第一，迷你对话

A: It is great to meet you, Susie. I've been longing to meet a sociology student on the campus. I'd love to have a talk with you and pick your brains.

Susie, 遇到你真是太好了。我一直渴望在校园里遇到一个社会学的学生。我很想和你谈谈并且向你请教。

B: It's my pleasure to meet a psychology student, actually. There are many things I seem to to be unable to understand. For instance, why should we sometimes be down in the mouth while at other times we are in the seventh heaven?

实际上，遇到一个心理学系的学生也是我的运气。我有很多事情难以理解。比如：什么我们有时垂头丧气，而有时却十分高兴？

A: That's a good question. This usually has something to do with self-satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with something, you are down in the mouth and in low spirits. And if you are satisfied with something, you may become excited or be beside yourself.

问得好。这通常和自我满足有关。如果你对某事并不满意，你就会垂头丧气，情绪低落。而如果你对某事感到满意，你就会情绪高涨，不能自已。

B: But that depends on how you look at things, doesn't it? So it's personal rather than social.

这就看你凡事怎样想了，对吗？所以这个问题是个体的，而不是社会的。

第二，地道表达

be down in the mouth

1. 解词释义

Be down in the mouth的意思是“垂头丧气”。其英文解释为：to be visibly sad or depressed。

2. 拓展范例

Paul looks down in the mouth because she failed in the attempt.

保罗因为尝试失败看起来很沮丧。

Molly's been moping around all week, and I have no idea why she's so down in the mouth.

Molly整个星期闷闷不累，我也不知道她为何这样垂头丧气。

Rob has been down in the mouth ever since Gloria broke up with him.

自从Gloria和Rob分手后，Rob就一直郁郁寡欢的。

第三，视野拓展

be longing to do something：渴望做......

E.g. Ever since then I've been longing to meet him face to face.

从那时起我一直渴望和他面对面地聚会。

E.g. Nothing could quench her longing to return home again.

她重返家园的念头怎么也打消不掉。

on the campus：在校园里

E.g. I see some Chinese national flags on the campus and in front of the main building.

我看见校园里和主教学楼前有些中国国旗。

E.g. I take a walk on the campus every morning.

我每天早晨在校园里散步。

have a talk with：和......谈话

E.g. He looks like he's got an axe to grind. Better have a talk with him.

他看来是牢骚满腹, 你最好找他谈谈。

E.g. He was going to have a talk with me about this matter and attempt to get the thing in perspective.

他准备和我谈谈这件事，设法弄出个头绪来。

pick one's brain：征求别人的看法

E.g. I'd better go see Doctor Rogers at the medical school and pick his brain; maybe he can make it clear to me.

我还是到医学院去请教罗杰斯大夫吧，没准他能把问题给我解释清楚。

at other times：在其他时候，平时

E.g. She seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings.

她除了演唱外，其余时间则深居简出。

E.g. Sometimes he's fun to be with; at other times he can be very moody.

有时候他很有风趣, 可也有时候脾气一上来就喜怒无常。

in the seventh heaven：非常高兴，在无比的幸福中

E.g. I was in the seventh heaven of delight.

这使我高兴得要飞上天了。

E.g. He was in the seventh heaven because he got a gold medal of winning the800 - metre race.

他赢得了800米赛跑的金牌，开心极了。

in low spirits：情绪低落，意志消沉

E.g. He is in low spirits and won't buckle down to anything.

他情绪低落，干什么事都不认真。

E.g. I sat on the bunk in low spirits and dozed a little.

我心情沮丧地坐在床铺上，打了一会盹。

be satisfied with：对......感到满意

E.g. I' m not at all satisfied with the present situation.

我对现状一点也不满足。

E.g. I am sorry to say I am not satisfied with your homework.

很遗憾我对你的家庭作业不满意。

beside yourself：形容某人的一种极端的情绪

E.g. I see you're beside yourself.

我看得出你有点心烦意乱。