tea break

饮茶一直被英国人看作是一种悠闲和舒适的享受.英国人喝茶的时间比较固定,不像我们那样随时随地都可以喝茶.他们习惯于三餐两茶,每天工作、学习一段时间后,喜欢停下来休息一刻钟左右,喝杯茶,吃些点心,补充体力.这段时间叫做tea break(茶休):an intermission from work,usually in the middle of the morning or afternoon, for a cup oftea, a snack, etc.茶休有morningtea(上午茶)和afternoon tea(下午茶)之分:上午茶一般在十点半左右;下午茶一般在下午四五点钟.

茶休的习惯源于英国18世纪的一位贝德芙公爵夫人安娜.她每天在午餐和晚餐之间总会感到有点饥饿,于是就在每天下午四点到五点之间邀请三五位知心好友,来喝点茶吃点点心.再后来就演变为"上下午工间或课间吃茶点的休息时间:.这种茶休在英国可是雷打不动的小憩时间.

例句:Our bloody-minded foreman wouldn't give us a tea break.

我们残忍的工头不给我们工间茶休的时间.
 

astorm in a teacup

这是18世纪法国哲学家孟德斯鸠的一句名言.有一次他听说圣马力诺发生了一场骚乱,就用了a storm ina tea cup这个比喻来形容整个事件.圣马力诺是欧洲最小的共和国,人口稀少,因此孟德斯鸠认为那里的骚乱对整个欧洲局势无关紧要.

If someone exaggerates a problem or makes a small problem seem far greater than it really is, then they aremaking a storm in a tea cup.

顾名思义,"茶杯里的风暴"自然算不得什么大事,所以就被用来表示"小题大做,大惊小怪"的意思.

例句:That coupleoften quarrel, but it is a storm in a tea cup.

那对夫妻经常吵架,没什么大惊小怪的.

Storm in ateacup是大惊小怪的英式英语表达,美式英语的说法是tempest in a teapot.此外,大惊小怪相似的说法还有:astorm in a cream-bowl,a tempest in a glass ofwater,a storm in a hand-washbasin.
 

somebody's cup of tea

英国人对茶情有独钟,无论什么饮品都代替不了茶在他们心中的位置.因此somebody's cup oftea指的就是to be something that one prefers or desires对某人胃口的东西,使某人感兴趣的东西.

例句:Football/Opera/Chemistryis not his cup of tea.

足球/歌剧/化学可不是他的爱好.

This spy novel is just my cup of tea.

这本侦探小说正对我的胃口.
 

a tea hound

在茶话会、舞会或各种社交场合,总有些喜欢追逐漂亮女子并对她们大献殷勤的家伙.这类花花公子就被称为teahounds 爱交际的男子.

例句:John is much mature now, I think he's no longer a tea hound.

约翰现在成熟多了,我想他不再是爱交际的花花公子了.
 

本套教材共分为两大部分：英语A、B、C基础篇和功能场景对话。在第一部分，我们帮助读者简明扼要地复习语音、词汇、语法的基础知识。第二部分是本书的主体，我们介绍了常用的功能意念会话和场景会话，每一节都给出简介、基本句型表达、情景对话、关键词和注释、以及替换练习。本套教材彻底颠覆了传统的教学模式，采用全新多媒体学习方式；发音示范教您正确掌握纯正地道的美国英语；互动语音教学，读者根据自身水平调节学习进度；更有分类详尽的场景为您创造一个有效的互动学习环境，让你身临其境地练习；同时，每一章节又各自独立，读者可以根据自己的需要进行选择学习。 1.纯正美国英语从A、B、C开始！标准发音示范、系统的语音总结，资深外籍教师带你将纯正美国英语脱口而出。 2.分类详细，词汇齐全，让你事半功倍，将各类单词、层层尽收眼底，了然于胸。 3.实用简洁的功能会话，从介绍、单词、句子到会话，更有举一反三的替换练习，在学习英语的同时了解美国文化，循序渐进，轻松掌握。 4.原汁原味的对话，让人身临其境的场景，用地道英语交际，让单词活动起来！ 5.全新多媒体互动学习方式为单调的语法学习注入新的活力，详尽的分类，多角度的剖析，给你轻松的视觉，易于阅读，易于查找，易于总结。 6.系统的分类，详细的注释，为你扫除单词学习的障碍，轻松掌握各类单词的方方面面。 
 

例如:

小美女的话我们就可以说, “She’s pretty.” 但是大美女的话就可以说 “She’s gorgeous.”

但是 gorgeous 可不限于美女专用喔！老美也常会用 gorgeous 来形容美男的。

例如:

Her brother is gorgeous. We all like him. (她的哥哥长得很好看, 我们都很喜欢他。)

　　早晨的时间紧迫，不小心多磨蹭一会，就可能要面对迟到的命运。所以各位，一定要hurry up 啊！

　　你快点儿，我们该迟到了。
　　If you don't hurry, we'll be late. / Hurry up or we'll be late.

　　知道了，知道了。
　　Okay, Okay.

　　快点儿，上学该迟到了。
　　Hurry or you'll be late for school.

　　现在几点?
　　What time is it?

　　都已经8点了!
　　It's already 8:00. / It's 8:00 already.

　　我晚了!
　　I'm late!

　　快点儿吧!
　　Hurry up!

　　我得赶紧走!
　　I have to rush!
　　I have to hurry (up)!
　　I have to get going!
　　I have to get moving.

　　我走了。
　　I'm leaving.
　　I'm taking off now.

　　（改编自考试吧）

　　中华民族是一个崇尚"礼尚往来"的民族。拜访长者，我们可以带去一些营养品；给新婚夫妇包红包，一句关系亲疏里面有几十元至几千元现金......有时送礼花太多钱是犯忌的，也有时候"一点儿小意思"又不够，但不论接收礼物的人是谁，在什么场合下送礼，多花些时间仔细挑选礼物都是不枉费的。

　　一个适当的礼物，如果送的方法不对，也可能让你惹上麻烦。了解不同文化的送礼礼节是很重要的。在下面的对话里，一个初来中国的外国朋友在送礼上就碰到了点"小麻烦。

　　A: This is the first time I've been in China, and everything here fascinated me. But there is something I can never figure out!

　　B: What's wrong? Did anything puzzle you, speak it up and see if I can help you out.

　　A: Good! You turn up so timely! I am just expecting some good explanation. You know the other day one of my Chinese friends was celebrating his birthday so I asked him what he would like for a birthday present. Do you know what he said? "No, no! Don't give me anything. Don't be polite!" can you believe it?

　　B: Actually, I can well believe it. It's a Chinese way of expressing his being humble and reserved. But most often the speaker doesn't really mean refusal unless he firmly insists. Chinese people don't easily accept the given things only when he has contributed to the giver or there is an intimacy. And they don't want their friends "pofei" which means to spend money.

　　A: What did he mean by refusing to accept a present from me then?

　　B: I don't think he was actually refusing to accept a present from you. It was just his way of being "polite". He didn't mean to be rude and certainly he didn't mean to offend you.

　　A: Well, how do you like that? And what was I supposed to do or say in such a situation?

　　B: You should first understand that Chinese people are not straightforward in some situation. In such a situation I suggest you just insist, and if your friend is an elderly gentleman, you probably have to insist several times, but even then I doubt if he will ever give you a direct answer. Or you can buy him a gift directly without asking him. I think he will be satisfied with whatever you buy him. Actually what counts is your good intention.

　　A: So you mean buying a gift is a good choice than not, right?

　　B: I think so.

　　A: Thank you.

　　Notes:

　　1. figure out. A说中国的一切都让她感到fascinated, 感到着迷，唯独有一件事情他想不通，他说But there is something I can never figure out!

　　Figure out, 想明白，弄清楚。它的英文解释是这样的：find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of

　　我们来看更多的例句：

　　e.g: It didn't take the children long to figure out the correct answer.
　　孩子们没有花很多时间就算出了正确的答案。

　　2. help you out. B很关切地询问了对方碰上什么解不开了困惑了，要对方说出来看看我能不能帮你。Speak it up and see if I can help you out.

　　Help sb out 是帮助解决难题(帮助摆脱困境,帮助完成,救出)也就是help sb in a particular situation of need.

　　e.g: He refused to accept help out of a false sense of pride.
　　他由于死要面子而不肯接受帮助。　

　　3. A 紧接着说了，You turn up so timely. 太好了，你简直出现得太及时了。我正想找人给我好好解释一下呢。I am just expecting some good explanation.

　　4. It's a Chinese way of expressing his being humble and reserved. B听完了让A大惑不解的问题之后，劝他不要放在心上，因为这只是中国式的客气和矜持。通常情况下，一个人说"不要送礼，千万别送礼"并不是真的表示拒绝，除非他坚持不要，firmly insist not taking anything,

　　中国人一般给人帮过忙或者是关系亲密的朋友之间才接受馈赠，unless he has contributed to the giver or there's an intimacy. 他们不想让朋友们破费，也就是spend money on buying the gift. 花钱。Humble 谦卑的，谦恭的reserved 文静，矜持，保守的。这是形容人的性格，它的字面意思是预定的，预留的。预定座位是reserve a seat.

　　5. A的疑惑澄清了，他问道what was I supposed to do or say in such a situation. 那么碰上这种情况我该怎么做呢？be supposed to do something是：该怎么做

　　e.g: I'm supposed to go on a diet.
　　我应该节食。

　　6. Actually what counts is your good intention. B跟A说， You should first understand that Chinese people are not straightforward in some situation. 首先要明白的是中国人在有些情况下并不是很直接的，在这种情况下你必须一再坚持，just insist，如果对方是为老先生，你还得多次坚持，you probably would have to insist several times. 或者直接买好礼物而不必问他，朋友们肯定会高兴的，毕竟重要的是你的一份心意。到了我们要讲的这句话，Actually what counts is your good intention. Count 在这里可不是计算或者数数的意思，我们再来看一句话：

　　e.g: Knowledge without common sense counts for little.
　　光有学问而无常识，则这种学问无甚价值。

　　看来，文化的差异真不可以小看，不知道有没有收听我们节目的外国朋友们碰到过和对话中这位朋友一样的困惑。听说在俄罗斯，送礼是突发其想。俄罗斯人也喜欢礼尚往来，通常礼物都是小巧而不贵的，对于外国人，俄罗斯人特别喜欢得到在自己国家没有办法得到而实用的东西，他们会喜欢马铃薯削皮器，保鲜膜和可密封的塑料袋。由于礼物通常小巧而且送礼随意，礼物通常也没有包装。而在日本，他们会特别注重包装，还会根据复杂的习俗来选择包装纸的颜色和种类，习俗甚至会指示包装纸图案的方向。接受礼物也要以双手奉上，代表尊敬和谦卑。

　　如果你在各地旅行，别让送礼的习俗绊倒你，找出你即将拜访国家的送礼的相关习俗，用正确的方法送合适的礼物，对巩固新的友谊很有帮助！

　　（来源：南方网）
 

　　火车是一种重要的交通工具，相信大家在出差的时候一定和它打过不少交道。那么今天让我们来了解一下和票务有关的常用语吧。

　　Can I get a seat for the D207 on Wednesday?

　　我想买一张周三的D207的车票。

　　I want to reserve a sleeper to Shanghai.

　　我想订一张去上海的卧铺。

　　I missed the train. Could you please refund this ticket for me?

　　我没有赶上火车。可以帮我把票退了吗？

　　Where am I supposed to pay the excess train fare?

　　我应该去哪儿补票呢？

很多人学英语都会有这样的经历：话到嘴边却怎么也说不出来。来学一些妙句吧，解决你在办公室的难题......
You're in the pink !
要想说人"气色好"。"You look fine !"当然不错，可如果你说"You're in the pink !"就妙得多了，实际上，在英语口语中，表示颜色的词用起来非常形象生动。

He is bouncy.
"他精力充沛"美国人说："He is bouncy."而不说"He is energetic "，牢记一些日常对话中的活句式是你一把必备的钥匙。 如：久仰，"I get mind of you " 比 "I heard a lot about you." 轻松得多。

"Did you get lost ?"
有人开会迟到了，你若对他说 "You are late ."，听起来象是废话，若说"Did you get lost ?"，则更能让他歉然，可别说成"Get lost!"那可是让人滚蛋的意思。

Do you have the time?
别人征求你的意见，问能否开窗户等，你要说"You can do that ."就有点土了，用一句"Do you have the time? "实际上，问他人的姓名，地址都可以这么用："May I have you name?"要比"What's your name ? "礼貌得多，不过警察例外。

I would rather not say
别人问你不愿公开的问题，切勿用"It's my secret ,don't ask such a personal question ."回答，一来显得你没有个性，二来也让对方。你可以说"I would rather not say ."(还是别说了吧！)。

"It's on the tip of my tongue."
有时候，你想说什么，可说是想不起来，你可以说"Well ...""Let me see" "Just a moment "或"It's on the tip of my tongue."等，想比之下，最后一个句型是最地道的。

While I remember...
交谈时，你可能会转换话题，不要只说"By the way "，实际上，"To change the subject" "Before I forget" "While I remember" "Mind you "都是既地道又受欢迎的表达。

I got it
遇到你不懂的问题时可别不懂装懂，"I know"可能是中国人用得最多，而美国人最不能接受的一句话。当一美国教师向你解释某个问题时，你"I know"可能是中国人用得最多，而美国人最不能接受这一句话。当一美国教师向你解释某个问题时，你如果连说两遍"I know"，我
敢保证，他不会再跟你说什么了。用"I see"或"I got it "就顺耳得多，要是不懂就说"I'm not clear about it ."不过如果你会说"It's past my understanding"或"It's beyond me ."你的教师定会惊讶不已的。

无限扩展：
1. I'm supposed to go on a diet/get a raise. 我应该节食/涨工资。
2. The meeting was scheduled for two hours, but it is not over yet. 会议设定了两个小时，不过现在还没有结束。
3. Would you care to see it/ sit down for a while? 你要不要看/坐一会呢？
4. Do you mind if I take tomorrow off? 你介意我明天请假吗？
5. I'm afraid that it's not going to work out. 我恐怕这事不会成的。
6. Is everything under control? 一切都在掌握之中吗？
7. It really depends on who is in charge. 那纯粹要看谁负责了。
8. It involves a lot of hard work. 那需要很多的辛勤工作。
9. That might be in your favor. 那可能对你有利。