流行美语 第 42 课

李华前段时间通过了驾驶执照的考试，现在可以自己开车了。迈可也坐在她的车
里，从他们二人的对话中，李华学到了两个常用语： take it easy 和to chew out。

L: 考完试了，现在有了驾照真好。我觉得我能够去任何地方，做 任何想做的事
了。
M: I know what you mean. American kids feel the same way when they turn 16 and get
their licenses¹. Too bad you don't have a car.
L: 那有什么关系，我可以跟你借啊，对不对？哎呀 Hey! What do you think you are
doing? Do you want to be killed? Michael，你看那个 骑自行车的孩子，我差点儿撞
了他！
M: Hey, hey, take it easy Li Hua! You really scared that kid. He looked really scared.
L: Michael, 你刚才说什么？什么easy?
M: I said take it easy! That means you need to calm down, not get too excited.
L: Take it easy? Take it easy 是冷静下来，别太气了的意思？Take 是T- A-K-E. It 是
I-T. Easy 是E-A-S-Y，对吧?
M: Yes, you've got it. That boy was almost in a very bad accident, and he was startled².
You don't need to make him feel worse.
L: 你说的不错，看样子他都快哭了。
M: Hey, Li Hua, you're going to be driving on your own soon. I hope you learn to take
it easy and not get angry at everyone.
L: 你说的对。要是我冷静开车的话，也许我的车会开的更好。
M: I'm sure you will. You just finished a difficult test. You should take it easy. Let's go
get some lunch, my treat.
L: 你要请客啊？行，我是应该放松放松了。我要好好享受今天剩 下的时间。
M: Man, Li Hua, you really chewed that kid out.
L: 你指的是刚才骑车的那个小孩？你说我对他怎么了？
M: You chewed him out! I mean you yelled³ and got angry at him. Chewed,
C-H-E-W-E-D; Out, O-U-T.
L: 噢，你是说我发脾气大骂了那个孩子，是吧？
M: That's right. If someone gets angry and yells⁴ at you, and starts criticizing your
behavior, they are chewing you out.
L: 原来如此，我也不知道为什么我大骂那个小孩，大概是当时我也 害怕的缘故。
M: Are you upset about something else? You seem to have a bad temper today.
L: 我是有点气，因为昨天刘教授对我生气。因为我该教中文的课，我去晚了五分
钟。刘教授就对我大发脾气。
M: That's too bad. I don't like being chewed out like that either. Especially when I
know I was wrong.
L: Hey, 那可不是我的错，我自行车的链子又脱落了。为什么发生 这类事情你总
是怪我？
M: Hey, take it easy, Li Hua! Don't chew me out! I was talking about myself, not you.
L: 我的天，是我不对，不知道我今天是怎么回事。我想跟每个人 发脾气。
M: You must be stressed. First, Professor Liu chewed you out, then you almost ran
over the kid on the bike.
L: 你说的对，我真不该对任何人都发脾气。我应该开开心心的。
M: At least you should be happier than I am. Yesterday, my roommate chewed me out.
He said I always make a mess in the living room, and he is tired of cleaning up after
me.
L: 也许你是把房子弄得很乱，可是你室友也不该对你发脾气啊。
M: He was right, though. I really need to get rid of my bad habits.

今天李华学到了两个常用语，一个是Take it easy，意思是冷静下来，或者放轻松
些。另一个是to chew out，意思是发脾气骂人。

1 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

2 startled   

adj.受惊吓的v.使惊跳，使大吃一惊( startle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of 2000 was startled near the end of the concert. 2000名观众在音乐会将近结束时大吃一惊。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Startled by the sudden whistle of the train, the horse broke away. 火车突然鸣笛，那匹马受惊脱逃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 yelled   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
• The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着，希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 yells   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The most savage yells of all came from the schoolchildren. 最野蛮的喊叫声来自那些学童。 来自英汉文学
• Dimes, dimes, "yells another, selling $ 10 vials of crack. 另一个卖瓶装克拉克的青年也在大声叫卖。 来自名作英译部分