美国之音《流行美语》 355

　　Larry和李华在看世界杯美国对加纳的比赛。今天我们要学两个常用语：haunt¹ someone和turn the corner.
LH: Larry, 美国今天如果赢了加纳，就进8强啦！我可紧张死了！
L: Me too! But I kind of have a bad feeling, because it was Ghana that eliminated² the U.S. from the tournament in 2006.
LH: 啊？2006年世界杯美国就是被加纳淘汰的？那今天就是美国报仇的时候啦！我觉得，美国队在比赛开始的时候就得设法赶快进球，不要总让别人领先。
L: I agree. If they keep letting the other team score early in the game, eventually it will come back to haunt them.
LH: Haunt them? 什么意思？
L: When a mistake in the past causes you trouble in the present, you can say it comes back to haunt you.
LH: 哦，comes back to haunt you就是说从前犯的错误到如今还在给你带来麻烦。你是说， 如果美国队在比赛开始的时候失球，那就可能输掉比赛，后悔莫及。
L: Exactly. For example, Joe decided³ not to buy car insurance, but that decision came back to haunt him when he had a major accident.
LH: Joe决定不买汽车保险，结果后来出了大车祸，之前的错误决定就让他陷入了麻烦之中。
L: You're right, now let's have fun and watch the game. Do you have some popcorn⁴ and soda⁵?
LH: Larry，这些食品不健康，少吃为妙！
L: That's true, an unhealthy diet can come back to haunt you later if it causes you health problems.
LH: 对啊，吃不健康的东西会影响到你的身体。啊， Larry, 我真希望咱们现在在南非，看世界杯现场！
L: Yeah, it would have been so much fun to go. If the U.S. makes it into the finals, that decision is really going to come back to haunt me.
LH: 对啊，如果美国队进了决赛，你一定会后悔自己没去南非！哎？Larry，你这个电视怎么这么清楚啊？难道你换了新电视机？
L: That's right, I bought it just to watch the U.S. play in the World Cup! Although that decision will come back to haunt me if they lose today.
LH: 是啊，要是美国今天就被淘汰，你这台电视就白买了，你肯定得后悔！看，比赛开始了！
L: Great, let's watch!
******
比赛结束了，Larry和李华都很失望。
LH: 唉，美国队输了！不过，这场比赛打得很激烈，一直打到了加时赛呢！
L: Well I'm pretty disappointed that the U.S. lost, but at least they played well and improved from 2006.
LH: 是啊，2006年时美国都没能进16强！
L: Yeah, they have been getting better. Hopefully 2014 will be the year that they turn the corner.
LH: Turn the corner? 这是什么意思？
L: When you turn the corner, that means you pass a critical turning point.
LH: 哦，就是出现转机，实现突破。 你是说，希望美国队2014年世界杯能突破自己，成为强队！
L: Right! Here is another example. Joe spent two years studying Chinese in America, but he never really turned the corner until he went to live in China.
LH: 哦，Joe在美国学了两年中文，一直学得不怎么样，直到去中国留学，他的中文水平才有了突破。哎， Larry, 你买的这个电视真是越看越好！
L: Thanks, Lihua.
LH: 这电视一定很贵。你最近是不是发财了？
L: Yeah, my investment⁶ in the stock⁷ market wasn't going very well for a long time. But it really turned the corner recently.
LH: 我这学期不知怎么了，两门课成绩都不是很理想，真不知道什么时候才会有转机。
L: Don't worry Lihua, I'm sure that before long you're going to turn the corner and start getting straight A's.
LH: 哪有那么简单！不过，既然美国队已经被淘汰了，我就可以专心学习了！
L: Well, I hope all this time watching soccer instead of studying doesn't come back to haunt you during your final exams.
LH: 没关系，为了四年一次的世界杯，考不好也值！
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是haunt someone, 表示以前的错误如今还在对某人产生影响。另一是turn the corner, 意思是出现转机，实现突破。

1 haunt   

vt.常出没于，使苦恼，萦绕；n.常去的地方

参考例句：

• The area was a haunt of criminals.这个地区是罪犯经常出没的地方。
• The college library is a favorite haunt.大学图书馆是人们喜欢的地方。

2 eliminated   

v.排除( eliminate的过去式和过去分词 )；消除；除掉；干掉

参考例句：

• He was eliminated in the first round of voting. 他在第一轮投票中被淘汰。
• Her misspelling of that word eliminated her from the contest. 因为她把那个单词写错了，所以不能参加比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

5 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

6 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。

7 stock   

n.存货，储备；树干；血统；股份；家畜；adj.存货的；平凡的，惯用的；股票的；畜牧的；vt.进货，采购；储存；供给；vi.出新芽；进货

参考例句：

• The shop takes stock every week on Friday mornings.这家商店每星期五早晨盘点存货。
• Experts have forecast an upturn in the stock market.专家已预测股票市场价格有上升趋势。