VOA流行美语 Unit 339:当儿戏&太难
李华和Larry在夏威夷渡假。俩人今天去冲浪。今天我们要学两个常用语:make light of something和in over one's head。
![VOA流行美语 Unit 339:当儿戏&太难 VOA流行美语 Unit 339:当儿戏&太难](https://i2.yingwenku.com/7eef066f74c2c0/3ab647/7eee117a79/3ab6473e279680.jpg)
LH: Larry,我早就想学冲浪了,听说夏威夷是世界上最适合冲浪的地方。
LL: Really? I've also heard that the waters have big sharks. Are you sure you wouldn't rather build sand castles?
LH: 在海边用沙子堆城堡?哈,Larry,你是不是害怕了?放心,鲨鱼看见咱俩,一定会选择我。
LL: I wouldn't make light of the situation, Li Hua. There really are sharks!
LH: Make light of the situation? 那是什么意思啊?
LL: You can say that you make light of a situation when you joke about something that is actually very serious.
LH: 哦, to make light of 一件事情就是拿正经事当儿戏。那你是说海水里真的有鲨鱼,我不应该拿咱俩谁的肉更香开玩笑喽?
LL: Right! Now, Li Hua, you're a good swimmer, right? The ocean is pretty strong here.
LH: 我以前上中学的时候还是游泳校队的呢。这点海浪难不倒我,Larry, 你怎么今天好象特别的婆婆妈妈。
LL: Well, I just wouldn't make light of the fact that the currents can be very dangerous.
LH: 看,这么多孩子在水里玩,如果你有什么事,他们一定会去救你的。
LL: Haha, very funny. You know, you can also say that you take something lightly when you don't treat it as seriously as you should.
LH: 哦,就是不把正经事当回事儿的意思。Larry, 我是来渡假的,不是来学英语的,咱们还是赶快下水吧!
LL: Wait! First we should put on some sunscreen. Getting a sun burn is really unhealthy, so we don't want to take that lightly.
LH: 对对对,被太阳晒脱皮可非同小可。
LL: Yeah, we shouldn't take skin cancer lightly, so I always try not to get a tan.
LH: 怎么样,现在可以让教练带我们下水了吧?
LL: Sure. You go in first and make sure the sharks aren't hungry. I'll follow once I know it's safe.
LH: 真够绅士的。
李华和Larry结束了冲浪课程,回到岸上。
LH: Wow, Larry, 太过瘾了。我准备辞掉工作,留下来做职业冲浪运动员。
LL: Not me. I think half the water in the ocean went up my nose.
LH: 别灰心,只要坚持练习,一定会熟能生巧,到时候,别人看到你冲浪就会惊呼,WOW...
LL: I don't know, Li Hua. I think I might be in over my head.
LH: 你说什么?In over your head? 你意思是站在深水里,水快要没过头了吗?
LL: Right! You can say that you are in over your head when you are facing a challenge that you aren't able to handle.
LH: 哦,我明白了,in over one's head意思是太难了,难以驾驭。你是说自己学不会冲浪吗?
LL: Right. For another example, in college, I once tried to take a physics class, but I soon realized I was in over my head because I'm really bad at math.
LH: 这我太能理解了,我数学也不好,所以物理课一直是我的弱项。你说Larry, 咱们明天到底干嘛?去爬山如何?
LL: You want to hike on one of the volcanoes?
LH: 当然了,如果能在上面宿营就更棒了。
LL: Well Li Hua, neither of us is an experienced hiker. I don't want to go far out in the forest and realize we are in over our heads.
LH: 要不找个导游?对了,Larry, 我有个更好的主意。我们可以骑车环岛游!
LL: I don't know...I'm not in good shape, and that is a really long bike ride. I think I would be in over my head.
LH: 那你说,咱们干点什么才能不让你in over your head呢?
LL: Well you know, our hotel offers an all-day massage and spa treatment. I think I could handle that.
LH: 什么,你想一整天都待在旅馆里,休息按摩?那我们来夏威夷干嘛?我公寓旁边就有按摩院啊。
LL: Well, it's important to rest on vacation. I don't take relaxation lightly.
LH: 我有个折中方案,既好玩,又不会太累。
LL: Really? What's that?
LH: Sailing! 坐船出海去。
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是make light of, 意思是不认真,当儿戏。另一个是in over one's head,意思是太难。