流行美语 第 172 课:clotheshorse / shell out Larry和李华今天去逛街买衣服。Larry看到李华买了一大包衣服,简直吃惊。今天李华会学到两个常用语:clotheshorse和shell out。
LL: Wow, Li Hua! How many clothes do you need? You're a real clotheshorse, aren't you?
LH: 哎哟!这些衣服都在大减价,不买可惜耶!对了,你又在说我什么啦?什么是clotheshorse?
LL: A clotheshorse is someone who is concerned about fashion and likes to collect a lot of clothes.
LH: Clotheshorse就是指爱时髦,喜欢买很多衣服的人。我不觉得我是clotheshorse啊!我来美国念书后,胖了很多,旧衣服已经穿不下了,所以我才需要买些新衣服嘛!
LL: I think that's just an excuse to go shopping! You don't look like you've gained weight to me.
LH: Larry,是真的,我没有骗你,我真的胖了不少!
LL: I guess I'll take your word for it. Are you sure you're not a clotheshorse? Didn't you just go shopping a few weeks ago?
LH: 我几个星期前去买衣服了? 你弄错了人吧。我已经有一年多没有买衣服了!再说,我也不是什么追求时髦的人,你怎么能说我是个clotheshorse?
LL: I'm just teasing you. My mother is a true clotheshorse. She has a huge, walk-in closet and it is completely filled with clothes. She loves to buy clothes.
LH: 你妈妈这么喜欢买衣服啊?难怪她总是打扮的很漂亮,而且她的衣服看来都很新。
LL: It's funny, but my sister didn't inherit my mother's tendencies. She's not a clotheshorse at all.
LH: 你妹妹不喜欢买衣服吗? 女孩子不喜欢买衣服,那可不多。
LL: My sister hates going shopping. She would be happy if she could wear the same t-shirt and jeans every day of the year.
LH: 真的?你妹妹宁可每天穿同样的T恤和牛仔裤?看来,不是每个女人都是clotheshorse。
LL: Hey, Li Hua, how much money did you shell out to buy clothes today?
LH: Shell out?那是什么意思?
LL: To shell out money means to pay for something.
LH: 噢,to shell out money就是花钱的意思,你是问我今天花了多少钱买这些衣服?其实每件衣服都打了折扣,所以我没花太多钱。
LL: I'm just curious how much you have to shell out to fill up that huge shopping bag with women's clothing.
LH: 你好奇?这可奇怪了,你怎么会突然间对女人衣服的价钱感兴趣?你也想买一些啊?
LL: No! I'm just curious, that's all. I've heard that women's clothes are more expensive than men's clothes.
LH: 你只是想知道女装是不是比男装贵。其实只要你懂得怎么找减价的衣服,你并不需要花大笔钱买衣服啊!
LL: Next time I have to buy clothes, I'll ask you for help. I never bother to look for sales and I always end up shelling out more than I should.
LH: 没问题!买衣服,找折扣品,我最在行了,我一定帮你!
LL: Well, while we're at the mall, why don't you help me find a good deal on a pair of jeans.
LH: 找牛仔裤?没问题!你通常都花多少钱买一件牛仔裤?
LL: I usually shell out around $40.00.
LH: 40块啊?我能帮你找到一件20块的牛仔裤,怎么样?
LL: That's awesome!
今天李华学到两个常用语。一个是clotheshorse,是形容一个讲究穿着,喜欢买衣服的人。另一个常用语是shell out,也就是“付出”,尤其指付钱买东西的意思。