BBC地道英语:Wake up and smell the coffee! 清醒点儿吧！

Jen: Hi I’m Jen and with me today is Li. Did you get my text message this morning?

Li: Hi Jen, yes I did, and I’ve brought everything you mentioned.

Jen: What, I didn’t ask you for anything?

Li: 瞧我给你带来了这个闹钟，我还给你做了一壶新鲜的咖啡 – would you like a cup?

Jen: Er… No thanks… But Li, I didn’t tell you to bring anything today.

Li: But you did! 你看这不是你发给我的短信吗？ –你说 : “The boss asked to see you in his office… I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee!”…

Jen: Yes…but…

Li: 没错吧？一醒来就能闻到咖啡味儿, to show him I can wake up and smell the coffee.

Jen: I didn’t mean it literally. When we say ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ in English, it means that you need to pay attention because you’re missing something that’s really obvious.

Li: 所以当你告诉我要 "wake up and smell the coffee," 这句话的时候你的意思是我要清醒点儿，对吗？

Jen: Exactly. Let’s hear some examples:

Wake up and smell the coffee – she doesn’t want to go out with you!

My girlfriend wants me to buy her some diamond earrings, but I’ve got no money! She really needs to wake up and smell the coffee!

Li: 看来这位女朋友需要知道他的男友买不起她想要的耳环，对吗？ "wake up and smell the coffee".

Jen: Now you’ve got it!

Li: Ok, so in your text message you said that I need to wake up and smell the coffee because the boss wants to see me?

Why does Jen ask Li to wake up and smell the coffee?

Jen: Yeah…

Li: 那你的意思是我清醒点儿，对什么东西清醒点儿？

Jen: Think about it… he said he loves your work, he is always talking about how talented you are, how he wants to reward his staff… wake up and smell the coffee, Li!

Li: 我还是不明白你到底是什么意思呢？

Jen: I mean I think he’s going to give you a pay rise.

Li: Really! Wow, that would be fantastic! I never would have thought I’d get a pay rise, he must think I’m really good!

Jen: Well, don’t forget me if you suddenly become really rich.

Li: Of course I won’t forget you.

Jen: You can buy me something nice.

Li: I’ll tell you what – I’ll buy you a coffee!