟，你说什么？什么是drag 啊?
M: If something is a "drag," that means it is negative or depressing¹. The fact that you
lost your history project and will probably have to do it again is definitely² a drag.
L: 原来a drag 就是倒霉的、让人不高兴的事。我电脑坏了，把我明天要交的历史
课报告全丢了。这可真是倒霉事。It's really a drag。
M: That's right. You want to know what else is a drag?
L: 还有什么倒霉事呀？
M: My computer is broken, too, so I can't let you use it to re-write your project. I sent it
in to be fixed³ and I won't get it back until next week.
L: 你的电脑也坏啦！哎哟，本来还真想先借你的用呢！没事，我可以用我同屋的
电脑。可是，我得先到图书馆里去把我写报告用过的书全找回来，重新看这些书，
找材料。我能不能在明天完成这个报告还是个问题呐，真是倒霉！
M: Maybe if you explain your situation to the professor, he'll give you some extra time.
I'm sure he knows what a drag it is when your computer breaks down. It doesn't hurt to
ask.
L: 对，我得去跟教授解释一下。他肯定明白电脑坏了，丢了材料有多倒霉。你说
得对，也许他会让我延期交卷。我马上就去找他。
* *****
M: Li Hua, what did your professor say? Will he give you extra time to do the project
over again?
L: 对呀，教授让我延期三天交卷。可是我怕重头开始再做一遍时间还是不够！
What a drag!
M: Yeah, you do have to start from scratch. I'll help you as much as I can.
L: Start from what? 什么是start from scratch?
M: To start something from scratch means to start from the very beginning. You lost
your entire project when your computer crashed, including your research, so now you
have to start from scratch.
L: 噢，to start from scratch 就是从头开始。我电脑坏了，所做的一切东西都丢了，
所以，I have to start from scratch -- 从头开始啦！
M: That's right. You have to start your project from scratch. How can I help?
L: Michael, 你能帮我忙，那真是太好了。既然我得从头开始，那我得先去图书馆。
你能帮我找书吗？
M: Sure. I'm happy to help. While we are walking, why don't you try and give me
another example of "to start something from scratch".
L: 一面走路还要我给你举例子。你可抓得真紧哎！ 好吧，让我想想。要是我家
房子被烧了，那我们不得不重新盖房子-- to build a new house from scratch. Right?
M: Yeah, that's right. That's not a very happy example though. It would be a real drag if
your house burned down!
L: 对，这个例子倒有点倒霉了！好，再给你一个例子。要是我学画画，可是我从
来没有学过，我就说：I am going to start from scratch。
M: Yes, you could. Hey, look, there's the library. I suppose we had better focus on your
project now. You do have to start from scratch after all.
L: 对，我得集中力量从头来起。唉，真倒霉，it's such a drag!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是：a drag, 意思是倒霉，不好的事。另一个是：
to start something from scratch, 这是指从头开始。

1 depressing   

a.令人沮丧的；令人忧愁的

参考例句：

• Laundromat is really depressing. 自助洗衣店真闷。
• The retrospect was depressing. 回想起来令人沮丧。

2 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。

3 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。