美国之音《流行美语》 393 stuck in a rut...

 　　Larry和李华星期六晚上待在家里，觉得有些无聊，他们会用到两个常用语：stuck in a rut和someone's cup of tea.

　　LH: Larry, 好无聊啊! 你说干点什么好啊？

　　Larry: (Distracted) Huh? Uh, yea... that's nice, Lihua.

　　LH: 什么好好好? Larry! 你又在打电脑游戏啦？哎呀，不要玩儿了! (pulls the plug)

　　Larry: Hey! I was about to clear that level!

　　LH: 你每天晚上除了玩线上游戏就什么都不干了! 我们就不能出去转转，找点好玩的事情做吗？

　　Larry: (Sigh) You're right, Lihua. We haven't really done anything new recently. I guess we've been stuck in a rut.

　　LH: In a rut? 什么意思？

　　Larry: Being stuck in a rut means to be stuck in a boring routine¹.

　　LH: To be stuck in a rut就是生活一成不变。那么，这个rut是什么意思呢？

　　Larry: A rut is what happens when a wheel rolls over the same place over and over again. Eventually, the wheel will dig a line, or a rut, in the ground.

　　LH: 我明白了，rut是车轮不断压过同一个地方后留下的印迹。我想，这就比喻一成不变的常规吧。Larry, 我们最近的确有些stuck in a rut，感觉有点平淡无味，你说这是怎么回事呢？

　　Larry: I'm not sure, Lihua, but we have been together for over a year now. It's relatively² normal for couples to find themselves stuck in a rut after being together for awhile.

　　LH: 啊？你觉得是因为咱们在一起时间不算短了，所以生活就变得平平淡淡了？我觉得根本不是这样，We're stuck in a rot because of that stupid computer game! 都怪你天天打线上游戏，不陪我!

　　Larry: I'll admit I like to play my games, but you remember what happened last weekend, right?

　　LH: 上个周末？怎么啦？

　　Larry: I wanted to take you out for a nice dinner, but you said you were too tired. We ended up staying home and watching TV all night!

　　LH: 还说请我吃顿好的？Larry, 你每次请我吃饭都是汉堡和薯条，连吃饭内容都一成不变，难怪我们会stuck in a rut!

　　Larry: Hmm... we need to find some new things to do that we both like. Otherwise, we might be stuck in this rut forever!

　　LH: 可不是嘛! 咱们好久没有去打网球啦! 不如去打两场吧!

　　Larry: Aw, you know tennis isn't my cup of tea, Lihua. And besides, it's been so hot out lately...

　　LH: Your cup of tea? 打网球还要喝茶？你不怕热吗？

　　Larry: I would drink water, of course! I said "playing tennis is not my cup of tea"...in other words, I don't really enjoy tennis.

　　LH: 哦，你说playing tennis is not your cup of tea, 意思就是说你不喜欢打网球。那你的cup of tea到底是什么呀？

　　Larry: I like swimming! How about we start going to the pool? It's always refreshing³ to take a dip in the pool on a hot day!

　　LH: 去游泳？可是，游泳不是我的cup of tea。我怕晒黑! Oh, I know! Why don't you take me to the ballet? 我们去看芭蕾舞表演吧!

　　Larry: The ballet? Uh, that's not my cup of tea, either. I never understood what's going on! It just looks like a bunch of people jumping around on stage, if you ask me.

　　LH: 你这人一点都不浪漫!

　　Larry: Being romantic was never my cup of tea, Lihua. Remember when I sent you flowers for your birthday?

　　LH: 记得！我生日你送玫瑰花给我，结果我花粉过敏，打了一天喷嚏!

　　Larry: Heheh. See? No wonder we're in a rut. I'm horrible at being romantic, and we can never agree on anything new to do. Tell you what - let me think about it some more while I finish this last boss in my video game...

　　LH: 不行! 你别想溜! Get us out of this rut, Larry! 要不你就别想玩儿电脑了!

　　Larry: Hmmm....

　　LH: 什么呀？你在想什么坏主意？

　　Larry: You want us to do something together, right? Our group could use another warrior⁴...

　　LH: 你想让我和你一起打线上游戏？我可不会! You know video games are not my cup of tea!

　　Larry: (Sigh). Well, I guess I'll go make myself a real cup of tea and go stare out the window for fun...

　　今天李华从Larry那儿学到两个常用语，一个是to be stuck in a rut, 表示枯燥，一成不变。另一个是someone's cup of tea, 意思是某人有兴趣干的事。

1 routine   

n.例行公事，惯例；adj.例行的，常规的

参考例句：

• It is everyday routine.这是每天的例行公事。
• She found the hospital routine slightly dull.她感到医院的工作有点枯燥乏味。

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

4 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。