VOA流行美语 Unit 55: ALREADY / ONE TO TALK

今天Michael和李华到了一家中餐馆吃饭，二人正在点菜。李华学到了两个词儿：already和one to talk。

L: 啊，我的天啊，我饿死了。这菜单上每一个菜我都爱吃。

M: OK, just order something already!

L: Michael, 你说什么？我什么菜都还没点，连服务生都还没来呢，你怎么就说"already"呢？

M: No, no, Li Hua, I said, "Order something already!" I meant that you should hurry up.

L: 噢，所以，你在这儿用了"already"，就是叫我快一点啊。可是你把这个字用在句子的最后面，这种用法好奇怪哟！

M: When we say "already" at the end of a sentence, sometimes we are showing that we are impatient, that we want somebody to stop waiting and to do something.

L: 噢，我懂了。你能不能再给我举个例子啊？

M: OK. Remember when we were stopped at a light earlier today? The car in front of me didn't move when the light turned green, so I yelled -- "Come on, move already!"

L: 嗯，我懂了，我懂了，这个习惯用语很简单嘛。

M: Yeah? Well, go ahead! Make a sentence already!

L: O.K. 你不是老是说那个叫Cindy的女孩儿有多可爱吗？ So come on, ask her out already!

M: Um, well, the sentence is correct, but I don't really know Cindy that well. I'm a little shy around girls, you know.

L: 管他呢，你怕什么？ Just talk to her already!

M: Well, actually I've talked to her before, but I was really nervous. I did get her phone number. I told her I might call her if I missed class and needed to borrow her notes.

L: 啊，你已经有她的电话号码啦！那你还等什么？要是她肯把电话号码给你，她对你一定有兴趣的。 Call her already!

M: All right! All right! Shut up already! I'll call her.

L: 嘿， Michael，我是要帮你的忙啊！你干嘛跟我发脾气？

M: I'm sorry, Li Hua. I shouldn't have told you to shut up. Hey, the waiter is coming. I'm hungry. Go ahead and choose something already!

L: 嗯，我想我要点宫爆鸡丁。

******

L: 嗨，Michael, 你知不知道有的时候你可真无礼啊。

M: I'm rude? You're one to talk, Li Hua!

L: 哎，你说我什么，Michael？你要是还在生气的话，我现在就走了。

M: Please, calm down Li Hua. I said, "You're one to talk." I meant that you shouldn't say I am rude when you yourself are rude.

L: 好了，我知道有的时候我也很粗鲁啦。所以，Michael，你说：You're one to talk，是不是就是说我们俩都半斤八两，我不用说你，其实我自己也是很粗鲁的?

M: That's right. When you told me I can be rude, I thought that that was rude. So I said, "You're one to talk!" That means, you have the same problem, so you shouldn't criticize me.

L: 噢，我懂了，其实我也不是要对你那么粗鲁。我只是替你担心，因为你老是说你很寂寞，可是你又不肯主动去找女孩子，你太害羞了。

M: I'm shy? You're one to talk! What about you? You are always too shy to meet new guys.

L: Well, 在中国，女孩子本来就不会主动去约男孩子的嘛！总是男的要去找女的。

M: That's not a good excuse. I think you're just too picky.

L: 什么？你说我太挑剔？You're one to talk! 你自己不也老是说你碰不到既聪明又有教养的女孩？你这不也自以为是吗？

M: I'm too proud of myself? You're one to talk! You wouldn't even consider going out with a guy if he didn't have a Master's degree.

L: 好了，好了，Michael, 我们不要再吵了，反正也吵不出什么道理来。

M: Yeah, sorry, let's just forget about it. Hey look, our food is here.

L: So eat already! 咱们早该吃了。

MC: 各位听众，李华今天和Michael一起在餐馆点菜的时候，学到了两个美国用语的用法。Already用在命令式句子的后面时，相当于普通话里面常说的："早该如何如何"的意思。You're one to talk!则相当于"你竟然敢说这话，我们俩都半斤八两"的意思。