英语听力精选进阶版 19581

Until the cows come home 无期的，很久的

(Neil has spent Sunday with Li in the countryside. Now they are going back to town.)

Neil: Oh, it's been a great Sunday in the countryside, Li. I'm a city boy – I'm not used to this much walking and fresh air. It was good though, but now it's getting late.

Li: Yes, it is, Neil. But now we are going to catch a bus to town and you'll be back in your normal environment.

Li: Yes, it is, Neil. But now we are going to catch a bus to town and you'll be back in your normal environment.

Li: Don't worry, Neil. The bus will come.

Neil: Li, look! There is a note here on the wall of this old bus shelter¹!

Li: Oh, I didn't notice it. What does it say? 

Neil: It says buses are subject to delays²! We'll be waiting for a bus until the cows come home! 

Li: Those cows?! I think they are already home, Neil. The cows live in that field. It's us who need to go home. You might be feeling a bit light-headed as you are not used to so much fresh air. 

Neil: Li, we are not actually waiting for the cows to go anywhere. In English, to wait 'until the cows come home' means³ to wait for a very long time. 

Li: 在英语里如果等待的时间被形容为“直到奶牛回家 until the cows come home”, 意思就是要等很久很久。Ah, so nothing to do with cows? 

Neil: Not at all. Let's hear some examples of how to use 'until the cows come home', today's expression in Authentic⁴ Real English.

I'm off work tomorrow so tonight we can party until the cows come home!

Alan is very stubborn⁵. His wife can try to persuade him until the cows come home but he won't change his mind.

Li: Oh. That's a new expression for me. And you learnt something too, Neil. 

Neil: What's that, Li? 

Li: Look over there! 

(The bus is approaching.) 

Neil: That's our bus! Here! We're here! 

Li: Don't worry, it's coming. 

Neil: Well, you learnt a new expression and I learnt to be more patient. 

Li: One day, even a city boy like you, will get used to the calming and relaxing atmosphere of the countryside. 

Neil: Yes. The cows look happy, don't they? Munching⁶ away on the grass… 

Li: Yes, indeed. Let's go. Bye. 

Neil: Bye.

1 shelter   

n.掩蔽，掩蔽处，避身处；庇护所，避难所，庇护；vt.庇护，保护，隐匿；vi.躲避

参考例句：

• We took shelter from the rain in a cave.我们在一个山洞里避雨。
• Trees are a shelter from the sun.树木可以遮挡阳光。

2 delays   

（使）耽搁，延误( delay的第三人称单数 )； 推迟； 使延期； 使延迟

参考例句：

• Commuters will face long delays on the roads today. 路远乘车上下班的人今天要在路上耽误很多时间了。
• Things were working well when we were brought up against unexpected delays. 事情本来进行得很顺利，不料我们遇到了耽搁。

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 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

5 stubborn   

adj.难以移动，去除的，固执的，顽固的

参考例句：

• I can not cope with that boy;he is stubborn.我对付不了那个孩子，他很固执。
• When he's in his stubborn mood,he isn't easily talked round.他那股牛劲上来了，一时不容易说服。

6 munching   

v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果，但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句