正文部分

Being Tidy and Messy 整洁和邋遢

A：It is beyond me how you and Oscar can be roommates. You’re very tidy and he’s, well, a slob.

我真不明白你和Oscar怎么能成为室友的。你如此整洁，而他那么邋遢。

B：It’s not always easy, but we’re making it work.

确实不容易，但是我们做到了。

A：Isn’t Oscar really messy all the time? Whenever I see him, his clothes are rumpled and his hair is unkempt.

难道Oscar不是一直很邋遢吗？我每次见到他，都是衣服皱巴巴，头发乱蓬蓬的。

B：His room is really cluttered, but he keeps the common areas in passable condition. I do have to straighten up fairly often, and I sometimes have to pick up after him, but that’s because I’m pretty nitpicky.

他的房间确实乱七八糟，但是公共区域还是可以接受的。我确实需要经常清理，有时甚至跟在他后面收拾，但那是因为我很挑剔。

A：That’s very tolerant of you.

你太宽容了。

B：Well, we have set up a system so that if things get too messy, I have some recourse.

我们制定了规章制度，如果太乱了，我有追索权。

A：Really, what’s your system?

你们的规章制度是什么呢？

B：Oscar and I agreed that every time he leaves a big mess, I can fine him.

我和Oscar一致同意，每次他把房间弄得太乱，我可以罚款。

A：That seems kind of drastic, but maybe it works for you guys.

这听上去非常严厉，不过或许对你们男孩子来说管用。

B：Yeah, it keeps the place pretty clean.

是的，这样可以让我们的房间非常整洁。

A：Still, knowing Oscar, you must have had to fine him a lot.

不过，根据我对Oscar的了解，你肯定罚了他很多次。

B：Let’s just say that my next vacation will be in Monte Carlo!

我只想说，我下一次度假想去蒙特卡罗。

重点讲解

1.beyond me 难以理解。 If something is, for example, beyond understanding or beyond belief, it is so extreme in some way that it cannot be understood or believed. 例如：

What Jock had done was beyond my comprehension...
我无法理解乔克的所作所为。

2.nitpicky 吹毛求疵的

3.straighten up 清理

We'd better straighten up the house before they get back.
我们最好在他们回来之前把房子收拾好。

4.recourse 追索权

Your only recourse is legal action.
你的唯一依靠就是诉诸法律。

5.kind of 稍微，有点儿，有几分

I'm feeling kind of tired.
我感到有点累。

6.drastic adj. 激烈的；猛烈的；（法律等）严厉的； 极端的

Our China is also undergoing rapid and drastic change.
我们中国也处在急剧的变动中间。