英语听力精选进阶版 19600

Water off a duck’s back 耳旁风

Most ducks have oily feathers

(Feifei and Finn are in the park feeding the ducks.)

Feifei: It’s so nice to be here in the park, Finn.

Finn: Yes, it is Feifei. I love coming here and feeding the ducks.

Feifei: 有时候来公园喂喂鸭子，放松放松，转移下注意力 take my mind off things，真是件不错的事情。昨天和我婆婆 mother-in-law 又搞的小不愉快。

Finn: What was it about?

Feifei: 嗨，还能有什么呢。She’s always criticising everything I do. 好像我做什么都不对。昨晚又因为做饭被批了一通。

Finn: Oh no! Don’t take too much notice of it, Feifei. You know, my mother-in-law is just the same. But it’s like water off a duck’s back to me.

Feifei: A duck’s back?!

Finn: Yes. Well, in English, the phrase 'water off a duck's back' means that criticisms or negative things have no effect on you. You know, they're just like water off a duck's back – we don't let them upset or affect us.

Feifei: 原来在英语里，我们可以用 water off a duck’s back 这个表达来形容某人对他人的批评毫无反映，像流到鸭背上的水，一滑而落。我们常在贬义句里见到这个短语，来描述批评、劝导对一个人就是耳旁风、毫无作用。这个短语挺好玩儿的。

Finn: It is funny, isn’t it? And it does make sense. Look at those ducks in the water…

Feifei: 诶，真是这样的，你看这些鸭子背上的羽毛上有一层油脂，这样在入水时羽毛不会沾水。They have oily feathers and water can’t get through them, so it doesn’t affect them. I shouldn’t let the criticism affect me and make me upset.

Finn: That’s right. And the phrase ‘water off a duck’s back’ is what we’re teaching today in Authentic¹ Real English. Let’s listen to some examples of how it’s used.

I won't give up on my singing career just because someone said I'm no good. Criticism is water off a duck’s back to me!

I told John not to drive so fast but it was like water off a duck’s back. Last week he crashed his new car. Thankfully nobody was hurt.

Finn: Feifei, which dish was it that you cooked that your mother-in-law didn’t like? I’m making dinner tonight and I need a recipe …

Feifei: 我不能在这儿告诉你。

Finn: I’m intrigued². Why can’t you tell me?

Feifei: I cooked Peking Duck. 你得准备煎饼、葱、一只肥鸭……

Finn: Oh, the ducks are not happy!

Feifei: 所以我说不能在这儿告诉你嘛！Let’s go, Finn. I can give you a good chicken recipe instead.

Finn: I’d like that. You know, my mother-in-law is coming for dinner too. Bye.

Feifei: Bye.

1 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。

2 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。