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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning1 English.
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language.
在本期节目中,我们来探索一下英语词汇和短语。
Today, we begin with a story about two good friends: Caleb and Corrine.
今天,我们以两个好朋友凯莱布和科瑞恩的故事开始。
They have a lot in common.
他们有很多共同点。
They like the same books, enjoy the same movies and play the same sports.
他们喜欢同样的书,喜欢同样的电影,做同样的运动。
But, the friends are also quite different in the way they live their lives.
但是,这两个朋友的生活方式也大不相同。
Corrine is a planner.
科瑞恩是个有计划的人。
She always has a schedule.
她总是有一个日程表。
And she likes to makes lists.
她喜欢列清单。
She is always on time and knows exactly where she is going.
她总是很准时,很清楚自己要去哪里。
Caleb is a free spirit.
凯莱布是一个随性的人。
He likes things unplanned and likes to see where the road takes him.
他喜欢没有计划的事情,喜欢看路会把他带到哪里。
In fact, sometimes he does not know exactly where he is going.
事实上,有时他并不知道自己到底要去哪里。
One day, these two friends decided2 to go shopping together.
有一天,这两个朋友决定一起去购物。
You might find it surprising that something like shopping would test their friendship. But it did.
你可能会惊讶地发现,像购物这样的事情会考验他们的友谊。但它确实发生了。
To Corrine shopping is an unpleasant task.
对科瑞恩来说,购物是一项令人不愉快的任务。
So, she does it as quickly as possible.
所以,她会尽可能快地来做这件事。
She goes to stores as soon as they open.
商店一开门她就去。
And she buys only what she needs.
她只买她需要的东西。
To Caleb shopping is an adventure!
对凯莱布来说,购物是一次冒险!
He likes to linger3 in front of store windows.
他喜欢在商店橱窗前逗留。
He looks at the objects for sale for a long time without even stepping inside the store.
他盯着待售的物品看很长时间,甚至都没有走进商店。
This activity, that is popular with some, is called window shopping.
这种在一些人中很受欢迎的活动被称为橱窗购物。
Caleb does not pay much attention to his shopping list.
凯莱布并不太注意他的购物清单。
In fact, he usually doesn't have one.
事实上,他通常没有购物清单。
他喜欢(在商店里)随便看看 。
And he says that browsing5 has resulted in some of his best purchases.
他说,通过(在商店里)随便看看,他买到了一些最划算的东西。
Well, he calls it browsing.
他称之为(在商店里)随便看看 。
Corrine calls it dawdling6, or wasting time.
科瑞恩称之为磨蹭,或者说是在浪费时间。
And that is where their problems started.
这就是他们的问题开始的地方。
The two had decided they would have a party.
两人已经决定要开个派对。
They had to shop to buy party equipment, like pretty dishes and tablecloths7.
他们不得不去商店买派对用品,比如漂亮的盘子和桌布。
They also needed to buy flowers, balloons and other decorations.
他们还需要购买鲜花、气球和其他装饰品。
This meant going to several stores.
这意味着要去几家商店。
Caleb wanted to browse to help him get ideas for the party.
凯莱布想(在商店里)随便看看,帮他找到派对的点子。
Corrine just wanted to buy what they needed and leave.
科瑞恩只想买下他们需要的东西然后离开。
It was not going well.
事情进行得并不顺利。
Finally, when Caleb lingered8 too long again at a window display, Corrine said, "Can you please stop dillydallying.
最后,当凯莱布再次在橱窗陈列前逗留太久时,科瑞恩说:“你能不能别再磨蹭了。
You've been lollygagging this whole time and I just want to go home!"
你一直在闲逛,我只想回家!”
Caleb turned to her and said, "I am not dillydallying.
凯莱布转身对她说:“我不是在磨蹭。
Nor am I lollygagging.
我也不是在闲逛。
This is how I shop.
我就是这样购物的。
If you feel like this is wasting time, then you can go home."
如果你觉得这是在浪费时间,那你就回家吧。”
Corrine thought about it and said, "That is the best idea I have heard all day!"
科瑞恩想了想说:“这是我一整天听到的最好的主意!”
While Caleb shopped, Corrine could start making food for the party.
当凯莱布购物时,科瑞恩可以开始为派对做饭。
It was a good idea to separate and do different tasks.
分开做不同的任务是个好主意。
The party was a success, and their friendship survived.
派对很成功,他们的友谊得以延续。
Now, back to our words: Lollygag and dillydally.
现在,回到我们的词汇:lollygag和dillydally。
They are funny sounding words.
它们听起来很有趣。
People who fool around during tasks can be said to "lollygag."
在任务期间闲逛的人可以说是“lollygag”。
People who "dillydally" move or act slowly.
磨蹭的人行动缓慢。
And as we said earlier, these words also mean "dawdle10."
就像我们前面说的,这些词也有“游手好闲”的意思。
Lollygaggers, dillydalliers, and dawdlers all waste time.
闲逛的人、磨蹭的人和游手好闲的人都是在浪费时间。
We usually use these words to describe people who move or act slowly to avoid doing something unpleasant.
我们通常用这些词来形容那些为了避免做令人不快的事情而行动迟缓的人。
Here's another example.
以下是另一个例子。
A parent might accuse their child of lollygagging on their way to school.
家长可能会指责他们的孩子在上学的路上闲逛。
Or a teacher might accuse a student of dillydallying before starting a test or homework.
或者老师可能会指责学生在开始考试或做作业之前磨洋工。
有时我们只是说“dally”。
So, a parent could warn a child, "Don't dally at the playground after school. Come straight home!"
因此,家长可以警告孩子:“放学后不要在操场上闲逛。直接回家!”
Although, that usage11 is a little less common.
不过,这个用法不太常见。
And please note when you say someone is dillydallying or lollygagging, as Corrine did with Caleb, they might take offense12.
请注意,当你说某人在磨蹭或闲逛,就像科瑞恩对凯莱布所做的那样,他们可能会生气。
And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。下次见…… 我是安娜·马特奥。
1 learning | |
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词 | |
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2 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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3 linger | |
vt.消磨,无所事事;vi.逗留,消磨,徘徊,漫步 | |
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4 browse | |
vi.随意翻阅,浏览;(牛、羊等)吃草 | |
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5 browsing | |
v.吃草( browse的现在分词 );随意翻阅;(在商店里)随便看看;(在计算机上)浏览信息 | |
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6 dawdling | |
adj.闲逛的,懒散的v.混(时间)( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
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7 tablecloths | |
n.桌布,台布( tablecloth的名词复数 ) | |
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8 lingered | |
v.逗留( linger的过去式和过去分词 );缓慢消失;苟延残喘;持续看(或思考) | |
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9 dally | |
v.荒废(时日),调情 | |
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10 dawdle | |
vi.浪费时间;闲荡 | |
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11 usage | |
n.惯用法,使用,用法 | |
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12 offense | |
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪 | |
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