VOA流行美语第96课：pick-me-up

第96课：pick-me-up

今天Larry和Li Hua一起去医院看望一个生病的朋友Laura。Li Hua会学到两个常用语：pick-me-up和lay off。

(street noise)

LH: 哎，Larry, 我觉得Laura生病以后一直情绪不好 - 我真的很替她担心。

LL: Well, this visit should be a nice pick-me-up for her. I'm sure she'll like the flowers you bought her.

LH: 我也希望她会喜欢我买的这些花。可是，Larry, 你说我们去医院看她，对她是个 "pick-me-up", 什么是"pick-me-up" 啊？

LL: A pick-me-up as one word is something that makes someone feel better or gives them energy.

LH: 噢，原来"pick-me-up" 合起来是一个词，表示"能让人振作起来、让人心情好起来的东西"。所以你说我们去医院看Laura会让她心情好起来啊！

LL: That's right. Here is another example - If you receive a birthday card from your best friend, you must feel good. So, the card for you is a "pick-me-up".

LH: 对呀，好朋友送我生日卡片，那肯定会让我很高兴。只可惜生日一年只有。Larry, 我如果情绪低落，你猜我会怎么办？我吃巧克力。Chocolate is a good pick-me-up.

LL: I don't really like chocolate, so when I need a pick-me-up, I usually eat ice cream.

LH: 我也喜欢吃冰淇淋，不过，和冰淇淋比起来，我还是觉得"逛街买东西"更容易帮我调节心情。

LL: Well, that's a good pick-me-up for girls, but most guys don't enjoy shopping that much.

LH: 你说得太对了。"逛街买东西"常常能让女孩子一下子心情就好起来，可是对男生来说恐怕就不那么灵了。唉，真可惜Laura现在在医院里，要不然我可以约她出来逛街呢！

LL: Well, I'm sure that seeing her friends and getting such pretty flowers will be a great pick-me-up for her.

LH: 就是啊，见到我们还有这些好看的花她一定会高兴起来的。前面就是医院了。哎，Larry, 走了一路，我有点儿累了。我们先到这家咖啡馆喝杯咖啡怎么样？

LL: Yeah, I'm kind of tired, too. I could use a little pick-me-up.

******

LL: Laura seemed so spacey. I think that maybe the doctors should lay off the painkillers.

LH: 就是啊，Laura好像显得昏昏沉沉的，所以你觉得医生应该给她开止疼药 - painkiller 啊？

LL: No, I meant they should S giving her painkillers. To lay off something is to stop using it or to stop doing it, and to lay off someone is to stop bothering him or her...

LH: 噢，原来Lay off something的意思就是"停止用某种东西"或者"停止做某件事"。那lay off someone的意思就是"别再烦某个人"。原来你说的是医生应该给Laura停用止疼药吗？

LL: You got it! You see - Painkillers tend to make the person spacey. That's why I think the doctors should lay off the painkillers for Laura.

LH: 说得也是，止疼药是会让人晕晕乎乎的。哎，Larry, 我们能不能再到那个咖啡馆买杯咖啡呀？我看了Laura那么难受的样子，我也得提提神了- I need another pick-me-up.

LL: Hey, Li Hua, you ought to lay off the caffeine. You're going to become addicted!

LH: 你要我别喝那么多咖啡，不然会上瘾？嗨，Larry, 别管我的事， lay off me, 我啊，就是想喝这杯咖啡！

LL: Alright, alright. Don't be mad at me.

LH: 哎哟，我也不是真的和你急嘛。我只不过是想用"lay off someone" 来举个例子， 哎，你说我用得对吗?

LL: Yes, you sure used it correctly. Now, shall we lay off the English lessons for a while? I think I will have some ice cream as a pick-ME-up.

LH: 好啊，我们俩这个"英语课"要先告一段落，你吃冰淇淋。我呢，还是喝我的咖啡！

今天李华从Larry那儿学到两个常用语，一个是pick-me-up, 意思是"给人提神、让人心情一下子好起来的东西"；李华学到的另外一个常用语是lay off, lay off something意思是"停止做某件事"， lay off someone意思是"别烦某个人"。