流行美语 第 208 课：gas guzzler / tree hugger

Larry和李华要开车去一个国家公园，他们先到加油站给汽车加油。李华今天会学到两个常用语，gas guzzler和tree hugger。

LL: I can't believe the price of gas these days! I am going to have to get rid of this gas guzzler.

LH: 我知道，我到美国来以后就从来没有见过这么高的的汽油价钱。 可是，Larry, 你要扔掉什么？Gas guzzler是什么呀？

LL: To guzzle something is to drink it really fast. A gas guzzler refers to a car that gets very poor gas mileage and constantly needs to be filled up.

LH: 我明白了。Guzzle就是口渴的时候大口大口地喝水。你是说你的车耗油太多，大口大口地喝油。A gas guzzler就是耗油量很大的汽车。

LL: That's right. And looking at the price on the gas pump, I am not too happy to be driving a gas guzzler right now.

LH: 好多人都有你这样的想法。油价这么高，还开耗油的车，花钱多了，当然不高兴啦。对了，你这个gas guzzler每加仑汽油能跑多少里路啊？

LL: Well, about 25 miles to the gallon on the highway, but only 18 miles per gallon driving around town. It isn't the worst gas guzzler out there, but I could be driving something more fuel efficient.

LH: 在高速公路上开每加仑25英里，在城市里只能开18英里！ 比我的车要费油多了。你是该换一辆省油的车了。

LL: Well, I know there are cars on the market that get as much as 40 miles to the gallon, but they tend to be smaller cars. Bigger cars tend to be gas guzzlers, and I wanted a bigger car.

LH: 当然啦，省油的车一般都是小型的车，大车都是耗油的。你喜欢开大车，那就得多花钱。Larry，现在耗油量大的汽车一定卖不动了吧？

LL: I think there will always be people who have the money to afford the gas and want to have a big gas guzzler to drive around.

LH: 没错，就像你这样爱开大车的人总是有的。Larry, 这就叫愿者上钩。不过，有的人有钱，你是穷学生。 我还是喜欢开小车，省油省钱， 还有利于保护环境。

LL: There! The tank of this gas guzzler is finally full. After I pay the gas attendant, we can get on the road.

LH: 油加满啦？快去付钱，完了我们就可以上路了。太棒了， 我早就想去国家公园痛痛快快地玩一天。

******

LL: So, Li Hua, you drive a small car because you think it's good for the environment. Are you a tree hugger or what?

LH: 是呀，我刚才说了，我喜欢开小车，原因之一是为了保护环境。你问我是不是个tree hugger? 抱树的人？ 我是很喜欢树， 可是没有到要拥抱树的程度。

LL: A tree hugger is someone who really likes trees and the environment and is willing to do pretty much anything to protect them.

LH: 我猜想a tree hugger也就是特别喜欢树木，关心环保的人。Larry，tree hugger这个名词是有赞扬的意思，还是含有贬义？

LL: It isn't a bad thing - depending on who you talk to. Some people see tree huggers as standing in the way of progress.

LH: 没有坏的意思，但是又要看你跟谁说话。为什么有的人认为tree huggers会妨碍进步呢？这我不明白。

LL: Do you remember a few years ago some tree huggers in the northwestern United States wanted to protect the forest home of the Spotted Owl?

LH: 对，几年前，美国西北部一些环保人士为了保护猫头鹰的栖息地，阻止木材公司伐木而用铁链子把自己捆在树上。

LL: Yeah, and the price of lumber in the northwest went up, and people blamed the tree huggers for lost jobs in the lumber industry.

LH: 原来是这样。因为砍的树少了，价格就上升了，伐木业的就业机会也少了；他们都怪环保人士呀！在这些人眼里，tree huggers显然不是赞美的称呼了。

LL: No, it is a term used to put down or disparage people who protect nature at the expense of human comfort and industry.

LH: 对这些人来说，tree huggers就是牺牲人类的舒适和工业来保护自然。野生动物应该保护嘛，这总要有人站出来说话啊。

LL: I guess so. Driving through the forest reminds me of the good things tree huggers can do.

LH: 在森林里开车是会让我们想起tree huggers。他们努力保护森林，好让我们和子孙后代都能享用，这都是很有意义的事。

LL: I think you've answered my question, Li Hua. You ARE a tree hugger.

LH: 不错，我就是个tree hugger─我也为此而感到自豪。

今天李华学到了两个常用语。第一个是 gas guzzler, 意思是很费油的汽车。第二个是tree huggers， 意思是喜爱自然的人或是致力与环境保护的人士。