流行美语 第 73 课

李华正在开车和Michael 一起去学校。今天李华会学到两个常用语：to be on crack
和to get the hang of something。

L: 哟，我的天啊，我车后面的一个轮胎爆了！Michael, 一个轮胎爆了还能开一段
路，对不对？
M: Li Hua!? Are you on crack? You can't drive with a flat tire, you'll ruin your car, and
probably get in a wreck¹!
L: 哎哟，我也不想弄坏我的车，也不想出车祸。不过，你刚才问我Are you on
crack？这是什么意思啊? Crack 这不是一种毒品吗？on crack 不就是吸毒吗？
M: Yes, "crack" -- as in "crack cocaine²". "To be on crack" means to be high on cocaine.
Of course, when I say, "Are you on crack?" I really mean -- "Are you crazy"?
L: 等等，这得弄清楚。你的意思是，to be on crack 可以指吸毒，但是你刚才对我
说的不是这个意思。你是说：我要在一个轮胎破了的情况下继续开车，简直是疯
啦！哎，你可得解释清楚了，我从来不吸毒的！
M: Calm down, Li Hua. People use this phrase all the time. I was just alarmed that you
would try to drive your car with a flat tire. You'd have to be on crack to do something
crazy like that.
L: 噢，我懂了，你的意思是：我准是吸了毒才会想干这种傻事 -- 轮胎破了还想
继续开车。Michael, 我们把轮胎换了吧。现在还来得及。
(sound of trunk opening, tools rattling³, sound of car jack⁴, etc.)
L: 说到发疯，我认为George Wilkins 才真是疯了呢。我听说他要到阿富汗一个村
庄去给他的论文做实地调查。
M: He's going to be traveling in Afghanistan! Is he on crack? Can you imagine how
dangerous that place must be right now?
L: 我也觉得真是太危险了。不过他想要当国际水平的人类学家。那他就得做出牺
牲啦！
M: Yeah, well that Ph.D. won't be much good to him if he gets shot. I still think anyone
who chooses to go to Afghanistan right now is on crack.... it's just crazy!
L: 就是，要在阿富汗给打死的话，什么博士学位都没用了。行了，轮胎装好了，
我们快走吧！
(sound of trunk closing)
* *****
L: (Horn honking) 噢，应该让他先走。我开车的技术实在太差了。老是犯这种错
误。
M: Don't worry Li Hua, you're not a terrible driver! You haven't been driving for very
long. You'll get the hang of it, eventually.
L: 你说我最后会什么？Get the hang of it？
M: I said you will "get the hang of it". "To get the hang of something" means to
become proficient⁵ at something through practice.
L: 噢，to-get-the-hang-of-it 就是多练习，多实践，一些事情就会做得更好。这不
就是中文里说的"熟能生巧"吗？但愿你说得对，我多开车，技术就会改进喽！
M: I know I'm right! Remember when you first started school, you had trouble with
your writing assignments? I think you've gotten the hang of writing English essays now,
right?
L: 就是哎，我刚来美国的时候不会写学术报告。现在是好多了。
M: You've been living in the U.S. for some time now. You must have gotten the hang of
a lot of new skills?
L: 嗯，我在美国已经三年了，是学到不少东西。
M: And you've gotten the hang of teaching, haven't you? Your students seem to like
you.
L: 对呀，我在教中文方面也比较熟悉了。I've got the hang of teaching Chinese, 对
不对？
M: Absolutely!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是：to be on crack, 这可以指"吸毒"，但是也可
以指："你疯啦！"。李华学到的另外一个常用语是：to get a hang of something, 意
思是通过练习，熟能生巧。

1 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

2 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

3 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

4 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

5 proficient   

adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家

参考例句：

• She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。
• I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。