【英语早间课堂】话说地道美语 Lesson 24(3)

In general, American teenagers are big spenders. They want to buy things the other kids have: CDs of the latest songs, CD players, videos. video games, electronic gadgets¹, fashionable clothes, and even cars. A few parents agree to foot the bill, but others don't. Instead, they put their foot down and insist that the kids get a job. After all, that is the best way for them to learn how to stand on their own feet and learn the value of money.

 

文中用到的是a big spender。短语中的spender是“a person who spends money in the particular way mentioned”的意思，译为花钱的人。Big 是“large in extent”的意思，是指在程度上大的，多的。A big spender就是“a person who spends a lot of money”的意思，一个用钱量很大的人，也就是花钱大手大脚的人，挥金如土的人，挥霍无度的人。像这样的说法还有a big eater，它的意思是“a person who eats a lot”,译为饭量很大的人，吃的很多的人。下面我们通过具体情景具体来看下a big spender如何运用。

 

您发觉没有有些女孩子不想stand on their own feet，就靠攀着着个大款生活，因为这些大款可以帮他们买衣服，买昂贵的金项链，手镯等等，那么旁人是如何看待的呢？Juliet曾经在日记中写到：

 

She is head over heels in love with this guy because he is a big spender. And it is not a true love, I think, sooner or later, she will be left by that guy. After all, a girl who doesn't stand on her own feet is to be looked down on, including his boyfriend, and even his friends and relatives. 她疯狂地爱上这个男孩，因为这个男孩是个挥金如土的人。但是我认为这不是真爱，迟早会被甩掉。毕竟，不独立主生活的人是被别人看不起的，甚至包括他们的亲朋好友。

 

注解1：Head over heels意思是完全地, 深深地。例如：I'm head over heels about the dress. 我极喜欢这件衣服。The newly-weds are head over heels in love. 这对新婚夫妇正情溶意蜜。I'll be head-over-heels in debt. 我将台债高筑。Tom was soon head over heels in love with her.汤姆一下子就爱上了她,而且为之倾倒。

 

注解2：sooner or later是迟早的意思。例句：He hasn't got any money, so he's bound² to turn up sooner or later.他没有钱，所以，他必定会出现的。You should tell her, because she'll find out sooner or later. 你还是告诉她吧，因为她迟早会发觉的。He cheated Underwood and Underwood threatened to pay him back sooner or later. 他欺骗了安德伍德，安德伍德扬言迟早要对他进行报复。

 

注解3：look down on是看不起，轻视，蔑视的意思。例句：Don't look down on such activities.不要小看这些活动。Looking down on women is wrong.轻视妇女是错误的。I look down on man who vents³ his anger on his family after having a bad day at work. 我瞧不起那些工作不顺心就拿家里人出气的男人。

 

有的人是诚心诚意对别人好，在别人的生日或是重大节日的话，无论如何都想送贵重的礼物以表心意。可是，有时候事与愿违。我们就来看下面的这句话：

 

Moreover⁴, you are still a student. If you buy a gift to me costed you an arm and a leg, my parents will think you are a big spender. 再说，你还是个学生。如果你卖给我的礼物太昂贵的话，我父母反而会认为你是个花钱大手大脚的人。

 

注解1：An arm and a leg是个副词性短语，意思是非常昂贵，相当于very expensively。

 

注解2：Costed an arm and a leg是过去分词做后置定语，修饰gift。

 

此外，在注意几下几个有用的固定短语，在我们的口语和写作中都有用。

 

1. In general 大体上, 一般来说, 通常

 

Eg. In general her work has been good, but this essay is dreadful⁵.总的说来，她的作品不错，不过这篇文章糟透了。In general, people don't like to be made fun of. 大体上讲，人们都不喜欢被捉弄。

 

2. After all 毕竟, 到底, 终究

 

Eg. The old methods proved best after all.采用老方法结果反而是某事物最好。He did climb down after all.最终他屈服了。

 

转自可可英语

 

 

1 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

2 bound   

adj.一定的，必然的；受约束的，有义务的

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• If he signs that paper,he will be bound hand and foot.如果他签署那份文件，他就会受到束缚。

3 vents   

（气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩

参考例句：

• He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
• The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。

4 moreover   

adv.再有，此外，而且

参考例句：

• The rent is reasonable, and moreover,the location is perfect.这房租合理，而且地点优越。
• The task is difficult, and moreover,time is pressing.任务艰巨，并且时间紧迫。

5 dreadful   

adj.糟透了的，极端的，可怕的，令人畏惧的

参考例句：

• I cannot imagine what to do in this dreadful situation.我不能想像在这么糟的情况下该怎么办。
• I must apologize for the dreadful mistake I made.我为我所犯的严重错误深表歉意。