[流行美语]又和大家见面了。Michael是一个在纽约上大学的美国年轻人,他经常跟中国学生李华一起玩。Michael向李华学中文,李华向 Michael 学英文。Michael 正在准备考试,有很多功课要做,但是李华要他出去休息休息,两人约好下午在动物园见面。他们在对话中会用这两个词:all-nighter和cram。 ! F" B8 e) d$ x/ p$ j $ U* d" T$ B4 F, E! I: f" T: KL: 嗨,Michael. 我在这儿! - Y* L( `% a/ |% p% [$ Z$ E4 g- w- e" {
M: Hey, Li Hua. Oh, the elephant house, let's go in and take a look. - X/ p9 C' F. u( A5 I$ _, |' ^ ' i8 v, [) b& ^( k& fL: 噢,那是大象馆啊? 好,进去看看。 不行,不行,这儿太臭 了。走吧! 1 K( E/ k) i+ f5 W3 s r1 M2 S. Y/ I. x+ y0 U
M: Oh, yeah. Let's get out of here. In fact, I've got a lot of studying to do. I'm going to need to pull an all-nighter. 0 _8 u3 _% p+ R" W8 x8 l; J, [9 p5 ~1 x3 X# B$ {
L: 我知道你有很多功课,但是你在准备考试的时候也总得休息休息嘛。我听说这次考试会很难。你刚才说 all-nighter 是不是开夜车 的意思呀?# _: c( z8 X. `
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M: Yeah, that's what I meant. Li Hua, you're smart!9 n: t# ]# t! H$ ~( [5 `1 b2 z& ]0 ~
. d# ?* G- T4 V C* ] @# u8 oL: 我是猜出来的, all的意思是整个,全部,nighter和 night 很像。我想一个人要整夜学习,那不就是开夜车吗?但是,有一点我不太懂,你说:to pull an all-nighter,什么是pull ?; n: T' T5 E* ^% k+ u0 k
) s8 o0 Z z3 K F) z. v" Y% VM: Pull means to get yourself through a difficult time.0 |" t4 N. M5 Q& W. L5 w: V
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L: 噢, pull an all-nighter,就是迫使自己整夜念书,因为要这样做是很辛苦的。7 n5 {& C( U1 {* N% m7 n/ D# R
/ l6 i' M1 d/ W) X9 `, aM: Yep. You wouldn't have to pull an all-nighter because you have been studying all semester, I haven't been. 6 P8 @. O, P. ^& t: O 8 c$ ]9 o4 W; JL: 这你可说对了。我不需要开夜车,因为我整个一学期都在学习。你要开夜车,因为你平时不学习。 2 H8 `3 A ]$ ]+ x) x# T$ R+ D3 P# x
M: I know, I know, you're a better student than I am.9 ?/ Q5 b% p0 L* A" w4 F$ ]7 {
4 M) k6 o |1 O4 S/ S! q3 t6 b G0 ^L: Michael, 我真喜欢纽约的秋天,空气很清新。你要是能跟我一起玩,不用回去念书,那该多好啊! ) C) B: h- m, {# u+ c/ r 6 \. R9 S _! g7 {8 O# E" ~M: I don't want to go study either, but I should.& o' O0 E4 O: H- x M# `; |8 k' [
- S2 L4 V! C4 `. LL: 对啊, 你要是上星期多花点时间念书不就好了嘛。现在你得临时抱佛脚了。 r# x4 {) Z8 ]8 w$ t) E) ~
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M: I perform better on tests when I cram. 3 T/ f& Z9 J8 Y' f( E- r9 I* H2 a1 D: n
L: Cram? Cram是把什么东西塞进去的意思,跟学习有什么关系呢?! Q4 h# j; ^7 Y& B7 J
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M: Well, it's sort of the same meaning. I'm going to do a lot of studying at the last minute, that's what it means to cram. 8 O1 m- M& \( g n 6 F; L: d: u7 J& O: _* a3 jL: 意思差不多?噢,我知道了!Cram就是我们中文里说的填鸭式方法,就是硬把食品塞给鸭子吃,这样鸭子就长得肥。北京烤鸭就是用这种鸭子做的。你说的cram 是临时抱佛脚,在考试前猛记猛背,把知识往脑子里塞。你还认为这是好办法?1 a& D3 Y' ?; y- @0 j( H. v
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M: Well, everyone's different. Cramming works for me. $ Y1 w9 _+ Q9 y; O! J5 P4 f. @% I% ~- c+ ~1 g& V* I
L: 你认为临时抱佛脚对你来说行得通。可是,Michael,想把半学期的内容在一个晚上记住,这样做可真傻。 " g0 U( C. `- ~( M4 b: V8 M5 n0 A9 T% [7 A+ R5 E9 j
M: Stop being my mother, Li Hua! u& m$ `/ s3 K8 h; ^, z; s
$ Z% J% v! }! U$ i' n1 h/ @3 QL: 我才不想当你妈呢,你不听我的话,那就算了。Michael, cram这个词是否还能用在别的场合呢?1 C' v/ j6 M/ Q1 u7 O6 U$ }
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M: Not really. It's only used to describe studying for a test, usually college or high-school level.: A5 y. c" `+ t: b! ^2 @- S' X% M
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L: 噢,只能指大学生或中学生在考试前开夜车,临时抱佛脚。 - l; v ]& r, \4 {7 w. _! g0 r9 P 2 N& U3 u; ? |) ?5 zM: And that's what I need to do, right now. It's getting late and I know I will have to pull an all-nighter. . L4 p' I) h8 T/ g) r4 T9 `0 k) r: k : A+ r% a4 _6 E* uL: 好吧,我明天早上给你打电话。 $ E1 G8 @$ a( f! `5 | d3 B8 w+ E # A* ]/ r2 t8 V/ YM: No, don't worry about me, I'm sure I will still be cramming. # }" g+ @# }4 r5 [8 _+ Q l 4 V9 X0 [ P: c/ UL: 哟,你还准备开夜车开到天亮呐? Ok, well, good luck!' n' I) m5 Q. b: Z& B/ V