The english we speak(BBC教學)第80期:Down with the kids 和孩子們打成一片

Helen: Hello. Welcome to The English We Speak with me, Helen...

海倫：大家好。歡迎來到我們說的英語節目，我是海倫。

Rob: me Rob. Hi!

羅布：還有我，羅布。大家好！

Helen: Rob, I like your trainers, very cool... and look at your designer jeans. Trendy! Rob's looking quite trendy today - for a change!

海倫：羅布，我喜歡你的運動鞋，非常酷……我正在看你穿的這條設計師牛仔褲。真時髦！今天羅布看上去非常時尚，和平常不一樣啊！

Rob: So you like them then?

羅布：那你喜歡嗎？

Helen: I do but... it's not really what someone your age normally wears.

海倫：我喜歡，但是……這並不像你這個年紀的人穿的衣服。

Rob: I see. But don't you think it makes me look cool and fashionable and... younger?

羅布：我知道。可是你不認爲這使我看上去又酷、又時尚而且年輕了很多嗎？

Helen: Erm...

海倫：呃……

Rob: I'm just trying to get down with the kids.

羅布：我只是在試着

Helen: The kids?! You're down with the kids? Down where exactly?

海倫：孩子們？！你要和孩子們一起去？準確地說是去哪裏啊？

Rob: Oh Helen, keep up! I'm not going anywhere. I mean I'm keeping in with the kids. I'm in tune with the younger generation - yeah!

羅布：海倫，振作一下！我哪裏也不去。我是說我只是要和孩子們處好關係。要和年輕一代更搭調！

Helen: So Rob, to do this you have to dress like a teenager?

海倫：羅布，要做到這樣一定要打扮得像青少年嗎？

Rob: Not just that. I share the same interests as young people. I listen to their music on my mp3 player. Like this.

羅布：不僅僅是這樣。我和年輕人有同樣的興趣。我用MP3聽他們喜歡聽的音樂。就像這首。

Helen: Could you turn that down please! So you're acting young when really you aren't! It seems getting down with the kids is about behaving like them. Well, you are certainly a big kid Rob! Let's hear some examples of people using this phrase.

海倫：請你把音量調低點好嗎！你只是表現得像年輕人，可實際上你並不是！看起來和孩子們玩到一起就是要行爲舉止像他們。羅布，你絕對是個大小孩！我們來看看應用這個短語的例子吧。

My Dad's bought a new skateboard so that he can be down with the kids!

我爸爸買了個新的滑板，這樣他就能和孩子們玩到一起了！

I almost broke my neck snowboarding on holiday but hey, at least I'm down with the kids.

假期玩雪板的時候我差點扭傷了脖子，不過至少我和孩子們相處得很好。

She's dyed her hair red and pierced her nose just so she can be down with the kids!

她把頭髮染成了紅色，而且打了鼻洞，這樣她就能跟上孩子們的潮流了！

Helen: So Rob, what else are you doing to be down with the kids?

海倫：所以，羅布，爲了和孩子們打成一片你還做了什麼事？

Rob: Hey Helen, doing things like chillin' and being where it's at.

羅布：海倫，就像是做一些令人害怕的事情，還要去熱鬧時尚的地方。

Helen: Rob not all kids talk like that.

海倫：羅布，不是所有孩子都喜歡那樣的。

Rob: Oh right. Well, I've got some rollerblades so I can blade round the park. The only trouble is... I can't seem to get them on... Ouch, my back!

羅布：好吧。我有旱冰鞋，所以我可以在公園滑旱冰。唯一的麻煩就是，我好像穿不上，哎喲，我的後背！

Helen: Are you OK? It looks like Rob has a bad back, so he won't be down with the kids for a while! Do you need some help?

海倫：你還好嗎？看起來羅布的背不好，所以他暫時不能和孩子們玩了！你需要幫助嗎？

Rob: Thanks. I think I'll just put my slippers on - much more comfortable.

羅布：謝謝你。我想我還是把拖鞋穿上吧，舒服多了。

Helen: Remember, being down with the kids can be hard work. See you next time. Bye bye!

海倫：要記住，跟孩子們趕時髦可不是那麼容易的事。我們下期節目再見。拜拜！

Rob: Bye. Ouch, my back! Helen, could you just put that slipper over there please? Thanks!

羅布：再見。哎喲，我的背！海倫，請你把那隻拖鞋放在那裏可以嗎？謝謝！

重點講解：
1. for a change
換換口味；變個花樣；
eg. Now let me ask you a question, for a change.
現在換我來問你一個問題吧。
eg. Liz settled back in her seat, comfortably relaxed, enjoying being driven for a change.
莉茲舒服放鬆地倚在座位上，享受着換別人開車的愜意。
2. down with the kids
大人學小孩；與孩子打成一片；
eg. I told you she'd love it. I'm down with the kids.
早說過，她肯定會喜歡的。我可很會哄小孩啊。
eg. I'm down with the kids.
我和孩子們一起玩。
3. keep in with
（爲得到好處）與…友好相處；
eg. I had to keep in with the people who mattered.
我得和管事兒的人保持良好關係。
eg. He always tries to keep in with his neighbours.
他總是努力同鄰居搞好關係。
4. in tune with
一致；贊同；
eg. Today, his change of direction seems more in tune with the times.
今天，他方向的改變似乎更與時代合拍。
eg. His ideas are in tune with the times.
他的思想符合時代的潮流。
5. turn down
關小；調低；
eg. He kept turning the central heating down.
他不斷調低中央暖氣的溫度。
eg. She could not bear the relentless music and turned down the volume.
她受不了沒完沒了的音樂，就把音量調小了。
6. where it's at
（非正式）時髦的地方（或物品、活動）；
eg. You can get this skirt only in Paris; that's where it's at.
這種裙子只有在巴黎才能買得到，這種樣式在那很流行。
eg. Judging by the crowds waiting to get in this seems to be where it's at.
從爭先恐後等待進去的人羣來看，這似乎是個熱鬧去處。