地道英语在线听-Penny Pinching 小气，不愿花钱

Helen: This is Real English from BBC Learning¹ English. I’m Helen.

Zoe: 你好! 欢迎收听今天的地道英语. 我是刘佳.

Helen: Today we’re going to look at words and phrases that have recently become part of the English language.

Zoe: 地道英语带大家一起学习原汁原味的英式英语, 及时带大家更新英语中的流行词汇,还有习惯表达.

Helen: The English language is constantly changing, with new words and expressions entering all the time. You need to keep up to date with real English.

Zoe: Helen, 今天要学的新词是什么呢?

Helen: Today’s new expression is ‘penny-pinching²’. That’s penny – P.E.N.N.Y. and pinching – P.I.N.C.H.I.N.G. Penny-pinching.

Zoe: Penny-pinching, 便士和pinching,紧 压, 一起说是什么意思呢?

Helen: Well, listen carefully. If you say someone is penny-pinching, you mean that they don’t want to spend money on things.

Zoe: 哦,原来是这样啊. Penny pinching的意思啊,就是说一个人特别小气,不愿意花钱.

Helen: That’s right. Remember it’s a negative thing to say about someone, so be careful how you use it. 不过要记住, 这可是个贬义词, 我们用的时候可得多加小心.

Zoe: 那Helen, 能给我们举个例子吗?

Helen: Of course. If your friend didn’t want to go to a restaurant with you. 如果你的朋友不愿意和你一起出去吃饭, 你就可以对他说‘don’t be so penny-pinching! it won’t cost that much!’ 别那么小气了,这花不了多少钱的!

Zoe: 所以它是个贬义词.

Insert 录音片断

A: $30? I’m not paying that for a pair of shoes!

B: Don’t be penny-pinching! It’s a really good price.

 

 

A: Why are the schools so bad these days?

B: Well, the government has a really penny-pinching approach to education and won’t give schools any money.

Zoe: Are you penny-pinching, Helen?

Helen: Oh, no , I don’t think so. I’m the opposite, in fact. I always spend too much money.

Zoe: Really? I don’t.

Helen: Yes. Look at your shoes. You need to buy some new ones.

Zoe: No – these will do for another 6 months at least.

Helen: See? You’re being penny-pinching!

Zoe: Am I?

Helen: Yes, You really need some new shoes. Those ones you are wearing must be 10 years old.

Zoe: Well maybe I’ll think about it.

Helen: Anyway, let’s recap – penny-pinching –

 

Zoe: 就是形容一个人不愿意花钱, 特别小气. Well, it looks like we need to be finishing there.

Helen: Yes, that’s all we have time for. You’ve been listening to Real English from BBC Learning English. Join us again soon for more up-to-the-minute Real English. Bye.

Zoe: See you next time.

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 pinching   

v.收聚；夹痛( pinch的现在分词 )；逮捕；盗窃；使入不敷出adj.引起痛苦[拮据]的，吝啬的

参考例句：

• My sister's always pinching me and it really hurts. 我姐姐老拧我，好痛喔。
• He led his life, pinching and scraping. 他省吃俭用地过日子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》