Speak English Like An American.txt

Speak English Like An American.txt 1. Bob’s Day at Work 1. Bob works as a manager in a furniture store. 2. Peter is not happy about/satisfied with/ the sales. 3. I hate to break the news, but our sales were down last month. To break the news披露消息 breaking news 突发消息 newsbreak (news announcement during regular programming; newsworthy event) 4. Everything in that store costs an arm and a leg. 5. They do charge top dollar. 6. He is very strange. He really gives me the creeps [令人毛骨悚然]. 7. We’re about to go belly up. (about a business) go bankrupt, close down鱼翻肚皮) 8. I thought my new advertising campaign would save the day. [避免灾难;帮大忙(大致意思如此，具体翻译要看场合)] 9. Let’s face it. Your advertising campaign was a real flop(failure). 10. I’ll have to go back to the drawing board重新开始. (drawing board - 制图板)当一个项目失败后，回到制图板，意味着一切开始重新 11. What? You’re giving me the axe解雇? 别在这儿干了，回家劈柴去? 12. I’ve already found a new manager who is as sharp as a tack. 13. Can’t we even talk this over? After all [毕竟] I’ve working here for ten years. 14. At least you won’t have to put up with his nonsense any more. At least 1. 至少, 不少于(后面接数量，如at least 5 people) 2. 好在(有时也可以译作“至少”，如郑智化的歌词 - 至少我们还有梦) 15. Good-bye to you and good-bye to this dead-end [没出路的] job. 2. Bob Returns Home with Bad News 1. Susan, I got canned today at work. 收拾东西走人 - 我们是让人打铺盖卷 2. You are Peter’s right-hand man左膀右臂. 3. 4. He stabbed me in the back. 背后下手 5. Keep your chin up. (stay positive乐观些) [比较 - crestfallen] 两个动作都很形象He’ll change his mind and take you back. 6. When pigs fly! 那要等到母猪会上树～ 7. Once he makes up his mind, he never changes it. 8. Look on the bright side. You won’t have to set eyes on him ever again. 9. Thank goodness for that. 10. Hang in there [not give up, persevere坚持住 (如果挂在半空中则必须坚持)] I’m sure you won’t be out of work for long. 11. We’ll have to live from hand to mouth节衣缩食. 12. Don’t get too stressed out (become overwhelmed by anxiety or worry). We’ll make ends meet [收支相抵]. 13. If worse comes to worst, we’ll sell our house and move to the country. 14. Let’s think big! Maybe you can start your own business. 15. It’s easier said than done. 3. Ted’s Day at School 1. Ted did poorly on his chemistry test. 2. How was your day at school/work/ today? 3. If you didn’t cut class so often, you’d do better. 4. Stop slacking off. Start hitting the books! [cf. Let’s hit the road上路.] 5. I can’t stand Mechanics class. It’s a lost cause. 6. That class is way over my head (beyond one’s understanding). way = very 7. You need to buckle down (start to work seriously，work very hard, like a slave). 8. When I become successful, people won’t give a hoot about my past experiences. 9. That’s beside the point. 10. To have one’s heart set on sth/doing sth. 11. You don’t stand a chance of going to college with such poor grades. 4 Nicole’s Day at School 1. Nicole gave a presentation on Hillary Clinton in government class and the teacher paid her a compliment [praise]. 2. She is head and shoulders above others in class work. 高出一大截 3. Way to go! [Well done!] 4. You should go into从事 politics. 5. You’re so gung-ho [本意working together, 现在enthusiastic, very excited - 出 自汉语工合——工业合作社的简称] about school. It drives me crazy. 6. Don’t butt in. 7. I’m green with envy嫉妒的眼红. 洋人和中国人眼睛颜色不同啊 8. You hit the nail on the head [to be right]. 太准了 9. Would you just shut up? You’re on thin ice with me right now. 10. I’m shaking in my shoes [tremble with fear]. 5 Ted Goes out for the Evening 1. We haven’t decided yet. Our plans are still up in the air. 2. Why don't you invite her over here? 3. I don't want to hang around [pass time; loiter] here. Dad is really down in the dumps [不高兴，心情沮丧]. 4. Don't take this the wrong way [别介意], but she's not my cup of tea. 5. We just enjoy hanging out together. I enjoy hanging out with her. 6. I guess there's no accounting for taste. 7. I'm crazy about her. 8. We'll have a blast [enjoy oneself very much]! 6 Susan Stays Home and Bakes Cookies 1. You've got a heart of gold. 2. Go ahead and pig out! [pig out on hotdogs/candy] 3. You've been in a bad mood lately. I hope it might cheer you up. 4. I guess I have been a little on edge [nervous; irritable在悬崖边上会不安]. But these cookies are just what the doctor ordered [exactly what was needed]! 5. These cookies are out of this world [wonderful, excellent此物只应天上有]. 6. You could go into business selling these. You'd make a bundle [make a lot of money钱多得一捆一捆的]. 7. You could call them Susan's Scrumptious [delicious, tasty;excellentl] Cookies. 8. Good thinking [good idea]! 9. You know I always give credit where credit is due! 7 Susan Hires Bob to Run Her Business 1. Susan stays up/was awake/ all night thinking about the cookie business. 2. You're up bright and early [early in the morning, at the crack of dawn] this morning. [bright and early = very early. 类似的还有， nice and warm = very warm] 3. I didn't sleep a wink. 4. Running your own business is/means/ lots of work. 5. Are you prepared to work like a dog? 6. Fat chance! = No way! 7. I don't have a clue about making cookies. 8. I don't even know how to turn the oven on! ?—— Don’t worry, I'll give you a crash course [速成课]. 9. You just manage the business side [经营部分]. 10. I have mixed feelings about [怀着矛盾的感情] working for you. 11. I promise you'll be a happy camper [one who is satisfied; contented person — 多用于否定句]. 12. Let's give it a shot [try it]. 8 Ted Forms a Rock Band 1. You're in good spirits today. [cf. lesson 5 - You've been in a bad mood lately.] 2. I've got great news. We are going to start a rock band. 3. Good for you! [cf. lesson 4 - Way to go! Well done!] 4. Don’t beat around the bush [绕圈子]. Give it straight to me. 5. I can't shell out [支付 pay] that much. We aren't made of money. 6. This is no time to be a wise guy [自作聪明的人; one who makes a lot of sarcastic comments]. 7. We're going to take the music world by storm [win popularity quickly 用风暴来 冲击，其影响自然很大] and make lots of money. 8. That sounds like a pipe dream [dream that will never come true]. 9. Aren't high school rock bands a dime a dozen [common; cheap, inexpensive]? 10. With my guitar playing and Amber's beautiful voice, we're sure to make a splash [attract attention, win popularity quickly]! [cf. 7. take sth by storm] 11. We're going through hard times. 12. Those are/That’s the breaks [命该如此，when something bad happens and you can't do anything about it]. [注意，breaks用的是复数] 9 Nicole for President! 1. I've decided to run for student body president! 2. I should get some experience under my belt [to have/get experience有经验/历] for the future. Under one’s belt 食物被消化后其位置在裤带belt之下，以此来比喻掌握某种技能或拥有 经验/历。 3. Andrea Jenkins is also running. She'll give you a run for your money [be strong competition]! [cf. HP 4 - Hagrid chuckled, “Fred and George Weasley could give them a run for their money.] 4. I'm by far [by a large margin; very much] the better candidate. [by far?so far] 5. Don't be so full of yourself [think too much of oneself]! 6. Stop kidding around. Let's get down to business. 7. You never give my friends the time of day [否定用法 - 不理睬]. All you give them is the cold shoulder [冷漠; 轻视]. 8. They are a bunch of goody-goodies伪善者 and brown-nosers [溜须拍马者 - 舔腚 使得鼻子蹭上 ... ?]. 9. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. 10. Okay, it's a deal. 10 Bob Visits the Village Market 1. Thank you for making time for [挤/抽时间] me today. 2. My wife baked these cookies from scratch [1. using all fresh ingredients rather than a prepared mix; 2. from the beginning]. 3. You can say that again. 4. I don't want to make a pig of myself, but let me take a few more. Oink - grunt of a pig 5. People will go /nuts/crazy/ over these! 6. I need to roll up my sleeves [prepare to work] and figure out the finances. 7. Can you give me a ballpark figure now? [ballpark - approximate, estimated] Ballpark 指的是大型的棒球场。通常在棒球比赛时不会报今天观众的准确人数, 例如是 49,132 人，而是说到场观众大约是49,000，这个数字就是 ballpark figure，一个大约/估 计/数字。 有些老美懒，就只说 ballpark，意思是一样的。 8. I don't want to jump the gun [过早行动，抢跑 - 来自比赛]. 9. Sit tight [wait patiently] for now, and we'll talk things over this evening. 11 Bob Drives a Hard Bargain 1. How's it going? —— Can't complain. 2. I've had a chance to crunch some numbers [计算 - 是否是用计算器,]. 3. That's out of the question [注意与out of question意思正好相反]. At that price, it's not worth our while. [太不值了] 4. Let me sweeten the deal [make an offer more attractive]. 5. We need to make a living from this business. 6. You've twisted my arm [persuade someone; to convince someone 从动作看带有强迫]. 7. Take it or leave it! 8. Now you're talking [这样说还差不多，you're saying the right thing]! We'll take it. 9. You drive a hard bargain [not compromise in bargaining，能侃价，买方是能杀价]. 10. Let's get the ball rolling [get started; begin]. 12 Bob’s Big Cookie Order 1. He wasn’t very lucky last year, but things are looking up now. 2. We're going to have to bake like crazy [with great speed or enthusiasm] over the weekend. 3. Don't you think you've bitten off more than you can chew? 4. Yeah, you're going to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off! [像只无头苍蝇] 5. Fortunately, there are four of us here. You will have to pitch in [热情参加， 帮忙; 努力工作] too. 6. I have to finish Ted's chemistry homework and then I've got to get going [start moving, make a start] on my election speech. 7. What's that about doing Ted's chemistry homework? 8. Never mind! Amber will help out with the cookies instead of Nicole. 9. For heaven's sake! It's like pulling teeth getting you to do any work around here. [很形象] 13 Amber Comes over to Bake Cookies 1. Amber has experience baking cookies from a former job. 2. Mom, Amber is here to lend a hand with the cookies. 3. That's an interesting hairstyle. [When somebody says something is "interesting" it often means they don't like it, but they want to be polite.] 4. I'm glad you think it's cool. Blue hair is all the rage [very fashionable/popular] this season. 5. Well, I'm going to take a break [休息] now and let you take over. 6. Don't worry, Mom. Your business is in good hands [cf. NCE III - 19, The stated that Rastus was in safe hands] with Amber. She really knows her stuff [懂行]. 7. I got fired. I have a real sweet tooth [喜好甜食], and they told me I was eating too many cookies. 8. Well, I'm sure you haven't lost your touch [不再在行]. 9. I might be a bit out of practice [生疏]. 10. Mom, you can watch Amber bake if you want. You might pick up a few tricks of the trade [凭经验得来的诀窍]. 11. Thanks, but I'm going to get out of the way [不妨碍]. You know what they say: too many cooks spoil the broth! 12. Why don't you just call it a night/day and go to bed. [Let’s call it a day/night今天/晚到此为止] You've been working your tail off [work very hard] all day. 14 Amber and Ted Heat up the Kitchen 1. Ted, when I met you, it was love at first sight [一见钟情]. 2. I was nuts about you from the beginning too. I broke up with [分手] that girl Tiffany after I met you. 3. Give me a break [得了吧，饶了我吧], Amber! We don't have time for that now. We need to crank out [produce quickly or in a routine manner] these cookies. 4. I'm head over heels in love with you. But it's crunch time [a short period of time when there’s high pressure for achieve results时间紧迫] with these cookies. 5. You've got a one-track mind [一根筋]. 6. I’ll keep plugging away [苦干]. 7. He treats me like dirt! 8. Are you making cookies or making out [热吻]? 15 Nicole Practices Her Election Speech 1. I pulled an all-nighter [熬通宵] working on my election speech. 2. No wonder you look like a basket case [sb/sth in a useless or helpless condition; extremely nervous，犹如失去四肢被装入篮子里抬来抬去]! 3. That must be a load off your mind! 4. I've got to give the speech tomorrow in front of 1,500 people. I'm a nervous wreck [紧张兮兮]! 5. Just remember the old rule of thumb [useful principle]: Imagine your audience naked. 6. That's gross [disgusting]. Why would I want to do that? 7. According to conventional wisdom [common sense], it'll make you less nervous. 8. Only practice will do the trick [bring the desired results, 获得成功]. 9. You can't say that. You'll turn off your audience immediately. 10. It sounds like I have a big head [conceited, arrogant]? 11. I'll say! = Definitely! 16 Bob Brings the Cookies to the Village Market 1. How did the baking go [进展如何]? 2. Slow at first, but we're getting the hang of it [掌握窍门; 熟悉用法]. 3. Once you learn the ropes [学会怎么做某件事(特别是指跟工作有关的事) - 从航海 而来，这水手一开始学必须学会哪条绳索是控制哪个风帆的], it becomes second nature [custom, habit]. 4. To tell you the truth, I thought that baking 2,000 cookies would be a pain in the /neck/ass. 5. We managed to round up [collect] some helpers, and it was a piece of cake. 6. Thanks for coming in person [personally, 亲自] with the cookies. 7. Your guess is as good as mine [I don’t know any more than you do. 我也不知道]. 8. In any case, I'll keep you posted [provide up-to-date information]. 9. Okay. Just give me a ring as soon as you know. 17 Carol Tells Bob the Good News 1. Your wife's cookies are selling like hotcakes [热销]! 2. We've sold out. I need more right away. Bring me another 1,000 cookies by tomorrow at 9 a.m. 3. That's a tall order [difficult task], Carol. 4. Don't blow it, Bob! Susan's Scrumptious Cookies could really take off [become popular; grow suddenly ]. 5. Bake all night if you have to. Burn the midnight oil [开夜车]! If you work hard now, you'll be sitting pretty [成功(esp. 经济方面)] in a few years. 6. Rest assured [放心] that I'll do my best to deliver the goods [交货; 履行职 责/诺言]. 7. Let's stop the chitchat. You've got work to do! 18 Everybody Bakes the Cookies 1. Amber and I will lend a hand. She's a real night owl [夜猫子], so she won't mind staying up late. 2. Bake cookies the night before the elections? Nothing doing [绝对不行]! 3. Lighten up [rekax, calm down], big shot [大人物]! You're running for high school president, not President of the United States. 4. You really get on my nerves [烦人] sometimes. 5. Okay, kids, let's stop fooling around. We need to get the show on the road [开 始干活]! 19 Nicole’s Close Election 1. Nicole loses the election at school. She doesn't want to accept it, so she looks for excuses. 2. Ted encourages her to accept defeat and move on. 3. I lost the election by a hair — just 10 votes! 很形象 4. Give me a break, Nicole. You lost. Live with it! [learn to live with it] 5. But I was a sure thing! If I hadn't stayed up so late baking cookies, I wouldn't have messed up [搞砸] my speech. 6. Get real. = Be realistic! 7. Don't try to put the blame on me! I gave it my best shot. 8. They must've made a mistake while counting the votes. I'll demand a re-count and set the record straight [纠正错误]. 9. Don't make a fool of yourself, Nicole. Face it, Andrea won the election fair and square [光明正大]! 10. Here, take a chocolate chip cookie. That'll cheer you up for sure! 20 Bob Gets an Angry Call from Carol 1. Bob, a lady came into the Village Market today ranting and raving [talk loudly, often in anger]. 2. I can see how she'd be taken aback [be surprised]. 3. Aren't you blowing things out of proportion [小 题 快递公司问题件快递公司问题件货款处理关于圆的周长面积重点题型关于解方程组的题及答案关于南海问题 大做]? 4. The health department would throw the book at [严惩(起源于法官将book - 所有 的适用惩罚 条款 知识产权归属条款保密条款连带保证条款连带保证条款售后服务条款怎么写 - 甩向被告)me if they found out about this.三无食品 5. Could’n't we just sweep this under the rug [hide]? 很形象 6. But I was just getting a handle on [理解] the cookie business. Now what will I do? I don't have any other way of making a living! 7. My heart goes out to you [同情], Bob, but you need to get your act together [把 事情料理妥帖; 集中心思]. 8. I guess I just knocked myself out for [work very hard at something] the past week for nothing. 21 Susan Gets a Surprise Call 1. My name is Donna Jenkins, and I'm calling from the National Cookie Company. 2. My company wants to buy the recipe and the brand name from you and sell your cookies all over the country. 3. Why would you want to do that? 4. We're running on a shoestring [小本经营] out of our kitchen. 5. We have a successful track record [以往记录，record of previous behavior and accomplishments] of buying small companies and turning them into big ones. 6. In that case, I'm sure we can come to an agreement. 7. Great. You just made my day [Give one great pleasure/satisfaction]! 8. You'll need to work out the nuts and bolts [细节，基本组成部分] of the agreement with my husband. He's the business manager. 9. May I speak with him now? 10. He's at a meeting. I'll have him get in touch with you when he returns. 22 Susan Shares the Good News 1. Carol is such a dragon lady [恶婆娘]! We're better off having nothing to do with her. 2. That's the way the ball bounces/the cookie crumbles [事已至此谁也无法改变That is the way matters have worked out and nothing can be done about it.]. Ha ha. Get it? 3. Susan, this is no laughing matter [serious issue]! 4. The National Cookie Company called. They want to buy out [收购] our business. 5. Susan, this is a dream come true. It looks like we've struck it rich [突然暴 富]! 6. Yes. Soon we'll be rolling in dough [very rich]! [dough - money (Slang)] 23 Bob Has a Surprise Visitor 1. Bob's former boss Peter, from the furniture store, comes to visit. He offers Bob his old job back. 2. I was just in the neighborhood so I thought I'd stop by. 3. Come on in. [This is a more conversational way of saying "come in".] 4. I'm glad to see you're not holding a grudge against [怀恨，stay angry with someone about a past offense] me for firing you. 5. At first, it burned me up. But I feel better now. 6. Good. I'm glad you have no hard feelings [不满;与4.近义]. 7. She drank at work. By five o'clock, she'd be lying under a dining room table, three sheets to the wind [very drunk]. 这里的“sheets”指的不是船帆，而是绳索(有时也指“锁链”)，这些绳索被系在船帆的下 角，用来固定船帆。如果有三根绳索松脱掉，在风中甩来甩去，那么船帆就会剧烈地抖动起 来，船也会像喝醉了的水手一样摇摆不定，没了方向。 8. Let me get this straight [弄清楚]. You replaced me with some crazy woman who got plastered [get drunk] every day on the job? 9. I lost my head [昏头了]. 10. I'm trying to level with [speak frankly] you. I never should've let you go [fire, dismiss]. [cf. lesson 2 take you back] 11. No use crying over spilt milk [后悔药没得吃]. 12. How would you like your old job back? 13. Not on your life [绝不]! Susan and I are very well off [wealthy] now. We just sold our company for a small fortune! 24 Amber Writes a Song 1. Ted, you know how all along [一直，从头到尾] you've been in charge of all the lyrics [words of a song] for our band? 2. I'm sick and tired of [强调式，be sick of + be tired of] singing your songs all the time. I want to sing my own songs! 3. Okay, no need to freak out [go wild, lose one's cool]! 4. First things first. Have you written a song yet? 5. Okay, but it's still a work in progress. 6. Stop trying to buy (some) time [争取时间]. Let's hear the song! 7. Cut it out [stop it!]! Stop teasing me. I am cured. 8. All better [completely cured]? 9. I'll never bake another cookie again. My parents made a fortune. Now we can all just chill out [relax]! 25 Ted Brings Home More Good News 1. Amber and I are going to break into [进入/军某行业] the music business. 2. Last night after our concert, a talent agent asked us to meet with him in New York. 3. He will fly us to New York. 4. We'll give you some spending money [零用钱] for your trip. 5. No need. The agent is footing the bill [pay] for everything. And when we get there, he's going to wine and dine [款待] us. 6. He must think you're the cream of the crop [the best of a group]. 7. You're really out of it [外行]. 8. Our family is certainly on a winning streak [a series of wins 好事连连]. I was elected/ named/ president of the Spanish Club today. 9. Big deal! [没什么了不起的～] [cf. It’s no big deal/No big deal. 不是什么大事] 10. You don't get it, Ted. This is only the beginning. Today, president of the Spanish Club. Tomorrow, ambassador to Spain! 11. Well, Ambassador, you'll need to wrap up [finish] my chemistry homework before you leave for the Spanish Embassy.