你們大家可能都已經(jīng)認(rèn)識(shí)了Michael和李華這兩個(gè)大學(xué)生了。Michael講英文,李華是個(gè)中國(guó)學(xué)生,能講英文,但是她還在不斷地跟Michael學(xué)。大家可千萬(wàn)不要認(rèn)為這兩個(gè)在紐約的大學(xué)生老是到外面去玩。其實(shí)他們學(xué)習(xí)都很努力,現(xiàn)在他們就要在李華的宿舍里一起念書(shū),準(zhǔn)備考試。李華今天會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ),一個(gè)是:what's up,這是一個(gè)用來(lái)打招呼的通俗說(shuō)法。 另一個(gè)是: no brainer,意思是某件事很容易,不用動(dòng)腦子就能做成。
L: 嗨,Michael,快進(jìn)來(lái)。
M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?
L: 什么?
M: What's up? What are you doing?
L: What's up? 我倒是聽(tīng)人這么說(shuō)過(guò),可是我還沒(méi)有弄清楚這句話到底是什么意思,我應(yīng)該怎么回答?
M: What's up is really a common greeting.
L: 噢,what's up就是一般打招呼,不是指我的頭上是什么吶?
M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"
L: 我知道了,what's up就是中文里我們說(shuō)的:怎么樣?
M: Well, it's really only spoken language.
L: 要是我去看一個(gè)我已經(jīng)有兩個(gè)月沒(méi)見(jiàn)的朋友,我在見(jiàn)到她的時(shí) 候我可以說(shuō)What's up,對(duì)嗎?
M: Yes, definitely!
L: 那別人對(duì)我說(shuō)what's up?, 我又該怎么回答呢?
M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.
L: 要是你問(wèn)我,What's up? 我就可以說(shuō): Oh, not much, just getting ready for our test. 意思就是:噢,沒(méi)什么,就是在準(zhǔn)備我們的考試。
M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.
L: 對(duì),你怎么回答都行。 好吧,我們?cè)搶W(xué)習(xí)了。 …..我真是希望這次考試趕快過(guò)去。