流行美语 第71课:shades; get turned down

Michael和李华现在在商店里买东西。李华会学到两个常用语： shades和to get turned down.

L: Michael, 你在看什么？

M: I really need a new pair of sunglasses. I sat on the old ones and crushed them.

L: 你也真是的，怎么会坐在自己的太阳眼镜上呢！

M: (trying on a pair of sunglasses) Li Hua, what do you think? Do I look cool in these shades?

L: 你把太阳眼镜叫做shades? 是s-h-a-d-e这个词吗？那不是“树荫”的意思吗？

M: Shade used as plural - shades, is just another word for sunglasses. It makes sense because they shade your eyes from the sun.

L: 噢，shade用作复数，就可以指“太阳眼镜”。对，太阳眼镜把阳光给挡住了。这么说倒挺形象的。 Yes, Michael, you look very "cool" in those "shades."

M: Thank you. Li Hua, You should try on this pair of shades. They would look pretty on you.

L: 好啊，我来试试。倒是真好看，可惜太贵了。我可舍不得花这么多钱。

M: Yes, those shades are pretty expensive. Maybe they'll go on sale. I have to pay for my shades now.

L: 对，我还是等它减价的时候再买吧。你决定买你这副了？可要小心哟，别再把你的new shades放在椅子上给坐坏了。

M: I will be careful. Hey, Li Hua, how about this pair of shades? They are light brown instead of black.

L: 这副浅棕色的墨镜确实挺别致的，不过，我不太喜欢这个颜色。我想我还是等下次挑一副黑色的shades吧！

M: Okay, I think we need to get back to school. Don't you have a class this afternoon?

L: 就是啊，我下午有课:，我们赶快回学校吧。

******

L: Michael, 你看，那边走过来的不就是你喜欢的那个女生吗？你现在戴着新墨镜，样子好酷啊。还不赶快跟她说句话？

M: No, I don't really feel like getting turned down. I'm sure she has a boyfriend anyway.

L: 哎哟，你真是的！你怎么能肯定她已经有男朋友了呢？你说什么不想被turned down？你是说，怕这个女孩的男朋友找你算帐，把你打翻在地呀？

M: No, no. "To get turned down" means to get rejected. I'm afraid of getting turned down means I'm afraid of being rejected.

L: 原来，to get turned down就是“遭到拒绝”的意思，也就是说，你想和她交往，如果她不愿意，那你就是被turned down了。你是怕遭到她的拒绝，让你下不了台呀！

M: Exactly. Nobody likes to get turned down.

L: 我也知道，谁都不想被拒绝。可是，你怎么能肯定这个女生就一定会turn you down呢？你不试一试，永远也不知道她到底是不是真的会turn you down啊！

M: You're right. My fear of getting turned down is making it difficult to find a girlfriend. I suppose I'll survive even if she turns me down. Maybe I'll ask her out to coffee next time I see her.

L: 就是啊，你老怕被拒绝，怎么能找到女朋友嘛！而且，即使被turned down, 也没什么大不了的。Michael, 你要是戴着这副新买的墨镜，我肯定她不会turn you down。

M: Are you sure she won't turn me down if I wear these shades?

L: 我肯定她不会拒绝你，可是，她要是已经有男朋友了，那我就不知道你这副新买的shades有多大威力了。

M: Ok, I'll make sure if she has a boyfriend before I ask her out.

今天李华学到两个常用语，一个是：shades, 相当于 sunglasses, 也就是“太阳眼镜”、“墨镜”；另一个是：to get turned down, 意思是“遭到拒绝”。