英语听力精选进阶版 6746

Rob¹: Hello, I'm Rob.

Helen: Hi 大家好，我是 Helen 欢迎收听地道英语。

Rob: Hold on Helen. We can't hear you properly.

Helen: What's happening?

Rob: I think your microphone²'s playing up.

Helen: Playing up 玩起来?

Rob: Sorry, sorry, I didn't quite catch that.

Helen: Let me just push this button. There! 我的麦克刚才出问题了。But Rob you said the microphone was playing up?

Rob: That's right. It wasn't working properly. You see, if something isn't working as it should be, we sometimes say it's playing up.

Helen: 如果什么东西不像原来那么好用了，或者出现小故障，那么我们就可以说 it's playing up. 只能是 playing up – not down?

Rob: Nope. Playing down something is a different expression that means³ something totally different.

Helen: OK. So as the picture on my TV at home is flickering⁴, I can say my TV is playing up?

Rob: Exactly. And let's hear about some other things that are playing up…

I don't think I'll be able to give you a lift to work today; my car's been playing up.

My phone keeps playing up. Every time I dial a number, it just switches⁶ itself off.

Helen: That sounds like my phone! 如果一个东西时好时坏，那么它表现可真不好，它失灵了 it's misbehaving.

Rob: Ha ha! You could say that. And it's just like people. When they misbehave we say they're playing up. Like this…

Sorry, but I'm going to be late. The children have been playing up and I've still got so much to do.

Helen: 当小孩子们表现不好时，我们也可以说他们不听话了。I think it's usually because they want attention.

Rob: Mmm, now Helen, could I have your attention now please, because playing up is also something you can say to describe to a part of your body that's not working properly.

Ow! I'm going to have to lie down; my back's playing up again.

Count me out of this weekend's football match; my leg's playing up so I need to rest it.

Helen: 我们可以说我们的身体部位出现小故障，比如今天腰疼了，不好使。So it seems playing up refers to anything that's not working or behaving as it should. Now Rob, my leg's also been playing up so I wonder if you could give me a lift home in your car?

Rob: No way – oh it sounds like my microphone's playing up now!

Helen: No Rob, it's you who's playing up – now switch⁵ it back on!

Rob: Oh, oh OK then, Helen!

Helen: Let's go then. 再见!

Rob: Bye.

1 rob   

v.抢劫；vi.抢劫，盗窃；vt.非法剥夺，使丧失，抢劫

参考例句：

• Two men formed a plot to rob the bank.两人制定了抢劫那家银行的秘密计划。
• They were scheming to rob the bank.他们在密谋抢劫银行。

2 microphone   

n.扩音器，麦克风，话筒

参考例句：

• He gave a tap at the microphone before speaking.他在讲话前先轻叩了一下扩音器。
• She behaved naturally before the microphone.她在话筒前表现自然。

3 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。

4 flickering   

adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的

参考例句：

• The crisp autumn wind is flickering away. 清爽的秋风正在吹拂。
• The lights keep flickering. 灯光忽明忽暗。

5 switch   

n.开关，电闸，转换，软枝；vt.转变，切换，摆动，转换，使转轨；vi.转换，变换，摆动

参考例句：

• The switch on the wall was beyond the baby's reach.墙上的开关小孩子是够不到的。
• There's been a switch in our plans.我们的计划改变了。

6 switches   

n.转轨器，道岔；开关( switch的名词复数 )；改变；（铁路的）转辙器；（电路的）闸v.转变，改变( switch的第三人称单数 )；转换；挥动（棍棒、鞭子等）；迅速转动

参考例句：

• This button switches the current on. 这个电钮接通电流。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The switches close the contacts and complete the circuit. 这些开关可使接触器接通电流形成回路。 来自辞典例句