[流行美语]又和大家见面了。Michael是一个在纽约上大学的美国年轻人,他经常跟中国学生李华一起玩。Michael向李华学中文,李华向 Michael 学英文。Michael 正在准备考试,有很多功课要做,但是李华要他出去休息休息,两人约好下午在动物园见面。他们在对话中会用这两个词:all-nighter和cram。$ f- }5 h0 ?+ }& S
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L: 嗨,Michael. 我在这儿! ' _+ b- [! Y& L2 A" ?* \; n, L9 g ' d3 u) E7 M/ r# q( a6 M, uM: Hey, Li Hua. Oh, the elephant house, let's go in and take a look. 4 R2 o8 J+ E( N" K* C" N5 c% p) p1 C$ j
L: 噢,那是大象馆啊? 好,进去看看。 不行,不行,这儿太臭 了。走吧! 1 J: a! s! N; A2 p; o- r1 ?$ t& s7 h/ e
M: Oh, yeah. Let's get out of here. In fact, I've got a lot of studying to do. I'm going to need to pull an all-nighter.& E# m4 @6 q$ H9 s* H: k E
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L: 我知道你有很多功课,但是你在准备考试的时候也总得休息休息嘛。我听说这次考试会很难。你刚才说 all-nighter 是不是开夜车 的意思呀?8 K- ^1 i8 U* H% _; Z0 ^7 p
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M: Yeah, that's what I meant. Li Hua, you're smart! 7 | }6 N- i# s( A" Q6 B+ [: l. H# J+ M9 x1 L% G
L: 我是猜出来的, all的意思是整个,全部,nighter和 night 很像。我想一个人要整夜学习,那不就是开夜车吗?但是,有一点我不太懂,你说:to pull an all-nighter,什么是pull ?- O3 V. B% F' M" B' o( t( y' j- z: D
! w6 K( {% w1 |" XM: Pull means to get yourself through a difficult time.! Z9 d q9 ?$ w1 ~9 d* ]7 ?
8 ?. j# `+ _% L/ u$ L! L& g QL: 噢, pull an all-nighter,就是迫使自己整夜念书,因为要这样做是很辛苦的。1 u# n: d' v. w. P
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M: Yep. You wouldn't have to pull an all-nighter because you have been studying all semester, I haven't been.0 d. P: s2 [9 F, Y9 |, b! ~
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L: 这你可说对了。我不需要开夜车,因为我整个一学期都在学习。你要开夜车,因为你平时不学习。 7 }/ Y; Y A1 m% p) ?3 g' I9 W" Y$ T7 f2 s
M: I know, I know, you're a better student than I am.. Q6 I4 {1 l' ]& W$ g" r! O
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L: Michael, 我真喜欢纽约的秋天,空气很清新。你要是能跟我一起玩,不用回去念书,那该多好啊! # ~9 o5 O6 u; F& [! q L7 D) `* R' I/ ^9 m, u- o
M: I don't want to go study either, but I should. , b. b" O* d H T1 s + q; P* u( L# o" I- HL: 对啊, 你要是上星期多花点时间念书不就好了嘛。现在你得临时抱佛脚了。+ p( c- s6 H* Y0 k i# p
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M: I perform better on tests when I cram.* B5 V) h4 V, l/ E* r
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L: Cram? Cram是把什么东西塞进去的意思,跟学习有什么关系呢? ! Y3 e) Q. o- ~7 g) K) G: W4 q9 A7 |" s
M: Well, it's sort of the same meaning. I'm going to do a lot of studying at the last minute, that's what it means to cram.2 B+ h" q2 Z( V5 \9 I' u
/ Y! W ?5 f2 n( uL: 意思差不多?噢,我知道了!Cram就是我们中文里说的填鸭式方法,就是硬把食品塞给鸭子吃,这样鸭子就长得肥。北京烤鸭就是用这种鸭子做的。你说的cram 是临时抱佛脚,在考试前猛记猛背,把知识往脑子里塞。你还认为这是好办法?! f0 t' o$ {$ c. N' H( |2 }7 B4 y
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M: Well, everyone's different. Cramming works for me. ! r, u/ l, C9 q+ F0 ?9 i; _( Y2 e) D 5 m. ?* Q& a8 |# S6 s5 GL: 你认为临时抱佛脚对你来说行得通。可是,Michael,想把半学期的内容在一个晚上记住,这样做可真傻。 3 V- a% M$ L8 R" m+ d+ z/ n. t$ E8 [ v, I' q8 Z8 ?9 \* q( z
M: Stop being my mother, Li Hua! ; R z: A; S& P5 B- M ( A) z/ [' J7 x n; ?* h: lL: 我才不想当你妈呢,你不听我的话,那就算了。Michael, cram这个词是否还能用在别的场合呢? ; A" Q( | ?' W. Y6 `) s* x- F! \* i3 g0 s
M: Not really. It's only used to describe studying for a test, usually college or high-school level.. K3 }# x0 x+ l2 l
: o/ f* i5 l$ W) M S2 uL: 噢,只能指大学生或中学生在考试前开夜车,临时抱佛脚。+ w1 t3 z3 W) i
6 `; c: o3 @6 R) ~ n6 iM: And that's what I need to do, right now. It's getting late and I know I will have to pull an all-nighter.. F) E7 m6 e6 N1 G, g
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L: 好吧,我明天早上给你打电话。 # ^' w4 f2 j$ T( H$ B/ N B5 P! { 8 j# i$ [& I. ?3 m/ A0 H, n2 KM: No, don't worry about me, I'm sure I will still be cramming. ; I% @- o% e. ?) H5 h1 g' i4 k; m6 O- T9 q/ t
L: 哟,你还准备开夜车开到天亮呐? Ok, well, good luck!( C, H2 i7 E1 p# o# V: l