流行美语 第195课:runaround; take a chill pill

Larry正在申请下学期学校的资助，可是到处碰壁。李华今天会学到两个常用语：runaround和take a chill pill。

LL: I am so frustrated! The Financial Aid Office is giving me a real runaround!

LH: Larry，你说资助办公室给你什么？ Runaround是什么呀？

LL: To give someone a runaround means to be deceptive and evasive to someone. They sent me from office to office，but no one can give me the right answers.

LH: 噢， to give someone a runaround意思是对某人很虚假，躲躲闪闪的。你是说资助办公室打发你到这个办公室那个办公室，可就没有人给你一个明确的回答。Larry，那现在怎么办呢？

LL: They are still giving me the runaround. They say I didn't turn in my application on time, but I know I did.

LH: 他们说你没有交申请表？瞎说，你肯定交了，我还跟你一起去的。你知道， Larry，每次我申请延长学生签证，他们也是把我象皮球那样踢来踢去，gave me a runaround。

LL: That's too bad. Since being given the runaround is no fun, what do you say we go for ice cream somewhere?

LH: 去吃冰淇淋？我不知道能不能去。我今天下午很忙， 要批改很多作文。

LL: How about after you grade your papers?

LH: 批改卷子后，我还要写论文。

LL: Li Hua, are you giving me the runaround?

LH: Larry，看你说的，我怎么是在找借口呢？我看你有点多疑吧。

LL: Well, you aren't giving me a direct answer for one.

LH: 没有明确回答你。 好吧， Larry， 我的回答是不能去，对不起我不能跟你去吃冰淇淋。这行了吧？

LL：That's OK! Just don't give me the runaround anymore. I've had enough of that!

******

LL: I've been so frustrated by this whole financial aid mess. I really need to take a chill pill.

LH: 吃什么药片？吃了这药片就能解决资助问题了吗？

LL: Ha-Ha, very funny. No, to take a chill pill means to calm down. I need to calm down, forget my problems and do something else.

LH: 原来是这个意思。 To take a chill pill是设法平静下来。我看也是，最好的办法是平静下来，做些别的事，先把这事阁一边。Larry，Rick的车给人撞坏了，他气死了。我看他也该平静下来，take a chill pill。

LL: No, Rick did have good reason to be upset. I wouldn't have told him to take a chill pill in that case.

LH: 是，他有理由生气。在这种情况下就不能叫他take a chill pill? 那你再举个例子给我听听，什么情况下可以说take a chill pill呢？

LL: Sometimes when you get so worried before a test, Li Hua, I just want to tell you to take a chill pill.

LH: 每次考试前，我是特别紧张。以后你看见我考试前太紧张，你尽管对我说take a chill pill。我不会生气的。我也不知道自己为什么会那么紧张。

LL: You always study so hard. There is no need to be worried. You should just take a chill pill and relax. You know you'll do fine.

LH: 我也这么想呀！我是很用功，每次考试成绩也都很好，本来我就不该紧张。不过，有的时候我觉得考试前心情紧张一点反而考的好。

LL：In that case, you don't have to take a chill pill. But if I were too nervous before a test, I would be unable to think clearly and would certainly fail the test.

LH: 那倒是可能的。每个人不一样嘛。不过， Larry, 你要是考糊了，你就会非常不高兴。到那时，你就得take a chill pill。 我看哪，你还是应该更用功一点，这样你的成绩会更好。

LL: Oh, Li Hua, take a chill pill!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是give someone a runaround， 意思是找借口，躲闪，拖延，特别是对提出要求的人。另一个常用语是take a chill pill， 意思是平静下来。