| 大家可能还记得Michael 这个美国学生以往几次考试都考糟了，这一次情况可大不相同。今天他和他的中国同学李华约好了在图书馆见面。李华会学到两个常用语，一个是：to ace；另一个是：peanuts。 L: 嗨， Michael，今天考得怎么样？ M: Not bad! I aced today's history test! L: 你历史测验又考糟啦？那你还那么高兴！ M: No, Li Hua, I didn't bomb my test. I said "I aced the test". I did very well on it! L: 你考得很好，那太好了，Michael！最近你每天都到图书馆来念书， 我知道你会考得比以前好的。你刚才用的是哪个字啊？ M: Ace. Here, ace is a verb, and you can add a "d" to make it past tense. L: 噢，在这里，ace是个动词，过去时就是在后面加一个字母 "d"，变成了aced。这个字是不是和扑克牌里的那张牌A，或者叫“尖子”的那张牌一样的呢？ M: That's right. The "ace" card is usually the highest value in a card game. Therefore, "ace" means to do well. L: 对，在玩扑克的时候ace往往是价值最高的一张牌，所以ace就是 指某件事做的很好。那ace作为动词还能用在什么场合呢？ M: Usually we can use "ace" to describe how we did on a test, or on things similar to tests. For example, I can say I aced my last job interview. L: 噢，一般都用在和测验考试之类的情况，你上次找工作去面谈谈 得很好也能用“ace" 这个词。再说一遍你刚才说的那句话，好吗？ M: I aced my last job interview. L: 你大概回答问题答得很好，所以老板就要你了。 M: That's right. Li Hua, if someone is very good at something, we can call him an "ace". I can say, for example, you are an ace at taking tests. L: I'm an ace at taking tests, 你说我非常会考试！这也不见得，我考糊 的时候也有的。不过，比你少一点就是了。 M: Yes, you're right! L: Michael, 借我$.75 买杯咖啡好吗？ M: Well, okay. Li Hua, how much money do you earn as a teaching assistant, if you don't mind my asking? L: 你当然不在意你问我赚多少钱。 当助教的工资很低，才8美元一 小时。 M: Eight dollars? That's peanuts! L: Peanuts? Peanuts不是花生吗？你是什么意思呀？ M: That's really not much! You only make eight dollars an hour? Your wages are very low, so I said that's "peanuts"! L: 原来你的意思是我的工资很低。你说的peanuts是不是和我们吃的花生一个字吗？ M: That's right. L: 我在想另外找个工作呢。我的同学王燕在图书馆工作，一个小时就有十美元。 M: That's still peanuts compared with the teaching assistants in other departments. I make about 13 dollars an hour as a graduate assistant. L: 哟，你一个小时赚13美元呐！ 真不公平，你赚那么多钱，而我 只赚peanuts. M: I don't see how you can live on so little money. L: 赚那么点钱是怎么过的日子呀？我还有奖学金呐，每个月给我四 百美元生活费。 M: Too bad you don't really make peanuts, at least you can eat those... L: 你真想要我赚花生，靠吃花生过日子呀。Michael, 你真废话！ M: I'm just kidding! 今天李华学到两个常用语，一个是：to ace，就是某件事做得很好，特别是象考试之类的事；另一个是：peanuts，这里不是指花生，而是指数量很小，价值很低。 |
