英语小达人 282 Too Many Debts

 　　Too Many Debts

　　太多债务

　　John was aggravated¹ about his many debts.

　　约翰被众多债务缠得焦头烂额。

　　"Henry," he confided² to his best friend. "I can't sleep anymore because I am so worried about finances."

　　“亨利，”他对自己最好的朋友倾诉说，“我为自己的财务状况焦虑得睡不着觉了。”

　　"Sorry, buddy," answered Henry, "but I can't help you in that department. You already owe me $800."

　　“很抱歉，老伙计，”亨利答道，“在这个问题上我帮不上忙了，你还欠我800块钱呢。”

　　"I wasn't going to ask you again. Don't worry."

　　“我不是又来找你借钱的，别担心。”

　　"I can't understand why you are in this situation. You have a good, steady job."

　　“我真不明白你怎么会把自己搞成这样。你的工作很不错，又稳定。”

　　"I know, but I owe money to the food market, the department stores, the liquor store, the landlady³ and you."

　　“我也知道，不过我在食品店、商场、酒店都有欠账，我还欠房东太太，还有你的钱。”

　　"Why don't you pay off one debt at a time?"

　　“你为什么不一次付清一笔债务呢？”

　　"I would if I could, but if I don't have some money by tomorrow--I'll really be in a big jam."

　　“我能的话一定会的，不过明天我要是没有点儿钱的话，我可就要有大麻烦了。”

　　"You owe the government back taxes?"

　　“你欠政府税款吗？”

　　"No, I don't have enough money to bet on the horse races tomorrow."

　　“不是的，是明天我没有足够的钱赌马了。”

　　重点讲解：

　　1. pay off

　　偿清，还清（债务）；

　　eg. It would take him the rest of his life to pay off that loan.

　　他得用余生来还清那笔贷款。

　　eg. The man was pressed to pay off his debt.

　　那人被逼还债。

　　2. be in a jam

　　陷入困境；

　　eg. They were in a real jam, Bob thought glumly⁴.

　　他们确实遇上麻烦了，鲍勃闷闷不乐地想。

　　eg. We must help Ernest because he is in a jam.

　　我们得帮助厄内斯特，因为他陷入了困境。

　　3. bet on

　　打赌；下注；

　　eg. Jockeys are forbidden to bet on the outcome of races.

　　职业赛马骑师禁止对赛马结果下注。

　　eg. I bet ?10 on a horse called Premonition.

　　我在一匹名叫“预兆”的赛马上下了10英镑的赌注。

1 aggravated   

使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火

参考例句：

• If he aggravated me any more I shall hit him. 假如他再激怒我，我就要揍他。
• Far from relieving my cough, the medicine aggravated it. 这药非但不镇咳，反而使我咳嗽得更厉害。

2 confided   

v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）

参考例句：

• She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。
• He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露，他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 landlady   

n.女房东，女地主

参考例句：

• I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
• The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。

4 glumly   

adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地

参考例句：

• He stared at it glumly, and soon became lost in thought. 他惘然沉入了瞑想。 来自子夜部分
• The President sat glumly rubbing his upper molar, saying nothing. 总统愁眉苦脸地坐在那里，磨着他的上牙，一句话也没有说。 来自辞典例句