Hi, 可可网友们，我是Rose。欢迎做客“布朗尼加分口语课堂”。我们常说“不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。”不过，什么都按别人设计好的、期望的路去走，人生一定是缺少色彩的。虽然不是每个坚持自己理想的人最终都能像文中的Ron这样，证明了自己，也改变了父亲的看法，但至少，我们应当为自己的梦想做些什么。

At the age of twenty-two, Ron decided that he wanted to become a comedian. When he told his father, the old man hit the ceiling. Ron's father shouted that Ron was throwing his college education down the drain and that he would end up as a bum. But Ron was serious about his career. He took steps to become a good comic. He studied acting, talked to comedians, and kept a book of jokes. He soon got his foot in the door and was performing in comedy clubs. And soon his act was bringing down the house. The audience would laugh and clap at all of Ron's jokes.

Ron ended up in the big time, as a major celebrity. When he returned to our town earlier this year the town rolled out the red carpet for him. There was a big parade, and everything in town was on the house for Ron. Now, even Ron's father laughs at his jokes.

当Ron告诉父亲自己的想法时，这个老人hit the ceiling。Ceiling, 天花板。这个短语意思是to suddenly become very angry，勃然大怒。因为老人认为这样的选择就意味着Ron将受到的大学教育throw down the drain，drain下水道。扔到了下水道里，意思很明显，就是 “浪费；丢掉”。再比如：You've already spent a lot of money fixing your old car. Spending more is just money down the drain. 你已经花了很多钱修那辆旧车。再花钱就是白白浪费。

尽管如此，Ron对自己的选择很认真的执行着。He took steps to become a good comic。他一步一步靠近自己的目标。Take steps采取步骤。很快he got his foot in the door，这个短语从字面意思上也可以看出是“入了门；迈出开始做某事的第一步”。接下来，Ron的努力得到了回报，他的表演bring down the house。这个短语意思是“让观众鼓掌，大笑”。

Ron得以ended up in the big time, as a major celebrity. Big time在口语中指娱乐行业里的巨大成功。Celebrity, 名人。成为了名人的Ron衣锦还乡，家乡的人盛情接待，还举行了盛大的游行，更有甚者，整个镇上商品都对Ron on the house，免费的。实在太盛情了。我们再来看一个有关on the house的例子：At our local restaurant, customers get dessert on the house if they order a meal. 在我们当地的餐馆，客人们如果点餐可以免费提供甜点。
好了，来听一个小问题：When someone hits the ceiling, how does the person feel?