流行口語 第168課

Larry 和李华正在讨论星期六要干什么．李华呢要去逛街，但是 Larry 想去打篮球．今天李华会学到两个常用语： whatever floats your boat 和 up a creek¹。
LH: Larry，我真的很想去逛街嘛！这个周末在购物中心有大特卖吔！
LL: I don't understand why you like shopping so much, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
LH: Boat？你在说什么啊？我是想去逛街买衣服，不是要去乘船玩啦！
LL: No, "whatever floats your boat" is an expression. Whatever floats your boat means² that you should do whatever you like doing. It also implies³ that everyone likes to do different things.
LH: 哦～， whatever floats your boat 就是说你爱干什么就干什儿，而且啊，还有每个人爱好不同的意思．好，那我星期六要去逛街！
LL: Fine then. You should do whatever floats your boat. However, I think I'll go play basketball instead.
LH: 行，你想去打篮球，那就去吧！ Whatever floats your boat!
LL: I guess we won't be spending Saturday together. We could still meet for dinner, though.
LH: 没问题，晚上一起吃晚饭，那～，你想去哪儿吃饭呢？
LL: I don't have any preferences⁴. Whatever floats your boat is fine with me.
LH: 真的吗？由我来决定去哪儿吃饭啊？
LL: Yep, the decision is yours.
LH: 嗯 ...，这样啊，吔！我们能不能去学校附近那家新开的泰国餐厅？我朋友告诉我，他们的菜很好吃喔！
LL: If that's what floats your boat, then it's fine with me.
LH: 好，没问题．那我们星期六晚上 6 点半在餐厅见啰！
LL: Okay, I'll see you then.
………………………………………………………………
LH: 怎么啦？Larry，出了什么事儿啊？
LL: I lost my keys when I went to play basketball today. Now, I'm really up a creek.
LH: 你把钥匙弄丢了？哎呀，那可真是麻烦了．不过，这跟 a creek有什么关系啊？ Creek 那不就是小溪吗？
LL: If someone is "up a creek" it means that he or she is stuck in a bad situation without an obvious solution.
LH: 哦～，我懂了， up a creek 就是说一个人碰上难题，而且还没有办法来解决．也就是我们中文里说的“陷入困境”．唉，你啊现在真的是碰上大难题了．那你打算怎么办呢？
LL: I don't know. I can't get into my apartment or my car without my keys.
LH: 对喔，你没有钥匙就进不了家，也进不了你的车，那你能不能打电话问你房东，或许他有多一把钥匙啊。
LL: My landlord⁵ is out of town for the weekend, so I'm up a creek until he gets back on Monday.
LH: 什么？你的房东出远门，要到星期一才会回来？那可麻烦了．也许你可以找个锁匠来开锁啊？
LL: I think that might be my only solution, but it's going to be expensive.
LH: 我知道，请锁匠来开锁啊，可能要花一点钱，可是那总比你一个周末被关在家门外，不得其门而入要好吧？
LL: Yeah, you're right. I have no idea what to do about my car keys, though. They're a little bit more difficult to replace.
LH: 不好意思哦，我不开车，所以不知道上哪儿能找到新的车钥匙．看来啊你真是 up a creek，陷入困境了。
 
　　今天李华学到了两个常用语．第一个是： whatever floats your boat，意思就是“你爱干什么就干什么”．另一个常用语是： up a creek，这是“形容一个人陷入困境”。
 

 

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 implies   

暗示，暗指( imply的第三人称单数 )； 必然包含； 说明，表明

参考例句：

• They believe that submission in no way implies inferiority. 他们认为服从决不意味着低人一等。
• Your silence implies tacit consent to these proposals. 你的沉默意味着你默许这些提议。

4 preferences   

参数选择； 较喜欢的东西( preference的名词复数 )； 优待； 偏爱的事物； 最喜爱的东西

参考例句：

• Consensus did not emerge from a compromise between individual preferences. 意见一致并不是个人不同爱好的折衷产物。
• Judith had not much reserve in the manifestations of her preferences. 朱迪思毫不掩饰她的感情。

5 landlord   

n.地主，房东，(旅店)店主

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• He used to be a long - term labourer for a landlord.他早先给地主扛过长活。