【英语趣味课堂】分手-The Break Up

Crystal¹: Hey, George, actually it's funny that you mentioned relationships cause I'm actually having a problem with Joe.

George: Is that the guy with the curly² hair?

 

Crystal: Yeah, that guy. He's really nice and everything, but like I really don't think it's working out.

 

George: Why what's wrong?

 

Crystal: Well, he's really narrow-minded and I'm really different. We just ... he's nice and everything. He's kind and sweet, and it's just not for me, like we're totally different people.

 

George: I see. So what are you going to do?

 

Crystal: I think I have to rip³ the band-aid and I think I'm just gonna send him an e-mail or something.

 

George: E-mail! But you've been dating for awhile now and you like him right?

 

Crystal: Yeah, we're like so sweet together, but it's just ... I don't see a future.

 

George: But isn't an e-mail just a little too cold and he might tell other people about it, and rumors⁴ spreading and what not.

 

Crystal: OK, then, what do you think I should do? How should I do it?

 

George: You should probably just meet him face-to-face?

 

Crystal: Ugh! Face-to-face. OK. Where should I meet him? Like do you think I should just invite him over to my place?

 

George: You should probably do it in public, where, you know...

 

Crystal: Ooh, good, good, good, good. That's better.

 

George: Maybe that cafe.

 

Crystal: Ah, that cafe. Yeah.

 

George: While I'm having my date, you can be breaking up with your boyfriend. It'll be great!

 

Crystal: You're so mean.

 

George: I'm sorry. That was uncalled for.

 

Crystal: I don't know what to say. What do you think would hurt him less?

 

George: I gotta say honesty would be the best policy.

 

Crystal: Honesty. OK, so this is what I'm going to say. Joe, you're great, but we're not meant to be. How's that?

 

George: Yeah, it's great. It's great.

 

Crystal: OK, so, OK, OK, I'm done. I think I'll meet him at the cafe, and OK, things will work from then. I'll improvise⁵.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

it’s funny you mention

 

Actually, it’s funny that you mentioned relationships.

 

We use the phrase ‘it’s funny that you mentioned [something]’ when somebody talks about a topic that we have been thinking about too. Notice the following.

 

It’s funny that you mentioned Michelle. I was just thinking about her.

It’s funny that he mentioned the loan⁶. I thought he'd forgotton.

it’s not working out

 

I really don’t think it’s working out

 

When something isn’t working out it means that we are not happy with it. The phrase can refer to people or situations. Here are two samples.

 

We’ve had many complaints about our new receptionist. I really don’t think he’s working out.

My best friend’s new job pays well but she’s always too tired to study. I really don’t think it’s working out.

rip the band-aid

 

I have to rip the band-aid.

 

‘Rip the band aid’ is an idiom that means to take care of a problem with a painful but quick solution. Notice the samples.

 

It’s better to rip the band aid and tell him you lost his MP3 player.

I think you should just rip the band-aid and tell her you’re going abroad.

uncalled for

 

I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.

 

Something that is uncalled for’ isn’t necessary. It’s most often negative. Here are some samples.

 

Your friend’s bad behavior at the party was uncalled for.

I shouldn’t have laughed at his new haircut. That was uncalled for.

honesty would be the best policy

 

I gotta’ say, honesty would be the best policy.

 

The phrase ‘honesty is the best policy’ means the best way to take care of a situation is to tell the truth. Notice the following.

 

If you don’t love him, I think honesty would be the best policy. Just tell him.

People tell little lies everyday so maybe honesty is not always the best policy.

we’re not meant to be

 

You’re great, but we’re not meant to be.

 

When future plans or a current situation doesn’t happen the way we want, we say it is ‘not meant to be’. Here are two samples.

 

He practiced his whole life for the Olympics, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

After a very difficult year in Medical school, Sonia realized that her becoming a doctor simply wasn’t meant to be.

 

1 crystal   

n.水晶，水晶饰品，结晶体；最好的玻璃器皿

参考例句：

• It used to be a crystal stream.那曾是条清澈见底的小溪。
• Those fine wine glasses are made of crystal.那些漂亮的酒杯是用水晶做的。

2 curly   

adj.卷曲的，卷缩的

参考例句：

• The little boy has curly hair.这小男孩长着一头卷发。
• She is tall and dark with curly hair.她高高的个子，黑皮肤，卷头发。

3 rip   

n.拉裂，破绽，激流，浪荡子；vt.撕裂，激昂地说，贬损；vi.裂开，仓促地冲过...

参考例句：

• He had seen the rip in the book.他看到了书里的裂缝。
• I tried not to rip the paper as I unwrapped it.我把纸打开的时候，尽量不把它撕破。

4 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 improvise   

v.即兴创作；临时准备，临时凑成

参考例句：

• If an actor forgets his words，he has to improvise.演员要是忘记台词，那就只好即兴现编。
• As we've not got the proper materials,we'll just have to improvise.我们没有弄到合适的材料，只好临时凑合了。

6 loan   

n.贷款；借出的东西；借；vt.借出；贷予

参考例句：

• I asked the bank to help me with a loan.我请银行给我一笔贷款。
• Has the bank okayed your request for a loan?银行批准你的贷款要求了吗？