流行美语 第 81 课

李华和Michael 这个周末什么功课都没有，原来准备好好玩一玩，可是后来计划
落空。李华会学到两个常用语：zip 和drama queen。

L: 嗨，Michael, 你这个周末有功课要做吗？
M: Nope. I don't have to do zip. I'm free the whole weekend.
L: 你不用做zip? 那是什么意思呀？Zip 不是衣服上的拉链吗？
M: No, I mean zip as in zero or nothing. I don't have zip means I don't have anything to
do.
L: 噢，zip 可以解释为"零"，"什么也没有"。那你的意思是你周末什么事也没有，
对不对？
M: Yes. If you ask me for money and I don't have any, I could say I haven't got zip. Get
it?
L: 知道了，你没有钱，我本来也没有想问你借钱啊。
M: Good. Now, do you have any money I could borrow. I want to buy a coke.
L: "No, I don't have zip." 我这么说对不对？
M: Yes, you used it right, but I really want to buy a coke.
L: 你真的要问我借钱哪？Michael, 我可真是没有钱，我不骗你。
M: Oh well, I guess I'll have to go to the bank before we can do anything interesting
this weekend. If I don't have any cash, then we won't be able to do zip.
L: 没错，你要不到银行去取钱，那周末我们哪儿也去不了。We won't be able to do
zip.
M: Now you've learned¹ the word zip. The bank is over there. I'll get some cash and I'll
come right back.
L: 快点，我饿了，要去吃晚饭了。嗨，Michael, 你多取点钱，I don't have zip in my
pockets.
M: Alright.
* *****
L: Michael, 我们周末出去玩的计划全被打乱了。我们的历史教授从电脑上发给我
们一个新作业，星期一就要交了。啊呀，我真气死了。
M: Oh, don't be such a drama queen. The assignment can't be that bad, and I know for a
fact that you do have free time.
L: 你叫我什么？Drama queen? Drama 是戏剧，queen 是女王。这两个词合在一起，
嘿，我虽然不知道drama queen 的具体意思，但是我肯定你是在讽刺我，对不对？
M: Not really. A drama queen is a girl who exaggerates² her problems, usually to get
attention. Your problem really isn't that bad, but you make it sound like the end of the
world.
L: 噢，drama queen 原来是说一个女孩，为了引起别人的注意，夸张了她面临的
问题。哎哟，就是小题大作。嗨，我可不是小题大作。我是因为没有时间完成作
业，所以我才心烦意乱。
M: Oh, please. You are being a little too dramatic³ about this homework assignment.
L: 只是一个作业，你说得倒简单！算了，算了，不跟你争了。可能是我还不清楚
drama queen 的含意，Michael, 你再给我举个例子，好不好？
M: Do you remember my friend, Angela, who called me crying because she couldn't
find her math book?
L: 当然记得。她呀，为了找不到她的数学书给你打电话的时候还哭了，我真是难
以相信。她好像老是有什么事感到不高兴似的。
M: She is such a drama queen. She makes a huge deal out of losing a book or a bad
haircut. Once, she wouldn't talk to me for a week because I forgot to call her back.
L: 对，她总是大惊小怪，小题大作的，丢了一本书也不高兴，剪头发剪得不好也
不高兴。你忘了给她打回电，她当然要生气，一个星期不跟你讲话就算客气的了。
我可没有象她那样，所以别叫我drama queen.
M: Yeah, you're not quite as bad.

今天李华学到了zip 和drama queen 两个常用语，zip 就是零，什么也没有的意思；
drama queen 是指那种喜欢小题大作，大惊小怪的女孩子。

1 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

2 exaggerates   

（使）扩大( exaggerate的名词复数 )； （使）增加； 夸大； 夸张

参考例句：

• I think he exaggerates the parallelism between the two cases. 我认为他夸大了两件事的相似之处。
• People will not believe a man who always exaggerates. 人们不会相信老是夸大其词的人。

3 dramatic   

adj.引人注目的；戏剧的；演戏的

参考例句：

• She plays a very dramatic woman with flashing eyes.她饰演一位双眼闪光的引人注目的妇人。
• His speech was dramatic.他的演说激动人心。