我们讲的英语第185期:Look like the back end of a bus 长相丑陋

Helen: Hello, Feifei.
海伦：你好，菲菲。

Feifei: Hi, Helen.
菲菲：你好，海伦。

Helen: Getting ready for The English We Speak?
海伦：准备好开始地道英语节目了吗？

Feifei: Well, kind of.
菲菲：嗯，差不多。

Helen: Look at you - are you going somewhere special later?
海伦：看看你，你一会儿要去特别的地方吗？

Feifei: Yes, I am. As it happens, I'm going for an audition for a new TV programme.
菲菲：是的。实际上，我一会儿要去参加一个新电视节目的试镜。

Helen: What new programme is it?
海伦：那个新节目是什么？

Feifei: It's called The Analysis - it's all about current affairs and, you know, serious news items.
菲菲：节目叫做《The Analysis》，是一档有关时事的节目，你知道，是严肃的新闻节目。

Helen: Really, I would have thought you would be auditioning for a celebrity chat show. You're looking awfully glamorous for a news programme.
海伦：真的吗，我以为你会去试镜名人访谈节目。主持新闻节目，你看上去太迷人了。

Feifei: Well, you can't look like the back end of a bus when you go on TV, no matter what kind of TV programme it is.
菲菲：你不能丑丑地上电视，无论是哪种节目。

Helen: What? Back end of a bus? What's 'bus' got to do with TV?
海伦：什么？公交车的后面？电视和公交车有什么关系？

Feifei: Oh, you know what I mean. What do you see on the back of a bus?
菲菲：哦，你知道我是什么意思。你在公交车的后面能看到什么？

Helen: Er, a window and... er, exhaust pipes?
海伦：额，窗户还有，嗯，排气管？

Feifei: Not much to see, is there?
菲菲：没有什么可看的，对吧？

Helen: No, who would want to look at the back end of a bus? It's so ugly.
海伦：没有，谁想去看公交车的后面啊？太丑了。

Feifei: Exactly. Nobody wants to look at the back end of a bus. If I looked like the back end of the bus, nobody would hire me in TV.
菲菲：没错。没有人想看公交车的后面。如果我看上去像公交车的后面，那电视台里是没有人想雇我的。

Helen: I get it. The phrase 'look like the back end of a bus' means looking ugly. You want to look your best - that's why you're wearing make-up and that beautiful dress.
海伦：我明白了。look like the back end of a bus这个短语的意思是看上去很丑。你希望展现你最好的一面，这就是你化妆又穿漂亮裙子的原因。

Feifei: That's right.
菲菲：没错。

A: (sobbing) I can't believe what a vengeful person Mike is. We broke up last Friday.
A：（抽泣）我真不敢相信迈克是复仇心这么重的人。我们上周五分手了。

B: It doesn't surprise me. I've never thought much of him!
B：这并不让我惊讶。我从来没觉得他有多好。

A: And he wrote to his friends that he dumped me because I look like the back end of a bus.
A：他还写信给他的朋友们说是他甩了我，因为我长得太丑了。

B: Oh, no! What a horrible thing to say! He should look in the mirror himself.
B：哦不！那是件多可怕的事情啊！他真应该照照镜子。

Helen: So this expression, 'look like the back end of a bus' is not a very pretty thing to say to anyone. It would really offend somebody.
海伦：所以这个表达对任何人来说都是不好的事情。这会冒犯别人的。

Feifei: No, you should definitely not use it to describe what someone looks like. Let's hope this new dress is worth the money I spent on it. See you later.
菲菲：对，你绝对不能用这个短语来形容别人的外貌。我希望这条新裙子能值得我买它花的价钱。一会儿见。

Helen: Good luck!
海伦：祝你好运！