Larry和李华在看世界杯美国对加纳的比赛。今天我们要学两个常用语：haunt someone和turn the corner.
LH: Larry, 美国今天如果赢了加纳，就进8强啦！我可紧张死了！
L: Me too! But I kind of have a bad feeling, because it was Ghana that eliminated the U.S. from the tournament in 2006.
LH: 啊？2006年世界杯美国就是被加纳淘汰的？那今天就是美国报仇的时候啦！我觉得，美国队在比赛开始的时候就得设法赶快进球，不要总让别人领先。
L: I agree. If they keep letting the other team score early in the game, eventually it will come back to haunt them.
LH: Haunt them? 什么意思？
L: When a mistake in the past causes you trouble in the present, you can say it comes back to haunt you.
LH: 哦，comes back to haunt you就是说从前犯的错误到如今还在给你带来麻烦。你是说， 如果美国队在比赛开始的时候失球，那就可能输掉比赛，后悔莫及。
L: Exactly. For example, Joe decided not to buy car insurance, but that decision came back to haunt him when he had a major accident.
LH: Joe决定不买汽车保险，结果后来出了大车祸，之前的错误决定就让他陷入了麻烦之中。
L: You're right, now let's have fun and watch the game. Do you have some popcorn and soda?
LH: Larry，这些食品不健康，少吃为妙！
L: That's true, an unhealthy diet can come back to haunt you later if it causes you health problems.
LH: 对啊，吃不健康的东西会影响到你的身体。啊， Larry, 我真希望咱们现在在南非，看世界杯现场！
L: Yeah, it would have been so much fun to go. If the U.S. makes it into the finals, that decision is really going to come back to haunt me.
LH: 对啊，如果美国队进了决赛，你一定会后悔自己没去南非！哎？Larry，你这个电视怎么这么清楚啊？难道你换了新电视机？
L: That's right, I bought it just to watch the U.S. play in the World Cup! Although that decision will come back to haunt me if they lose today.
LH: 是啊，要是美国今天就被淘汰，你这台电视就白买了，你肯定得后悔！看，比赛开始了！
L: Great, let's watch!
******
比赛结束了，Larry和李华都很失望。
LH: 唉，美国队输了！不过，这场比赛打得很激烈，一直打到了加时赛呢！
L: Well I'm pretty disappointed that the U.S. lost, but at least they played well and improved from 2006.
LH: 是啊，2006年时美国都没能进16强！
L: Yeah, they have been getting better. Hopefully 2014 will be the year that they turn the corner.
LH: Turn the corner? 这是什么意思？
L: When you turn the corner, that means you pass a critical turning point.
LH: 哦，就是出现转机，实现突破。 你是说，希望美国队2014年世界杯能突破自己，成为强队！
L: Right! Here is another example. Joe spent two years studying Chinese in America, but he never really turned the corner until he went to live in China.
LH: 哦，Joe在美国学了两年中文，一直学得不怎么样，直到去中国留学，他的中文水平才有了突破。哎， Larry, 你买的这个电视真是越看越好！
L: Thanks, Lihua.
LH: 这电视一定很贵。你最近是不是发财了？
L: Yeah, my investment in the stock market wasn't going very well for a long time. But it really turned the corner recently.
LH: 我这学期不知怎么了，两门课成绩都不是很理想，真不知道什么时候才会有转机。
L: Don't worry Lihua, I'm sure that before long you're going to turn the corner and start getting straight A's.
LH: 哪有那么简单！不过，既然美国队已经被淘汰了，我就可以专心学习了！
L: Well, I hope all this time watching soccer instead of studying doesn't come back to haunt you during your final exams.
LH: 没关系，为了四年一次的世界杯，考不好也值！
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是haunt someone, 表示以前的错误如今还在对某人产生影响。另一是turn the corner, 意思是出现转机，实现突破。 |