流行美语 (Popular American) 291

Larry跟李华一起开高速，去李华亲戚家过周末，由李华开车。今天我们要学两个常用语： take the fall和tough it out.

LH: Larry, 今天路可真不好开，我有一种不好的预感。

LL: What do you mean? Are you talking about your relatives, or are you referring to the possibility of an accident?

LH: 快别说“出事”这个字，多不吉利！不过，我还真有点儿怕，更何况，这辆车不在我的名下。

LL: If there's an accident, I may have to take the fall, Lihua.

LH: 什么叫take the fall?

LL: When someone 'takes the fall' for something, they are accepting responsibility for another person's mistake.

LH: 哦，take the fall原来是替别人承担责任的意思。

LL: Yes. For example, if a company has a bad performance, the CEO may take the fall - basically¹ accepting responsibility and making himself the center of the blame, so that the company can continue.

LH: 这么说，如果真出了车祸，你就要替我承担责任了？

LL: That's right, Li Hua. I'll take the fall for you. This is my car, after all. It's registered² in my name. So, I'll HAVE to take the fall!

LH: 我看咱们还是停下来，由你开好了，否则真出了事，要你替我背黑锅，那多过意不去！

LL: Hey, don't worry. Let's drive for a little longer, because I want to take a nap³. I worked really late yesterday, remember?

LH: 我怎么会忘！哪天咱们有了孩子，你这个工作狂要是整天不在家，I will have to take the fall.

LL: Don't worry - you wouldn't have to take the fall for that. I'd be a responsible father and tell them myself, and I would accept full responsibility!

LH: 说真的，Larry, 什么样的情况下你愿意替我背黑锅呢？

LL: OK, let me think. If you made your father angry, I would take the fall.

LH: 那不算，我爸本来就不太喜欢你！

LL: I know. So I have nothing to lose if I take the fall for you for this! Hahah!

******

LH: 还有一英里就可以下高速了，天好象也要放晴了。

LL: Yeah, it appears to be that way. We should be at your relatives' house in a few minutes.

LH: 哎呀！Whoa (车打转).... (轮胎刹轧声，汽车打火声) 不好，车熄火了。

LL: Let me take a look. Oh wow. Total engine failure. Let's see. You know what? We could just tough it out and walk to your relatives' place.

LH: 什么？走去我亲戚家？你疯了吧？还有你说的tough it out, 那是什么意思啊？

LL: Tough it out means to complete a task under difficult circumstances. For example, we need to complete our journey to your relatives' house. But because the car is broken down, we have to walk outside in the cold to finish the journey.

LH: 可你还是没有说明白什么叫tough it out 啊。

LL: It's cold, and it will take longer, and we have to exert⁴ more strength to do it. Because of this, it's tough - so we call it 'toughing it out.'

LH: 你要做硬汉，可以自己去tough it out. 我可不愿意。

LL: If you stay in the car, two things can happen: you can get even colder because there is no heat, and something bad could happen to you. It's dangerous to be alone off the highway.

LH: 你是说会有坏人？那我只好跟你一起走了。

LL: I think it's our only choice. If we tough it out together, we can get to your relatives' house in about 15 minutes. We can get some exercise!

LH: 那车怎么办？就扔在这儿吗？

LL: We'll bring our valuables, and I'll use the cell phone to call a tow⁵ truck. If we just stand here to tough it out, we risk getting too cold.

LH: OK. Let's tough it out together, Larry!

LL: Yeah! Let me grab⁶ our luggage. Just in case. But I'll carry it. I can tough it out.

LH: Larry, 你告诉我，咱俩在一起，你有没有在精神上觉得受不了的时候？

LL: As a matter of fact, yes. When you went to do research in China for three months, I had to tough it out.

LH: 是啊，那段日子我也觉得挺难熬的！I had to tough it out too. 现在好了，一切都过去了。

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是 take the fall, 意思是替别人承担责任。另一个是 tough it out，意思是坚持到底。
 

1 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

2 registered   

adj.登记的，注册的

参考例句：

• Ships were registered abroad to circumvent employment and safety regulation. 船只在外国注册以逃避有关雇佣和安全的规定。
• In former times, only property owners could be registered as voters. 从前，只有有财产的人才能登记作选民。

3 nap   

n.(白天)打瞌睡，打盹

参考例句：

• The nap of the coat has been worn off.外衣上的绒毛已经磨掉了。
• Don't bother me while I am taking my nap.我小睡的时候不要打扰我。

4 exert   

vt.用（力），尽（力），运用，发挥，施加

参考例句：

• He likes to exert his authority.他喜欢行使自己的权力。
• We must exert ourselves to catch up with them,or it would be too late.我们要急起直追，否则就太晚了。

5 tow   

n.拖，拉，牵引

参考例句：

• The broken-down car was taken in tow by a lorry.那辆坏了的车由一辆货车拖着。
• Mrs Hayes went to the supermarket with her four little children in tow.海斯太太带着她的4个小孩到超市去了。

6 grab   

vt./n.攫取，抓取；vi.攫取，抓住(at)

参考例句：

• It is rude to grab a seat.抢占座位是不礼貌的。
• The thief made a grab at my bag but I pushed him away.贼想抢我的手提包，但被我推开了。