迷你對話學地道口語第459期:保持高度警覺

迷你對話

A: Baby, what about having some beef for dinner?

A: 寶貝兒，晚上吃牛肉怎麼樣？

B: Oh, no. Mom, I am on a diet. I have to keep an ear to the ground.

B: 啊，不要啊。我正在減肥。我是時刻提醒自己啊。

第一、地道表達：keep an ear to the ground

1. 解詞釋義

大約在150年前，美國一些開荒的人逐漸來到西部開拓荒野。這些拓荒者從當地印第安人那裏學到了一個訣竅，那就是躺下身來把耳朵帖子地上，就可以聽到幾十英里以外野獸的奔跑聲。他們聽到蹄聲也是是印第安人騎着馬來攻擊他們的馬羣的奔跑聲，也可能是幾千頭受驚的野牛正向他們奔馳而來。如果不及時躲避，他們會被野獸踐踏成泥。現在，把耳朵貼在地上這個訣竅成爲了一個俗語，就是“keep an ear to the ground”。對話中B說的“I have to keep an eat to the ground.”的意思就是我要時刻提醒自己經得起美食的誘惑。Keep an ear to the ground的意思就是“密切關注新的信息或潮流”“保持高度警覺”。

2. 典型例句

e.g. Every two weeks while the Congress is in session, I try to get back home to California to talk to people. This doesn't give me much time to relax with my family, but I have to keep an ear to the ground and hear what voters are thinking about.

當國會舉行會議的時候我每兩個星期設法抽空回加州一次去和當地的人進行交談。我沒有多少時間可以和家人在一起，但是我得及時瞭解選民的想法。

e.g. I try to keep an ear to the ground and what I hear these days is that most people think we spend too much money on building roads and not enough on our schools.

我總是設法注意人們的想法。最近我聽說，大多數人認爲我們在築路方面花錢太多，而用在學校方面的錢卻不足。

第二、詞海拾貝

on a diet：減肥

e.g. I mustn't have too much potato because I'm now on a diet.

我不能吃太多的馬鈴薯,因爲我正在節食。

e.g. You're overweight, and I'm going to put you on a diet.

你的體重超重了，必須節食。

e.g. She is picky about what she eats because she is on a diet.

她正在節食，所以挑食挑得厲害。

e.g. You're skinny enough without going on a diet!

你不必節食就已經夠瘦的了!

第三 句海拾貝

What about doing something?

1. 使用情景

用於徵詢對方意見。

2. 典型範例
e.g. What about
leaving it here and collecting it on the way back?

把它先放在這裏等回來時再取走怎麼樣？

e.g. What about washing the car on Sunday?

禮拜天洗車怎麼樣？