迷你对话学地道口语第459期:保持高度警觉

　　迷你对话
A: Baby, what about having some beef for dinner?
A: 宝贝儿，晚上吃牛肉怎么样？
B: Oh, no. Mom, I am on a diet. I have to keep an ear to the ground.
B: 啊，不要啊。我正在减肥。我是时刻提醒自己啊。
第一、地道表达：keep an ear to the ground
1. 解词释义
大约在150年前，美国一些开荒的人逐渐来到西部开拓荒野。这些拓荒者从当地印第安人那里学到了一个诀窍，那就是躺下身来把耳朵帖子地上，就可以听到几十英里以外野兽的奔跑声。他们听到蹄声也是是印第安人骑着马来攻击他们的马群的奔跑声，也可能是几千头受惊的野牛正向他们奔驰而来。如果不及时躲避，他们会被野兽践踏成泥。现在，把耳朵贴在地上这个诀窍成为了一个俗语，就是“keep an ear to the ground”。对话中B说的“I have to keep an eat to the ground.”的意思就是我要时刻提醒自己经得起美食的诱惑。Keep an ear to the ground的意思就是“密切关注新的信息或潮流”“保持高度警觉”。
2. 典型例句
e.g. Every two weeks while the Congress¹ is in session², I try to get back home to California³ to talk to people. This doesn't give me much time to relax with my family, but I have to keep an ear to the ground and hear what voters are thinking about.
当国会举行会议的时候我每两个星期设法抽空回加州一次去和当地的人进行交谈。我没有多少时间可以和家人在一起，但是我得及时了解选民的想法。
e.g. I try to keep an ear to the ground and what I hear these days is that most people think we spend too much money on building roads and not enough on our schools.
我总是设法注意人们的想法。最近我听说，大多数人认为我们在筑路方面花钱太多，而用在学校方面的钱却不足。
第二、词海拾贝
on a diet：减肥
e.g. I mustn't have too much potato because I'm now on a diet.
我不能吃太多的马铃薯,因为我正在节食。
e.g. You're overweight, and I'm going to put you on a diet.
你的体重超重了，必须节食。
e.g. She is picky about what she eats because she is on a diet.
她正在节食，所以挑食挑得厉害。
e.g. You're skinny enough without going on a diet!
你不必节食就已经够瘦的了!
第三 句海拾贝
What about doing something?
1. 使用情景
用于征询对方意见。
2. 典型范例
e.g. What about
leaving it here and collecting it on the way back?
把它先放在这里等回来时再取走怎么样？
e.g. What about washing the car on Sunday?
礼拜天洗车怎么样？

1 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

2 session   

n.会议，开庭期，市盘，学期；adj.短期的

参考例句：

• This matter will go over until the next session.这件事将留待下次会议讨论。
• Congress is now in session.国会现在正在开会。

3 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。