流行美语 第 79 课

今天Michael 和李华要出去买东西。李华会学到两个常用语：down with that 和to
pay through the nose。

M: Hey, Li Hua. What do you want to do today? I don't have any special plan, so we
can do whatever you want.
L: 你今天没事干呀？太好了，我正想去买几件春天穿的衣服。那些旧的都已经过
时了。
M: I'm down with that. I need to buy some new tennis shoes. My old ones are really
gross. My roommate is threatening to throw them out.
L: 我也注意到你的球鞋了，实在不象话，怪不得你的室友要把它扔掉呢。哎，那
太好了，咱们就一块儿去买东西吧。不过，Michael，你刚才说I'm down with that。
那是什么意思呀？就是你愿意去的意思吗？
M: Yes, the expression "I'm down with that" means¹ going shopping is okay with me
and I'm willing² to go.
L: 这很有意思。那要是你问我，要不要跟你一块儿吃晚饭，我很愿意的话，我能
不能说：I'm down with that?
M: Yes, that would let me know that you are willing to have dinner with me. What
would you say if I suggested we go to my friend's party on Saturday night.
L: 你建议我们星期六晚上上你朋友家去聚会啊。嗯，那一定很好玩，我愿意去，
I'm down with that。
M: Right. Now, where do you want to go shopping? There are lots of places close by.
L: 去哪儿买东西呀？学校附近有很多买东西的地方。去附近那个购物中心，好不
好？
M: Okay, that's fine with me. That mall has a shoe store and it's close. Let's go.
L: Okay, I'm down with that. 我们可以搭公共汽车去，几分钟就到了。然后我们有
一整天去买我们要买的东西。还可以在购物中心吃饭呢！
M: Okay, I'm down with that.
* *****
L: 哎，Michael，这家店看起来真好。我们能不能进去看看呀？我肯定他们有很
好的衣服。
M: That's Neiman-Marcus. They have nice stuff³, but they're really, really expensive.
You have to pay through the nose to buy even a shirt there.
L: 我也猜想它们的衣服一定很贵。你说要在他们这里买件衬衣就要pay through
the nose? 东西贵和鼻子有什么关系呀？
M: To pay through the nose is to pay a lot of money for something, usually way more
than the item⁴ is worth. For instance⁵, a shirt in a normal store costs about $40. However,
a shirt in Neiman-Marcus easily costs $200. That's paying through the nose.
L: 我懂了。To pay through the nose 就是用高价买一样东西，往往要比原来的价值
高很多。像普通店里一件衬衣要40 美元，在他们这里就要200 美元。可是，Michael,
我还是不懂，一个人的鼻子和钱有什么关系呀？
M: Yeah, it is a strange expression, but that's the way it is. Do you still want to go into
that store?
L: 不要，不要，我不进去了。我只是个学生，没那么多钱，I can't afford to pay through
the nose for things. 我啊，付不起这么高的价钱。
M: I agree. I don't want to pay through the nose for anything either. It's stupid to waste
so much money on something you can buy cheaper somewhere else.
L: 就是呀，能够用便宜的价钱买到的东西为什么要浪费那么多钱去买呢？对了，
Michael, 那什么时候我们还可以用to pay through the nose 这个说法的呢？
M: Well, some people are willing to pay through the nose to buy tickets to see their
favorite singers.
L: 噢，花好多钱买票去听他们喜欢的歌手唱歌。我就有几个朋友爱买名牌的东西。
她们就愿意pay through the nose。
M: I don't understand paying through the nose to eat at fancy⁶ restaurants either. Food is
food. Li Hua, I'm getting hungry. Can we go eat first?
L: I'm down with that. 我也有点饿了。但是，I don't want to pay through the nose.

李华今天学到了两个常用语。一个是：down with that, 意思是"同意"，或者是"愿
意"。另一个是：to pay through the nose, 意思是"出高价买东西"。

1 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。

2 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

3 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

4 item   

n.项目；条款；（消息，情报等的）一条

参考例句：

• We should go on to the next item for time is short.时间不多了，我们应该谈下一项内容。
• Put this item on our daily work schedule.把这项工作提到议事日程上来。

5 instance   

n.例，例证，实例

参考例句：

• Can you quote me a recent instance?你能给我举一个最近的例子吗？
• He's a greedy boy,yesterday,for instance,he ate all our biscuits!他是个贪吃的孩子――比如，他昨天把我们的饼干都吃了！

6 fancy   

n.想像力，幻想；喜好，爱；adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的；技巧的；vt.想象，自认为，喜好

参考例句：

• He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
• I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。