美国之音《流行美语》 349

　　李华和Larry一起去逛农贸市场。今天我们要学两个常用语：to eat one's words和like night and day。
LH: Larry， 我特别喜欢逛农贸市场。这些蔬菜水果都是咱们这儿的农民自己种的，又新鲜又营养。
L: I guess that's true, but they're expensive too. I think we should just wait for our plants at home to produce fruit.
LH: 咱们种的那些菜？嗯....Larry, 说实话，你第一次种菜，真的能有收获吗？
L: You just watch Lihua. When we are eating tomatoes from our garden in a few weeks, you're going to have to eat your words.
LH: 啊？Eat my words? Larry, 怎么能这样，你吃西红柿，却让我吃words?
L: Actually, when someone eats her words, that means¹ she has to accept that she was wrong about something.
LH: 哦，to eat my words就是认错。你是说，等你种的西红柿结出又大又甜的果实来，我就不得不承认自己小看了你种菜的本领！
L: Right! Here is another example. I told my friend Steve that he would never become a famous actor, but I had to eat my words when he won an Oscar.
LH: 什么？你的朋友Steve赢了奥斯卡奖？！ 快把他介绍给我！
L: Unfortunately that's just an example sentence.
LH: 啊？是你胡说的啊！ 算了，咱们还是买点水果吧，我看也不会特别贵。
L: Trust me, Lihua, you're going to eat your words when you see how expensive the prices are. Say, do you have cash in your wallet?
LH: 现金？没有，我就带了张信用卡。
L: Lihua, I doubt these small farmers brought credit² card machines with them.
LH: 不会吧，现在大家都用信用卡。 你放心吧，这些卖菜的肯定收信用卡。
L: Well, you're going to eat your words when you try to buy something with a credit card.
LH: 好啦， Larry，既然今天你这么自信，干脆你来挑苹果吧。如果不甜，唯你是问！
L: Lihua, I am an expert at picking out the most delicious fruit at the market. And if they're not good, I will eat my words.
LH: 哈，这你不必担心，如果苹果不甜，你不用承认自己看走眼，you don't have to eat your words. I'll make you eat the apples! 只要你把自己挑的酸苹果都吃掉就行了！
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LH: Larry, 你快看这个大南瓜！ 肯定比超市卖的好吃！
L: I don't know ... it looks about the same. The only difference is that it costs twice as much.
LH: Larry，你相信我，晚上你一吃就知道我说得没错了。
L: Well, for twice as much money, it better be like night and day.
LH: 吃南瓜要像白天和黑夜？你说什么呢？
L: When you say that two things are like night and day, that means they are completely³ different, or that one is far better than the other.
LH: 哦，like night and day就是“天壤之别”。你是说，这里南瓜比超市的贵那么多，所以它们的味道也必须比超市的南瓜好吃几百倍才对。
L: Right! Here is another example. I was used to working on my old, slow computer, so when I bought a really fast new computer, it was like night and day.
LH: 对，你的新电脑特别好用，跟原来那台又旧又慢的电脑相比，真的是天壤之别。
L: Exactly! So Lihua, should we get some red potatoes, or the yellow potatoes?
LH: 红土豆还是黄土豆？随便啦，土豆还不都一个味儿么？
L: They don't taste similar at all! The difference is like night and day.
LH: 怎么可能有那么大的区别？估计就你一个人能吃出不同来。
L: You know Lihua, there is one nice thing about the farmer's market.
LH: 哦？是什么？
L: The employees⁴ at the supermarket aren't very friendly or helpful, but the farmers here are so nice! It's really like night and day.
LH: 那可不！ Larry，你开始喜欢农贸市场了吧？你看，东西贵一点，也是值得的！
L: Well, I'm not going to eat my words just yet. I'll taste some of the fruit first, and then decide if it's worth the extra money.
LH: Larry, 在吃上你得向我学习。虽然我平时很节俭，但是，一涉及到吃，我花多少钱都不心疼！
L: That's true. Your attitude is like night and day.
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是to eat one's words, 意思是认错，认输。另一个是like night and day, 意思是天壤之别。

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 credit   

n.信用，荣誉，贷款，学分；v.归功于，赞颂，信任

参考例句：

• I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
• He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉，我们做不讨好的工作。

3 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

4 employees   

n.雇工，雇员( employee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She is always polite and considerate towards her employees. 她对待雇员总是客客气气，关心体谅。
• The company has a strict dress code—all male employees are expected to wear suits. 公司有严格的着装规定—所有男职员都要穿西服。