美国之音《流行美语》 356

　　Larry和李华一起过美国独立日。今天我们要学两个常用语：go all out和give someone some pointers.
LH: Larry, 看你这身打扮，红上衣，白短裤，篮袜子，再加上这顶美国国旗图案的帽子，你简直就是一面大星条旗！
L: Thanks, Lihua. You know that it's Independence Day, so I wanted to dress up for the occasion¹.
LH: 你还在脸上画了一面国旗？！这是不是有点过头了？
L: Well Lihua, I just love the Fourth of July, so I wanted to go all out.
LH: go out? 出去玩就出去玩吧，干嘛还要go ALL out? 这是什么意思？
L: When you go all out, you make the biggest effort possible.
LH: 哦，go all out就是全力以赴的意思。你是说，你特别喜欢7月4号独立日，所以一到这一天，你就要加劲儿地打扮！
L: Right! Here is another example. There is a really important project due for work this Friday, so everyone at the office is going all out this week.
LH: 哦，你们公司这星期五必须做完一个非常重要的项目，所以同事们这个礼拜都开足马力工作！对了，Larry, 今天晚上是不是能看到烟火表演啊？
L: Yeah, usually the fireworks are really good. Washington DC really goes all out for the fireworks show.
LH: 对，每年独立日，首都华盛顿都会倾尽全力办一场大型烟火表演！不过，Larry, 说实话，美国独立日的烟火真比不上北京奥运会开幕式的烟花。
L: Well that's true. China really went all out for the Olympics, so the fireworks display in Beijing was really amazing.
LH: 那Larry, 美国人在独立纪念日这一天，都喜欢做些什么呢？
L: Most people like to barbeque on Independence Day.
LH: 烧烤？我喜欢！我们今天也要去烧烤么？
L: Oh yeah, we're going all out. I bought so much delicious food that it's going to take us a week to finish it all!
LH: 太好了，咱们要甩开腮帮子大吃一顿！等等，咱们没有烧烤架啊!
L: No problem, I went to the store yesterday and got a fancy² new grill³.
LH: 你专门买了一个烧烤架？
L: Yeah, I went all out and bought the nicest grill they had.
LH: 你这次荷包大出血，买了最棒的烧烤架？ 太好了！咱们现在就开始准备烤肉吧！
L: Sounds good!
******
晚上，Larry和李华一起来到华盛顿市中心，观看烟火表演。
LH: Larry, 这烟火挺漂亮的。不过，我总觉得自己去放花更过瘾！
L: I guess that's true, but it's dangerous.
LH: Larry， 你别怕，我可是放花的专家！明年咱们不来这里看了，自己在后院放！
L: Well alright. If you're really a fireworks expert, next year we can do them at home and you can give me some pointers.
LH: I can give you some pointers? 这是什么意思？
L: When you give someone some pointers, you give him or her small pieces of advice.
LH: 哦，give someone some pointers就是给人出些点子。你是说，明年咱们自己放花时，让我教教你。
L: Exactly! Here is another example. Eric really wanted to join the soccer team at school, so he found a coach to give him some pointers before the tryouts.
LH: Eric想加入学校足球队，所以在参加选拔之前，找了一个教练，指点指点他。 Larry, 我有点饿了。
L: Should we go to a restaurant?
LH: 不用了。你看，那边不是有个卖热狗的摊子么？咱们去买个热狗吧！
L: Let me give you a pointer, Lihua. Never eat street vendor⁴ food!
LH: 这倒是，街边的东西可能不干净。咱们还是坐地铁去个正经饭馆吃吧。
L: Here's another pointer for you, Lihua. The metro⁵ will be really crowded tonight, so it will actually be faster to walk to the restaurant.
LH: 对，今天这么多人来看烟火，地铁上肯定挤死了。
L: But Lihua, how can you possibly be hungry after we went all out on that barbeque just a few hours ago.
LH: Larry, I'm going to give you a quick pointer: 不要小看我的饭量!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是go all out表示全力以赴。另一是give someone some pointers, 意思是点拨，出点子。

1 occasion   

n.场合，时机，机会，诱因，理由；vt.惹起，引起

参考例句：

• Her dress was too showy for such a formal occasion.在如此正式的场合，她的服装过分华丽了。
• Her tears were fought back on such an occasion.在这种场合下她忍住了眼泪。

2 fancy   

n.想像力，幻想；喜好，爱；adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的；技巧的；vt.想象，自认为，喜好

参考例句：

• He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
• I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。

3 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

4 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

5 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。