VOA流行美语 Unit 184:rattle on和third degree
日期:2008-09-08 11:24

(单词翻译:单击)

Larry和李华正在商量要去看哪部电影。李华想看一部新的法国片,但是Larry却想看别的电影。今天李华会学到两个常用语:rattle on和third degree

LH: Larry,我真的很想看那部法国电影嘛!

LL: I'm sorry, Li Hua, but I don't like French movies. The characters always rattle on and on about philosophy and nothing interesting ever happens.

LH: 你说法国电影怎么啦?Rattle on那是什么意思?

LL: To rattle on about something means to talk about it for a long time without really saying anything interesting or important.

LH: To rattle on就是唠叨个没完没了,可是又没说出什么有意思的,或重要的事。你说法国电影都在滔滔不绝地谈哲学,才不是这样呢!我之所以喜欢法国电影就是因为他们探讨的都是很重要的议题,而且也不是象你说的rattle on and on.

LL: I think they do.

LH: 那你喜欢看英国电影吗?我知道最近在上演一部新的英国片。

LL: Sorry, but I think British movies are the same as French movies. The characters rattle on about fashion, manners, and society and don't really do anything.

LH: 什么!你觉得英国片也经常夸夸其谈地说时装、礼貌、社会风尚,可是却没有什么行动?嗨,那你是不是只爱看武打片?

LL: No, but I do prefer a movie in which people act on their beliefs rather than just rattling on about them.

LH: 你喜欢电影里的角色要为自己的信仰努力,而不喜欢它们唠唠叨叨的空谈。那我同意!那你到底想看哪一部电影嘛?

LL: I wasn't rattling on. I was just expressing my opinion. How about this movie about the American Revolution? Is that okay with you?

LH: 那部有关美国革命的电影啊?可以啊,不过我希望电影里的人不要滔滔不绝地讲爱国主义,该不会都rattle on and on吧?

LL: Maybe a little, but there should be a lot of action, too.

******


LH: Larry,你跑哪里去了,怎么这么晚才来嘛!我买好电影票在这里等你等了20分钟了!

LL: Hey, don't give me the third degree! I'm a little late because my mom called, that's all.

LH: 原来是你妈妈打电话给你。对了,你又说我什么啦,我给你third degree?那是什么意思?

LL: To give someone the third degree means to question that person aggressively in order to get him/her to confess to something.

LH: To give someone the third degree就是盘问某人的意思。我可没有盘问你的意思。我只是等你等了很久,都快发火了嘛!

LL: Sorry. I didn't expect my mom to call. My mom gave me the third degree, too. She wanted to know why I haven't called her in such a long time.

LH: 你妈也质问你为什么这么久没打电话回家。那你是怎么跟她说的?

LL: I just told her that I've been really busy. The truth is that I avoid calling her, because every time I do call her, she gives me the third degree about something.

LH: 你也别这样,我想你妈不是真的在骂你,或生你的气;她只是很关心你,很担心你嘛!

LL: You're probably right, but sometimes she asks so many questions that it really feels like I'm getting the third degree.

LH: 如果你怕你妈问东问西的,也许你应该经常打电话给她。这样她就不会这么操心,也不会老是追问你一堆问题喽!Then she won't give you the third degree.

LL: You know, Li Hua, that's a good idea!

今天李华学到两个常用语。第一个是rattle on,这是形容唠唠叨叨,讲一些无关紧要的事情。另外一个常用语是third degree,这是有质问,盘问的意思。

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重点单词
  • revolutionn. 革命,旋转,转数
  • confessv. 承认,告白,忏悔
  • rattlevi. 嘎嘎作响,喋喋不休 vt. 使激动,使作响,急促
  • avoidvt. 避免,逃避