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POPULAR AMERICAN 流行美语 第221课

Larry和李华在谈论州长竞选的问题。 李华会学到两个常用语toast和wiggle room。

LL: If the Governor doesn't change his education policies, Li Hua, I think he is toast.

LH: 你说什么? 要是州长不改变他的教育政策,他就会怎么呐?Toast不是烤面包吗?我想这肯定是一种比喻, 不过,He is toast究竟是什么意思呢?

LL: When I said "toast" I meant that he would be finished or done for. Basically, I think he will lose the election.

LH: 噢, He is toast就是他没有希望了,完了。 Toast这个说法很生动。就像烤面包一样, 面包烤好了就会被弹出来, 政府官员落选就像面包被弹出来一样。

LL: That is exactly right.

LH: 我们州的这位州长政绩不错,希望他能当选连任。 I hope he's not toast.

LL: Well, I'll agree with you that the Governor is very effective in many ways. But after he decided to raise taxes, most Americans were pretty dissatisfied. He's toast, I tell you.

LH: 我认为他不会落选。你不是也认为州长在各方面都很有效率吗?增加税收也是为了改善教育呀。我倒觉得他的竞选对手不行,他既不诚实,也税收方面也没有什么好主意。

LL: I can see you and I aren't going to agree on this. Good friends shouldn't talk about politics. We don't want our friendship to be toast!

LH: Larry, 你说的没错,再谈政治我们两个非成为仇人不可。 我们换个话题吧。你最近好像很忙, 在忙什么呢?

LL: Well, since you asked, Li Hua, if I don't finish the budget report I am working on by Thursday, then I am toast!

LH: 什么?你要在星期四以前完成预算报告。今天已经星期三了。看来你是要完了。我要是你,今天无论如何不睡觉也要把报告写出来。

LL: That is the best way to avoid being toast. Say, Li Hua, what about you?Don't you need to turn in a chapter from your dissertation to your advisor?

LH: 没错,琼斯教授说了我非得在月底以前把我论文的第一章交给他,不然就算我这学期不及格。那我就完了。Then I'm toast.

LL: You *will* be toast, Li Hua. You won't be able to look for a job next year, and I know your parents will be very unhappy.

LH: 就是呀,书没念好,父母不高兴,我就真的完了。I will be toast!

******

LL: Did you see the candidates' debate last night, Li Hua? The Governor really didn't leave himself any wiggle room on the tax issue.

LH: Wiggle room? Wiggle有摇动,摆动的意思。 Room是房间。你说州长在房间里说话的时候摇来摆去?

LL: No, I meant that on the issue of taxes he left himself very little room to shift his position later.

LH: 你是说他在辩论税收问题的时候没有给自己留下回旋的余地。他都说了什么呢?

LL: He promised during the debate that if he was reelected he would not raise taxes.

LH: 他说当选后不会提高税收?他实在不应当作出这个承诺。 如果遇到自然灾害、战争或是经济恶化,政府怎么能不提高税收呢?

LL: You are exactly right. I can see he didn't leave himself any wiggle room there. Say, Li Hua, how is your dissertation chapter coming?

LH: 我的博士论文写得怎么样了?哎,说起来很惭愧,我一直没有时间写。 时间表排得满满的,没有一点回旋的余地。

LL: I know how that is, Li Hua. I am going to be working on my budget project right up until the last minute. I haven't left myself much wiggle room, either.

LH: 我看你是得赶紧写那预算报告,要能在最后一分钟写出来就算你运气。 我这星期一定得写完论文第一章。下学期我想减少教书的时间,这样就会有多一点的时间来写论文了。

LL: While having some wiggle room in your schedule is a good thing, are you worried about losing some of your income?

LH: 是啊,少教些书是会让我有更多时间,不过我也担心收入就会减少。

LL: I'm not very good at sticking to a budget. I always like to have some wiggle room in my budget for extra expenses.

LH: 我知道,规定自己一个月花多少钱是很难遵守的,总有要额外买些东西的时候。所以我总给自己留一些余地,免得到时候没有没办法。

LL: Yeah, I guess we can skip going out for ice cream for a while.

LH: 吃冰淇淋花得了多少钱!We have a lot of wiggle room for ice cream.

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是toast,意思是失败,或是俗话说完蛋。另一个是wiggle room,意思是回旋或调整的余地。
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