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第 106 课:racket ; That does it!

今天Larry和李华在学校的书店里买书。李华会学到两个常用语:racket和That does it!

(Bookstore SFX)

LH: Hey, Larry, 你不是想买下学期的课本吗?那还不趁我们在书店赶紧买了?

LL: I want to buy them, but these prices are ridiculous! The textbook business is such a racket!

LH: 你想买书,可是又嫌这些书太贵呀?你还说出版课本的行业怎么啦?什么是a racket?

LL: That's right. I said the textbook business is a racket. A racket is an unfair criminal business that makes lots of money, like gambling or extortion.

LH: Oh, racket这个词在这里的意思是“牟取暴利”,就好比赌博和诈骗一样的非法行为。Larry,你的意思是这些课本定价过高,就象是在敲诈勒索,有那么严重吗?

LL: Absolutely! Look at this! This history book costs $90?! The publishers know we have no choice but to buy the book, so the prices are really high. What a racket!

LH: 哎哟,还真是的。这本历史书要卖九十美元,是够贵的。那些出版商明明知道我们没别的办法,只能买这些书,所以把价钱定这么高。这真是像敲诈勒索。那Larry, 你觉得还有什么是racket呢?

LL: I think that cable TV is a racket. There's only one company in town; they are always raising prices, and all the channels worth watching cost extra. It's a racket!

LH: 对呀,我们这儿只有一家提供有线电视的公司。他们老是涨价。可是Larry, 看不看电视问题不大。你知道吗 - 有的医院还趁人之危,敲诈勒索孕妇呢!

LL: Really? What do you mean exactly?

LH: 比方说,我听说有的医院让孕妇做一些不必要的检查,收的钱还非常多,那些孕妇不懂,只能听医生的。这真是和诈骗一样。

LL: Wow, now that's a real racket.

LL: Oh man, look at this! $85 for a book of old essays on U.S. Politics? That does it! I'm buying my textbooks online.

LH: 这本美国政治论文集要卖85美元?你说 - That does it? 这是什么意思?

LL: Well, when someone says That does it, he means that he is so upset that he is no longer willing to accept something.

LH: 噢,That does it就是一个人对某件事非常生气,以致到了宁可放弃的地步。 哎,那不就相当于中文所说的“得了,算了吧”?Larry, 你是说这些课本要价太高,所以你干脆不在这儿买,到因特网上去买了?

LL: That's right! If a situation gets so bad that you cannot stand it, you can yell that does it!, and then do something about the problem.

LH: Hmm... 要是你实在觉得忍无可忍,你就可以大声说:That does it!哎,Larry, 我好象明白这个用法了,可是你能不能再给我举个例子呢?

LL: Well, for example, if an employee always comes to work late, one day the boss might say You're late again? That does it! You're fired!

LH: Ah. 这正是我对我表妹说的话。她每天上班都迟到。我对她说总有一天他老板会觉得忍无可忍。你的老板会说:“得了,你今后别来上班了。”原来在英文里就可以说:That does it! You're fired!

LL: Now you know how to use That does it! Why don't you give me an example.
LH: 有了,Larry,有一天你会在照镜子的时候对自己说, That does it! 我一定要减肥了!

LL: (Angry) That does it, Li Hua! I told you to stop making fun of my weight.

LH: Hey! 别生气,Larry! 我是跟你开玩笑呢!而且我发现你最近好像瘦了。你是不是在吃什么减肥食品啊?

LL: A special diet? No way! All those diet books and special foods are a racket. I just decided to exercise regularly and eat less junk food.

LH: 这话我同意,那些减肥书和减肥食品都很贵,主要是为了骗钱,其实最重要的是锻炼身体,少吃零食。Good for you, Larry!

今天李华从Larry那儿学到了两个常用语。一个是racket, 意思是价格太高,就象敲诈勒索一样。另一个常用语是That does it! 中文里可以说“得了,不干了!”