美国之音《流行美语》 353(在线收听

  李华和Larry在看世界杯足球赛,美国队和阿尔及利亚队。我们要学两个常用语:on the edge of your seat和down to the wire.
  LH: Larry,今天这场比赛可很重要!美国要是赢了,就进16强,要是输了就得回家了。
  L: I know! Who do you think will win? The U.S. or Algeria?
  LH: 这可说不好。
  L: I agree, it's hard to predict who will win. All I know is that I'm going to be on the edge of my seat the whole game.
  LH: 什么?你要坐在椅子边儿上看比赛?这样坐着你一会儿就得累。
  L: Actually, when you are really excited or nervous about something, you can say that you are on the edge of your seat.
  LH: 哦,on the edge of your seat不是真的坐在椅子的边儿上,而是形容紧张的样子。你是说,这场比赛让你感到特别紧张、兴奋,简直坐也不是站也不是。
  L: Right! Or for another example, my friend Eddie loved the new Jack Nicholson suspense movie. He said it kept him on the edge of his seat for two hours.
  LH: 对!悬疑电影总是让人的心提在嗓子眼,紧张得不行!哎,Larry, 你不是说你在网上买了一件美国队的球衣么?寄来了没有?
  L: I've been waiting on the edge of my seat all week for it to come, but it hasn't arrived yet. I hope it didn't get lost in the mail.
  LH: 别急,没准今天球衣就到了。你看别的世界杯比赛了吗?
  L: Yeah a few, but for me, none can keep me on the edge of my seat like a U.S. match does.
  LH: 这倒是!不过,足球比赛太紧张了!要不我们还是看“美国偶像”吧,轻松一下。
  L: No way! I'm always sitting on the edge of my seat whenever they announce the winner of American Idol.
  LH: 你怎么看什么都这么激动!对了,我还真没看出来,你也是美国偶像的粉丝啊!
  L: Well you never know when you might learn something surprising about me, Lihua.
  LH: 哈哈,那以后和你说话时我该紧张了,I'll be on the edge of my seat when I talk to you!
  ******
  美国对阿尔及利亚的比赛结束了,Larry和李华在谈论这场比赛。
  LH: 真够悬的!双方一直是0比0,我还以为美国队要被淘汰了呢!谁知美国队居然在最后三分种里进了个球,这下就挺进16强啦!
  L: I know! That was so amazing! If I watch a few more games like that, I'm going to have a heart attack!
  LH: 心脏病?不至于吧!不过,这场比赛最后几分钟确实挺刺激的。
  L: You're right. That game really came down to the wire.
  LH: Down to the wire? 这是什么意思?
  L: When something comes down to the wire, that means there isn't much time left.
  LH: 哦,down to the wire就是指到了最后关头。 你是说这场比赛在快结束的时候居然难分胜负。
  L: Right. Here's another example. My big report for work is due tomorrow and I still have a lot of work to do, so it's really coming down to the wire today.
  LH: 你是说,明天有报告要交,可你还没怎么写呢,所以今天是你完成报告的最后关头了!哎?既然要写报告,干嘛还看世界杯?
  L: I'll just say that I know what's important in life. Say, how is your summer job search going?
  LH: 还在找呢。我已经快没钱了,如果再找不到工作,我连房租也交不出来了。
  L: Gosh, it sounds like it's really coming down to the wire. Have you had any success?
  LH: 倒是有一份工作,我已经进入最后一轮面试了,公司说今天下午打电话通知我结果。
  L: Wow, it sounds like it's coming down to the wire. You must really be on the edge of your seat.
  LH: 是啊,已经快5点了,还没来电话,我都要急死了!
  今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是on the edge of your seat, 表示紧张兴奋。另一是down to the wire, 意思是到最后关头。

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/liuxmy/137478.html