地道英语口语:Uptight 紧绷弦

地道英语口语学习:Uptight 紧绷弦

Jo: This is Real English from BBC Learning English. I’m Jo.
Sun Chen: 还有我,孙晨

Jo: Today we’re going to look at words and phrases that you might not find in your English textbook.

Sun Chen: 地道英语时段,我们说的可是英语中的新鲜词,在课本里还不一定能找得到,所以,你要仔细听.jo 快说说,今天要学的是哪个词?

Jo: Today’s word is ‘uptight’ – U.P.T.I.G.H.T. – uptight.

Sun Chen: Uptight. 什么意思呢?

Jo: If you are uptight, you are angry and anxious about something.

Sun Chen: 一个人如果是uptight,那他一定是紧绷着弦儿,一点都不放松,你能给咱举个例子吗?

Jo: Of course. You might say ‘don’t get uptight – relax!’ if your friend was getting stressed and anxious about something.

Sun Chen: 这是个好词吗?

Jo: Not really. You could say ‘my boss is too uptight today’. You mean it as a negative thing, he’s stressed.

Sun Chen: 这么说,我们在使用这个词的时候还得谨慎点儿,弄不好还要得罪人呢!

 Insert 片断

A: Are Mike and Angela still dating?

B: No, she decided to stop seeing him. He was always so uptight about everything.

Jo: My ex-boss was a very uptight person.

Sun Chen: Really?

Jo: Yes. He would scream and shout all the time about nothing.

Sun Chen: He sounds terrible.

Jo: Yes, but luckily my new boss isn’t uptight at all.

Sun Chen: That’s good.

Jo: Yes, Sun Chen. There’s nothing worse than an uptight boss.

 Sun Chen: 好好,我们还是趁热打铁,赶快复习一下,如果一个人的弦儿绷得特别紧,一点不放松,就可以用uptight来形容了.

 Jo: Yes, that’s it. You’ve been listening to Real English from BBC Learning English. Join us again soon for more up-to-the-minute Real English. Bye.

Sun Chen: 再见!