纽约英语口语网新版
流行美语
第 152 课:downer / baby

今天早上Larry和李华和一对朋友Charles and Lisa约好一起打网球。李华会学到两个常用语:pumped和iffy.

LL: I'm really pumped about today's tennis match. How about you, Li Hua?

LH: 你对今天的比赛怎么啦?Pumped?你是不是在说你很紧张?

LL: No, I'm not nervous. Pumped means energized and excited. I'm looking forward to today's game because I think it will be a lot of fun.

LH: 原来pumped是很兴奋。对了,pump不是也有打气的意思吗?你是说你打足了气,跃跃欲试的意思。

LL: That's right! What about you? Aren't you pumped about the game?

LH: 嗯,我是很期待这场比赛,不过,我可不敢说我像你那样pumped. 我对体育没有象你那样感兴趣。

LL: Yeah, I guess I get particularly pumped about sports. If sports don't get you all that pumped up, then what does?

LH: 我呀,我是一谈起旅行就特别兴奋。I'm pumped about travel。只要想到要去旅行,我就非常兴奋。明年暑假,我计划要到温哥华去玩一个星期。

LL: You're pumped about going to Vancouver? What is there to do in Vancouver?

LH: 到那儿去干什么? 温哥华有很多美丽的高山。景色一定很壮观。还有那里的野生动物!我一想到有机会看到野生麋鹿我就特别兴奋。Yes, I'm pumped about going to Vancouver.

LL: Well, I guess people get pumped about different things. Personally, I don't get very excited about mountains and wild animals.

LH: 我知道,高山美景和野生动物对你来说没有太大吸引力。还不如在网球场上打球来得过瘾。

LL: Hey, tennis is fun and it's good exercise.

LH: Larry,刚才跟Charles和Lisa一起打网球挺过瘾的。对了,我差一点忘了问你,这个周末在麦迪逊广场花园有一场职业网球赛。你想去看吗?

LL: I don't know. It's iffy that we'll even be able to get tickets. Tickets for things like that sell out very quickly.

LH: 那倒也是,像这种热门球赛的票八成已经卖完了,所以你刚才说iffy,就是指我们“不太可能”买到票,是吗?Iffy肯定是从if 这个词来的。

LL: That's right. If something is "iffy",that means that it is uncertain or even a little unlikely.

LH: 要是用iffy这个词来形容什么事的话,那就是不肯定,不太可能。不过,Larry,我们还是可以试一试吗。没准运气好,还有票呢!

LL: Yeah, but even if I can get tickets, it's iffy that we'll be able to afford them. Tickets for games like that tend to be expensive, too.

LH: 你说门票可能很贵,我们可能买不起啊?Larry,也许他们有半价的学生票呢。我们试试看嘛,好不好?

LL: Sure, I'll call the ticket vendor this afternoon. But it's iffy that they have half-priced tickets for students.

LH: 没关系,如果真的买不到票,我们可以做别的事啊!如果我们不能去看职业选手打球,我们还可以找朋友去打嘛!

LL: Speaking of which, wasn't that last game fun? Do you think Charles and Lisa would play with us again?

LH: 对,跟Charles和Lisa打的最后一场是真好玩!

LL: But it's iffy that they'll want to play against us again.

LH:他们不一定再想跟我们打球。那是为什么呀?

LL:Can't you see? They were defeated by us every round. It's really iffy that they had any fun this morning.

LH:对了。老是输球的话恐怕是没有什么好玩。

今天李华学到两个常用语。第一个是pumped,是形容很兴奋,很有活力的样子。另一个常用语是iffy,是指某件事情不太可能。