人会做很奇怪的事

 

Session IV: People Do the Strangest Things(人会做很奇怪的事）

1. Shoot the Breeze = chat informally
美国人把无目的的闲聊比作是向微风射击，打风。

范例对话:
A: What are you going to be doing this afternoon?
B: Oh, I don't have anything in particular in mind.
A: Why don't you come over to my place? We can listen to some records and shoot the breeze.
B: That sounds OK to me. I'd like to relax listening to music and visit and chat informally until my folks get back from shopping.

2. Bite the Dust = go down in defeat
美国人把输了比作是头朝下啃泥土。

范例短文:
Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but bit the dust in the high jump competition. Much to the disappointment of his fans, he went down in defeat, losing to a competitor from the visiting team.

3. Bend Over Backward = try very hard
美国人认为向后倾是要花很大力气才能做到的事。Bend over backward 表示非常努力去做某事。

范例短文:
When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty¹. Her fears turned out to be unfounded. Since everybody bent² over backwards³ to help her. Everyone tried very hard to help her feel comfortable and adjust to the school.

4. Scratch Someone's Back = return a favor
美国人认为帮别人挠背就是还礼，对别人恩惠地交换。

范例对话:
A: Hey, Bea. I need some help stacking these boxes. Would you please give me a hand?
B: OK. And I need some help tidying up the house. How about your helping⁴ me out after that?
A: OK. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
B: I know you don't like doing housework, but I'll help you with the boxes if you promise to return the favor.
A: No problem. I'll even do the windows.

5. Turn Someone Off = disgust someone
turn off 表示把电源断掉。Turn someone off 表示让别人一下子没了兴趣。

范例对话:
A: How was your date with Marty last night?
B: Well, it started off OK, but he really turned me off when we went for a snack after the movies.
A: Did he say or do something to annoy you?
B: Frankly⁵, he disgusted me when he tried to talk with his mouth full.
A: I don't blame you. That would have really bothered me too.

6. Kick the Bucket = die
死跷跷了。

范例短文:
It's been said that the old man knew of a buried treasure, but he kicked the bucketbefore telling anyone where it was. If the treasure exists, the old man unfortunately took the secret of its location with him when he died.

1 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。