听播客学英语 103 理发

 　　In today’s podcast we meet the English expression “I could do with…”

　　“I could do with…” is an indirect way of saying “I need…” If I say “I could do with” something, it means “I need” something.

　　So, if I say to my teenage son, “You could do with a haircut“, I mean “Your hair is too long and you need to get it cut”.

　　One more thing before we start. The expression always uses the conditional¹ “could” form of the verb. We always say “I could do with..”, and never “I can do with..” OK?

　　It is the weekend. Kevin’s plans include an afternoon in front of the television watching football.

　　Joanne however has other ideas. “The house could do with cleaning“, she says. “I will start on the kitchen now, but this afternoon I could do with some help.”

　　Kevin protests that he wants to watch the football. “United could do with a win today,” he adds. Joanne says that United will win even if he does not watch them play. “We could do with some more floor cleaner,” she says. “Please could you go to the shops and buy some.”

　　So Kevin walks to the shops while Joanne sets to work, cleaning the kitchen. Kevin returns about twenty minutes later, a little out of breath. “I could do with a rest,” he says. And he sits down on a chair and watches Joanne cleaning the floor.

　　“Kevin, you are out of breath because you are too fat,” says Joanne. “You could do with losing some weight.”

　　“What?” says Kevin, horrified².

　　“Yes. You could do with going swimming twice a week, or going to the gym.”

　　An idea comes into Kevin’s mind. At the gym, they have a cafe with a TV set. He could go to the gym, and watch the football on television instead of exercising.

　　“You’re right,” says Kevin, “I could do with some exercise. I’ll go to the gym this afternoon.”

　　“Nice try, Kevin,” says Joanne. “You can stay here and do some exercise at home. The carpet could do with vacuuming, and the lawn could do with being mowed³.”

　　Three hours later, Kevin and Joanne are sitting on the sofa. They are exhausted⁴, but the house is clean and tidy for the first time in weeks. “I could do with a drink,” says Joanne, “and I could do with something to eat.”

　　“I’m tired,” says Kevin. “I could do with a shower and an early night.”

　　And as for me, I could do with a holiday. So I am going to Germany next week, but I will be back with a new Listen to English podcast on about 5 June.

1 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。

2 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

3 mowed   

v.刈，割( mow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The enemy were mowed down with machine-gun fire. 敌人被机枪的火力扫倒。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Men mowed the wide lawns and seeded them. 人们割了大片草地的草，然后在上面播种。 来自辞典例句

4 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。