流行美语 304 back to square one...

李华在Larry办公大楼门口遇到他。Larry看上去十分疲倦。今天我们要学两个常用语： back to square one和hankering.

LH: Larry, 你昨天晚上是不是又熬夜加班了？看上去一脸疲惫。

LL: Did I ever! I was here all night doing work on this new marketing project, but ultimately I did not get anywhere. I may have to change the ad's concept completely, even though that would mean going back to square one.

LH: 你要去square one出差？远吗？

LL: Square one is not an actual place. It means going back to the beginning.

LH: 我明白了，square one就是从头开始的意思。那上星期我写论文忘了存盘，结果电脑死机全丢了，只好从头再来，这种情况就可以说I was back at square one. 对不对？

LL: Yes, that's right, Li Hua. Because you had to go back to the beginning and all of the earlier work was deleted, you had to go back to square one.

LH: 我手里还有一篇论文要写，但是还没有下笔，能不能说I am only at square one?

LL: You can use "square one" that way, but usually people say, "back to square one." This means that they did a lot of work, but it did not help them get any closer to their goal.

LH: 这么说，我可不愿意go back to square one.

LL: Exactly, I'm very frustrated that all of my work last night did not get me anywhere. Even though I was here all night, I'm back to square one.

LH: 这么说，你的新市场营销计划如今又回到了起点，要从头开始，你下一步打算怎样办？

LL: You know, to be honest, I am really not sure. I think maybe I need some sleep to help clear up my head.

LH: 我对你深表同情。不过我比你还惨。上星期论文都快打完了，结果没存，I got sent back to square one. 更糟糕的是，第二天就要交。

LL: That does sound stressful, luckily I have still got a few weeks before this project is due, so I think that I am going to go home and get some sleep before starting again at square one.

LH: 你重新开始之前要不要一起吃点东西？

LL: That sounds great Li Hua, but first I need to get some rest. How about we meet here at noon, grab something to eat and then I get back to work?

LH: Sounds great!

******

LH: Larry, 你一觉醒来，一定是精神饱满，干劲十足。

LL: Yes, I had a very good nap, and now I have a hankering for some Italian food.

LH: A hankering? 你是说你想吃意大利饭吗？

LL: Exactly, Li Hua! To have a hankering, for something means that you want that thing. Usually someone would say they have a hankering for a type of food or drink.

LH: 意大利饭也有很多种啊，你想吃意大利面，比萨饼，还是肉酱千层面?

LL: You know, lasagna sounds really good to me, but what do you have a hankering for Li Hua? What are you in the mood to have for lunch?

LH: 我也说不清楚想吃什么。要不吃个三明治，还是去吃中国饭？

LL: It doesn't really sound like you have a hankering for anything in particular at all.

LH: 肚子饿的时候，当然是吃什么都香。

LL: Maybe you should compare the types of food that you have a hankering for to decide what you want to eat.

LH: 一方面，我特别想吃辣的，可另一方面，我又怕麻烦。

LL: Either food that you choose is fine by me. Italian, Chinese, sandwiches...

LH: 现在听起来，我好象又都不那么想吃了。

LL: No? Then it looks like we are back at square one then.

LH: Yes, we are back at square one. 不过，我已经知道要吃什么了。

LL: Well what do you want to have for lunch?

LH: Sushi! 快走吧，我已经在流口水了。

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是back to square one意思是回到起点。另一个是hankering，意思是特别想要。