Unit 50 Getting along with Your Neighbors 邻里之间整档节目节目收听
Part 1 Can't They Just Keep It Down? 他们就不能小点声吗?
Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1
Peter: What's that awful noise upstairs? Lisa: It woke me up at five o'clock in the morning. Peter: It sounds like they're tearing the walls down up there. Lisa: I think they are, literally. It sounds like they're renovating. Peter: That's all fine and good, but can't they do it during decent hours? Lisa: They don't realize that not everyone gets up before the crack of dawn. Peter: And today's Sunday! I'm going up there to set them straight.
讲解:
1. 俗话说,远亲不如近邻,但是有些时候糟糕的邻居会让人很头疼,比如说对话中的 Peter 和 Lisa 就遇到了这样的邻居。一大早上五点钟,Lisa就被楼上的噪音吵醒了。wake up 这个词组可以表示“醒,醒来”,比如说,What time do you usually wake up in the morning? 你平常早上几点钟醒?I woke early this morning. 我今天早上醒得很早。
2. 而wake sb up 表示“把某人叫醒”,比如说,Try not to wake the baby up. 别把孩子吵醒了。I was woken up by a noise on the street. 街上的声音把我吵醒了。Peter说听起来楼上好像是在拆房子似的。tear down 是“破坏,拆除”的意思,美语和中文一样,都用“拆房子”tearing walls down 来形容巨大的噪音或骚动,而对话中的情形也确实如此。
3. 所以Lisa说 I think they are, literally. 我想他们确实是在拆房子。Lisa回答literally,意思就是说情况和Peter比喻的一样。literally表示“精确地,准确地”,比如说,Idioms usually cannot be translated literally in another language. 成语一般都不能字对字地翻译成另一种语言。When he said he never wanted to see you again I'm sure he didn't mean it literally. 当他说他再也不想看见你的时候,我确定他根本就是言不由衷。literally在口语中还有加强语气的作用,比如说,I was literally bored to death. 我真的腻烦死了!
4. Lisa说楼上听起来是在装修,renovate 表示“修缮,修复,整修”,特别是对建筑物的整修,装修,名词是renovation,比如说,The college is closed for renovation. 这所学院停课进行整修。The whole building is under renovation. 整栋大楼在重新装修。Peter说装修是没有关系,但是他们就不能在比较适当的时间做吗?
5. 装修也不应该打扰别人的休息,decent,在口语中表示“好的,恰当的;像样的”,at a decent hour就是指“在比较恰当,不打扰他人的时候”。再举一些例子,The hospital has no decent equipment. 这家医院没有像样的医疗设备。That dress isn't decent for a party. 那件裙子不够体面,不适合参加派对。
6. Lisa觉得楼上的邻居根本就没考虑到不是人人都一大清早就起床,the crack of dawn指“破晓时分”,就是凌晨三四点钟左右。而且今天还是周日,一般都会睡个懒觉。这让Peter很生气,所以他决定上楼去找他们理论一番,set someone straight 指“纠正某人的错误”。