(单词翻译:单击)
美语故事
作者：阎成席
You are lending an earto me in class, but you'd better zero in onthe topics in our discussion.
课堂上你们认真听我讲课，但也要将注意力集中在讨论的话题上。
【Martin's Note】
No doubt, listening is a good way to learn. Many students, however, are not all ears to their teachers in class or they don't lend an ear to their teacher, so as a result, they don't really know what the teacher is focusing on in the class.
毫无疑问，倾听是一种好的学习方法。然而，许多学生并没有全神贯注地听老师的讲课，或者说，他们并没有认真听讲，结果他们真的搞不懂老师在课堂的教授要点。
[1] All students in the English Department gathered together in the auditorium, having a series of lecture given by Martin, who would like to systematically introduce the students the American culture so that the students could be fully immersed into the pure American English atmosphere.
[1] 英语系的全体学生都集合在大礼堂听系列讲座，马丁想向他们系统地介绍美国文化，这样他们都会完全融入纯英语的环境中。
[2] At the very beginning, the students seemed to have strong interest in such a lecture, and tried to follow Martin by lending an ear to him and busying themselves in taking notes. At this, Martin was really in a cheerful mood. He kept talking on that way for an entire hour. All of a sudden, he stopped and looked around at the students.
[2]一开始，学生们好像这这种讲座很感兴趣，认真听马丁讲演，还忙着做笔记，看到这些，马丁别提有多高兴了。他就这样讲了一个整小时。突然间，他停下来，张望着学生们
[3] A few moments later, he continued, "Hey, you guys! You are fascinated by my lecture today. Hopefully, my series of lectures may bring you home to the American culture, so you can be fully exposed toit and can have fewer problems while you stay with native speakers. However, I will give you some time for a free talk. Would you like to ask me any questions? And that I can know what you are really interested in. Now
here we go! Your questions, please. Here are some topics available on the screen. Please focus on one of the topics you'd like to talk about."
[3] 不一会儿，他又接着说，“嘿，同学们！今天我的讲座你们听得很着迷呀。我倒是希望我的系列讲座能让大家彻底了解美国文化，同时你们能够完全融入我们的文化，这样你们和我们老外呆在一起问题就少了许多。不过，我要给你们点时间，自由交流一下。你们想问我问题吗？这样，我就知道你们对什么更感兴趣。好了，请问吧！请提出问题呀！屏幕上有我准备好的几个话题。请选一个你喜欢的话题。”
[4] After quite a while, the students remained silent, none of whom rose to talk about the topics. Martin shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly, "You are lending an ear to me in class, but you'd better zero in on the topics in our discussion."
[4]过了好一阵子，学生们还是默不吭声，没有人站起来就这些话题发表自己的看法。马丁耸耸肩，无可奈何地说，“课堂上你们认真听我讲课，但也要将注意力集中在我们课堂讨论的话题上。”
指点迷津
1.lend an ear (to sb/sth):listen patiently and sympathetically (to sb/sth) 耐心而同情地听着（某人的话[某事物]）;[亦作lend one's ears to: 倾听,听;注意]
Lend an ear to him. It seems that he knows the whole story.仔细听他讲, 他似乎知道全部内情。
If you would lend an ear for a couple of minutes you might learn something to your advantage.要是你愿意认真听几分钟的话，你可能会学到一些对你有用的东西。
2.zero in on:give it your full attention全神贯注于（问题或主题）
The senate zero in on the Latin-American problem. 参议院集中注意拉丁美洲问题。
With his usual skill, the chairman zeroed in on the most delicate subject of our meeting.主席以其惯用的技巧，把注意力集中到了会议最微妙的题目上。
3.be all ears 全神贯注地听
The children were all ears when Granny told them stories. 奶奶讲故事的时候，孩子们都全神贯注地听着。
4.in a cheerful mood:in high glee=in high spirits=in a good humor 很高兴；心情好
Interact with her when she's in a good mood, and give her space when she's not. 她心情好的时候，就和她交流；她心情不好的时候，要给她空间。
Keeping in a good humor is very important for your health. 保持好心情对你的健康很重要。
5.busy oneself with:be busy doing 忙于(忙着)
The mother is busy cooking in the kitchen while the girl busies herself with her homework (is busy with her homework/is busying in doing her homework). 妈妈正在厨房忙着做饭，而女儿也在忙着做家庭作业。
be exposed to:be fully immersed in 沉浸于；沉溺于
1)The professor is deeply exposed to (immersed in) a book, forgetting his meeting at this moment.
教授专心读着一本书，连这会儿的会议都忘记了。
2)Foreign experts propose that Chinese English learners should be fully exposed to the pure English environment. Only in this way can they master English.
外国专家提议，中国的英语学习者应该置身纯英语环境，只有这样他们才能学好英语。
