VOA流行美语 Unit 42: TAKE IT EASY / TO CHEW OUT

李华前段时间通过了驾驶执照的考试， 现在可以自己开车了。迈可也坐在她的车里，从他们二人的对话中，李华学到了两个常用语： take it easy和to chew out。

L: 考完试了，现在有了驾照真好。我觉得我能够去任何地方，做 任何想做的事了。

M: I know what you mean. American kids feel the same way when they turn 16 and get their licenses. Too bad you don't have a car.

L: 那有什么关系，我可以跟你借啊，对不对？哎呀 Hey! What do you think you are doing? Do you want to be killed? Michael，你看那个 骑自行车的孩子，我差点儿撞了他！

M: Hey, hey, take it easy Li Hua! You really scared that kid. He looked really scared.

L: Michael, 你刚才说什么？什么easy?

M: I said take it easy! That means you need to calm down, not get too excited.

L: Take it easy? Take it easy是冷静下来，别太气了的意思？ Take是T- A-K-E. It是I-T. Easy是E-A-S-Y，对吧?

M: Yes, you've got it. That boy was almost in a very bad accident, and he was startled. You don't need to make him feel worse.

L: 你说的不错，看样子他都快哭了。

M: Hey, Li Hua, you're going to be driving on your own soon. I hope you learn to take it easy and not get angry at everyone.

L: 你说的对。要是我冷静开车的话，也许我的车会开的更好。

M: I'm sure you will. You just finished a difficult test. You should take it easy. Let's go get some lunch, my treat.

L: 你要请客啊？行，我是应该放松放松了。 我要好好享受今天剩 下的时间。

M: Man, Li Hua, you really chewed that kid out.

L: 你指的是刚才骑车的那个小孩？你说我对他怎么了？

M: You chewed him out! I mean you yelled and got angry at him. Chewed, C-H-E-W-E-D; Out, O-U-T.

L: 噢，你是说我发脾气大骂了那个孩子，是吧？

M: That's right. If someone gets angry and yells at you, and starts criticizing your behavior, they are chewing you out.

L: 原来如此，我也不知道为什么我大骂那个小孩，大概是当时我也 害怕的缘故。

M: Are you upset about something else? You seem to have a bad temper today.

L: 我是有点气，因为昨天刘教授对我生气。因为我该教中文的课， 我去晚了五分钟。刘教授就对我大发脾气。

M: That's too bad. I don't like being chewed out like that either. Especially when I know I was wrong.

L: Hey, 那可不是我的错，我自行车的链子又脱落了。 为什么发生 这类事情你总是怪我？

M: Hey, take it easy, Li Hua! Don't chew me out! I was talking about myself, not you.

L: 我的天，是我不对，不知道我今天是怎么回事。我想跟每个人 发脾气。

M: You must be stressed. First, Professor Liu chewed you out, then you almost ran over the kid on the bike.

L: 你说的对，我真不该对任何人都发脾气。我应该开开心心的。

M: At least you should be happier than I am. Yesterday, my roommate chewed me out. He said I always make a mess in the living room, and he is tired of cleaning up after me.

L: 也许你是把房子弄得很乱，可是你室友也不该对你发脾气啊。

M: He was right, though. I really need to get rid of my bad habits.

今天李华学到了两个常用语，一个是Take it easy，意思是冷静下来，或者放轻松些。另一个是to chew out，意思是发脾气骂人。