听播客学英语 251 真的很开心

 　　I am sure you know what “real” means¹. If something is real, it exists – you can touch it, or see it, for example – it isn’t imaginary², or something you have made up. So “really” means “in reality” or “in truth”.

　　Kevin tells Joanne that he is going shopping. But REALLY he is going to the pub³ with his friend Dave – the truth is that he is going to the pub.

　　Joanne’s Mum likes to tell people that she is about 45 years old, but REALLY she is 53 – her true age is 53.

　　Joanne’s boss at work is a woman called Celia. Celia is not an easy boss to work for. She makes Joanne work very hard and criticises her when she makes mistakes. “She sounds like a old cow”, says Kevin when Joanne tells him about her. “No”, says Joanne, “REALLY she is very kind”. In other words, when you get to know Celia properly, you find that she is a kind person.

　　But lots of times, we use “really” to mean “very”.

　　“I am REALLY angry,” says Joanne when she finds out about Kevin and Dave going to the pub. “I am REALLY upset. Why couldn’t you tell me where you were really going?”

　　Kevin says that Joanne’s Mum is REALLY stupid, telling people she is 45 when really she is 53.

　　And sometimes, we say “REALLY?” to mean “I am surprised or interested in what you say.” When Joanne’s Mum says that she is 45, people often say “Really? I thought you were much older”

　　Here are the Muffs, and they are Really Really Happy.

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 imaginary   

adj.想象中的，假想的，虚构的，幻想的；虚数的

参考例句：

• All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
• The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。

3 pub   

n.[英]旅馆，小店，酒馆

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• They saw that four large men marched into the pub.他们看到四个彪形大汉走进了酒吧。