迷你对话学地道口语第1期:败家子

　　I do not know how John can put up with his son, who fools around without working.
He's out of John's hands.
Nothing he can do about such a black sheep.
If I were him, I would give him a good talking to.
I would insist on his stopping fooling around like that. 　　

节目简介：

　　大多数英语学习者往往只将书面上的语言用于口语上，这无疑导致口语表达生硬。而充满着生命力的习语的使用会使得您的口语用词鲜活，幽默，拉近您与对话者的距离。当然俚语要谨慎使用，用得不好会产生误会和矛盾。那么，在我们的这个小节目中将选用出现于职场、生活中高频的成语、谚语、习语和俚语，将之融入简短的对话中，深化您对该习语的理解和运用情景。

　　a black sheep

　　讲解：旧时牧羊人不喜欢黑色的，因为迷信认为黑色是魔鬼的化身，会给人带来厄运或灾祸。另外，黑羊毛不如白羊毛值钱，这也是一个原因。牧羊人会因羊群中有黑羊而诅咒不已。因此，a black sheep就引申为“败类”“败家子”的意思，与汉语中的“害群之马”相近。例如：Joe is the Black sheep of his family. He splashed nearly a few years.乔是个败家子。几年内他竟然挥霍掉十几万美元。

　　情景对话：

　　A :I don't know how John canput up withhis son, whofools aroundwithout working.

　　B :He'sout of John's hands. Nothing he can do about sucha black sheep.

　　A :If I were him, I wouldgive him a good talking-to. I wouldinsist onhis stopping fooling around like that.

　　参考翻译：

　　A :我不知道约翰为什么能容忍他的儿子整天不工作，瞎混日子。

　　B :他不服约翰的管教，对这样一个败家子，约翰无可奈何。

　　A :如果我是约翰，我会教训他一顿，坚持不能让他再这么瞎混了。

　　妙语佳句：

　　1.put up with：容忍，忍受

　　Your boss is an absolute dictator and I don't know how you guys put up with it.

　　你们的老板是一个十足的大独裁者，我不知道你们这些人怎能容忍。

　　2.fool around：闲逛；荒废时间

　　Don't fool around with another man's wife.

　　不要调戏他人之妻。

　　I'm going to go home, relax, spend some time with my family, catch up with old friends, and fool around with my boyfriend.

　　我要回家放松一下，花时间和家人团聚，见见老朋友，然后去男友那儿混日子。

　　They always fool around when the boss is not in the office.

　　老板不在办公室的时候，他们总是到处闲荡。

　　I am mean to be work on Sunday, but I just fool around all day.

　　星期日我本应工作的，但却闲混了一整天。

　　3.out of one's hand：无能为力，无可奈何

　　I am sorry that it is out of my hand. 非常抱歉这件事我无能无力。

　　4.give sb a good talking-to责备，教训某人一顿

　　I got mad and gave him a good talking-to.我实在气不过, 狠狠地说了他一顿。

　　That child needs a good talking-to. 那孩子得说他一顿。

　　5.insist on坚持

　　I insist on your taking immediate¹ action to put this right.

　　我坚决要求你立刻采取行动把事情处理好。

　　I must insist on your giving me a straightforward² answer.

　　我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

　　备注：情景对话选自《脱口说英语》之口语习语大全，讲解部分为可可编辑原创。

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。