【美国习语】109 矮小的人，乖戾的人
【节目介绍】:本节目每天早上9点更新，介绍美国的习惯用语，让大家有更开阔的语言视角。适合各个阶层的人学习，难度中等。大家只要听写出音频中的例句就可以了，本期一共四段例句。听写不需要打引号，句子间也不用编序号。音频中听到的所有习语，提交后都均可在译文部分找到。Hints:
Mugsy Bogues
Napoleon
Missus Gray
校对：trans0829
答疑：常小猫
http://t1.g.hjfile.cn/listen/201203/20120326072226462024.mp3Basketball is a game for tall people. But once in a while a player like Mugsy Bogues comes along. Mugsy is a real shrimp -- only 1.6 meters tall. But he's so quick and clever he can play on equal terms with all those giants.
The great French leader Napoleon was shorter than everybody around him, so you'd have to call him a little shrimp. But for a shrimp, he certainly made the rest of Europe tremble.
I don't like any of my teachers much, but the one I hate the most is Missus Gray. She's such an old crab, always scolding us for making noise, chewing gum, not doing our homework.
My neighbor is such an old crab. He practically does not allow me to listen to music and watch TV. Whenever I turn on my radio or television set, he knocks on my door and angrily orders me to stop.不管是英文还是中文，人们往往用动物的名称来形容人，例如骂人的时候说某人像猪，像狗，或者赞扬某人鹤立鸡群等。美国人有时把人形容为像一只虾。虾在英文里就是："shrimp"。
大约八百年前，shrimp这个字首先是用来指那些个子矮小的人。后来人们才把虾称为shrimp。但是，现在人们还是经常叫个子矮小的人shrimp。我们来举一个有关体育的例子：
"Basketball is a game for tall people. But once in a while a player like Mugsy Bogues comes along. Mugsy is a real shrimp--only 1.6 meters tall. But he's so quick and clever he can play on equal terms with all those giants."
这句话的意思是："篮球是适合个子高的人打的球。可是偶然也会出现像马格西博格这样个子矮小的球员。马格西博格体格实在是矮小，身高只有一米六。但是他机智灵活，和那些个子高大的球员一样地打球。"
下面我们来举一个有关政客的例子：
"The great French leader Napoleon was shorter than everybody around him, so you'd have to call him a little shrimp. But for a shrimp, he certainly made the rest of Europe tremble."
这句话的中文意思是："法国伟大的领导人拿破比他周围的人都矮，所以你可以说他像只小虾。但是作为一只小虾，他却震憾了整个欧洲。"
下面我们来给大家介绍一下美国人是如何把crab，也就是螃蟹这个字用在日常口语中的。螃蟹有许多腿，还有那双很利害的钳子。大概是由于它的相貌，人们都认为它是一种性情急燥、容易动怒的动物。正因为这样，美国人把那些性格暴燥，脾气很坏的人叫做crab。例如，学生经常把老师叫做crab，特别是当他们要执行学校规章制度的时候。下面就是一个学生在说话：
"I don't like any of my teachers much, but the one I hate the most is Missus Gray. She's such an old crab, always scolding us for making noise, chewing gum, not doing our homework."
他说："所有的老师我都不太喜欢。但是，我最恨的是格雷小姐。她真是个老螃蟹，老骂我们不安静、吃口香糖、不做家庭作业。"
美国人不仅把crab这个字用于妇女，而且有时也用在男人身上。例如：
"My neighbor is such an old crab. He practically does not allow me to listen to music and watch TV. Whenever I turn on my radio or television set, he knocks on my door and angrily orders me to stop."
这个人说："我的邻居可真是个老螃蟹。他不让我听音乐和看电视。每当我打开收音机或电视机，他就会来敲我的门，怒气冲冲地要我把它们关掉。"
我们刚才讲了shrimp和crab这两个字。Shrimp作为俗语是指身材矮小的人。Crab是指那些性情暴燥的人。
页:
[1]