VOA流行美语 Unit 54: PAIN IN THE NECK, HAVE HAD IT

pain in the neck

to have had it

今天Michael会教李华两个常用语：pain in the neck和to have had it。

M:

Hello? I'm sorry. I'm not interested. No. No thank you. Look, I said I am not interested! (sound of phone hanging up)

L: Michael，是谁打来的电话，让你这么生气啊？

M: That was someone who wanted to sell me a magazine subscription over the phone. Those people are such a pain in the neck!

L: 嗯，我也不喜欢别人在电话里跟我推销东西。可是你叫他们什么？A pain in the neck？

M: That's right. Pain. A pain in the neck is something that is just very very annoying.

L: 噢，我明白了,"a pain in the neck"就是指讨厌到了极点。

M: Exactly. I can't stand telemarketers. When I get home and finally sit down, they always call. What a pain!

L: 那是真的很讨厌。哎,"a pain in the neck"是不是只能形容人呢？

M: Not always. Things or situations can be a "pain in the neck".

L: 噢, 所以，"a pain in the neck"还可以拿来指某样东西，或者是某种处境。那我可不可以说"It is such a pain in the neck when the electricity goes out"?

M: You've got it! And it really was a pain in the neck, too! I couldn't do anything last week when we had the blackout. I couldn't cook, couldn't watch TV......

L: 哎哟，不能看电视算得上什么"pain in the neck"。那天我开车回家，马路上连红绿灯都坏了，那才叫不方便呢。

M: Yeah, well that's all over now. Oh man! It's my neighbor again! He always plays his drums in the evening. It's such a pain in the neck.

L: 原来是你的邻居，他又在练习打鼓啊。唉，我也有个讨厌的邻居，她那只狗总是叫个不停，有时候晚上睡着了又给那狗吵醒了。真是个"pain in the neck"。

M: Yeah, well if it's that bad, why don't you ask your neighbor to do something about it.

L: 有啊。可是她不但不改，还和我们耍态度呢。这个人啊，也是个"pain in the neck"。

M: I guess the only thing worse than telemarketers are noisy neighbors.

******

M: I have had it! That guy has got to stop doing this.....I've got to call him.

L: 等等，Michael，你说"I have had it"，那是什么意思啊？

M: It means that I am so annoyed by something that I cannot stand it any longer.

L: 噢,"I have had it"就是你再也无法忍受了，是不是？

M: That's right. When we say "I have had it," we just mean that we have been dealing with the problem for a long time, and can't stand it any longer.

L: 哎，Michael，这次让我来接。(Speaking to phone in English) Hello? No, sorry, I'm not interested. No, I'm not the lady of the house. Listen, we've had it with you telemarketers! Leave us alone! (hangs up loudly)

M: Wow, looks like you learned this phrase quickly. Don't you think you were a bit rude with them?

L: 什么？你说我粗鲁？哎呀，我真是受不了你。你这个人啊，就是没有魄力，什么事也做不成。你讨厌谁就直接告诉他嘛。还有啊，为什么你不敢理直气壮告诉你的邻居他打鼓的声音太吵了。光坐在那儿抱怨有什么用吗？

M: Alright then, I've really had it with my neighbor. I'm going to do something about it this time.

L: (Mocking tone of voice) 哟，Michael，这回来真的啦。你要做什么，打电话向你妈咪诉苦吗？

M: I've had it with you too, Li Hua. You always laugh at me. You can be such a pain in the neck!

L: 哎呀，Michael，对不起嘛。我不是故意要气你的啦！不过你说的也没错，有的时候我还真的是"pain in the neck"。

M: No.....no. You're not really a pain in the neck. The noise is just making me crazy. I'm going to call that guy and tell him to stop.

今天李华学的两个常用语都和人的情绪有关，pain in the neck是讨厌到了极点，to have had it是再也无法忍受下去了。