纽约英语口语网新版
流行美语
第 7 课:choke; money

Michael和李华今天去看篮球比赛。球赛是在纽约大型室内体育馆[麦迪逊广场花园]举行,这场比赛是华盛顿的球队对纽约的球队。 Michael到中国去学过中文,他让李华跟他讲中文,以便练习听力。现在他们俩正在排队进入体育馆。今天他们在对话中会用choke和 money这两个词。

L: 嗨,Michael,谢谢你买到这么好的票!我真高兴能到[麦迪逊广场]来看球。这可是有名的体育馆哟!

M: No problem! I am really happy you could come. Yeah, I love coming to the Garden to watch basketball games.

L: 你也喜欢来这里看篮球比赛啊,那太好了。今天是纽约队比华盛顿队,你看结局会怎样?

M:Well, Li Hua, I think New York is going to lose. Knowing them, their going to choke.

L: 你说纽约队会输?你还说什么 choke? 你是说他们吃饭时会噎着啦?这跟输球有什么关系,我不懂。

M:No, no, no! They're not going to choke on their food! It's the same word with the same spelling, but it has a different meaning. Here, choke means to fail under pressure.

L:噢,我懂了。 你说的choke 是指纽约队会抵挡不住华盛顿球队的压力而输掉,对吗?

M: Yes! And choke has many uses. How else do you think it can be used?

L: Choke 可以用在很多地方。考试考糟了,可以用choke 这个字吧?

M: Yes! In fact, I choked on a test last week.

L:你上星期考试考糊了?嘿,Michael,我还知道怎么用choke这个字。你不是老想请那个姑娘出去玩吗?你请她,她连电话都不回,这可真让你choked了,对不对?

M:It seems like you really understand this word! Yeah, but it doesn't matter with that girl because I don't like her anyway.

L: 噢,你说得可真轻松,没关系,因为你不喜欢她。好,那你告诉我你喜欢哪个女孩呐?

M:Oh, that doesn't matter. Let's go to our seats!

L: 好,好, 去找位置吧!

(Michael和李华找到了自己的座位)

L: Michael,你看,纽约队看来不会输,他们赢了两个球,现在还剩十秒了。只要纽约队不失去球,他们就不会输。

M:I think that New York is going to win. Maybe they won't choke after all.

L:你也认为纽约队可能不会输?等等,你看,纽约队丢了球!这下他们完了!华盛顿队要求暂停,他们还有赢的机会。

M:Washington is going to win. Michael Jordan will make the last shot. He is money.

L: 你认为华盛顿球队会赢,Michael Jordan 会投进最后一个球。你说 "He is money "是说他会赚钱吗?

M:No, by money, here I mean that he performs consistently at a high level.

L: 噢,这儿的money不是指钱,是指他打球一直保持在高水平上,一直打得很棒。

M:Yes, you could say Yao Ming is money too.

L: 姚明当然很棒,所以也可以说:Yao Ming is money。那我们班的 Steven,他考试总是考得很好,也能说,He is money?

M:Yup. He's money. You can also call things money. For example, this pizza we are eating is money.

L: 原来凡是好的东西都可以说是money。我们正在吃的比萨饼是很好吃,所以也可以说是money.

M:Do you think the coffee shop we like to go to is money?

L: 我们常去的咖啡馆当然非常好,我一有空就想去。

M: Michael Jordan won the game! I told you he is money!

L: Michael Jordan赢得了比赛,他就是棒。

M:Let's get going, though. I have to study for a test. I don't want to choke on the test again.

L: 好吧,你快回去准备考试吧,我知道你要再考糊,就麻烦了。

Michael和李华今天在对话里用的两个词意思是相对的。 To choke是糟糕,失败的意思;而money是保持高水平,非常棒的意思。最好大家都不要choke,都成为money,那就太棒了。