英語學習

流行美語 第355課

【大紀元2010年12月16日訊】Larry和李華在看世界盃美國對加納的比賽。今天我們要學兩個常用語:haunt someone和turn the corner.

LH: Larry, 美國今天如果贏了加納,就進8強啦!我可緊張死了!

L: Me too! But I kind of have a bad feeling, because it was Ghana that eliminated the U.S. from the tournament in 2006.

LH: 啊?2006年世界盃美國就是被加納淘汰的?那今天就是美國報仇的時候啦!我覺得,美國隊在比賽開始的時候就得設法趕快進球,不要總讓別人領先。

L: I agree. If they keep letting the other team score early in the game, eventually it will come back to haunt them.

LH: Haunt them? 甚麼意思?

L: When a mistake in the past causes you trouble in the present, you can say it comes back to haunt you.

LH: 哦,comes back to haunt you就是說從前犯的錯誤到如今還在給你帶來麻煩。你是說, 如果美國隊在比賽開始的時候失球,那就可能輸掉比賽,後悔莫及。

L: Exactly. For example, Joe decided not to buy car insurance, but that decision came back to haunt him when he had a major accident.

LH: Joe決定不買汽車保險,結果後來出了大車禍,之前的錯誤決定就讓他陷入了麻煩之中。

L: You’re right, now let’s have fun and watch the game. Do you have some popcorn and soda?

LH: Larry,這些食品不健康,少吃為妙!

L: That’s true, an unhealthy diet can come back to haunt you later if it causes you health problems.

LH: 對啊,吃不健康的東西會影響到你的身體。啊, Larry, 我真希望咱們現在在南非,看世界盃現場!

L: Yeah, it would have been so much fun to go. If the U.S. makes it into the finals, that decision is really going to come back to haunt me.

LH: 對啊,如果美國隊進了決賽,你一定會後悔自己沒去南非!哎?Larry,你這個電視怎麼這麼清楚啊?難道你換了新電視機?

L: That’s right, I bought it just to watch the U.S. play in the World Cup! Although that decision will come back to haunt me if they lose today.

LH: 是啊,要是美國今天就被淘汰,你這台電視就白買了,你肯定得後悔!看,比賽開始了!

L: Great, let’s watch!

******

比賽結束了,Larry和李華都很失望。

LH: 唉,美國隊輸了!不過,這場比賽打得很激烈,一直打到了加時賽呢!

L: Well I’m pretty disappointed that the U.S. lost, but at least they played well and improved from 2006.

LH: 是啊,2006年時美國都沒能進16強!

L: Yeah, they have been getting better. Hopefully 2014 will be the year that they turn the corner.

LH: Turn the corner? 這是甚麼意思?

L: When you turn the corner, that means you pass a critical turning point.

LH: 哦,就是出現轉機,實現突破。 你是說,希望美國隊2014年世界盃能突破自己,成為強隊!

L: Right! Here is another example. Joe spent two years studying Chinese in America, but he never really turned the corner until he went to live in China.

LH: 哦,Joe在美國學了兩年中文,一直學得不怎麼樣,直到去中國留學,他的中文水平才有了突破。哎, Larry, 你買的這個電視真是越看越好!

L: Thanks, Lihua.

LH: 這電視一定很貴。你最近是不是發財了?

L: Yeah, my investment in the stock market wasn’t going very well for a long time. But it really turned the corner recently.

LH: 我這學期不知怎麼了,兩門課成績都不是很理想,真不知道甚麼時候才會有轉機。

L: Don’t worry Lihua, I’m sure that before long you’re going to turn the corner and start getting straight A’s.

LH: 哪有那麼簡單!不過,既然美國隊已經被淘汰了,我就可以專心學習了!

L: Well, I hope all this time watching soccer instead of studying doesn’t come back to haunt you during your final exams.

LH: 沒關係,為了四年一次的世界盃,考不好也值!

今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是haunt someone, 表示以前的錯誤如今還在對某人產生影響。另一是turn the corner, 意思是出現轉機,實現突破。

──轉自《美國之音》