速成英语口语第六册 Lesson 14:A Breather from the Daily Grind

Lesson 14 A Breather from the Daily Grind¹

Timothy: Hi Dave, it's me, Timothy.

Dave: Hey, buddy². What's happening? Don't tell me you're backing out of our fishing trip this weekend. We've been planning this thing for months!

Timothy: I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to. I'm drowning in paper work here, and my boss wants me to work late all this week.

Dave: Burning the midnight oil again, huh? You really have to find another job, or you'll end up burning out.

Timothy: I know. Don't worry about me, though. It's just that this's our busiest season, and the boss expects us to get the best results right now. It's just hard to juggle³ so many balls at once, you know?

Dave: Yeah, tell me about it. Sometimes I feel like it's impossible to fit everything in. That's kind of why we need trips like this weekend. You know, take a breather from the daily grind and get some time in with the guys.

Timothy: Yeah. I do like our trips. I just feel like I've stretched myself out so thin that something has to go, or I'll go insane⁴.

1 grind   

n.（常贬义）用功的学生，书呆子；vt.磨，磨碎

参考例句：

• Would you please grind a pound of coffee for me? 请给我磨一磅咖啡好吗？
• Do you find learning English a grind?你觉得学英语是一件苦差事吗？

2 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

3 juggle   

v.变戏法，纂改，欺骗，同时做；n.玩杂耍，纂改，花招

参考例句：

• If you juggle with your accounts,you'll get into trouble.你要是在帐目上做手脚，你可要遇到麻烦了。
• She had to juggle her job and her children.她得同时兼顾工作和孩子。

4 insane   

adj.蠢极的，荒唐的，精神错乱的，疯狂的

参考例句：

• Insane people are sometimes dangerous.精神病人有时非常危险。
• The letter made her insane with jealousy.那封信使她妒忌得发疯。