Michael和李华现在在商店里买东西。李华会学到两个常用语: shades和to get turned down.
L: Michael, 你在看什么?
M: I really need a new pair of sunglasses. I sat on the old ones and crushed them.
L: 你也真是的,怎么会坐在自己的太阳眼镜上呢!
M: (trying on a pair of sunglasses) Li Hua, what do you think? Do I look cool in these shades?
L: 你把太阳眼镜叫做shades? 是s-h-a-d-e这个词吗?那不是“树荫”的意思吗?
M: Shade used as plural – shades, is just another word for sunglasses. It makes sense because they shade your eyes from the sun.
L: 噢,shade用作复数,就可以指“太阳眼镜”。对,太阳眼镜把阳光给挡住了。这么说倒挺形象的。 Yes, Michael, you look very “cool” in those “shades.”
M: Thank you. Li Hua, You should try on this pair of shades. They would look pretty on you.
L: 好啊,我来试试。倒是真好看,可惜太贵了。我可舍不得花这么多钱。
M: Yes, those shades are pretty expensive. Maybe they’ll go on sale. I have to pay for my shades now.
L: 对,我还是等它减价的时候再买吧。你决定买你这副了?可要小心哟,别再把你的new shades放在椅子上给坐坏了。
M: I will be careful. Hey, Li Hua, how about this pair of shades? They are light brown instead of black.
L: 这副浅棕色的墨镜确实挺别致的,不过,我不太喜欢这个颜色。我想我还是等下次挑一副黑色的shades吧!
M: Okay, I think we need to get back to school. Don’t you have a class this afternoon?
L: 就是啊,我下午有课,我们赶快回学校吧。
L: Michael, 你看,那边走过来的不就是你喜欢的那个女生吗?你现在戴着新墨镜,样子好酷啊。还不赶快跟她说句话?
M: No, I don’t really feel like getting turned down. I’m sure she has a boyfriend anyway.
L: 哎哟,你真是的!你怎么能肯定她已经有男朋友了呢?你说什么不想被turned down?你是说,怕这个女孩的男朋友找你算帐,把你打翻在地呀?
M: No, no. “To get turned down” means to get rejected. I’m afraid of getting turned down means I’m afraid of being rejected.
L: 原来,to get turned down就是“遭到拒绝”的意思,也就是说,你想和她交往,如果她不愿意,那你就是被turned down了。你是怕遭到她的拒绝,让你下不了台呀!
M: Exactly. Nobody likes to get turned down.
L: 我也知道,谁都不想被拒绝。可是,你怎么能肯定这个女生就一定会turn you down呢?你不试一试,永远也不知道她到底是不是真的会turn you down啊!
M: You’re right. My fear of getting turned down is making it difficult to find a girlfriend. I suppose I’ll survive even if she turns me down. Maybe I’ll ask her out to coffee next time I see her.
L: 就是啊,你老怕被拒绝,怎么能找到女朋友嘛!而且,即使被turned down, 也没什么大不了的。Michael, 你要是戴着这副新买的墨镜,我肯定她不会turn you down。
M: Are you sure she won’t turn me down if I wear these shades?
L: 我肯定她不会拒绝你,可是,她要是已经有男朋友了,那我就不知道你这副新买的shades有多大威力了。
M: Ok, I’ll make sure if she has a boyfriend before I ask her out.
今天李华学到两个常用语,一个是:shades, 相当于 sunglasses, 也就是“太阳眼镜”、“墨镜”;另一个是:to get turned down, 意思是“遭到拒绝”。