美国之音《流行美语》 353

　　李华和Larry在看世界杯足球赛，美国队和阿尔及利亚队。我们要学两个常用语：on the edge of your seat和down to the wire.
LH: Larry，今天这场比赛可很重要！美国要是赢了，就进16强，要是输了就得回家了。
L: I know! Who do you think will win? The U.S. or Algeria?
LH: 这可说不好。
L: I agree, it's hard to predict who will win. All I know is that I'm going to be on the edge of my seat the whole game.
LH: 什么？你要坐在椅子边儿上看比赛？这样坐着你一会儿就得累。
L: Actually, when you are really excited or nervous about something, you can say that you are on the edge of your seat.
LH: 哦，on the edge of your seat不是真的坐在椅子的边儿上，而是形容紧张的样子。你是说，这场比赛让你感到特别紧张、兴奋，简直坐也不是站也不是。
L: Right! Or for another example, my friend Eddie loved the new Jack¹ Nicholson suspense² movie. He said it kept him on the edge of his seat for two hours.
LH: 对！悬疑电影总是让人的心提在嗓子眼，紧张得不行！哎，Larry, 你不是说你在网上买了一件美国队的球衣么？寄来了没有？
L: I've been waiting on the edge of my seat all week for it to come, but it hasn't arrived yet. I hope it didn't get lost in the mail.
LH: 别急，没准今天球衣就到了。你看别的世界杯比赛了吗？
L: Yeah a few, but for me, none can keep me on the edge of my seat like a U.S. match does.
LH: 这倒是！不过，足球比赛太紧张了！要不我们还是看“美国偶像”吧，轻松一下。
L: No way! I'm always sitting on the edge of my seat whenever they announce the winner of American Idol³.
LH: 你怎么看什么都这么激动！对了，我还真没看出来，你也是美国偶像的粉丝啊！
L: Well you never know when you might learn something surprising about me, Lihua.
LH: 哈哈，那以后和你说话时我该紧张了，I'll be on the edge of my seat when I talk to you!
******
美国对阿尔及利亚的比赛结束了，Larry和李华在谈论这场比赛。
LH: 真够悬的！双方一直是0比0，我还以为美国队要被淘汰了呢！谁知美国队居然在最后三分种里进了个球，这下就挺进16强啦！
L: I know! That was so amazing! If I watch a few more games like that, I'm going to have a heart attack!
LH: 心脏病？不至于吧！不过，这场比赛最后几分钟确实挺刺激的。
L: You're right. That game really came down to the wire.
LH: Down to the wire? 这是什么意思？
L: When something comes down to the wire, that means there isn't much time left.
LH: 哦，down to the wire就是指到了最后关头。 你是说这场比赛在快结束的时候居然难分胜负。
L: Right. Here's another example. My big report for work is due tomorrow and I still have a lot of work to do, so it's really coming down to the wire today.
LH: 你是说，明天有报告要交，可你还没怎么写呢，所以今天是你完成报告的最后关头了！哎？既然要写报告，干嘛还看世界杯？
L: I'll just say that I know what's important in life. Say, how is your summer job search going?
LH: 还在找呢。我已经快没钱了，如果再找不到工作，我连房租也交不出来了。
L: Gosh, it sounds like it's really coming down to the wire. Have you had any success?
LH: 倒是有一份工作，我已经进入最后一轮面试了，公司说今天下午打电话通知我结果。
L: Wow, it sounds like it's coming down to the wire. You must really be on the edge of your seat.
LH: 是啊，已经快5点了，还没来电话，我都要急死了！
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是on the edge of your seat, 表示紧张兴奋。另一是down to the wire, 意思是到最后关头。

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

3 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。