我们讲的英语第272期:To turn something upside down 把……翻个底朝天

Helen has lost her precious earring. In a panic, she's searching everywhere for it. Neil is worried about the mess she's creating and tries to help.
海伦弄丢了她珍贵的耳环。她惊慌失措地到处找。尼尔对她制造的脏乱感到担心，试图提供帮助。

Neil: Hello, welcome to another edition of The English We Speak. I'm Neil.
尼尔：大家好，欢迎收听本期地道英语节目。我是尼尔。

Helen: Hi, everyone. I'm Helen.
海伦：大家好，我是海伦。

Neil: Helen, what are you doing? Are you looking for something?
尼尔：海伦，你在做什么？你是在找东西吗？

Helen: Yes, I am. I'm looking for my earring; it's a present from my mum.
海伦：对，是的。我在找我的耳环。那是我妈妈送我的礼物。

Neil: Oh. When did you last see it?
尼尔：哦。你最后一次看到那副耳环是什么时候？

Helen: A minute ago. I looked in the mirror before I came in to the studio. I'm sure I was wearing it.
海伦：一分钟以前。我进演播室前照镜子时还看到了。我确定我当时是戴着的。

Neil: Em, let me help you look under the table for it. But I don't think you'll find it by turning the place upside down. Be calm. Let's leave the chairs on the floor.
尼尔：额，我帮你在桌子底下找找。不过我认为，你把这里翻个底朝天，也不见得找得到。冷静下来。我们把椅子放好。

Helen: I'm not turning the chairs upside down, they are too heavy. I just want to check underneath them.
海伦：我不会把椅子倒过来，这些椅子太重了。我只想看看椅子下面有没有。

Neil: When I say 'turn the place upside down', what I mean is you are making the studio very messy.
尼尔：我说“把这个地方颠倒过来”的意思是，你会把演播室弄得很乱。

Helen: I am sorry. Ugh, I found it. It's under the desk.
海伦：抱歉。哦，我找到了。在桌子下面。

Neil: Phew, what a relief. I don't think we'd be allowed back in the studio if we literally turned the studio upside down.
尼尔：啊，真是松了一口气。如果我们按字面意思，把演播室颠倒过来的话，我想我们就会被禁止进入演播室了。

Helen: So to 'turn something upside down' means to make the place really messy because you're trying to search thoroughly for something. Here are some examples.
海伦：所以“把某样东西颠倒过来”意思是说你把这个地方弄得特别乱，因为你在仔细寻找某样东西。下面是一些例句。

Examples
例句

I turned my house upside down and I still couldn't find my car keys.
我把我家搞得一团糟，可还是没找到车钥匙。

I don't care if you have to turn the place upside down. You've got to find my wedding ring.
我不在乎你是不是要把这里搞得一团糟。你一定要找到我的婚戒。

Neil: Well, let's tidy up before the studio managers come back and turn our lives upside down.
尼尔：在演播室经理回来完全颠覆我们的生活之前，我们把这里收拾好吧。

Helen: Let's do that!
海伦：我们开始收拾吧！