最好的英语口语培训学校，便宜与太贵的口语讲法女主角：Nicepen.男主角：Igotitoverthere.It'sasteal.在一部电视片剧集中，男女主角在路边露天咖啡室聊天时说上述两句话。假如你不看中文字幕，听到这两句话会怎样理解呢？It'sasteal是不是指笔是偷来的呢？男主角是贼吗？非也，非也。我们可用上文下理来理解这句地道英文口语的意思。女主角说Nicepen是因为看到男主角有一枝漂亮的笔，这句话自然有赞美的意思，即“这笔蛮别致的”。男主角答：Igotitthere,再说it'sasteal.Asteal是英美流利口语，指“极廉宜的东西”。男主角不是贼。他说的话意思是：“我在那边买的，很便宜。”由于cheap有低劣蹩脚之意，于是近年流行用it'sasteal取代it'scheap。七十年代出版的梁实秋主编的《最新实用英汉辞典》中，steal还没有便宜货的释义，可见it'sasteal是近年流行的口语。说到字典，比方你听到外籍朋友说threehundreddollarsforthisdictionary-isn'tthatabitsteep。Steep在句中是什么意思呢？相信大家不会把steep解作“陡峭”或“险峻”吧，原因是这两个释义在汉语中不能与字典搭配。大家应可猜到steep解作“昂贵”。这话的意思正是“这本字典要三百块钱，是不是贵了一点？”学了这个惯用法后，你要说“那所房子索价六百万元是太贵了点”，自然可以脱口说出：Sixmilliondollarsforthathouseisabitsteep.除了steep，指“昂贵”的常用英文单词有四：expensive,costly,pricey,dear。五六十年代常在教科书看到的dear现在已甚少听到外国人用了。试举两个例句：Meatisdearthisweek.（这个星期肉很贵）Diamondsareverydear.（钻石价格非常昂贵）这些句子只能在英国旧小说中看到。在现代英文口语（moderncolloquialEnglish）中，dear已很少用。且听以下三句电视对白：男主角在车行看中了一辆名牌轿车，于是问推销员：Howmuchdoesitcost?（这辆车多少钱？）售货员答：Itcomesto$15,000.（一万五千块）男主角面带不悦之色说：It'saripoff.（贵得太离谱了。）Ripoff在美丽俚语中有“敲竹杠”的含义。这也是英汉用词的巧合。后来男主角还是忍痛买了那车。他去接朋友时说：Itcostmeanarmandaleg。大家猜到这句话是什么意思吗？英美人的俚语（slangandcolloquialexpressions）大都很形象化，活灵活现，绘声绘影。试试用“影像联想法”理解这话。Costsomebodyanarmandaleg，要某人的一手一脚，真要命，引伸指“非常昂贵”。Itcostmeanarmandaleg指“那车花了我很多钱”。Thepoorareverywonderfulpeople.Oneeveningwewentoutandwepickedupfourpeoplefromthestreet.Andoneofthemwasinamostterriblecondition，andItoldthesisters:Youtakecareoftheotherthree.Itakecareofthisonewholookedworse.SoIdidforherallthatmylovecando.Iputherinbed,andtherewassuchabeautifulsmileonherface.Shetookholdofmyhandasshesaidjustthewords“thankyou”andshedied.Icouldnothelpbutexaminemyconscience[良心]beforeherandIaskedwhatwouldIsayifIwasinherplace.Andmyanswerwasverysimple.Iwouldhavetriedtodrawalittleattentiontomyself.IwouldhavesaidIamhungry,thatIamdying,Iamcold,Iaminpain,orsomething,butshegavememuchmore-shegavemehergratefullove.Andshediedwithasmileonherface.Asdidthatmanwhomwepickedupfromthedrain[阴沟、下水道],halfeatenwithworms,andwebroughthimtothehome.“Ihavelivedlikeananimalinthestreet,butIamgoingtodielikeanangel,lovedandcaredfor.”Anditwassowonderfultoseethegreatnessofthatmanwhocouldspeaklikethat,whocoulddielikethatwithoutblaminganybody,withoutcursinganybody,withoutcomparinganything.Likeanangel-thisisthegreatnessofourpeople.AndthatiswhywebelievewhatJesushadsaid:Iwashungry,Iwasnaked,Iwashomeless,Iwasunwanted,unloved,uncaredfor,andyoudidittome.
