Modern English 洋话连篇（九十一）

　　Michael和李华这两个大学生，一个讲英文，一个讲中文，旁边的人听起来很奇怪，可是他们俩已经习惯了。今天他们来到中央公园，李华会学到两个常用语：pig out和bigmouth。

　　L: Michael,感恩节你过得好吗？

　　M: It was good to be with my family, but I was disappointed¹ that you couldn't be there.

　　L:我知道，跟家人在一起总是高兴的事。谢谢你邀请我，但是我早就答应了另一个朋友，所以没法去你家，明年我一定去你家。

　　M: Ok, well. It was a great meal, we all pigged out.

　　L:你们感恩节吃猪肉呀？我还以为感恩节都是吃火鸡呢。

　　M: Yeah, most people do have turkey. Pig out means² to eat a large amount of food, not that we actually ate pig.

　　L:噢，pig out就是吃好多东西，不是指吃猪肉呀？

　　M: Yes, pigs eat a lot and that's where the expression pig out comes from. I did eat like a pig on Thanksgiving.

　　L:我猜也是，pig out肯定是因为猪吃好多东西而形成的常用语。Michael，我看你呀，不仅是感恩节，你平时就吃好多。上星期，你每天晚上都吃得象头猪一样。

　　M: Um, I certainly did.

　　L: Pig out这个说法只能指吃东西啊？能不能用在别的地方？

　　M: No, not really. But don't forget that when you use it in the past tense, pig out should be pigged out.

　　L:那是过去时态，要是说你到了圣诞节假日又要大吃大喝了，那该怎么说？

　　M: You will pig out during the Christmas holidays.

　　L:嗨，我是在说你，我才不会吃那么多东西呢！

　　Michael,是不是每年都有这么多人来中央公园滑冰？

　　M: Yes, it's free. My friend Josh said he would be coming to ice-skate with his girlfriend Emily today. Oh, By the way, Li Hua, did you tell Simon that Josh and Emily are getting married soon? I just need...

　　L:是，那天我不小心告诉了Simon。我知道Josh和Emily现在还不想公开他们准备结婚的计划，不过我真不是故意的。

　　M: Geez, Li Hua, you have such a bigmouth!

　　L:你生气了？肯定是骂我。说我是bigmouth，大嘴巴！你是说我吃很多东西吗？

　　M: No, I'm saying you talk a lot about other people's business!

　　L:噢，你不是说我嘴巴大，而是说我多嘴，爱嚼舌头，谈论别人。

　　M: That makes you a bigmouth.

　　L:我们女孩子都喜欢谈论别人。不过，Michael，我从来没在书上看到过这个词，是不是一般在口语里用？

　　M: Yes, it is usually used in informal³ speech.

　　L: Michael，我真不应该那么多嘴，把Josh和Emily准备结婚的事告诉别人。

　　M: Well, don't worry about it. I tend to pig out and you're a bigmouth. Everyone has their faults.

　　L:哟，你倒是想得开，人人有缺点，你爱象猪那样吃，我爱谈论别人。这样就好象什么事也没了！

　　M: Just don't be a person who eats like a pig and also is a bigmouth.

　　L:对，这两个缺点都有那就糟了。走吧，该会学校去念书了。

　　今天Michael和李华在纽约中央公园，一面看许多人滑冰，一面聊天。李华从Michael那儿学到了两个常用语，一个是pig out，就是吃很多东西的意思；另一个是bigmouth，就是多嘴的人。

1 disappointed   

adj.失望的，不满意的，不如意的

参考例句：

• He seemed disappointed when the man refused his request.当那个人拒绝了他的要求时他看起来很失望。
• He was disappointed so often that he became hopeless.他屡次失望，以致变为了绝望。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 informal   

adj.非正式的，不拘礼的，通俗的

参考例句：

• I got an informal reception.我受到了非正式接待。
• The leaders met over informal lunches.领袖们在非正式午餐时进行会晤。