姐弟對話篇

美玉跟阿明是姐弟。美玉比阿明大四歲,已經在一家公司上班兩年了,阿明則是大三學生。他們姐弟感情很好,常在一起聊天。美玉三不五時地會給阿明一些日常生活上的忠告,阿明也會跟美玉談他的朋友阿堂和同學阿中的情形。讓我們看看他們姐弟日常的對話吧!

a piece of cake

好簡單

A-ming: We had an English test this morning.

阿明:我們今天早上考了英語。

Mei-yu: Was it hard?

美玉:它難嗎?

A-ming: No, it was a piece of cake!

阿明:不,它好簡單喔!

better late than never

寧遲勿缺;亡羊補牢猶未晚矣!

A-ming: Oh, no! I forgot to turn in my paper on French history.

阿明:噢,糟了!我忘了把有關法國歷史的報告交出去。

Mei-yu: Turn it in today then. Better late than never.

美玉:今天交出去嘛。遲交總比不交好。

be broke

身無分文;破產了

Mei-yu: Do you want to go shopping tonight?

美玉:你今晚想去「血拼」(購物)嗎?

A-ming: I can’t! I’m broke.

阿明:我沒辦法去!我一點錢都沒有了。

be chicken

膽小的

A-ming: I really like that girl in my French class! I think she’s sweet and smart.

阿明:我真的喜歡我法文班上那個女孩!我覺得她又甜又聰明。

Mei-yu: You’ve been saying that for weeks. Don’t be chicken. Ask her out!

美玉:你已經這麼講了幾個禮拜了。不要這麼膽小。約她出去啊!

couch potato

成天躺著或坐在沙發上看電視的人

Mei-yu: You are such a couch potato on weekends!

美玉:你一到週末就整天躺著看電視!

A-ming: At least I’m only one on weekends!

阿明:起碼我只有周末才如此!

down the line

將來

Mei-yu: Do you know what you want to be?

美玉:你知道你要做哪一行業嗎?

A-ming: No idea! But I’m sure I’ll think of something somewhere down the line.

阿明:不知道!不過我肯定將來哪一天我就會知道了。

The early bird gets the worm

早起的鳥兒有虫吃;捷足先登

Mei-yu: You shouldn’t get up so late. "The early bird gets the worm," remember?

美玉:你不應這麼晚起床。「早起的鳥兒有虫吃」,記得嗎?

A-ming: Yeah, but the early worm gets eaten!

阿明:是喔,可是早起的虫兒被鳥吃啊!

easier said than done

說來容易做來難;談何容易

Mei-yu: You can get straight A’s. You just have to study harder!

美玉:你可以每科都拿A。你只要再用功點就行了!

A-ming: (Sigh) It’s easier said than done!

阿明:唉,談何容易啊!

eat one’s words

承認自己的話是錯了

Mei-yu: You told me yesterday it would rain for sure today. Look at the bright sun outside!

美玉:你昨天跟我說今天鐵定會下雨。看外邊的大太陽!

A-ming: Well, I guess I have to eat my words.

阿明:哦,我想我得承認自己說錯了。

Every cloud has a silver lining

每片烏雲都有銀色的襯裡;凡事總有光明的一面;不幸之中常帶有一線希望的曙光;塞翁失馬、焉知非福

A-ming: What am I going to do? My girlfriend has left me again!

阿明:我怎麼辦?我的女朋友又離開我了!

Mei-yu: Every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe you two are not meant to be together.

美玉:凡事總有好的一面。也許你們兩個本就不應該在一起。

forgive and forget

原諒與遺忘;不念舊惡

A-ming: I’m still mad at you for damaging my airplane model!

阿明:你把我的飛機模型弄壞,我還在生你的氣!

Mei-yu: But it was an accident and I already apologized! Can’t you forgive and forget?

美玉:可是那是個意外而我也道過歉了!難道你不能原諒我、把這件事情忘記嗎?

get along

和睦相處

A-ming: I wish everybody could get along with everybody!

阿明:我真希望大家都能和睦相處!

Mei-yu: That would be great! Then we wouldn’t have any fights or wars.

美玉:那就太棒了!我們就不會有打鬥或戰爭了。

give someone a hand

幫助某人

A-ming: We’ve been here for three hours. Are you trying to buy the whole store?

阿明:我們已經在這裡三個鐘頭了。你是想把整個店都買下來嗎?

Mei-yu: Oh, quit complaining! Just give me a hand with these bags!

美玉:噢,少抱怨!你只要幫我提這些袋子就好!

hands down

輕而易舉地

Mei-yu: How did the basketball game with the other department go?

美玉:你們跟別系的籃球賽比的結果如何?

A-ming: Oh, we won the game hands down.

阿明:喔,我們輕輕鬆鬆就贏了。

keep an eye on

注意

Mei-yu: Can you keep an eye on my bags while I go to the restroom?

美玉:你能不能在我去洗手間時幫我看著購物袋子?

A-ming: Sure.

阿明:好啊。

kill time

消磨時間

Mei-yu: How do you kill time between classes?

美玉:你在兩堂課中間怎麼打發時間的?

A-ming: I usually go to the Student Center.

阿明:我通常會去學生中心。

lay off

解僱,尤指暫時性的

Mei-yu: Today my company announced that they’ll lay off some workers starting next week. But my boss said our group needn’t worry.

美玉:我公司今天宣佈下禮拜開始要解僱一些員工。不過我老闆説我們這組不用擔心。

A-ming: I’m so happy for you! But I’m sad for those workers who are being laid off.

阿明:我好為妳高興!可是我為那些要被解僱的員工難過。

make ends meet

收支相抵;量入為出

A-ming: Can I borrow some money?

阿明:借點錢給我好嗎?

Mei-yu: I just gave you some two days ago! You need to learn how to make ends meet.

美玉:我前兩天才給過你錢!你應該要學習如何量入為出。

out of the blue

出乎意料之外

A-ming: A-ton told me out of the blue today that he’s getting engaged. I didn’t even know he had a girlfriend!

阿明:阿堂今天突如其然地跟我說他要訂婚了。我甚至不知道他有個女朋友!

Mei-yu: Wow, what a surprise! Who is she?

美玉:哇塞,真是個意外!她是誰?

pull one’s leg

同某人開玩笑

A-ming: When A-ton told me yesterday that he was getting engaged, I thought he was pulling my leg.

阿明:昨天阿堂跟我說他要訂婚的時候,我還以為他在跟我開玩笑。

Mei-yu: Yeah. When you told me the news, I thought you were pulling my leg!

美玉:是啊。當你跟我講這個新聞的時候,我還以為是你在跟我開玩笑呢!

put yourself in someone’s shoes

將心比心;設身處地為別人著想

A-ming: I don’t think A-chung is very friendly. He hardly ever hangs out with us!

阿明:我不認為阿中很友善。他很少跟我們大家在一起!

Mei-yu: Hey, try to put yourself in his shoes! If you have to work after school, you won’t have time to hang out either.

美玉:嘿,試著設身處地為他著想!如果你在下課以後需要工作的話,你也不會有時間跟大家混。

rain cats and dogs

下傾盆大雨

Mei-yu: Are you going out? It’s raining cats and dogs.

美玉:你要出門嗎?在下傾盆大雨呢。

A-ming: Well, I have to go to the library to return some books.

阿明:嗯,我得去圖書館還些書。

read between the lines

言外之意

A-ming: If I read between the lines, I’d say A-ton is not too happy about his fiancée.

阿明: 如果我去領會言外之意的話,我會說阿堂對她未婚妻不是很滿意。

Mei-yu: Are you sure? Maybe you’re reading too much between the lines!

美玉:你確定嗎?也許你是領會過頭了!

ring a bell

記得;靈光一閃想起

A-ming: Do you know the girl named Hui-ching?

阿明:你知道惠青這個女孩嗎?

Mei-yu: The name rings a bell. What about her?

美玉:這個名字我聽過。她怎樣?

so far so good

到目前為止一切順利

Mei-yu: How are your final exams?

美玉:你的期末考如何?

A-ming: So far so good, but I have two more exams tomorrow. They’re the hard ones.

阿明:到目前為止還不錯,可是我明天還有兩門考試。它們才是難的。

take it easy

不要緊張;放輕鬆

A-ming: I’m so nervous about today’s two exams.

阿明:我對今天的兩門考試好緊張喔。

Mei-yu: Take it easy! I’m sure you’ll be okay.

美玉:放輕鬆!我肯定你會萬事OK。

till the cows come home

很久;沒完沒了地

A-ming: Do you think Hui-ching likes me?

阿明:你想惠青喜歡我嗎?

Mei-yu: You can think about it till the cows come home, or you can just ask her!

美玉:你可以沒完沒了地想這件事情,或者你可以去問她!

up in the air

尚未決定

Mei-yu: Have you decided what you’re going to do this summer?

美玉:你決定這個暑假要做什麼了嗎?

A-ming: No, everything is still up in the air.

阿明:沒有,我還沒做任何決定。

When it rains, it pours.

不雨則已,一雨傾盆;禍不單行

Mei-yu: I heard that A-ton had a car accident last week.

美玉:我聽說阿堂上禮拜出了個車禍。

A-ming: Yeah, when it rains, it pours. His fiancée left him too!

阿明:是啊,禍不單行。他的未婚妻也離開他了。

when pigs fly

決不可能

Mei-yu: Do you think A-ton’s fiancée will take him back?

美玉:你想阿堂的未婚妻會跟他和好嗎?

A-ming: She will when pigs fly! She swore she’d rather be a nun than be his wife!

阿明:不可能的!她發誓她寧可當尼姑也不會嫁給他!

around the corner

即將發生的

Mey-yu: Hello, do you know Mother’s Day is right around the corner?

美玉:哈囉,你知道母親節就快到了嗎?

A-ming: I know. It’s in two weeks, isn’t it?

阿明:我知道啊。兩個禮拜內就到了,不是嗎?

rack one’s brain

努力地想

Mei-yu: Have you thought of what to give Mom this year?

美玉:你有想過今年要送給媽媽什麼嗎?

A-ming: I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of something for her.

阿明:我一直在絞盡腦筋想要買什麼東西送她。

chip in

共同出錢

Mei-yu: How about both of us chip in on a nice present for Mom this time?

美玉:我們兩個這一次一起出錢合送媽媽一個好禮物如何?

A-ming: Sure. Let’s do it!

阿明:好啊。我們就這麼做吧!

hold the fort

代為照料

no problem

沒問題

Mei-yu: I am going shopping. You hold the fort, okay?

美玉:我要去採購了。你顧好家,可以嗎?

A-ming: No problem.

阿明:沒問題。

beyond one’s means

付不出

Mei-yu: Look what I got for Mom! Isn’t it pretty?

美玉:看我買給媽媽的東西!是不是很漂亮?

A-ming: Wow, it really is! But I have a feeling its price is beyond my means.

阿明:哇,真的很漂亮!但是我有個感覺它的價格是我負擔不起的。

Mei-yu: Give me 500 bucks and I’ll cover the rest.

美玉:給我500元,其他的我出。

go out of one’s way

特別繞道;努力去做一件事情

count on

依賴;指望

A-ming: Thanks! You always go out of your way to help me!

阿明:謝謝!妳總是特別地在幫我!

Mei-yu: Hey, you are my little brother so you can always count on me.

美玉:嘿,你是我的弟弟,所以你永遠可以依賴我。

A-ming: Even when you’re married?

阿明:即使當妳嫁人了?

by the way

順便提起;附帶地

break up

(婚姻或男女朋友)關係中止

Mei-yu: I don’t think I’ll ever get married! By the way, how’s it going between you and Hui-ching?

美玉:我不認為我會結婚!順便問一下,你和惠青之間還好嗎?

A-ming: We broke up. She’s dating Shi-wei now.

阿明:我們吹了。她現在在跟世偉約會。

when it comes right down to it

考慮一切之後

Mei-Yu: What? Didn’t she say Shi-wei was just her best male friend?

美玉:什麼?她不是說世偉只是她最好的男性朋友嗎?

A-ming: That’s what she kept telling me before. But when it comes right down to it, her best friend became her boyfriend.

阿明:她一直都是那麼跟我說的。但是考慮一切以後,她的最好朋友變成了她的男朋友。

break someone’s heart

惹人難過

what’s done is done

最終且過去了的

Mei-yu: Are you okay? It must have broken your heart.

美玉:你還好嗎? 你的心一定是碎了。

A-ming: Well, what’s done is done. I wish them the best.

阿明:喔,事情已經過去了。我祝福他們。

at first

一開始

Mei-yu: I am glad you are so mature about the situation.

美玉:我很高興你對這種情形還蠻成熟的。

A-ming: Of course it hurt a lot at first. But, concentrating on my studies helps.

阿明:當然一開始的時候傷害很深。但是,專注在我的功課上有幫助。

just in case

以防萬一

Mei-yu: Just in case you want to talk about it, I am here.

美玉:如果你想談這件事情的話,我在這裡。

A-ming: Yeah, I know.

阿明:是的,我知道。

drive at

意指

Mei-yu: I think the reason a man and a woman are only best friends is that they can’t become a couple for some reason.

美玉:我想一個男人和一個女人為什麼只是最好的朋友,因為他們為了某種原因而無法成為一對夫妻。

A-ming: What are you driving at?

阿明:妳是什麼意思呢?

think over

深思;考慮

Mei-yu: They must like each other a lot to become best friends, right? Someone or something must have stopped them from being together.

美玉:他們一定是非常喜歡對方才會成為最好的朋友,對嗎?一定是有某人或某事阻止了他們在一起。

A-ming: HumHmm, I’ll have to think it over.

阿明:嗯,我得仔細想想。

onto something

發現一件實情

A-ming: You know what? I think you are onto something. You are so wise!

阿明:妳知道嗎?我覺得妳說的很有道理。妳真是聰明!

Mei-yu: I’m only older and more experienced.

美玉:我只是年紀大點、經驗多些而已。

take something with a grain of salt

帶著懷疑地聽

A-ming: I’ll never believe in “best male friend” again!

阿明:我永遠不會再相信什麼『最要好的男性朋友』了!

Mei-Yu: You just have to take it with a grain of salt.

美玉:你就只是要存疑罷了。

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