情景对话：

A: I find Tom is a little slow in the uptake.

我发现汤姆反应有点迟钝。

B: Why do you say that?

为什么这样说呢？

A: I have explained the same question several times, but he just couldn't understand.

同一个问题我给他解释好几遍，可他就是理解不了。

词海拾贝：

slow in the uptake：理解得慢，反应慢，领会得慢

e.g. I must be slow in the uptake: country folk's brains don't work as fast as yours.

我的脑筋笨，乡下人的脑筋没有你们那样灵活。（现代小说）

e.g. Robert is so slow in the uptake because you have to tell him everything ten times before he gets it right.

罗伯特领会得很慢，你得每件事给他讲１０遍，他才能搞清楚。