当别人在你旁边罗嗦个没完,你烦透了,说“You are so boring “.(你真烦!)。“Shut up !”(闭嘴!)自然没错,可人家受得了吗?不如来一句“Oh, come on .Give me a break !” (帮帮忙,让我歇歇吧!)这多地道、多幽默。
要想说人“气色好”。“You look fine !”当然不错,可如果你说”You’re in the pink !”就妙得多了,实际上,在英语口语中,表示颜色的词用起来非常形象生动。
“他精力充沛”美国人说:“He is bouncy.”而不说“He is energetic ”,牢记一些日常对话中的活句式是你一把必备的钥匙。
如:久仰,“I get mind of you “.比”I heard a lot about you.”轻松得多。
代问他人好当然能用”Please remember me to your sister .” 或”Please give my best wishes to your father ”不过,若是很好的朋友,何不说,“Please give my love to Jim。”
在中国可不能随便说“我想你”,然而,当和西方人分手时说“I will miss you .”要比说“Good-bye”或“See you soon”有趣得多,不妨一试。
有人开会迟到了,你若对他说 “You are late .”,听起来象是废话,若说“Did you get lost ?”,则更能让他歉然,可别说成“Get lost!”那可是让人滚蛋的意思。
别人征求你的意见,问能否开窗户等,你要说“You can do that .”就有点土了,用一句“Do you have the time? ”实际上,问他人的姓名,地址都可以这么用:“May I have you name?“要比”What’s your name ? ”礼貌得多,不过警察例外。
别人问你不愿公开的问题,切勿用“It’s my secret ,Don’t ask such a personal question .”回答,一来显得你没有个性,二来也让对方尴尬。你可以说“I would rather not say .”(还是别说了吧!)。
有时候,你想说什么,可说是想不起来,你可以说“Well …”“Let me see”“Just a moment ”或“It’s on the tip of my tongue.”等,想比之下,最后一个句型是最地道的。
交谈时,你可能会转换话题,不要只说“By the way ”,实际上,“To change the subject”“Before I forget”“While I remember”“Mind you ”都是既地道有受欢迎的表达。
遇到你不懂的问题时可别不懂装懂,“I know”可能是中国人用得最多,而美国人最不能接受的一句话。当一美国教师向你解释某个问题时,你如果连说两遍“I know”可能是中国人用得最多,而美国人最不能接受的一句话。当一美国教师向你解释某个问题时,你如果连说两遍“I know”,我敢保证,他不会再跟你说什么了。用“I know ”或“I got it ”就顺耳得多,要是不懂就说“I’m not clear about it .”不过如果你会说“It’s past my understanding”或“It’s beyond me .”你的教师定会惊讶不已的。
要想将地道习语熟练地运用于口语,下面内容,不可不读:
☆ a black sheep 败家子
绵羊一般为白色,一旦成了黑色的绵羊,一定是个“败类”。
Eric is a black sheep ,splashing one million dollars in a few years .
艾瑞克是个败家子,几年就挥霍了一百万美金。
☆ A rough diamond 内秀外粗的人
Rough diamond 指“没加工的钻石”,用来指内秀外粗的人,真是妙语!
{脱口说}
The guy is really a rough diamond , and he can get everything right ,although he is a little bit careless .
这家伙真的是个外粗内秀的人,他什么都能搞定,虽然他有点大大咧咧的。
☆ Be level-headed (calm and relaxed) 头脑冷静的人
可别以为 level-headed 是“小平头”,“平头”的英语说法是“crew cut”,他留了个平头——He wears his hair in a crew cut .
{脱口说}
My boss ,John Smith ,is the most level –headed man I’ve ever known .
我的老板约翰.史密斯是我见过的头脑最冷静的人。
☆ A greaseball (greasy guy ) 油腔滑调的人,“老油条”
Grease 油脂的意思,greaseball 的意思是涂满油脂的球,专指那些油腔滑调的人,这类人近似于我们常说的“嘴太贫”的人。
{脱口说}
Mary’s boyfriend is such a greaseball , I don’t know why she is so crazy about him .
玛丽的男友是个油腔滑调的家伙,我不明白为什么她如此地迷恋他。
☆ Weigh on one’s mind 心事重重
{脱口说}
Do you know what has happened to her recently? She seems to have something that weighs heavily on her mind these days
你知道她最近发生了什么事吗?她看起来心事很重。
☆ Be green-eyed (be jealousy) 嫉妒的“红眼病”
源自莎士比亚名剧《奥赛罗》第3幕第3场中的台词“O! be ware , my lord ,of jealousy;/It’s the green-eyed monster… …“
中国人嫉妒时,是“红眼病”,英美国家的人则“绿了眼”,有意思。在美国,有时直接用green表示嫉妒。
When I got the well-paid job in a foreign company , my friends were somewhat green with envy .
当我在一家外企找了份收入丰厚的工作时,我的朋友都有点嫉妒我。
☆ Your doggy looks quite lovely , doesn’t he ?
(你的狗宝宝看上去真可爱!)
☆ Excuse me ,but your blue coat is pretty beautiful ,Where did you buy it ?
(打扰你了。你的蓝上衣真是漂亮,哪儿买的?)
4、赞美别人的首饰或衣服之后不要画蛇添足,
问她一句,“It must be very expensive. How much is it?”(这一定很贵吧。多少钱啊?)
5、无论别人怎样赞美你,你只要一句“Thanks a lot.”就足以达到交流的效果,无须中国式的谦虚,“No, No”,会让赞美你的人莫明其妙,甚至认为你怀疑他的审美观有问题。
6、美国老师上课时大多慈悲为怀,只要学生开口,无论怎样信口开河或者牛头不对马嘴,老师都会说“Good job!”;“Very nice!”;“Ok, you have a creative answer”;“What an original opinion!”。这既能鼓励学生,又能激发学生参与的积极性。这可是中国老师不妨学学的地方。
A:You look so sad ! what happened
B: I broke up with my girl friend yesterday
A: Did you ? I had the same experience ,It almost broke my heart .
B : But luckily you're all right now .
A : Helen's become so proud since she married that rich man .
B : I once talked with her ,but she brushed all my suggestion to one side .
A : She'll ask for it .
B: Sure .
butt in
butt 有"冲、撞、冒冒失失地开"的意思。在美国俚语中,butt in 指"干涉、插嘴"。
实战运用:
A: Don't butt in ,You're still wet behind the ears You know nothing about our business.
B: Why don't you let me air my opinions ? I have no say in this house .
A : What do you know about our business ? Your mum and I have been in trouble .
B: That's why I wanted to know what the trouble is I might be of some help .
by the way
这句话很简单,也很常用:顺便问一下
实战运用:
A:Do you often keep in touch with Jane ?
B: Yeah ,we call each other if we have time .
A: I haven't seen her for a long time
B :She changes a lot .
A: I saw her last night ,By the way ,do you know ,she's married ?
B: Yea ,with Johnson .
A: It's a little bit surprising ,isn't it ?
B: Yes ,indeed .