The English We Speak是英国BBC电台为英语学习者量身打造的一档英语娱乐节目。
今天,两位主持人骑着新买的摩托出去兜风了,让我们看看会发生什么有趣的事情。
Wang Fei: Welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Wang Fei!
Finn: And I'm Finn!
Wang Fei: Finn has decided to take us out for a ride on his new motorbike today and he's very proud of it.
Finn: I am, very proud of it. I thought it would be good to get out of the studio. Look at all the beautiful, green fields around us, Wang Fei.
Wang Fei: Yes, beautiful green fields. That's the word for the day isn't it: green?
Finn: Green, yes!
Wang Fei: A bit easy, isn't it? Everyone knows the colour green!
Finn: The colour green? No, not that meaning, Wang Fei!
Wang Fei: So, what do you mean? Green as in good for the environment?
Finn: No, not that green either!
Wang Fei: Oh, OK, maybe another green? Oh, OK, maybe, green with envy? I know that phrase, that means to envy somebody, doesn't it?
Finn: Yes, that's right. But what are you envious about, Wang Fei? That's not what we're... oh! ... ahhh!
FX - CRASH
Both: Ow!
Wang Fei: Finn, you are a terrible, terrible driver!
Finn: I know.
Wang Fei: Will you tell me what this green means?!
Finn: I'm sorry, Wang Fei. What I mean is I'm very green at riding motorbikes, that's what I wanted to say. Green means inexperienced or new to something.
Wang Fei: Oh, I see. So when do we use it?
Finn: Well, normally we use it to describe someone who is new to a particular job or skill.
Wang Fei: Ooh, I see. But I'm not feeling good. So why don't we listen to some examples for a moment?
I'm a bit green at video editing, so it takes me a long time to edit things.
He's a bit green in this job so he's bound to need some help.
My uncle's very green at searching the internet. He prefers to go to the library.
Finn: OK, time to go again, Wang Fei!
Wang Fei: (To himself) Hmm. But I'm still not feeling that great to be honest…
FX - BIKE STARTS
Finn: What was that, Wang Fei?
Wang Fei: Oh nothing. Let's go.
Finn: Wow, what beautiful countryside…
Wang Fei: Gosh, I'm really feeling ill to be honest. I'm worried we're going to crash again.
Finn: Wang Fei, what did you say? Are you ok?
Wang Fei: Not really.
Finn: Oh no, you look bad. You've gone green!
Wang Fei: What?
Finn: You've gone green – it means you look ill!
Wang Fei: Another green phrase... Finn – can't you just concentrate on your driving!
Finn: OK, sorry. OK then! Bye everyone…
Wang Fei: And wish me luck. Bye.
赏析:
本期节目,两位主持人主要讲了和green有关的几个词组,让我来总结一些。
Green有“生疏、没经验”的意思,be green in/at something即对于某件事情或工作来说是新手,英语中也有词组a green hand,就是“新手”的意思。Green还有“嫉妒”的意思,make somebody green with envy,就是“让某人非常嫉妒”的意思。
You've gone green意思是“你被吓得脸色都变了。”
Green还有“环保”的意思,比如green food ,意思是“绿色食品”。
当然,green还可以表示颜色“绿色”。
Green的本意是“绿色”,其他的意思都是它的引申义,比如植物的新芽都是绿的,所有green引申出了“新手”的意思;中国人说嫉妒是“眼红”,而英国人就理解成“眼绿”,所有green with envy有“嫉妒”的意思;中国人喜欢说的“吓得脸色变了”是变得“惨白”,而英国人喜欢说“变绿”;同样,绿色象征“环境好”,所有green又有了“环保”的意思。
学习词汇时,应当联系其本意来理解其引申义,这样,往往会有意外的收获。