美国之音《流行美语》 350

　　李华和Larry一起去买自行车。今天我们要学两个常用语：To keep an eye out for sth.和push one's luck.
LH: Larry等你买了自行车，你可以天天骑车上班，又锻练身体又省汽油钱。
L: Yeah, I think biking will be a lot of fun. And when it rains or snows, I'll have the perfect excuse to take the day off from work.
LH: 这个嘛......我可没说让你以这个为理由偷懒不上班！
L: Well, Lihua, you know I'm always keeping an eye out for a reason not to go to work.
LH: Keeping an eye out? 什么意思？
L: When you are looking for or expecting something, you can say that you are keeping an eye out for it.
LH: 哦，就是特别留意的意思。你是说，你总是特别想找些理由，好不去上班。
L: That's right!
LH: 以后我当了老板，肯定不雇你这种员工！ 你再举个例子行吗？
L: Sure. When you're riding your bike on the road, it's important to keep an eye out for cars.
LH: 对，骑车的时候要特别留意周围的交通状况，小心汽车。哎，说到安全，你应该买个骑车时戴的头盔。
L: Of course. When we get to the store, I'll keep an eye out for other things I might need too, like a bell and a light.
LH: 行。那我们去哪家店买呢？
L: I've been keeping an eye out for some good deals, and found a sale at a store near my house.
LH: 好吧，我们就去那儿。对了，Larry, 我听过一种说法叫"keep an eye on something." 这和keep on eye out for something有区别吗？
L: When you keep an eye on something, you pay close attention to it, usually because something negative has happened or will happen.
LH: 我明白了，keep an eye on something通常用在负面情况中。也就是说，因为怕某些不好的事情发生，所以紧盯着，特别注意着。
L: Yes. For example, one of the employees¹ at my company has been coming to work late every day, so the boss is keeping an eye on him.
LH: 是吗？你们公司有个人上班天天迟到，所以老板已经盯上他了。这个人不就是你嘛？
L: Of course not! I haven't bought my bike yet.
LH: 买了自行车你也不能这么干啊！ 对了，待会儿你要骑车回家么？这天好像要下雨了。
L: Well it's dangerous to ride a bike in the rain, so we'll have to keep an eye on the weather.
******
LH: Larry, 你这辆新车真好看，待会儿你就骑车回家吧！
L: I'm really excited to ride it. But unfortunately I don't think I can ride it today, because it will probably rain.
LH: 会么？没准不会下的，你骑吧！
L: No, I would really hate riding in the cold rain. I'm not going to push my luck.
LH: Push your luck? 什么意思？
L: When you push your luck, you take a big risk in the hope that you will have good luck.
LH: 哦，就是抱着侥幸心里去冒险。你是说，你不想抱着天不下雨的侥幸心理去骑车。
L: Right! Here is another example. Even though everyone knows smoking² will likely give them cancer, some people decide to push their luck and smoke anyway.
LH: 可不，抽烟的人都希望自己运气好，不会因为抽烟而得肺癌。把自己的健康寄托在运气上，我可不干这种事。
L: Speaking of risks, I should buy a helmet³, too. What do you think of this one?
LH: 这个是不错，可是太贵了，不值。
L: I guess I could just not buy a helmet and hope I don't get into an accident, but I don't want to push my luck.
LH: 对，要是真把脑袋撞伤了，可不是闹着玩儿的。
L: Exactly. You know, Lihua, I really appreciate you helping⁴ me shop for this bike. I really owe⁵ you a favor⁶.
LH: 啊，这样吧，为了表示你对我的感激，给我买个数码相机怎么样？
L: Don't push your luck, Lihua. I was planning to buy you lunch.
LH: 请吃午饭？那也行啊！去哪儿吃？
L: How about McDonalds? Remember that I took you there last weekend, too?
LH: Larry, don't push your luck. 上礼拜就骗我吃麦当劳，这个礼拜还吃？！ 今天我一定要宰你一刀，吃牛排吧！
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是keep an eye out for sth, 表示特别留意。另一是push one's luck, 意思是抱着侥幸心理冒险。

1 employees   

n.雇工，雇员( employee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She is always polite and considerate towards her employees. 她对待雇员总是客客气气，关心体谅。
• The company has a strict dress code—all male employees are expected to wear suits. 公司有严格的着装规定—所有男职员都要穿西服。

2 smoking   

n.吸烟，抽烟；冒烟

参考例句：

• He was wise to give up smoking.他戒烟是明智的。
• He has decided to cut out smoking and drinking.他已决心戒烟、戒酒。

3 helmet   

n.钢盔；头盔；安全帽；vt.给…戴头盔

参考例句：

• The man on the motorcycle wore a helmet.骑摩托车的人戴了一顶头盔。
• Wear your safety helmet when you go down.戴上安全帽再下去。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 owe   

vt./vi.欠（债等）；感激；把……归功于某人

参考例句：

• We still owe one hundred dollars for the car.为这部车我们还欠着100美元。
• We owe it to society to make our country a better place.把国家建设得更美好是我们对社会应尽的责任。

6 favor   

n.好感；赞同；好事；vt.赞同，喜爱；有利于

参考例句：

• She is out of favor with her employer.她失去了雇主的欢心。
• The new teacher finds favor in the eyes of the parents.那位新老师很受家长的欢迎。