VOA流行美语 Unit 127: big shot/bent out of shape

李华和Larry正在讨论是不是要去听有关中国历史的演讲。今天李华会学到两个常用语：big shot和bent out of shape.

(Ambience sound in the Hallway)

LL: Hey Li Hua! Are you going to the guest lecture this evening? Some big shot Harvard professor is going to speak tonight.

LH: 你说今天晚上来演讲的教授是什么？big shot？什么是big shot?

LL: I said he is a big shot. A big shot is an important or influential person.

LH: 噢！Big shot是指一个很重要，很有影响力的人。那不就是我们中文里说的“大人物”嘛！哎！哈佛大学的教授就是大人物，big shot呀？

LL: Actually, this guy is a big shot because he's an American who lived in China for thirty years after the revolution, and got to know some of the leaders of China personally.

LH: 哟，他在中国住了30年，还认识一些中国的领导人。听起来倒挺象大人物的。那他为什么要到我们学校来呢？

LL: Well, the president of our university and some other big shots from the city government are good friends of his. They invited him to come here and give a lecture.

LH: 原来他和我们校长还有市政府的官员都是好朋友。嗯，我很想去听听他的演讲。对了，Larry，你听说Jack找到一份新工作吗？

LL: Oh yeah, I heard that he's working for a big shot lawyer now. I'm really happy to see him doing so well after graduation.

LH: 我希望那家大律师事务所能好好待他。有时候，为这些大人物工作，未必是件好差事。

LL: Yeah, I guess so. Still, it's better to work for a big shot lawyer than to be a waiter at a coffee house. A lot of us history majors end up doing jobs like that after graduation.

LH: 话是不错，给大律师工作总比在咖啡馆当服务员好。可是，历史专业的毕业生也不见得都到餐馆去当服务员。我将来就要争取成为一个有名的教授, a big shot professor!

LL: That's good to hear. Just be sure you don't forget about me after you become a big shot!

******

LH: 嘿！Larry, 昨晚我去听演讲，怎么没看见你呢？那位教授讲得很有意思！

LL: Well, that's good to hear. I couldn't make it because some idiot crashed his car into mine last night on the way over here. I'm still pretty bent out of shape about it.

LH: 什么！你昨晚出车祸啦？Bent out of shape? 你是不是受伤了？

LL: I'm fine! (chuckles) I said I am bent out of shape. That means I am very angry and upset about the accident last night, even though it wasn't very serious.

LH: 噢！原来你是为了车子被撞而生气。Bent out of shape就是生气，发火的意思。嗨，没受伤就好，车子坏了有保险公司，别生气啦？

LL: But I'm bent out of shape because the other guy was really rude. I had the right of way at a stop sign, but he drove through the intersection first and bumped into my car. Then he started yelling at me for not letting him go first!

LH: 哼，他不守交通规则，抢先过了马路撞上你的车，还对你大声嚷嚷？怪不得你要气坏了呢！

LL: (Angry) That guy is an idiot! Otherwise, I wouldn't get so bent out of shape. Let's talk about something else. What about the lecture?

LH: 对！别谈这事了。昨晚那个演讲我觉得很有意思，不过，在那位教授讲完要离开会场的时候，有一群学生对他大吼大叫，好像是不同意他的某个观点。

LL: Did the guy get all bent out of shape about it?

LH: 没有耶，那位教授没生气，也没有理会那些学生。后来大家都离开会场了。

LL: Well, that's good. If someone gets bent out of shape about different opinions, it usually means he's narrow-minded.

LH: 所以，Larry，尽管撞你车的人不讲道理，你也不要小心眼，为这事生气。

今天李华学会两个常用语，第一个是big shot,是形容很重要，有影响力的大人物。另一个常用语是bent out of shape，意思是很生气。