BBC地道英语:Could Murder a… 可以整个吞掉某物

Feifei: 大家好，我是冯菲菲，欢迎收听《地道英语》节目。

William: And I’m William Kremer.

Feifei: 哎？这是什么声音？

听起来好像是天上在打雷。

William. Er. It’s not a thunderstorm. It’s my stomach rumbling.

Feifei: William’s stomach is rumbling 原来是他的肚子在咕噜乱叫。

William: I didn’t have any breakfast this morning. I could murder a cheese sandwich!

Feifei: Eh? You could murder a cheese sandwich 他可以谋杀一个奶酪三明治。

Could you murder this burger?

William: No, no no. I’m not really going to murder a cheese sandwich. That would be cruel. It’s a phrase in English: I could murder something. It means: I really want something.

Feifei: 这是英语中一个相当口语的说法 I could murder 什么，其实它的意思是说，你太想吃什么东西了 I could murder a sandwich. 不过 William… 为什么想吃什么东西就要说成是要谋杀它呢？

William: Well, Feifei, don’t ask difficult questions like that! Let’s just listen to another example.

Example

A: I’ve been stuck in traffic for hours; I could just murder a cup of tea.

B: I’ll put the kettle on.

Feifei: William, 为什么你给我们举的例子总是和喝茶有关呢？！除此之外这两句话之中还有什么我们能学到的吗？

William: Well, only that it is a fixed phrase, and so we have to use exactly those words: I could murder a something.

Feifei: Ok, 看来由于这是一个俗话，我们不能把它的形式轻易改变。除了这种说法，还有什么其它相近的表达方式吗， William?

William: Yes, as it happens there is a very similar phrase. Listen to this clip:

Example

A: I’ve been stuck in traffic for hours; I’m dying for a cup of tea.

B: I’ll put the kettle on.

Feifei: I’m dying for a cup of tea. 就是说如果我喝不上一杯茶那我真的要死掉了 – 不过一般这个说法其实就是表达你特别想要喝上一杯茶的意思。

William: That’s right. I’m dying for a cup of tea now. I’m dying for a cheese sandwich.

Feifei: William 你知道吗，在此之前我一直都觉得英国人还是挺朴实的，不过现在我觉得你们有时候说话也是真能够夸张的。

William: That may or may not be true. But if you’re dying for more Authentic Real English programmes, then go to www.bbcukchina.com.

Both: 再见！