流行美语 (Popular American) 317

Larry真准备跟李华一起出去吃饭，外面突然下起了瓢泼大雨。今天我们要学两个常用语：it's raining cats and dogs和I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: Larry, 我好象从来没见过这么大的雨。

LL: I know, it's really raining cats and dogs.

LH: Cats and dogs? 什么猫啊狗啊的，明明是在下雨啊。

LL: No, it's raining cats and dogs out means¹ that it is really pouring outside.

LH: 噢，原来说it's raining cats and dogs就是中文里说的瓢泼大雨。真奇怪，下雨跟cats and dogs有什么关系呢？

LL: You know, Li Hua, I have no idea.

LH: 既然能下猫下狗，能不能下狮子，下老虎呢？

LL: No, I'm pretty sure cats and dogs are it.

LH: 糟糕了，我把雨伞落在学校了。没有伞，怎么出门呢？有了！我可以头上顶着报纸，冲到车上去。

LL: Come on, Li Hua! The newspaper won't keep you dry, it's raining cats and dogs! Maybe we could share my umbrella and stay dry.

LH: 就你这把小伞，八成咱俩一出去就湿透了。

LL: It really is coming down out there. You'd better hang on to me, otherwise you'll be washed away.

LH: 没问题，我可是游泳健将。

LL: You know, I haven't seen it rain cats and dogs like this in a very long time.

LH: 还好我们现在是在家里，要是半路赶上下暴雨，那才倒霉呢！

LL: Yes, we'd be a couple of drowned rats.

LH: 落水的老鼠？I wouldn't want to be with cats and dogs if I were a rat. 我如果真是老鼠的话，一定不愿意跟这些猫啊狗啊的在一块儿。

LL: Never mind, we've had enough animal phrases² today.When do you think the storm will start to let up?

LH: 既然是雷阵雨，那用不了多久可能就会停了。

LL: I sure hope it will let up soon, because I'm getting hungry!

LH: Larry, 看，雨小了。

*******

LL: I'm glad it stopped raining, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: Horse? 你当真要吃马肉？这里恐怕没有马肉！

LL: No. I don't mean that I actually want to eat a horse, I'm just so hungry I could eat one.

LH: 你刚才不是说，今天不再提动物的话题儿了吗？

LL: I couldn't help myself, just like I won't be able to help myself from gorging³ on food right now.

LH: 我明白了，I am so hungry I could eat a horse，意思是饿极了，能吃掉一匹马。Well me too. 咱们点些什么呢？

LL: How about we get two orders of the steamed dumplings, sweet and sour soup, eggplant, cashew chicken, green beans, some spicy⁴ squid⁵....

LH: 等等等等，我们就两个人，吃得了这么多吗？

LL: I wasn't kidding when I said I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: 你这种人，在中文里叫眼大肚子小。

LL: That's probably right, Li Hua. What do you say we order?

LH: 别急，我还没决定要点什么呢。肚子饿的时候，看什么都香。

LL: Yes, when you are hungry enough to eat a horse, it can be pretty difficult to decide what to eat.

LH: Larry, 你记不记得，上次我们登山回来，饿得不行，结果点了一桌子菜，结果连一半都没吃掉。

LL: I cannot believe you remember that. It was raining cats and dogs on our way down the mountain and both of us were drenched⁶.

LH: 哈哈，怎么跟你在一起不是淋个精湿，就是饿肚子。

LL: Very funny, Li Hua. At least this time you are not wet AND hungry.

LH: 对了，Larry. 你那把小伞也该换换了吧！

LL: I know I do. The problem is I never remember to get one when it's nice out, and then when it starts raining cats and dogs, I need one, and I don't have it.

LH: 好了好了，服务员来了，我们赶快点菜吧！

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是it's raining cats and dogs意思是瓢泼大雨。另一个是I am so hungry I could eat a horse意思是肚子饿极了，可以吃掉一匹马。
 

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 phrases   

n.短语( phrase的名词复数 )；成语；说法；乐句

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 gorging   

v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的现在分词 )；作呕

参考例句：

• They had been gorging fruit in the forest. 他们方才一直在森林里狼吞虎咽地大嚼野果。 来自辞典例句
• He saw roses winding about the rain spout; or mulberries-birds gorging in the mulberry tree. 他会看到玫瑰花绕在水管上，或者是看到在桑树枝头上使劲啄食的小鸟。 来自辞典例句

4 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

5 squid   

n.鱿鱼

参考例句：

• I like eating squid.我喜欢吃鱿鱼。
• The seals feed mainly on fish and squid.海豹主要以鱼和乌贼为食。

6 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》