纽约英语口语网新版
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第 15 课:what's up; no brainer

Michael讲英文,李华是个中国学生,能讲英文,但是她还在不断地跟Michael学。大家可千万不要认为这两个在纽约的大学生老是到外面去玩。其实他们学习都很努力,现在他们就要在李华的宿舍里一起念书,准备考试。李华今天会学到两个常用语,一个是:what's up,这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法。 另一个是: no brainer,意思是某件事很容易, 不用动脑子就能做成。

L: 嗨,Michael,快进来。

M: Hey, Li Hua, what's up?

L: 什么?

M: What's up? What are you doing?

L: What's up? 我倒是听人这么说过,可是我还没有弄清楚这句话到 底是什么意思,我应该怎么回答?

M: What's up is really a common greeting.

L: 噢,what's up就是一般打招呼,不是指我的头上是什么呐?

M: No. It's like saying, "What is happening in your life?"

L: 我知道了,what's up就是中文里我们说的:怎么样?

M: Well, it's really only spoken language.

L: 要是我去看一个我已经有两个月没见的朋友,我在见到她的时 候我可以说What's up,对吗?

M: Yes, definitely!

L: 那别人对我说what's up?, 我又该怎么回答呢?

M: You can explain what's going on in your life, or you could say something as simple as: Not much.

L: 要是你问我,What's up? 我就可以说: Oh, not much, just getting ready for our test. 意思就是:噢,没什么,就是在准备我们的考试。

M: That's good usage. You can really say anything.

L: 对,你怎么回答都行。 好吧,我们该学习了。

我真是希望这次考试赶快过去。

M: You stress too much, this test will be a no brainer.

L: 你是说我压力太大,没有脑子? 你知道我脑子很灵的呀!

M: Smarter than me, that's for sure. What I mean is that this test will be really easy. No brainer means something that reqires little or no thought.

L: 好,你承认我比你聪明。不过,我还得跟你学英文。你说,no brainer就是某件事很容易,不需要动脑子就行呀?

M: Yeah.

L: 我知道了。象我哥哥那天去买车,运气好,碰到一个公司半价出售。 在这种情况下决定买不买,不就是no brainer吗?

M: That's right.

L: 那次那个漂亮女孩邀你出去玩,你接受不接受邀请不也是很容易决定的吗?

M: Yeah, that was a really easy decision, could be called no brainer. Of course I would go out with her.

L: 对,决定是容易做,但是你到头来还是不喜欢她。

M: That's true. When the University gave you a scholarship to come study here in New York, it was a no brainer for you too.

L: 当然啦,大学给我奖学金来纽约念书,作这种决定还要动脑筋 啊?更何况我学习成绩那么好。

M: So then why are you bothering to study?

L: 这还用问? 再聪明的人也得念书嘛!

M: On, ok, let's get back to work.

李华今天学到了两个常用语,一个是:what's up? 这是一个用来打招呼的通俗说法; 另一个是:no brainer,意思是某件事很容易,不用动脑子就能做成。