潇潇语言实验室 No. 23

托福听力口语篇(2)

1. My best friend helped me choose a dissertation topic. – 我的最好的朋友帮我选了论文题目。 托福常会考一些关于学习生活的句子。写论文通常是自己选论文题目，导师同意了才可以写。 Dissertation: a long piece of writing about a subject, especially one that you write as part of a university degree- (博士学位)论文;(专题)论文。 还有一个意思差不多的词thesis， 托福也考过这个词。 Thesis: a long piece of writing about a particular subject that you do as part of an advanced university degree such as an MA or a PhD: 论文;毕业(或学位)论文e.g. Writing a thesis on dance clubs is not as strange as it seems.

2. Linda developed the film herself.－Linda自己冲洗胶卷。Develop这里不是“发展”的意思，而是“冲洗胶卷”。Film－胶卷。Develop: to make a photograph out of a photographic film, using chemicals-冲洗胶卷。 I will have the film developed tomorrow. –我明天会把胶卷拿去冲洗。I want to have this photo enlarged. – 我想把相片放大。 相片的底片叫做negative (noun)

3. Bill disliked doing the laundry. －Bill讨厌洗衣服。 很多中国学生会说，“Bill disliked washing his clothes.”这样说也可以，但是口语中 “洗衣服”常说“do the laundry”。Laundry: [uncountable] clothes, sheets etc that need to be washed or have just been washed。洗衣店有两种Laundromat和dry cleaner’s。 Laundromat是可以用水帮你洗衣服的店。我的外国朋友问我广州有没有Laundromat. 因为她没有洗衣机，冬天水很冷，不想自己用手洗衣服。 Dry cleaner’s：干洗店。 Like doing something-喜欢做某事。

I like dancing in discos.

Dislike doing something –不喜欢做某事。

Tom dislikes going to the dentist.

Hate doing something －厌恶做某事。

Paul hates having his photo taken.

Loathe/resent doing something－憎恨做某事。

I absolutely loathe traveling.

4. I had the department secretary type my term paper.－我叫系里的秘书帮我打我的学期论文。

Have sb do something. –让别人做某事， 托福常考结构。

Term paper-学期论文。在美国的大学，有些科目不进行期末考，期末交一篇学期论文就当是该科的考试。

5. Most colleges are no longer overcrowded, neither are the secondary schools. －多数大学都不再过度拥挤，中学也不是这样了。

Neither这是初中就学过的词，便是“也不”。

e.g. (1) He doesn’t like rock music, neither do I. – 他不喜欢摇滚音乐，我也不喜欢。

e.g. (2) Mary is not American, neither am I. －Mary不是美国人，我也不是。

Neither后面的动词形式取决于前面句子的动词。

6. Her face lit up when she saw him.－她见到他时马上面露喜色。

Lit up的原形是light up. 从字面理解是“亮起来”“突然有光”

If someone’s face or eyes light up, they show pleasure, excitement. 是指面露喜色或是显得兴奋。

常用搭配：Light up with joy/pride/glee.

7. After the cake had cooled, I put frosting on it.

Frosting(在糕饼上的)糖霜混合物, 英国人称为 “icing”

8. The program will be on in a quarter of an hour. －这个节目将会在15分钟后播放。 On指电视或是电台节目开播。 在【潇潇语言实验室22集】提到quarter有几个意思，这里的quarter是15分钟。

9. Judge Gray was never known for his leniency toward criminals. Gray法官向来都不是以对犯人仁慈闻名的。（言下之意，他对犯人不留情。）

Be known for/be famous for/be noted for－以。。。。。闻名

10. Mark has decided to run against Jack for treasurer. －Mark和Jack竞争财务部长的职位。

Run for a position:参加竞选一个职位。 Run against somebody for a position-和某人竞争一个职位。

e.g. Bob Dole's running for President. －Bob Dole正在竞选总统职位。

11. W: I need to make a hotel reservation for the conference. –我要给这次会议顶酒店。

Make a reservation预定，可以是在餐厅预定位置，在酒店预定房间，或是预定机票。托福常考的情形就是这几种。

M: How about having the travel agent do it? －叫旅行社帮忙预定怎么样。

How about doing something:这个句型常用来提建议。

A: I can’t decide where to eat out. －我决定不了去哪吃饭。

B: How about going to the McDonald’s? －去麦当劳怎么样？

Eat out－是指出去餐馆吃饭。

“我么今天晚上出去吃饭吧”这句话很多中国学生容易说成，“Let’s go out to eat tonight.”事实上，口语中的表达是，“Let’s eat out tonight.”

12. W: How about some more apple pie, Bob? –Bob，在再吃点苹果派吧。

M: You wouldn’t have to force me to take another helping. －你不用逼我，我也会再吃多一份的。（言下之意是这苹果派很好吃，你不用逼我，我也会自己多吃些。）

Helping：(食物的)一份,一客。

Force sb to do sth. –逼某人做某事。

13. M: I’ll have to repair this old knapsack (背包) again.

W: Will it do any good? －这有用么？ （这样做有好处么？）言下之意是她不赞成补那个背包，还不如买个新的算了。

e.g. (1) Smoking does you no good.－吸烟对你没有好处。

e.g. (2) Drinking hot milk before bed will do you good. －睡觉钱喝热牛奶对你有好处。

14. M: Would you tell Paul I’m sorry I lost his radio?－你能不能告诉Paul我很抱歉我弄丢了他的收音机。

W: Hadn’t you better tell him yourself? –你自己告诉他不是更好么？

英文中常用 You’d better do something来提建议，这里是用了这个句型的反问句型 Hadn’t you better do something?

15. W: Can you take me to the Palace Restaurant quickly? I’m ten minutes late already.

M: I don’t know. I’ll try. But with traffic this heavy, it will take at least twenty more.

With traffic this heavy –交通这么拥挤， this 在这里的是“这么,这样地”的意思。表程度。

That有类似的用法：That－那样,那么 （表程度）。

e.g. (1) Is the problem that easy?

问题有那么简单吗?

e.g. (2) Things are not that bad. －事情并没有那么糟糕。

16. W: Weren’t you nervous when the professor called on you? －教授叫你回答问题时你是不是很紧张。

M: I’ll say. I shook all over. －是的，我全身都发抖。

我们在中学课本学过call on sb.是拜访某人的意思。

call on sb：to visit someone for a short time e.g. I'd like to call on Annal while I'm in London.

但是在美式英文中，call on sb.有另外的意思：(American) to ask a person in a group of people to answer a question or to give their opinion about something －提问某人，或是叫某人发表意见。

She was afraid the teacher would call on her and she wouldn't know the answer.－她怕老师提问她时她不知道答案.

“I’ll say”是表示同意对方说的话。类似的表达方法还有：You bet/You said it/You can say that again./You hit the nail on the head. 这些句子都是表示赞成对方说的话，托福听力都考过。

17. W: Why do you always put on slippers(拖鞋) when you go into your apartment? －你进你的公寓时为什么总是穿上拖鞋。

18. M: It saves wear and tear on the carpet. －这样会减少对地毯的磨损。

wear and tear: [often + on]the damage that happens to an object or a person when they are used or when they do something －使用一样东西对这样东西产生的磨损。这个短语也可以用于人。指事情对人的损耗。

e.g. (1)She made everyone wear slippers inside the house to avoid wear and tear on the carpet. -

e.g. (2) The wear and tear of life in a busy office has taken its toll on our staff.

take a/its/their toll: to have a bad effect on someone or something －对某事产生不好的影响，尤其指身心的损耗。 Bringing up nine children had taken its toll on my mother. [often + on]The disease has taken a horrendous toll in parts of western Africa.

19. W: Which do you prefer? The striped (条纹的), the polka dot（圆点花样的） or the plaid（有格子图案的）?

M: Actually I like the solid orange best. －事实上，我最喜欢纯橙色。

solid是只有一种颜色，没有其他花纹或是图案。Solid blue-纯蓝色

20. In other words, lightening quickly heats the air and causes thunder.

In other words:换句话说

21. The radio station is going to be on around the clock. －这个电台将24小时开播。

Around the clock－24小时。托福常考短语。

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室 No.24

托福听力口语篇(3)

1. She dug up a lot of information for her geology report. －她为她的地理报告搜索到了很多资料。 dig sth up (IN******ION) phrasal verb [短语动词]to discover secret or forgotten facts by searching very carefully:通过仔细得搜索发现秘密或是被遗忘的事实。 E.g. I've been doing some research on our family history and I've dug up some interesting information.

2. You know for sure the class was canceled？－你很肯定那节课给取消了么？

Sure=certain

I don’t know for sure.－我也不太清楚。

I can’t say for sure./I can’t tell for sure.-我也说不准。

That is for sure. －那是当然的。

2. If I’d had an hour more, I would have been able to rewrite my conclusion.－如果再给我一个小时，我就会有时间重写我的结论。

这是虚拟语气，表示过去可能性，常表示遗憾或是愿望。只是对过去可能性的一种假设，但是事实上事情并没有象我们说希望的那样发生。虚拟语气是TOEFL必考的。

结构为：If I had done sth, I would have done sth.

e.g. If I had had time, I would have called you. －如果我（当时）有时间，我会打电话给你的。（事实上我当时没有时间，也没有打电话给你。）

3. Carol tried out for the university band.

try out (American) [usually + for]to compete for a position in a sports team or a part in a play by playing or performing in front of other people: 为了加入一个运动团队，或是参加戏剧演出等进行的面试和选拔。

e.g. Mark's trying out for the college football team. –Mark正在参加大学足球队的选拔。

4. Little children occasionally like to make fun of others. －小孩子偶尔喜欢作弄别人

Make fun of sb. –作弄或取笑某人

5. The performance last night received high ratings。昨天晚上的表演收视率很高。

Ratings（复数）a list of television and radio programs showing how popular they are:电视收视率或是电台收听率 e.g. (1) Advertisers are interested in ratings.-广告商对收视率感兴趣。e.g. (2) The serial has fallen in the ratings this week.－这部连续剧本周底收视率下降。

Rate(verb) ： to judge the value or character of someone or something: 对…评价,估价 She is rated very highly by the people she works for.－她的雇主对她评价很高。

Highly rated －收到很高评价的

Over-rated –收到过高的评价，受到过分吹捧的。

This movie is over-rated. －这部电影受到过分吹捧的。

First rate/second rate/third rate －一流的/二流的/三流的

A first rate hotel –一流的酒店

6. George isn’t going to enroll in that course, if he can help it.

“Enroll in a course” －报读一个课程。

If he can help it－这里是指如果他有选择的话。

7. Why is Alex applying for financial aid?

Apply for sth.－申请（助学金、奖学金、工作等）很多写作的时候很容易漏掉for。

8. What I want to know is what time they serve breakfast. －我想知道他们什么时候供应早餐。

Serve: to give someone food or drink as part of a meal:供应食物或是饮料。

9. Would you call a taxi to take me to the bus station?

Call a taxi =call a cab

"calling a cab" is phoning for a taxi.－打电话叫一部的士

“hailing a taxi” is you're on the street and you wave down a taxi－在街上叫一部的士。

10. It’s not for sale right now. －这个现在不出售。

Not for sale: 不出售，非卖品

on sale MAINLY US (UK USUALLY in the sale) reduced in price: 减价 Can you tell me if this dress is on sale? －你能告诉我这条裙子是不是减价出售。

11. M: I think I’ll go to a movie tonight instead of working on my paper.

W: I wouldn’t if I were in your shoes. －如果我是你的话我就不会去看电影

“Go to a movie” or “go to the movies” – 去看电影. 老美很少说“go to the cinema”

“if I were in your shoes” ="if I were in your situation/position" 如果我处于你的景况，如果我是你。

"What would YOU do, if you were in my shoes?" －如果你是我，你会怎么做？

"You'll never know how he feels until you've walked a mile in his shoes." –你穿着他的鞋子走一英里才会明白他的感受。（意思是你要处于他的景况才会明白他的感受。）

12. M: I have to phone my secretary before we leave.

W: There is not much time. Maybe you’d better get Tom to phone for you.

Get sb. to do sth. -叫别人帮你做一件事。 托福常考结构。You'd better do something－你最好干某事，提建议常用句型。

13. M: People say this summer course is very difficult.－有人说暑期课程很难。

W: I didn’t find it all that bad. －我觉得并没有那么糟糕（那么难）

Find sth. + adj. That－那么，表程度。

14. W: I understand you are taking the American literature seminar this semester. Jim, how do you like it? －我听说你这个学期在上美国文学研讨班, Jim,你觉得这个班怎么样？

M: I find it very interesting.－我觉得很有趣。

I understand (that) （正式用法）used to say that someone has told you that something is true: 有人告诉我，我听说

I understand that you'll be coming to work here soon －我听说你很快就要来这里工作。

How do you like it? 不是问“你是否喜欢” 而是问“你对这件事的看法和感觉怎么样？”当然它也含有问对方是否喜欢这样东西的意思。

I find it +adj.- 我觉得一样东西怎么样。

I find the exam difficult.-我觉得这个考试很难。

15. I have been giving it some serious thought because I am writing my seminar paper on that exact topic.－我认真地想过这个话题，因为我的研讨会的论文写的就是这个话题。

Give sth some serious thought －对。。。认真地思考过

I haven’t given it much thought. －我还没有怎么想过这事。

16. What would you say is his strongest point as a writer? －你认为他作为一个作家最强的地方是什么？

“would you say”在这里是插入语。

不要插入语原句就变为： What is his strongest point as a writer? –他作为一个作家的最强的地方是什么？

e.g. Who would you say is the best actor of the year? －你觉得今年的最佳男演员会是谁？

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室 No. 25

托福听力口语篇 (4)

1. Never before had the professor forgot to come to class. –教授从来都没有忘记来上课。

这是个倒装句型，起强调作用。正常语序应为：The professor had never forgot to come to class before.

2. If you had worked hard, you might have passed. －如果你（过去）努力学习，你很有可能通过考试。

这是个虚拟语气句子，表示过去的可能性。 常常是于事实相反的。事实上你过去没有认真学习，也没有通过考试。

If you had done sth, you might have done sth.

If you had done sth, you would have done sth.

3. What I’m going to say is rather personal, so let’s keep it between the two of us.

我要说的话是比较私人的，所以只有你我两个人知道就好了。

Personal：concerning only you, especially the private areas of your life: 私人的。

May I ask you a personal question? －我能问你一个私人问题么？

在告诉别人秘密前你也可以说“Just between you and me. ”，意思是不要让第三个人知道。

4. That’s an outright lie. －那完全是谎言。

Outright: completely:完全地。

5. There is a lot of food for thought in what he had to say. －他说了很多让人深思的话。

Food for thought: something that makes you think carefully. 让你深思的东西。

6. The concert I heard last night was nothing short of brilliant. –昨天晚上的表演很精彩。

It means that it's nothing less than brilliant, basically it's a superfluous way of saying "brilliant"－ nothing short of brilliant =brilliant，只不过是用了一种比较罗嗦的说法。

His performance on the field was nothing short of exceptional. ＝His performance on the field was exceptional. –他在场上的表现很出色。

7. I’m still having trouble getting this door to open. －我还是打不开这个门。

Have trouble doing sth. －做某事遇到麻烦和困难。

8. Are you going to take some time off for a vacation this summer?

Off: not at work, school etc because you are ill or on holiday: 由于生病或是度假不上班或不上学。

You look tired. Why don't you take tomorrow off? －你看起来很累。你不如明天请假休息吧。

Take some time off:是指休息一段时间，不工作。

I want to take two days off. –我想请两天家。

Today is my day off. －我今天休息。

We have 7 days off in a row. －我们连放7天假。 In a row –连续。

9. W: Hi Bob, can I borrow ten dollars? –我能向你借10美元么？

M: Ten dollars, do you think I’m made of money? －10美元，你以为我是钱做的。

口语中dollar又常被成为buck。

Can I borrow ten bucks?

I am not made of money =I am not rich.

英语中还有一句话：Money doesn’t grow on trees. =It’s not easy to make money.

10. My alarm clock didn’t go off, and I overslept. －我的闹钟没有响，我睡过头了。

“Go off” 是指闹钟响。Oversleep －睡过头

11. W: You’ve certainly done a lot of research for your project. –你确实为你的项目做了很多研究。

M: It seems like a lot, but actually I’ve only scratched the surface.看起来很多，但事实上我只是探讨了很表面的东西。

scratch the surface: to deal with only a very small part of a subject or a problem: 只是触及事情或问题的很小一部分。

There's far more to be said - I've only had time to scratch the surface in this talk.－要说的东西很要很多。这次讲话时间有限，我只是触及了事情的表面。

12. M: Richard seems to be really anxious these days.－Richard这些好像很焦虑。

W: I think he’s bearing up extremely well under the circumstances.－我觉得他在这种情况下的承受能力算是相当好了。

bear up （短语动词）: to deal with a very sad or difficult situation in a brave and determined way:勇敢，坚定地处理一个很悲伤或是困难的情况。

13. M: Quick, you go get the tickets while I park my car. －快，你去买票，我去停车。

W: What is the rush, the train is pulling away from the station right now.－急什么呀，火车刚刚开了。

Go get sth.－口语表达方法，正式英文的表达方法是 go to get sth.

Park (动词)：停车

“百佳”百货商店的英文名是 “PARK N’ SHOP” –意思是“停好你的车进来购物”

No parking: 不准停车

Parking lot: 停车场

What is the rush? = What’s the hurry? －急什么？

There is no rush/hurry. －不用急。

pull away (VEHICLE) If a vehicle pulls away, it starts moving:指车辆开始移动。

14. My last roll of film turned out very badly, could you please check my lens? －我的上一卷胶卷照得相片效果很差，你能不能帮我看看相机的镜头。

顺便提一下，隐形眼睛是 –Contact lens.

15. M: Have you seen Tom Smith and the Junior play?

W: Now, he has got promise.

He’s got promise =He’s promising. －他很又前途。

16. M: All these exams are driving me crazy. －这些考试都要把我逼疯了。

W: Well, why don’t you take a break and do something that will take your mind off your test. －你为什么不休息一下，干一些能让你忘记你的考试的事情。

Take a break/have a break –休息一下。

Take your mind off sth.: to make yourself stop thinking something that is worrying. –让你自己停止想有你忧心忡忡的事情。

Music takes my mind off my work. –音乐让我忘记工作（的压力）。

17. I think most of the racket ball courts are reserved for class instruction now. －我想大部分球场都给预定来上课了。

reserved: kept specially to be used by one particular person: 被预定的

I'm sorry, but this seat's reserved.－对不起，这个位置已经有人预定了。

Reserved: unwilling to express your emotions or talk about your problems: 含蓄，感情不轻易流露

Chinese are a reserved people. –中国人是一个含蓄的民族。

Make reservation－预定

Customers are advised to make seat reservations well in advance. －顾客最好提前预定位置。

18. Is 2:30 a good time for you?

Good time这里是指这个时间合适你么，和你其他活动有没有时间冲突。

所以这句话的意思是：Is 2:30 a convenient time for you?

19. It’s embarrassing to lose all the time. –老是输很没面子。

Embarrassed –感到尴尬，难为情的。

I was embarrassed by her bold questions. –她的大胆问题让我觉得很尴尬。

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室 No. 26

托福听力口语篇 (5)

1. The laboratory was colder than necessary. -这实验室太冷了。(可能指冷气温度太低，没有必要。)

Than necessary = than it is necessary=than it needs to be.

2. I let Jack borrow my notes. －我让Jack借了我的笔记。

Notes是指上课时做的笔记。Take notes－做笔记

Bank notes -钞票

3. Brian, who's a geologist, gave a talk on the formation of fossils.-Brian是一个地理学家，他对岩石的形成进行了讲话。

"give a talk on sth" -对…进行讲话

4. You may substitute another graduate level course for that one.－你可以用另外一门研究生水平的课程来代替那个课程。

Substitute (verb)代替。 这个词也可以做名词来用。

e.g. (1) Vitamin pills are no substitute for healthy eating.－维他命丸不能代替健康的饮食。

e.g. (2) The lead singer was ill and her substitute wasn't nearly as good. －主音歌手病了，代替她的人没有她那么好。

Substitute teacher－代课老师

5. Professor Dunken allows no excuses whatsoever.

Whatsoever: (adv.)used to emphasize a negative statement: 用在否定句中加强语气。

Political factors played no part whatsoever in this decision. －这个决定根本没有政治因素。

6. Jane may be resting in the lounge.－她可能在休息室休息。

Lounge用作名词是"休息室"。

Lounge (verb) spend time doing nothing: 用作动词是"无所事事"

He was just lounging around all day. -他整天都无所事事。

有一次，我看见我的美国同事和他的朋友做在楼梯上，我问他，"What are you doing here?" 他答道，"Lounging."

7. Now isn't that a terrific view?－你不觉得那景色真美么？

Terrific(口语),非常好

口语中常用来表示"非常好"的单词还有great/fabulous/awesome/superb/marvelous/fantastic/amazing

8. We should cross out the names of the people who never come.－把那些从来不来的人的名字划调。 cross sth out (短语动词)to draw a line through something you have written, usually because it is wrong:在错误的地方划一条横线。

9. There hasn't been a student like him in the department for a great many years.－系里很多年都没有想他这样的学生了。

A great many-很多

10. His architectural design broke new ground in the field.－他的建筑设计在这个领域取得了新的进展。break new ground：to do or discover something new:发现了新的东西或是取得了新的进展。

11. For another seventy-five dollars, Carl could have bought a newer model.－再多75美元，Carl就可以买一个更新的款式了。

这句话也是虚拟语气, 句型： could have done sth. －指过去有可能做某事，但是事情上并没有做。

13. The bed spreads are very cheap at Marshals.-Marshals的床单很便宜。 Marshals－商店名 bed spreads －床单

14. He won't just go to any school.－他不是随便哪间学校都愿意去。

Any这里是指随便一间学校。

有如：I'm not just anybody.－我可不是普通人。

15. M: Do you mind if I smoke?－你介意我抽烟么？

W: Please don't.－请不要抽烟。

如果不介意可以说。"Go ahead."－你请便。

17. Could you possibly give me a hand?－你能不能帮帮我？

Give sb a hand =help sb. －帮助某人

Let me give you a hand.=Let me help you.－让我帮你一把吧。

但是注意：give sb a big hand=为某人热烈鼓掌。

Let's give him a big hand.－让我们为他热烈鼓掌。

18. M: Where can I find a battery for my radio at this time of night.－在晚上这个时候去哪能给我的收音机找到电池呀？

W: Why don't you try the drug store? It's open late.－你为什么不试试药店呢？他们很晚才关门。At this time of night－在晚上这个时候，含有已经很晚的意思。

美国的drug store不是单纯的药店，它还会买一些日用品。所以在drug store能买到battery(电池)一点也不奇怪。

It's open late.是指药店开门开到很晚。

how late are you open?－你们营业到几点？

换种问法：What are your opening hours?－你们的开放时间是什么？

18. Can you get off the phone? I have to make a call.－你能不能放下电话呀？我想打个电话。

Make a phone call to sb. ＝telephone sb. －打电话给某人

19. Can't we slow down? I'm tired.－我们能不能慢一点？我很累.

Can't we do something?也是提建议的一种方式，通常有点抱怨的含义。

Slow down－放慢速度。

如果老外讲英语讲得太快，你可以说, "Can you slow down a bit? I can't quite follow you."－你能不能讲慢一点。我不太明白你得话。

21. M: Will the field trip be on Friday as originally scheduled.－实地考察还是按预定计划定在在星期五吧？W: As far as I know. －据我所知是的。

Field trip: an occasion when students go somewhere to learn about a particular subject:学生为了了解学习某个主题出外考察。

例如，为了让学生更了解地中海的地形，学校组织去地中海实地考察都可以称为field trip.这是国外大学比较时兴的教学方法。

as originally scheduled－和原来安派的时间一样。

相似的结构还有，as expected －和期望的一样。

He won the game as expected. －正如大家期望的一样，他赢得了比赛。

22. W: Let's take our suits in case the sun comes out.－让我们带上我们的游泳衣吧，以防太阳出来。M: Want to go for a swim, do you?－你想去游泳，是么？

Suits这里是指swimming suits －游泳衣

In case－because of a possibility of something happening, being needed, etc:以防一件事情会发生

I don't think I'll need any money but I'll bring some just in case.－我想我应该不需要钱，但是还是带上些钱以防万一的好。

Go for a swim=go swimming－去游泳。

23. W: I never pictured you as the outdoors type.－我从来都没有想象你会说户外型的人。

M: When you live in the mountains you learn to adapt.－当你住在山区你就会适应了

Picture （verb）to imagine something, especially by creating an image in your mind :想象,尤其是在脑海中创造一种形象

e.g. The house isn't at all how I had pictured it.－这个房子和我想象的根本不一样。

Picture… as…－把。。。想象为。。。。

e.g. Sam had pictured her as kind of serious, but she wasn't like that at all. -Sam想象她是有点严肃的人，但她根本就不是那样的人。

Type -类型。在男女关系种如果说，"He/She's not my type." 意思是"他/她不是我喜欢的类型。"

Adapt: to gradually change your behavior and attitudes so that you get used to a new situation and can deal with it successfully [+ to]: 适应

e.g.(1)The children are finding it hard to adapt to their new school.－孩子们觉得很难适应新学校。

e.g.(2)I'm finding it hard to adapt to the American culture.－我觉得很难适应美国文化。

24. Do we need to get together to plan our seminar?－我们需不需要聚在一起计划一下我们的研讨课？Seminar: a class in which a small group of students meet to study or talk about a particular subject：小班研讨课，研讨会

Get together－聚在一起，聚会。Let's get together sometime。－我们找个时间聚聚吧？

也可以做名词来用：get-together (noun): a friendly informal meeting or party: a family get-together－家庭聚会

25. M: I thought it would be fun if we all went to see that movie downtown.－我想如果我们都去市区开那部电影该多好玩呀.（这里用了过去是，虚拟语气，表示委婉的建议。）

W: Count me out. I've heard it isn't worth the money.－我可不去。我听说那部电影并不值得花钱去看。

Count me out－不要把我算进去，意思是你干什么都不要叫我，我没有兴趣

Count me in －把我算进去，我有兴趣和你们一起行动。

也可以说成："I'm in."

It's not worth the time.－不值得花这个时间。It's not worth the money.－不值得花这个钱。It's not worth the risk.－不值得冒这个险。

25. Margaret, I could use your advice.－我非常需要你的意见。

Could use （口语）f you say you could use something, you mean you would really like to have

it:－很想要： I could use a drink.－我很想喝水。

注意是用"could"

26. I've put off doing my science requirement for three years.－我想把我的科学必修课推迟三年读完。

Put off doing sth./put sth. off: [often + until]to decide or arrange to do something at a

later time: 推迟做某事。

e.g. (1)They had decided to put the wedding off until her brother came home from abroad. －他们决定把婚事推迟到她的哥哥从国外回来再说。

e.g.(2) I've put off talking to him about this for far too long.－我推迟和他谈这件事情推迟得太久了。e.g.(3) Never put off what you can do today until tomorrow.－今日事今日毕。

27. I figured, since you are doing premed, you know about the various courses. －我想既然你在都医学预科课程，你肯定了解很多课程。

Figure: （verb）informal especially American English to form a particular opinion after thinking about a situation : figure that: （非正式用法）对情况进行思考后形成的观点，想，认为，觉得

e.g. I figured that he was drunk and shouldn't be allowed to drive.－我认为他醉了，不应该让他开车。premed adjective informal （非正式）relating to classes that prepare a student for medical school, or to the students who are taking these classes: 医学预科的

a premed student －医学预科学生- premed(noun)医学预科课程

29. What you need a good introductory course for non-science majors.－你需要修一门为非理科专业学生而设的好的入门课程。

Introductory course －入门课程

Non-science majors－非理科专业的学生

Non－非 （前缀，不能单独使用）non-profit－非盈利性的

大学里的主修成为"major"，辅修是"minor"

major n.<美>[教]主修课, [律]成年人, [乐]大调adj.主修的, 成年的, 大调的，主要的vi.主修minor n. 未成年人, 副修科目adj.较小的, 次要的, 二流的, 未成年的vi.辅修n.[乐]小调, 小音阶

30. I'm really weak in math.－我的数学真的很差。

Be weak in sth. －做的不好Be good at sth.－做的好，擅长

32. I'm a little squeamish about dissecting things. －解剖东西让我觉得有点恶心。Dissect: (verb)解剖

Squeamish： （adjective）easily shocked, upset or easily made to feel sick by unpleasant

sights: 易呕吐的, 神经质的

I could never be a nurse - I'm too squeamish.－我永远都不能当护士。－我太用以恶心了。

33. It even fits in with my hobby of mountain climbing.－这甚至和我喜欢爬山的爱好相符合。

fit in with sth （短语动词）If one activity or event fits in with another, they exist or

happen together in a way that is convenient.没有冲突的。

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室 No. 27

The naked truth -赤裸裸的真理

为什么人们把"真理"称为"赤裸的真理"呢？ 原来背后还有一个寓言故事。

从前"真理"和"虚假"一起去游泳，"虚假"先出水穿了"真理"的衣服。清高的"真理"拒绝穿"虚假"的冒牌名牌衣服，很有骨气地光着身子走了。

Naked Truth -赤裸的真理

The fable （寓言） says that Truth and Falsehood wentmming; Falsehood came first out of the water, and dressed herself in Truth's garments. （衣服） Truth, unwilling to take those of Falsehood, went naked.

呵呵，"真理"和"虚假"肯定是去了 nude beach（裸泳沙滩）游泳，真前卫！

A nude model -裸体模特

A nude picture－裸照

nude scenes in a film－电影里的裸露镜头

a nude：a painting, statue etc of someone not wearing clothes －人体画；裸体雕像

naked eyes－肉眼

提起"赤裸的真理"，很自然想到钱钟书先生(Mr. Money Bell Book:) 的《围城》的鲍小姐(Ms. Abalone).

钱钟书写道，"因为真理是赤裸的，又因鲍小姐未完全暴露，也称为"局部真理" (partial truth)。 鲍小姐没有把赤裸进行到底喔。 不过我个人认为(Personally, I think), "partial truth" 比 "whole truth" 更加引人遐想。"

"Partial truth" leaves more room for imagination.

在文学史上把赤裸进行得最彻底的应该是安徒生（Hans Christian Andersen）童话 The Emperor's New Suit中臭美的皇帝，他光着身子全城跑，我都替他尴尬(embarrassed).

他光着身子- He's in the nude/He's in his birthday suit. 为什穿着birthday suit是没有穿衣服的意思呢，那是因为我们是光着身子诞生的。

"She's topless"不是她没有头的意思，而是她指她上身裸露，衣服穿得不多。

衣服穿得够多叫"decent"

Decent: wearing enough clothes so that you do not show too much of your body - used humorously. Shawshank Redemption（my favorite movie）里面的男主角在监狱里看一部电影，电影里一个男人闯进一个女人的化妆间时问了一句话，"Are you decent?" 全场哗声一片。

再说那个傻瓜皇帝光着身子跑了一天，什么好处也没有捞到。但是一个英国伯爵(earl)夫人光着身子跑一圈既干了好事又惩罚了有偷窥癖好的Tom。

传说（Legend has it that）,13世纪英国有一位伯爵夫人为了说服丈夫减免苛捐杂税答应她的丈夫光着身子骑马在全城走一圈，全城的人必须关上门窗不准偷看.偏偏有一个好色的汤姆从窗户里偷看，结果给打瞎了。自从那以后（From then on）,人们就把有偷窥癖好的男人称为 Peeping Tom. 叫Tom的男生快的改名喔！

你说这伯爵夫妇是干什么啊。又要光着身子到处跑，又要不准别人看。直接把税免了不就行了么。

英国大诗人济慈(John Keats)的《咏希腊瓮》（Ode on a Grecian Urn）有一句关于truth的话： "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

记下来可以显示自己有文化喔！ ^__^

下面是一些关于truth的短语：

in truth: in fact: 事实上

to tell (you) the truth: to be frank/frankly/honestly －老实说

当你要强调自己说的是真话时可以说 "God's (honest) truth" - the absolute truth. e.g. God's truth, I didn't do that.

美国是一个基督教国家，美元上都印着 "In God we trust."

在法庭上作证的证人（witness）在作证前通常把手放在圣经(the Bible)上，发誓自己的证词是真话。 -- "I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

下面是一个关于这个oath的笑话：

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth CLERK: Please repeat after me: "I swear by Almighty God . . ." WITNESS: "I swear by Almighty God." CLERK: "That the evidence that I give..." WITNESS: That's right. CLERK: Repeat it. WITNESS: "Repeat it." CLERK: No! Repeat what I said. WITNESS: What you said when? CLERK: "That the evidence that I give..." WITNESS: "That the evidence that I give." CLERK: "Shall be the truth and . . ." WITNESS: It will, and nothing but the truth! CLERK: Please, just repeat after me: "Shall be the truth and . . ." WITNESS: I'm not a scholar, you know. CLERK: We can appreciate that. Just repeat after me: "Shall be the truth and . . ." WITNESS: "Shall be the truth and." CLERK: Say: "Nothing...". WITNESS: Okay. (Witness remains silent.) CLERK: No! Don't say nothing. Say: "Nothing but the truth . . ." WITNESS: Yes. CLERK: Can't you say: "Nothing but the truth . . ."? WITNESS: Yes. CLERK: Well? Do so. WITNESS: You're confusing me. CLERK: Just say: "Nothing but the truth . . ." WITNESS: Is that all? CLERK: Yes. WITNESS: Okay. I understand. CLERK: Then say it. WITNESS: What? CLERK: "Nothing but the truth . . ." WITNESS: But I do! That's just it. CLERK: You must say: "Nothing but the truth . . ." WITNESS: I WILL say nothing but the truth! CLERK: Please, just repeat these four words: "Nothing", "But", "The", "Truth". WITNESS: What? You mean, like, now? CLERK: Yes! Now. Please. Just say those four words. WITNESS: "Nothing. But. The. Truth." CLERK: Thank you. WITNESS: I'm just not a scholar.

---------------------------- Yeti:

truth and beauty Hi, long time no see.

Very interesting indeed.

Just curious, is there any significace attached to the fact the falsehood comes out of the water first ? Or that is just to set up the condition for her being able to take truth's clothes.

-- Speaking of truth beauty, beauty truth. In the mid-70s, particle physicist were looking for two of the most important fundamental constituents of matter known as quarks. Of the set of quarks predicted by the Standard Model, two were still left to be found. Many physicist wanted to call them the T and B quarks : Truth and Beauty, as inspired by the Ode--a poem that probably every university student has had to study in their Eng.Lit 101. Others less romantically inclined, wanted to call them Top and Bottom quarks.

For a while, the scientific community was divided. There was no consensus of opinion. I lost track of what happened for a while, but by the mid 90s the Top and bottom gang has won out. Both of these quarks have now been found and they are called the Top and Bottom quarks.

---------------------------------

star-gazer:

This is a very well researched and written piece. Thanks, Xiao Xiao. Really enjoy reading it.

__________________

Some trivia about Lady Godiva

I once saw a painting of Lady Godiva riding naked, but I couldn't remember who painted it. Must have seen it either in Tate or the National Art Gallery.

When I was looking for it on the internet, I found this:

The Naked Truth

Staggering beneath the yoke of oppressive taxes, the medieval residents of Coventry, England, pleaded in vain for relief. Ironically, deliverance would come from the wife of the very lord who scorned their pleas. Lady Godiva repeatedly urged her husband, Leofric, to lessen the people's tax burden, and time and again he refused. Yet she persisted, and one day in exasperation he told her he would lower taxes when she rode a horse, naked, through the streets of the town at midday. When she took him at his word and set out on her famous ride, the highborn Lady Godiva became an instant heroine to the common people of Coventry.

A fascinating piece of history. But as it happens, most medieval scholars agree the ride never took place. Professor of English and American literature and language Daniel Donoghue examines the origins and cultural significance of the myth in Lady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legend (Blackwell), and offers insights into how that myth has evolved over the centuries. "The story," he notes, "was based on the life of Godifu, a real woman who lived in Coventry in the latter part of the eleventh century and was married to one of the most powerful men in England."

Contemporary historians did not consider Godifu particularly noteworthy; what little was written about her at the time mentioned her merely as the wife of a famous man. But Donoghue points out that "two centuries after her death, chroniclers in the Benedictine abbey of St. Albans inserted a fully developed narrative into their Latin histories" and the legend of Lady Godiva was born. "Nobody knows quite why the legend was invented and attached to her name," he says, "but it does seem to function as a kind of myth of origin for the town of Coventry. At the end, Count Leofric seals the agreement about taxes with his own seal."

One of the myth's most interesting subplots involves the role of "Peeping Tom," who doesn't even appear in the story until the seventeenth century. According to legend, the people of Coventry, as a gesture of respect and appreciation for Lady Godiva's actions on their behalf, stayed indoors behind shuttered windows to preserve her modesty as she passed. Everyone, that is, except Tom, whose lustful curiosity compelled him to gaze at her and who was then, according to various versions of the legend, struck either blind or dead in punishment.

"Over time, Tom would become the scapegoat and bear the symbolic guilt for people's desire to look at this naked woman," says Donoghue. Tom would also become a compelling figure for artists and authors. In A Tour Thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724-27), Daniel Defoe visited Coventry and spoke of "the poor fellow that peep'd out of the window to see her...looking out of a Garret in the High Street of the City." Tennyson's "Godiva" was a poem that, more than any other literary or historical work of its time, created a standard—and highly romanticized—version of the legend for the Victorian era. In the poem, Tom was blinded: "...but his eyes, before they had their will,/Were shrivell'd into darkness in his head,/And dropt before him. So the Powers, who wait/On noble deeds, cancell'd a sense misused;/And she, that knew not, pass'd...."

Given the sexual tension that the appearance of Tom creates between the observer and the observed, the prurient and the chaste, the punished and the rewarded, Donoghue writes, "Their pairing anticipates Sigmund Freud's clinical definitions of scopophilia and exhibitionism in terms of one another so well that he almost seems to have Peeping Tom in mind for the former and Lady Godiva for the latter. Only in recent years has Peeping Tom become extricated from the Godiva legend to the extent that it is possible to mention one without calling to mind the other."

The Godiva myth is filled with contradictions. The lady is obedient to her husband, yet boldly challenges his position on taxes. She rides naked through the streets of the city, yet remains chaste. She is a member of the ruling class who nonetheless sympathizes with the plight of ordinary people. Like other myths, this one offers ways to resolve—symbolically, at least—such conflicting social and sexual dynamics. Myths have also traditionally done what Donoghue describes as the "cultural work" of passing down history, tradition, and shared values. Now movies and television have essentially taken over that role from written and spoken tales. "One reason I decided to write this book was that the legend is dying out," says Donoghue. "Our children know about Godiva Chocolates, and they may have a visual image of a naked woman on a horse, but really know nothing about the story."

(If you go to Conventry today, you will see a statue of Lday Godiva riding naked.)

------------------------------------ Yeti:

1 , 2 ,3 1. There was a movie about Lady Godiva way back , oh, 30 or so years ago. That was the time when full frontal nudity meant you were dressed in a low-cut night gown. The gimmick for this movie was supposed tobe a "full view" of Lady Godiva riding through town. Of course, all the hot blooded male of every city poured out to see the movie. Well, were they ever disappointed. Lady Godiva was wearing nothing all right, but she had this long hair that strategically drapped over her front and she was riding side saddle away from the camera.

2. One of the most expensive chocolate is the "Lady Godiva" chocolate. My wife buys a few once in a bluemoon. The late mother-in-law of one of our friends used to be crazy about it. We use to send her a pack each year for Christmas.

3. Naked Truth: When you are naked, you are exposed to the elements. You can get cold, picked by thorns, bitten by insects.... So it is no fun to be the "naked truth." That why people do not want to hear the nake truth-- it hurts.

Even a totally uncouth, unkind, undiplomatic and heartless person like me will refrain from telling my students how bad their physics are. We usually tell them, well, you need to work a bit harder. But one thing I never did, and will never do, is to lead them down the garden path by giving them a false sense of security. -- which reminded me of a song. Will be back shortly, after I located it.

-----------------------------

"Partial truth" leaves more room for imagination. To xiao-xiao re: "Partial truth" leaves more room for imagination. For years I have been trying to locate a physics text book that I had given away. The reason for that is I wanted to copy down the first sentence in the Preface of that book. All I can remember is something like this : Physics textbook is like a woman, how do you reveal enough to catch everyone's attention and yet leaves enough for the imagination... (something like that.)

(The book is no longer in print. I can't remember who the author was either.)

-------------------------------

Continued from number 4 above. This may be a bit off topic. But hey, this is spotaneity and free association is all about. Continued from number 4 message about. Re: I never promise you a rose garden.

Here is a famous K.D.Lang song from the 70s or 80s, I am not sure when.

K.D. LANG LYRICS ROSE GARDEN LYRICS I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden Along with the sunshine There`s gonna be a little rain sometime When you take you gotta give So love and let live and let go I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden

I could promise you things Like big diamond rings But you don`t find rose growin` On stalks of clover Well, you better think it over

Well, if sweet talkin` you Could make it come true I would hand you the world right now On a silver platter But what would it matter

So smile for a while And let`s be jolly Life shouldn`t be so melancholy come and let`s share the good times While we can

I beg your pardon I never promise you a rose garden

Well, I could sing you a tune Or promise you the moon But if that`s what it takes to hold you I`d just as soon let you go But there`s one thing I want you to know

You better look before you leap Still waters run deep There won`t always be someone there To pull you out That`s just what I`m talkin` about I beg your pardon I never Promised you a rose garden

------------------------------- star-gazer:

Yeti, you are not a KD Lang fan, are you?

------------------------------

我是潇潇:

wow, thanks for the info. Looks like I have to do more research next time.

--------------------------------

I like the lyrics. Hope I can find the song.

-------------------------------- star-gazer:

That was a very, very acient song. :-) I remember I first heard it when I was still a little girl, but it was sung by a man, not the man-like KD Lang.

-----------------------

Yeti:

Rose Garden To xiao-xia Old post at HanYing with YC's translation.

http://www.bilinguist.com/data/hanying/messages/36745.html#36854

-------------------- song Me , a KD Lang fan ? Not really. I go for a song rather than a specific singer. I don't know who is the artist that made this song famous. The source I took the lyrics from attributed that to KD Lang. YC ( nudege nudge, wink wink, you know who YC is, I presume) mentioned Lynn Anderson in his translation: http://www.bilinguist.com/data/hanying/messages/36745.html#36854 I think I will port that over. Just give me a minute.

------------------------------- Old post from Han Ying

Thanks, the Yeti. Lynn Anderson's Rose Garden is one of my favorites, too. Here's my doggerel Chinese rendition of the song for fun: 作者：野草 - 2001/04/19 22:50:03 ***

ROSE GARDEN Lynn Anderson

玫瑰园之歌

I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime When you take you gotta give so live and let live and let go oh oh oh oh I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden

我拜托你啦 ， 我哪里许诺过什么玫瑰园 阳光再是灿烂 总会有时候下几滴雨点 人生有来就有往 互谅互让要想得开哎哎哎 我拜托你啦 我哪里许诺过什么玫瑰园

I could promise you things like big diamond rings But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover So you better think it over When it's sweet talking you could make it come true I would give you the world right now on a silver platter But what would it matter So smile for a while and let's be jolly love shouldn't be so melancholy Come along and share the good times while we can

一口答应给你钻石戒指有多难 可你知道玫瑰不会长在苜蓿上 你呀最好认真想想 要是你能让漂亮空话耍成真 我把全世界马上给你银盘儿端上 可惜一点没用 还是笑一笑吧，高高兴兴 爱不该那么抑郁忧伤 快来吧，能痛快何不痛快乐一场

I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden

我拜托你啦 我哪里许诺过什么玫瑰园 阳光再是灿烂 总会有时候下几滴雨点 我拜托你啦 我哪里许诺过什么玫瑰园

I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon But if that's what it takes to hold you I'd just as soon let you go But there's one thing I want you to know You'd better look before you leap still waters run deep And there won't always be someone there to pull you out And you know what I'm talking about So smile for a while and let's be jolly love shouldn't be so melancholy Come along and share the good times while we can

我会哼个小调给你许个月亮 如果这样你就爱我 我不如让你滚蛋 不过有一点你得明白 一定要三思后行静流水才深 别以为总会有谁来舍己救美人 反正你知道我挺认真 还是笑一笑吧，高高兴兴 爱不该那么抑郁忧伤 快来吧，能痛快何不痛快乐一场

I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime.....

我拜托你啦 我哪里许诺过什么玫瑰园 阳光再是灿烂 总会有时候下几滴雨点 ......

(草译于2002.04.19 谢雪人兄)

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室No.28

有一首关于“第二小提琴手”的歌，里面有好几个idioms和谚语。

Second Fiddle By Kay Starr

I was playing second fiddle I was caught in a losing romance You were also second fiddle You, too, played the game with no chance We were losers, we were weepers They called us birds of a feather Now we're finders, now we're keepers Two aching hearts got together We were playing second fiddle Then we met and gave love a new start No more playing second fiddle Now that we're first in each other's heart

fiddle=violin-小提琴

play second fiddle: to take a less important and subordinate role to someone or something in a way often considered demeaning: 意思是扮演第二小提琴手的角色，处于次要位置。

歌词的大意是“我在你心中只是第二位，你心里还想着别人，我在谈一场必输的恋爱。”

Do not play second fiddle to anyone! 各位mm注意了，不要做男人心中第二位的女人。

不要做second fiddle(第二小提琴手)，要做就做conductor(指挥)或是art director(艺术总监).

关于fiddle的simile（明喻): (as) fit as a fiddle： in very good health, in good shape.意思是身体健康，状态良好。 这个明喻来源不详，有人说是因为fit和fiddle的alliteration(头韵）。as fit as a fiddle在日常生活中并不常用。了解一下就行了。

英文中有"fiddle while Rome burns"这个短语: to do something trivial and irresponsible in the midst of an emergency; －意思是发生紧急情况时却在做一些无关痛痒的事情。（fiddle在这里是动词－拉小提琴）

传说罗马着火时暴君Nero却在拉小提琴，毫不关心自己的国民和帝国。据说火是他自己放了，当然不紧张了。

Back to the song now:

"We were losers, we were weepers They called us birds of a feather Now we're finders, now we're keepers"

finders keepers (losers weepers)： used to say that if someone finds something, they have the right to keep it－意思是东西谁捡到就是谁了，丢了东西的人只能哭。

这和广东的儿歌，“地上捡到宝，问天问地拿不到”异曲同工。教坏小孩的东西。应该唱，”我在马路边捡到一分钱，把它交给民警叔叔。。。“！

birds of a feather (flock together):(informal) used to say that two or more people have similar attitudes, beliefs etc -物以类聚，人以群分

歌词说“we're birds of a feather",意思是我们两人都没有把对方放在第一位。

不确定歌词为什么用"finders keepers"这个短语，是否，”我的心谁捡到谁要“？

Don't give away your heart so cheaply!

读读Yeats(叶慈)的诗

Never Give All The Heart

By William Butler Yeats

Never give all the heart, for love Will hardly seem worth thinking of To passionate women if it seem Certain, and they never dream That it fades out from kiss to kiss; For everything that's lovely is But a brief, dreamy. Kind delight. O never give the heart outright, For they, for all smooth lips can say, Have given their hearts up to the play. And who could play it well enough If deaf and dumb and blind with love? He that made this knows all the cost, For he gave all his heart and lost.

又是一个断肠人！

中文中有“轻如鸿毛”，英文中也有类似的simile："as light as a feather"

flock用作动词是“聚集”的意思：Birds of a feather flock together.

用作名词是“一群”

e.g. a flock of small birds/sheep/goats

提起第二位的女人很自然想到“二奶”，second milk:)

Just kidding! "二奶“的英文当然不是Second milk!

英文叫mistress（情妇）或是the other woman（另外一个女人！）

The other woman/mistress: used to refer to a woman with whom a man is having a sexual relationship, even though he already has a wife or partner

e.g. He left his wife and child and moved in with the other woman. 他抛妻弃子搬去和另外一个女人住了。

The Prince had shocked society by living openly with his mistress. 皇子公开和他的情妇住在一起的举动让国民震惊。 中文说的”金屋藏娇“英文说"a kept woman": (old-fashioned)a woman who is given a place to live, money, and clothes by a man who visits her for sex - often used humorously

英文中说养宠物是keep a pet,把女人当宠物一样养起来是keep a woman.被养的女人自然是 a kept woman啰。

Back to the song again:

"Two aching hearts got together We were playing second fiddle Then we met and gave love a new start No more playing second fiddle Now that we're first in each other's heart."

两颗伤痛的心聚在一起 我们都在扮演第二位的情人 给我们的爱一个新的开始 不要再做第二位的情人 现在我们是彼此心中第一位的爱人

假如爱可以重来。。。

-------------------------------- star-gazer:

I don't play second fiddle, I play background. I am human shade of beige. haha

----------------------------

Yeti:

Ahm... need some modification there ! These two people are 同病相憐﹐ they are both playing second fiddle to their respective loves.

----------------------------------

一辈子:

We were losers, but we prefer strongers rather than weepers

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室No.29

以前的人说"养儿防老"，可是谁又能保证养个孝顺的儿呢？

读了伊丽莎白 泰勒的关于钱和年龄的名言就总是告诫结要趁年轻多赚点钱，要不老了谷种都没得吃。 "You can be young without money, but you can't be old without money. --Elizabeth Taylor"

"养不教父之过"，孩子一出世父亲就对孩子背负着教养的责任. 父亲教出来的孩子自然有几分像父亲

Like father, like son. －有其父必有其子。

Like mother, like daughter. －有其母必有其女。

take after somebody: to be similar to an older member of your family in appearance or character：相貌或是性格象家庭里年长的成员

Shally really takes after her mother.－Shally 真象她妈妈。

我的美国朋友看了我和妈妈的相片说，"You take after your mother a lot."

同学见到我妈妈兴奋地说，"你和你妈妈象"饼印"一样。"

我只有干笑，真没意思，我已经知道我老了以后的样子了！

"饼印"是广东话，意思是两人象是一个模子做出来的一样。

英文的说法是be the spitting image of somebody：to look exactly like someone else －长得和某人一摸一样

She's the spitting image of her mother.－她长得和她妈妈一摸一样。

the spitting image从 "spit and image"演化出来的，意思是吐口口水照照自己的样子。

中国人说，"撒尿照照自己的样子。" 比较损！

另外一个说子女像父母的短语：be a chip off the old block:(informal)to be very similar to your mother or father in appearance or character

从老木快上掉下来的碎片 －The chip is the same wood as the block. 也就是说孩子和父亲或母亲都是相同料子。

有一句关于孩子和父亲的谚语：The child is the father of the man.－三岁定八十。

father还可以做动词来用。father:(verb)become the father of a child by making a woman pregnant

有一次看西片听到一个句子：I want to father your child. -我想做你孩子的父亲。

真够直接，喷饭！

关于父母的说法有一下几种：

birth father/natural/biological father －生父 birth mother/natural/biological mother -生母

foster father/mother －养父/养母

foster daughter/foster son-养女/养子

adoptive father/mother：养父/养母

adoptive father和foster father的区别在于adoptive father是通过法律合法收养了孩子，foster father只是养着孩子，没有什么法律上的关系。

adopted son/adopted daughter－养子/养女

stepfather/stepmother－继父/继母

stepdaughter/stepson－继女/继子

但是father有时候不是"父亲"的意思：

『Father －神父； founding father－奠基之父； Father Christmas -Santa Claus－圣诞老人』

"生母不及养娘大"， 十月怀胎自然是辛苦，但是将孩子抚养成人则是更加费力的事情。

bring sb up: to look after and influence a child until he or she is grown up －synonym（同义词）： raise He was brought up by his grandparents. －他是由祖父母抚养成人的。

He was born and raised in Guangzhou.－他在广州出生长大。

孩子长大结婚后自然有father-in-law（配偶的父亲）和mother-in-law（配偶的母亲）。

"不孝有三，无后为大。" 老人家多数都喜欢抱孙子，可是等孩子生了孩子后，孩子就忙着围着自己的孩子转了，无暇顾及老人家了。

广东俗语："老豆养仔，仔养仔"。 爱总是向下延伸的。

美国人庆祝母亲节和父亲节，中国人比较含蓄，觉得不好意思庆祝。但是买些礼物，或是吃个大餐，老人家都很高兴的。

Mother's Day-the 2nd Sunday of May：母亲节是每年5月的第二个星期天

In 1907 Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia selected the pink carnation as the symbol for Mother's Day.

-1907年费城的Anna Jarvis把粉红色的康乃馨选为母亲节的象征。

Father's Day -the 3rd Sunday of June －父亲节是每年6月的第三个星期天

有些老人和儿子媳妇住在一起，有精力的可以搞搞婆媳斗争。没有精力的可以抱抱孙子，养养鸟。

也有些老人儿女不在身边，自己独居。也有的搬进了nursing home/old people's home －老人院

最凄惨的莫过于露宿街头！ 人老了就喜欢唠叨（Old people like to nag),因为他们已经没有未来，只有缅怀过去－the good old days。（往日的 美好时光）

应该给每个老人发一份Bertrand Russell的How To Grow Old

要老年不寂寞要做到几点： 1.Avoid absorption in the past. 2.Do not cling to youth and let your children live their own lives. 3.Develop strong impersonal interests. 4.Do not fear death and embrace your last days.

但是作为年轻人应该多尽子女的责任（filial duty)。

同学给我发了个flash movie，觉得做得顶好，激发了写作的灵感。

http://www.pconline.com.cn/pcedu/carton/mtv/10306/flash/030611ziqin

树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不待

--------------------------------- Yeti:

re :以前的人说"养儿防老"，可是谁又能保证养个孝顺的儿呢？ In Cantonese, we also have the colloquiallism of 親生子不如跟身錢 In the book "A Dictionary of Cantonse Colloquialisms in English", this colloquiallism is transalted in two ways: (1) Transliteration: A begotten son is not as good as the money in pocket. and (2) Money is the nearest relation. ( I beg to differ. I think that should be "nearest relative." --- re: 读了伊丽莎白 泰勒的关于钱和年龄的名言就总是告诫结要趁年轻多赚点钱，要不老了谷种都没得吃。 "You can be young without money, but you can't be old without money. --Elizabeth Taylor" In North America that is very true. You have to rely on your pension funds, and not your children. for your security . Sometimes it is not the fault of the children, it is the way the society works here. Except for the very rich, few middle class familes can afford to support two generations: the older one and the younger one. The heavy tax burden takes away most of the disposable income. Part of this tax burden goes into the social security funds which pays out to "old people" when they are 65. -- Finally, whenever someone ask me whether their son resembles the father or the mother, I always say the father, no matter what. Why ? That leave no doubt in their mind who the father is !

--------------------------------------------- cathyli:

树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不待。Moved to tears by that video. Father of my friend paralysed for nearly half a year, but my friend works in another city so that couldnot take care of his father. He must be very sad after watched it.

------------------------------------

BTW, how to translate "树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不待".

------------------------------------------------------------ The translation to the saying by an American.

"The tree wants to be still—but the wind is blowing; the son wants to show his respect—but his parents have gone."

For more, please check the following link. Better a Bean while Dad Lives: Happy Father’s Day

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室No.30

Happy Valentine's Day!

每年的2月14日是西方的情人节(St. Valentine's Day)

关于情人节的由来主要有两种说法。

一种说法是，三世纪时暴君Claudius没了让士兵专心当兵，不准士兵结婚。 一个名为St. Valentine的牧师偷偷地为许多有情人主婚。 Claudius发现后把St. Valentine处死，后人为了纪念St Valentine，把2月14日定为Valentine's Day,也就是今天的情人节。

Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first 'valentine' himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it 'Your Valentine', words still used on cards today.

另外一种说法是， Valentine一个监犯，爱上了监狱长（jailor）的女儿。在他被处死一起他给监狱长的女儿发了一封情信，署名 Your Valentine.

现在valentine有两个意思valentine: 1.)a card sent, often anonymously, on St Valentine's Day, 14 February, to a person one loves or is attracted to.情人节发给心仪的人的卡，通常是匿名发出

2.) a person to whom one sends such a card or whom one asks to be one's sweetheart.－收情人卡的人

香港英文台TVB Pearl一到情人节就大放爱情片，加广告煽情的句子"Be my valentine"

两人要擦出火花恐怕还要有老Cupid（丘比特）射一箭,有了爱的伤口才会堕入爱河。(fall in love)

Cupid在罗马神话中是Venus(goddess of love)的儿子，他有时喜欢拿着箭乱射，让别人相爱。每爱一次就要中一次箭，怕痛的人别爱了。

"Love as if you have never been hurt, dance as if no one's watching."

帅哥美女们比较容易一见钟情（love at first sight).

.You're swept off your feet.-你迅速地被俘虏了

当你你疯狂地爱上某人，你可以说，I'm crazy/mad about her/him.

They are madly in love.-他们正在热恋中。

当爱只是一种心情，它是如此的美好.

暗恋别人可以说，I'm his/her secret admirer.

单方面的爱英文是unrequited love。

Unrequited love is love that you feel for someone but that they do not feel for you.

这时候的爱情只是一个人的事。

当你陷入一个男人和两个人的故事，或是一个女人两个男人的故事里，你就陷入了"爱的三角" －love triangle: a situation where two people both love a third person

当你找到那个mean the world to you的人，你就不在需要三个人的世界了。因为对你来说，他/她就是整个世界。

情人节不讲分手（break-up），也不发和男友绝交的信（a dear John letter）。

献上Kenny Rogers的一首歌 - My Funny Valentine

http://mp3.baidu.com/r?url=http://www.yanbaby.com/music/Kenny20Rogers20-20my20funny20valentine.rm

因为心中有爱，所以生命盛开！

Found the following lines on the Internet. Share with you. Happy Valentine's Day!

-WhiteRose

@)->->->--- ___________________________________ When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long, and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong, just remember in the winter far beneath the winter snows, lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose. __________________________________

Right Now -

-somebody is very proud of you. -somebody is thinking of you. -somebody is caring about you. -somebody misses you -somebody wants to talk to you. -somebody wants to be with you. -somebody hopes you aren't in trouble. -somebody is thankful for the support you have provided. -somebody wants to hold your hand. -somebody hopes everything turns out all right. -somebody wants you to be happy. -somebody wants you to find him/her. -somebody is celebrating your successes. -somebody wants to give you a gift. -somebody thinks that you ARE a gift. -somebody hopes you're not too cold, or too hot -somebody wants to hug you. -somebody loves you. -somebody admires your strength. -somebody is thinking of you and smiling. -somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on. -somebody wants to go out with you and have a lot of fun. -somebody thinks the world of you. -somebody wants to protect you. -somebody would do anything for you. -somebody wants to be forgiven. -somebody is grateful for your forgiveness. -somebody wants to laugh with you. -somebody remembers you and wishes that you were there. -somebody is praising God for you. -somebody needs to know that your love is unconditional. -somebody wants to tell you how much they care. -somebody wants to share their dreams with you. -somebody wants to hold you in their arms. -somebody wants YOU to hold them in your arms. -somebody treasures your spirit. -somebody wishes they could STOP time because of you. -somebody praises God for your friendship and love. -somebody can't wait to see you. -somebody loves you for who you are. -somebody loves the way you make them feel. -somebody wants to be with you. -somebody wants you to know they are there for you. -somebody's glad that you're his/her friend. -somebody wants to be your friend. -somebody stayed up all night thinking about you. -somebody is wishing that you noticed him/her. -somebody wants to get to know you better. -somebody wants to be near you. -somebody misses your advice/guidance. -somebody has faith in you. -somebody trusts you. -somebody needs you to send them this letter -somebody needs your support. -somebody needs you to have faith in them. -somebody will cry when they read this. -somebody needs you to let them be your friend. -somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.

SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU TO SEND THIS TO THEM

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室No.31

渔网丝袜(fishnet stockings)

今天回到公司看见公司的前台接待(receptionist)穿着一对渔网丝袜(fishnet stockings),一条超短裙(mini-skirt),和一双长靴子(boots)我告诉她外国的妓女（prostitute/hooker)常穿渔网丝袜，她说这是中国。既然这样，她喜欢穿什么就什么吧。She can wear whatever she likes.

后来我的夏威夷同事见到我就对我招手，"Come here, let me teach you one word. Do you know fishnet stockings"?

Xiaoxia "Yeah, are you talking about the receptionist?"

Hawaiian girl: "Yeah, we call fishnet stockings "hooker's stockings."

Xiaoxia "I told her so, but she said "This is China"."

Hawaiian girl: "It's the same everywhere - in London, the US, and Australia, also in Guangzhou. The "massage girls" outside the Garden Hotel wear fishnet stockings too. Last night I saw five or six of them wearing fishnet stockings of different colors； It's their "official uniform". If she thinks "This is China", it's ignorance.(无知）。It's not fashion."

我的外国同事告诉我在广州的五星级宾馆(five-star hotel)花园酒店外面常有一些妓女出没，一见到鬼佬就用变音的英语说 "massage"(按摩）。

听说以前的一个加拿大同事晚上经过花园酒店外面给一个hooker相中，那个hooker一开口就说，" You f**k me." 我的同事摇摇头，然后那个hooker说，"那I f**k you." 追在我同事后面，吓得我的同事拼命跑。 *LOL*

现在妓女的英文水平真是不可小觑。*LOL*

正经女孩若不想给别人误会，最好不要穿fishnet stockings。

我们还谈到Pretty Woman里面的妓女Vivian的衣着，想紧身衣服，超短裙(mini-skirt)靴子（boots）都是妓女比较喜欢的穿的东西。

从Pretty Woman的剧本里找到一段描写Vivian的话:"She is wearing tiny shorts(非常小的短裤）, a tight（紧身的） tube top, thigh (大腿） high boots. She stares at herself, not really liking what she sees."

tube top: (American English informal) a piece of women's clothing that goes around your chest and back to cover your breasts but does not cover your shoulders or stomach - 只覆盖胸部，露肩露肚子的女上衣。

本着认真研究的学术精神，我又向我的Los Angeles的朋友请教了fishnet stockings的问题。

Xiaoxia "My co-worker(同事) said fishnet stockings are hooker's stockings. Is it true?"

L.A.: "fishnet stockings...they have different styles. Well, hookers do wear them I guess, but hookers also wear lingerie（女内衣） and other things. So it's not just for hookers

Xiaoxia "What's the typical hooker image?

LA: "well...I guess it varies and sometimes, you might mistake some of the women walking around Los Angeles for hookers, the way they dress. but generally, lots of makeup（化妆很浓）...slutty（淫荡的） clothes that are very tight（紧身的） and very revealing（暴露的）,lots of really gaudy（鲜艳俗气的） colors, and generally...not very attractive women.

Xiaoxia "But some hookers are good-looking."

LA: "Well, no...hookers usually aren't good-looking. Call girls, escorts...they are often very good-looking. usually they're also strippers.（脱衣女郎）"

Xiaoxia how come hookers aren't good-looking while call girls can be very good-looking?

LA: Hookers are "street walkers" - call girls (应召女郎） and escorts usually go through an agency. Hookers make very little money, escorts and call girls charge hundreds per hour. Basically the idea is, a hooker is just a "quickie" and a call girl is for the "fantasy".

Xiaoxia what does "fantasy" mean here? LA: well, like pretending stuff. You know, the "naughty nurse" or "little princess" or whatever...or just a beautiful woman. The hookers are just there to do your business and go.

Xiaoxia so more services aside from sex ? oh, does "little princess" have a derogatory meaning?

LA: No, I'm just saying they're characters(角色） you can get her to play, etc... whatever you have in mind.

Xiaoxia Can you tell me more words about prostitution?

LA: there are actually a ton of slang terms used in that profession too. Whores, hookers, tricks, Johns, pimps（姑爷仔）, etc...

Xiaoxia John?

LA: "John" is the customer...the guy. "turning tricks" is used to say "serving customers"

Xiaoxia But why is the customer called John?

LA: No idea. You know, I'm not exactly an expert in the area of prostitution I just know what I've seen on TV...hehe

访问最后，我的朋友郑重其事地告诉我他不是这方面的专家，他都是从电视上看来的。*LOL*

下面解析一下相关的词汇。

john：有两个很不好的意思：1.toilet －厕所 2.the customer of a prostitute －嫖客

叫John的男生快的改名喔! hoho. ^___^

escort(American English a prostitute), especially one who goes to social events or on trips with the person who pays them. -陪同客人参加社交出游的妓女

妓女的说法还有很多，比如：sex worker/working girl/women of the night/ladies of the night.

Prostitution is also called "the world's oldest profession." -卖淫这行当是世界上最古老的职业。

想想我们中国几乎每部古装片都有"青楼女子"就知道此话不假了。

"stripper: someone whose job is to take off their clothes in a sexually exciting way in order to entertain people " - 脱衣舞女

"striptease: a performance in which someone takes off their clothes in a sexually exciting way－脱衣舞

strip joint: （informal） a strip club －表演脱衣舞的地方

quickie:(noun)a sexual act that you do quickly - used humorously - 很快完成的性交

whore: 1.taboo an offensive word for a woman who has many sexual partners. Do not use this word.－荡妇 （这是朗文字典的定义。作为字典明文规定"不要使用这个单词"，我觉得奇怪。） 2 a female prostitute －妓女 whore也可以用作动词，有两个意思1。卖淫 2。嫖娼

courtesan: a woman who had sex with rich or important men for money in the past -courtesan就是所谓的给有钱男人包起来的高级妓女，象茶花女也属于courtesan

call girl: a prostitute who arranges by telephone to meet men －应召女郎

pimp：a man who controls prostitutes, especially by finding customers for them, and takes some of the money that they earn －控制妓女团伙的头目，香港电视把这种男人称为"姑爷仔"。

以前看过一篇文章，说的是一个外国人到了上海看见很多穿这长靴和超短裙的女孩，以为是进入了巨大的红灯区 －red-light district: the area of a town or city where there are many prostitutes。

上海这样的大都市当然不会是巨大的红灯区，不过听说上海的某些女孩子很势利，贪钱。这种女孩多数嫁了日本男人或是很有钱的中国老男人。

上海女生不要拿转头砸我啊，我是说"某些女孩"而已。而且这是我听一个上海男生说得。不要怪我啊。

想这种"淘金女郎"英文中叫做 "gold digger"：an attractive woman who uses her looks to get money from rich men－以美色从有钱人获取钱财的女人

不过gold digger没有妓女的意思。

象那种用钱买来年轻貌美的女孩的老头英文中叫做"Sugar Daddy": an older man who gives a young person presents and money in return for their company and often for sex

dirty old man -老淫虫

gigol a man who is paid by a rich woman, especially an older woman, to have sex with her -男妓

有一次，我的加拿大同事跑来问我广东话"金鱼佬"是什么意思，有小朋友欺负他给他起了这个花名。

"Well, a goldfish guy, a guy who's sexually interested in children; it's something like a child molester."

child molester: a person who tries to have sex with children

paedophile: a person, especially a man, who's sexually interested in children - 有恋童癖的人

最近美国歌星Michael Jackson就被怀疑是 child molester/paedophile.

他自己当然是打死都部承认了。

这是一个来自新闻的句子："In his first interview since being arrested for child molestation, the pop superstar has told America's CBS network that he is not a paedophile."

---------------------------------- Yeti:

Thanks Thanks, Xiao-xiao, for once again bringing to us your collection of interesting English expressions presented in the form of a coherent and interesting narration. Your method of presentation makes reading them both educational and entertaining.

------------------------------------

Now I know what my mistake was. I was approached 3 times when I went out from the hotel I was staying in Shanghai.(The Jiatong ???) I was looking for an Internet Bar so I can check and sent e-mail. The Internet connection at the hotel cost a whopping 60 Yuans per half hour. I was entrusted by my fellow travellers, who were all eager to find a cheaper place to send mail, to look for an Internet bar. It was late at night (around 11 pm), I was single, old and obviously an out-of-towner. I was approached twice by man who wanted to know if I wanted to have some fun, and once by a lady who would not give up. She even grabbed my arms and pull me along. I was more worried about being framed for sex assult and ended up paying bride to police than of catching some deadly STDs from a sexy misadvanture at night. I finally ducked into a restaurant near by and had a bow of wonton and a bow of beef-stew noodles.

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/

潇潇语言实验室 No.32

大 热 门

我想大家都很熟悉“黑马”的英文 －dark horse。但是“大热门”英文怎么说呢？

大热门－odds-on favourite：the person, horse etc that is most likely to win a race or other competition －被大家认为最有机会赢得比赛的马或是人

e.g. "Lord of the Rings" should be the odds-on favorite to take home the most awards.

-- 指环王应该是赢得最多奖项的大热门

今天看sit-com（情景剧）学了另外一个表示很有机会赢的人是词shoo-in: especially American English informal someone who is expected to easily win a race, election etc- 也就是大热门. shoo-in for She was a shoo-in for the Beauty Pageant.－她是这次选美的大热门。 shoo-in to do something He looked like a shoo-in to win the Democratic nomination.

赛马－horse-racing

骑马：horse-riding

“看走眼”可以说“back the wrong horse”：to support someone or something that is not successful

stand a chance(of doing something)：to be likely to be able to do something or to succeed － 有机会成功

e.g.You'll stand a better chance of getting a job with a degree.

I think you stand a fifty-fifty chance of winning. －我觉得你有五成的机会赢。

chances are slim. －机会渺茫。

fat chance－不是机会大，而是没有什么机会！

neck and neck这一短语也是出自赛马，是指并驾齐驱，不相上下。

广东话有“做马”之说，意思是比赛、选举、提名等结果有人暗箱操纵，做了手脚。“做马”英语说rig 或者fix。

这个词也是今天从情景剧学的：rig：to dishonestly arrange the result of an election or competition before it happens ?synonym fix

Did you rig the nomination? －你是不是对提名做了手脚？

Some international observers have claimed the election was rigged.

潇潇语言实验室 No.33

关 系 网

听说一个顶尖销售经理搞了一个销售技巧的讲座，他一上台就向观众洒名片(business card),洒完名片后，他说，“演讲结束！”他这是什么意思？意思是要成为一个成功的销售人员，要建立广泛的人脉关系。

英文中有一句话"It's not what you know, it's who you know.",说的就是人事关系的重要。你认识的人比你知道的东西、你的才干更重要。

有广泛人脉关系，认识很多有权利，能帮忙的人就是well-connected的人。 He's well-connected = He knows a lot of powerful important people.

He has friends in high places = He has important or rich friends who can help him. －他认识些位高权重、有钱的朋友。

"pull strings"是指利用关系达到自己的目的－to secretly use your influence with important people in order to get what you want or to help someone else

e.g. His father pulled strings to get him out of prison.

怎样才能建立自己的人事网络呢？那当然是花点时间搞社交 socialize with people/do some networking善于社交的人可以用sociable来形容，这种人性格通常外向(out-going),或随和(easy-going).

"social butterfly"指的是经常参加各种社交活动，应酬多的人。

"social outcast/pariah"指的是被社会摒弃的人。

我们经常看见外企的招聘广告上对应征者有一个要求：Good interpersonal skills.

inter是一个前缀，意思是"在...之间、相互" interpersonal指的是"人与人之间". Good interpersonal skills指的是善于处理人际关系，善于和人打交道。

interpersonal relationship -- 人际关系

interstate highway -- 州际高速公路

international -当然是国际啦:)

很多公司为了拓展业务都会宴请客户，英文可以说wine and dine somebody: to entertain someone well with a meal, wine etc Companies spend millions wining and dining clients.

这里的wine和dine都是动词。

和名人,有钱人或是重要的人物会面相聚可以说"rub shoulders with sb" - to meet and spend time with people, esp. rich and famous people.

在一些大型的party/company function/cocktail party都有机会和名人rub shoulders.

千万不要望文生义，以为rub shoulders with sb.是擦肩而过的意思。function在这里是指 a large party or an official event.

很多英文单词都是一词多一义。

我们平时说的熟人可以说成acquaintance -- someone you know, but who is not a close friend

have a passing/nodding acquaintance with sb. - 点头之交，表示不是很熟悉，只是见面打个招呼而已。

http://blog.chinaunix.net/u/28267/