李華到美國來念書還不到一年,紐約有好多地方她還沒有去過。今天Michael 帶李華到一個夜總會去玩。李華有點緊張,但是她會學到兩個常用語:uptight和to get it 。
M:Hey Li Hua, why are you sitting over here next to the bar? Why don't you go out and dance?
L:我為什么坐在這里,不去跳舞?我。。。有點累。
M:Oh come on! Don't be so uptight! Everyone is having a good time except for you.
L:你說除了我,每個人都很高興?你叫我不要什么?什么是uptight?
M:I said, don't be uptight. Uptight means tense, irritable, or unable to relax.
L:Uptight 就是緊張,顯得煩躁,不能放松。Uptight 這個詞是怎么拼的?
M:Uptight, u-p-t-i-g-h-t. You really are uptight! We're at a dance club, and you're still trying to learn English!
L:在夜總會問你一個英文字就說明我情緒緊張呀?我聽不懂問你還不行嗎?
M:Hmph. You're never this uptight when you are with your Chinese friends. You're never afraid to sing karaoke, even it sounds so bad!
L:跟中國朋友在一起我當然不緊張咯,我跟他們都很熟嘛。我知道我唱卡拉OK 唱得很難聽,但是我也不怕。
M:Hmm. Sometimes if I feel a bit uptight, I have a few beers. That helps me relax.
L:Michael, 你得小心,不要在感到緊張的時候為了放松而喝酒。這樣你會越喝越多的。
M:I don't always drink when I feel uptight. Just sometimes.
L:要不是經(jīng)常的話,那還可以。不過,我現(xiàn)在。。。不想喝酒。
M:Stop being so uptight, have a drink. Come on, I'll buy you something.
L:行,行。讓我想想。。。我要一個Jack and Coke.
M:Be right back!
M:I don't get it, Li Hua. I thought You liked to dance.
L:你沒有什么?Don't get 什么?
M:I said "I don't get it". Don't - get- it. That means I don't understand.
L:噢,don't get it 就是不懂。那要是我想學什么,可是又弄不清楚,弄不懂,我就可以說:“I don't get it." 對嗎?
M:That's right! Like my dog, Ralph. I tried to teach him to sit whenever I tell him to. But he still doesn't understand me. He doesn't get it.
L:等等,你要訓練你的狗,叫它坐哪里就坐哪里,它弄不懂你的要求,這也能說:He doesn't get it.
M:Yes. If I tell you a joke, and you understand it, you can say: "I get it."
L:要是我懂你說的笑話,我可以說:“I get it." 可是,Michael, 你說的笑話,我大多數(shù)都聽不懂。
M:There you go again...you are always so uptight.
L:聽不懂你的笑話也怪我緊張呀? Michael, you don't get it, 我根本就不緊張。
M:Wait, I get it! You're being uptight because Zhao Lifeng is dancing over there. Everyone says you like him!
L:什么!說我喜歡趙立封!他在那兒跟別人跳舞,所以我就很緊張。 Michael, you really don't get it at all. 趙立封是我好朋友的男朋友,我要跟他跳舞,我的好朋友就會生氣。何況我也不喜歡他。
M:Whatever you say, Li Hua. But you still don't have to be so uptight. You can dance with me.
L:好吧,我跟你跳舞,這樣你就不會再說我uptight 了。 (dance music)
今天李華學到兩個常用語:to get it, or don't get it 意思是懂某件事,或弄不懂某件事;另一個是:uptight,也就是一個人顯得很緊張。