流行美語第90課
流行美語第90課
今天Larry和Li Hua一起聽了有關環境保護的講座。Li Hua會學到兩個常用語：to buy something和to be sold on something。
(college hallway noise)
LH: 哎，Larry, 聽了這個講座，我覺得“全球變暖問題”真挺讓人擔心的。
LL: I don't know, Li Hua... I just don't buy the theory that global warming is caused by humans. There is a lot we just don't know.
LH: 你說你不買什麼？ 哎，沒人想賣你東西啊？
LL: I said that I don't buy that theory. That mean's I don't accept it as completely true.
LH: 噢，原來I don't buy the theory就是“我不接受這種說法”。哎，那不就是我們中文裏說的“我不買這一套”嗎？得了得了，我沒時間跟你爭論。哎，你聽說了嗎 - 我們今年的學費要漲百分之10呢！學校說他們計劃要翻修圖書館。
LL: What? That's ridiculous. I don't buy that excuse. They raised tuition last year by 5% to expand the stadium.
LH: 就是嘛，去年學校為了擴建體育館已經把學費增加了百分之5了。Larry, 那你是不是能夠再用I don't buy it 給我舉一個和學校沒有關係的例子呢？
LL: OK. You know my friend Angela? She's often late for class, and she always has different excuses. So finally one day, Professor Johnson said to her, "I don't buy your excuses. I think you are just not self-disciplined enough!"
LH: 對，你那個朋友Angela，她老是遲到，而且總有藉口。可是我不知道Johnson教授這麼厲害，居然還公開說不相信她的話，還批評她是自己要求不嚴格。哎喲，那多不好意思呀。
******
LH: So Larry, 你打定主意去南京哪一所學校留學了嗎？
LL: I don't know. I guess I'm still not sold on that school.
LH: Sold? 那不是“賣東西”的“賣”嗎？哎喲，“賣東西”和“留學”這有什麼關係呀？
LL: No, silly! I said that I am not sold on that school. "To be sold on something" means to be convinced that it's worthwhile, or it's the best choice.
LH: 噢，我明白了。To be sold on something意思就是“你認為這件事值得，是個好選擇”。這個說法挺有意思的，你能不能再給我舉了例子？
LL: Well, remember when you were looking for a new apartment? At first you weren't sold on that place, but when you heard that the rent was only $600 a month, you were sold!
LH: 對呀，我在找房子的時候，一開始還不太滿意我現在住的那個地方，後來聽說房租一個月才六百美元，馬上我就動心了。哎，Larry, to be sold on something是不是只能用在和“錢”有關的事情上呢?
LL: Not necessarily. For instance, suppose you can't decide if you want to vote for someone who is running for office, you could say "I'm not sold on that candidate yet".
LH: 噢，選舉的時候，要是我還不能肯定是不是要投某個候選人的票，我也可以說，I'm not sold on that candidate yet.
LL: That's right. We were just talking about that Professor Johnson didn't buy Angela's excuses, we can also say he wasn't sold on her excuses.
LH: 對，Professor Johnson不相信Angela老是遲到的藉口，我們也可以說He wasn't sold on her excuses, 也就是說，to be sold on something也有“相信”的意思。
LL: Hey, Li Hua, I guess I should have told you that was just an example -- Professor Johnson didn't really say it to Angela.
LH: 什麼？鬧了半天Johnson教授根本就沒對Angela說那些話呀？你可真會編故事!
LL: I know - You were totally sold on it - You actually bought it!
今天李華從Larry那兒學到兩個常用語，一個是to buy something, 表示“相信某件事”。另一個是to be sold on something, 意思是“認為某件事值得、是真的”。