流行美语 第 78 课

今天Michael 到李华的宿舍串门，李华会学到两个常用语：have a cow 和pack rat¹。

M: Hey, Li Hua, what are you doing?
L: 哎哟，我在找我的眼镜，急死人了，找不到眼镜我怎么上课啊？
M: Calm down. Li Hua, don't have a cow. I'm sure you'll find them.
L: 你说什么？Don't have a cow? Cow, 这不是"母牛"的意思吗？哎，我这儿是学生
宿舍，怎么能养母牛呢？
M: No, I said "don't have a cow", it means² don't get too excited about something. I'm
sure you'll find your glasses if you are patient enough.
L: 噢，我懂了，你是让我耐心点儿。你叫我Don't have a cow, 意思就是别着急、
别慌，可是，Don't have a cow 字面的意思明明是"别有母牛"。这跟"别惊慌"一点
关系也没有，好奇怪哟！
M: Yeah, it is a little strange, but we still say it.
L: 好吧，就听你的，I won't have a cow, 再想想看，我可能把眼镜放在什么地方了。
M: Well, where did you see them last?
L: 我记得昨晚睡觉前把眼镜放在床边桌子上了。
M: Have you looked under the bed?
L: 有啊，我在床底下找过了，让我再看看。哎呀，你还真说对了，就在床底下呢！
M: See, I told you not to have a cow and I was right.
L: 可是，Michael, 你肯定平时也有惊慌失措的时候。比方说，要是我对你说，我
把你的电脑弄坏了，你肯定会have a cow。
M: Yes, I would have a cow because I can't afford to buy a new one. Hey, Li Hua, You
didn't really break my computer, did you?
L: Don't have a cow! 我是在跟你开玩笑啦！
* *****
M: Li Hua, you really have a lot of stuff³. Is that the movie ticket from last week? You
even saved that?
L: 噢，这是上星期的电影票。你说我这儿东西多啊，那是因为我喜欢把各样东西
留起来。你看，除了电影票，我还有报纸杂志什么的。谁知道呢，说不定什么时
候会有用呢！
M: You're really a pack rat. Look at all this stuff! No wonder you couldn't find your
glasses.
L: 哎哟，Michael, 虽然我找不到眼镜可能是因为我这儿东西太多，可你也不该骂
人啊？干吗说我是rat? Rat 那不是"老鼠"吗？
M: No, I didn't call you a rat. I said you are a pack rat. A pack rat is someone who saves
everything and has lots of stuff.
L: 噢，原来，pack rat 是指"什么东西都不肯扔的人"。我什么东西都不愿意扔 -- I
guess I am a pack rat.
M: My mom is a pack rat, too. We have so much stuff in our house. She even saved
every drawing⁴ I ever made when I was a kid.
L: 原来你妈妈也是个pack rat. 你说连你小时候画的画她都舍不得扔？我倒希望
我妈也是个pack rat, 把我小时候画的画啦或者玩过的玩具也留到今天。
M: So you can have them here and add to your "collection"? You're really a pack rat,
but Li Hua, have you ever thought how difficult it would be for you to move to a new
place?
L: 说的也是，我什么都留着，东西越积越多，要是哪天想搬家，那可就成问题罗。
M: Well, my folks⁵ have been in their house for more than 20 years, probably because
my mom is such a pack rat, they have too much stuff to even move.
L: 什么？你爸妈在一个地方住了20 多年，可能就是因为你妈是pack rat，弄得家
里东西太多了？Maybe I shouldn't be a pack rat anymore!

今天李华学到了两个常用语，一个是to have a cow, 意思是"惊慌失措"；另一个是
pack rat, 意思是"什么东西都不肯扔的人"。

1 rat   

n.鼠，卑鄙的人，变节者；vi.背叛，捕鼠；vt.弄蓬松，告发

参考例句：

• The rat is hated by many people.老鼠被很多人憎恶。
• He stopped up the rat holes.他塞住了那些老鼠洞。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

4 drawing   

n.图画，制图，素描术

参考例句：

• Drawing is my favorite lesson.画图画是我最喜欢的课程。
• The children learn singing,dancing,drawing,and the like in the kindergarten.孩子们在幼儿园里学习唱歌、跳舞、画图画等。

5 folks   

n.人们；父母；亲人；家属；人们( folk的名词复数 )；亲属；大伙儿；民间音乐

参考例句：

• Ask yourself what the folks in Peoria will think of it. 想一想皮奥里亚的人会如何看待这件事。
• When good folks meet, evil men keep their distance. 好人相逢，恶人远离。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》