Larry和李华在公园里散步,今天我们要学两个常用语:on the bright side和no-brainer。
LH: Larry, 周末在公园里走走,真舒服啊!
L: Normally I would agree with you Lihua, but when it’s 100 degrees out like it is today, I might prefer my air-conditioned apartment。
LH: 天是够热的。不过你知足吧,起码今天公园里人不多,难得这么清静!
L: That’s true. It may be hot, but if we look on the bright side, the park isn’t crowded at all。
LH: Look on the bright side? 这是什么意思?
L: Lihua, when you look on the bright side, you try to see something good in a bad situation。
LH: 哦,on the bright side就是从好的方面讲。你是说,虽然今天天气很热,但是从好的方面看,正因为天热,人们都不愿意出来,所以公园里才会这么清静。
L: Right! Here is another example. There is supposed to be a big rain storm later today, but looking on the bright side, that will help cool down the weather。
LH: 哦,今天晚上可能会下大雨,可是从好的方面看,这可以让气温降下来,天气能凉快些!
L: You got it!
LH: 对了,Larry,天这么热,你干嘛穿长衣长裤啊?
L: Yeah, I am pretty hot in these clothes. But on the bright side, I won’t get a sunburn。
LH: 老土! 你不知道世界上有种东西叫防晒霜么?
L: Very funny. Yes I do, but on the bright side, I can save a little money by wearing long clothes instead。
LH: 可是Larry, 你们美国人不是喜欢把皮肤晒得黑黑的么?你干嘛要把自己捂起来呢?
L: Yes, lots of Americans like to get a tan in the summer, but there is a really big downside: skin cancer。
LH: A downside?
L: That’s right. If you want to point out something bad about a situation, you can tell people to consider the downside。
LH: 明白了,downside就是“缺点”,不好的方面。和the bright side正好相反。Larry,你看那只小狗,正在和主人玩儿接飞盘的游戏,真好玩儿!我真希望自己也有条小狗!
L: Yeah, dogs are a lot of fun, but there is a big downside: you have to spend lots of time and money taking care of them。
LH: 那倒是,那养只猫咪怎么样?
L: Well, I don’t think cats are as much fun to play with as dogs. But on the bright side, they are much more independent。
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LH: Larry, 我们今天除了散步还要干点什么呢?玩儿扔飞盘怎么样?
L: Lihua, if I do any running around in the sun today, you’re going to have to take me to the hospital with heat stroke。
LH: 这倒也是。这么大热的天,我们还是不要跑跑跳跳的了。
L: Yeah, that’s a no-brainer.No-brainer 明摆着的事情
LH: A no-brainer? 什么意思啊?
L: When you think something is really obvious, you can say that it’s a no-brainer。
LH: 哦,no-brainer就是不用动脑子就知道的事,也就是明摆着的事情。你是说,天气这么热,明摆着,咱们不能跑跑跳跳。
L: Exactly! Here is another example. Some people don’t like to buckle their seatbelt in the car, but to me, that’s a no brainer。
LH: 是啊,坐车系安全带,这是一定要的啊。就跟在户外要防晒一样。没什么可说的。
L: Yeah, you would have to be really stupid to risk getting skin cancer。
LH: 哎,Larry, 看样子马上就会下雨了,咱们赶快走吧,省得挨浇。
L: Of course, Lihua, that’s a no-brainer. We definitely wouldn’t want to stay outside in a thunderstorm!