今天Larry和Li Hua一边开车一边在车上听广播,Li Hua会学到两个常用语:come clean和no sweat。
LL: Hey, Li Hua, did you hear that? The president of that corporation finally came clean about stealing several million dollars.
LH: 什么什么?我刚才没注意听,你说那个公司总裁怎么啦?他来上班的时候干干净净?这和偷几百万美元有什么关系呀?
LL: No, I said, “He finally came clean about stealing several million dollars.” It means “He finally admitted he stole several million dollars.” To come clean about something is to admit to it.
LH: 噢,to come clean about something 原来就是“坦白承认”。你刚才是说那个公司总裁最后终于承认他偷了几百万美元。这么说,Larry, 要是我做错了事,然后承认做错了,那我就是come clean 喽?
LL: That’s right. If you cheat on a test and then tell the professor because you feel guilty, then you are coming clean about your mistake.
LH: Hey, Larry, 你可别瞎说,我考试从来不作弊,心里没鬼,更不用去教授那儿认错。你刚才闯了红灯,我看呐,你还是干脆承认你的开车技术不怎么样吧!
LL: What? You want me to come clean about my bad driving? What stop light? There wasn’t a stop light. Don’t tease me like that.
LH: 我知道没有红绿灯,我只不过是逗你玩儿呢!
LL: Speaking of coming clean about things, did your roommate ever come clean about stealing your CD?
LH: 没有!我那个同屋偷了我的CD死活都不承认,可是我敢肯定是她偷的。
LL: How do you know?
LH: 有一天我看见她的CD夹子在桌上开着,我那张CD明明就在里面。
LL: Well, if she’s not going to come clean about it, then maybe you should just take it back.
LH: 那可不行,她不愿意承认是她的问题,我可不想乱翻她的东西。
LL: Then you really need to find a new roommate. You should just come clean and admit that you made a mistake when you moved in with her.
LH: 你说得对,Larry,我真该换个同屋,早知道这样,一开始就不该和这个人搬到一起。
LH: 哎哟,Larry, 你刚才拐弯的时候开这么快,我把可乐撒在车座上,把你的车给弄脏了。
LL: No sweat. I’ll stop at that gas station and we can get some stuff to clean it up.
LH: 那我们赶紧开到前面那个加油站擦擦干净吧!可是你还说 – No sweat – 别出汗?噢,你的意思是让我别着急,是不是?
LL: That’s right! No sweat means “don’t worry about it” or “it’s okay.” Don’t worry about the coke. We can clean it up.
LH: 你以前还教过我一个类似的短语,是Don’t sweat it! 也是“别担心,别着急”的意思。除了可以说Don’t sweat it, 也可以说No sweat。可是,Larry, 我还是挺不安的,你看我撒了这么多可乐,这能擦干净吗?
LL: As I said, no sweat. The seats are leather, so they are really easy to clean.
LH: 噢,这种皮制的车座很容易擦干净啊?这我就放心了。哎,Larry, 你能不能再给我举个 no sweat 的例子?
LL: Well, if someone accidentally bumps into you in the hallway and they say, “sorry,” you can tell them, “no sweat.”
LH: 嗯,要是有人在楼道里不小心撞到我,他如果说sorry, 我就可以说,No sweat! 也就是没关系的意思。Larry, 昨天我和一个朋友约好一起吃午饭,可是他没来。我估计是忘了,我下次见到他能不能也对他说No sweat呢?
LL: Well, personally, that would upset me, but if he comes clean about the fact that he has forgotten to meet you, then you can tell him no sweat.
LH: 对,让我白等是挺让人恼火的。你说得对,要是他承认是把约会给忘了,那我就会告诉他 No sweat – Don’t worry about it 。
今天李华从Larry那儿学到了两个常用语。一个是come clean, 意思是“坦白承认”。另一个常用语是 no sweat, 意思是“别着急,别担心”。