【大紀元2010年12月16日訊】Larry和李華在看世界盃美國對加納的比賽。今天我們要學兩個常用語：haunt someone和turn the corner.
LH: Larry, 美國今天如果贏了加納，就進8強啦！我可緊張死了！
L: Me too! But I kind of have a bad feeling, because it was Ghana that eliminated the U.S. from the tournament in 2006.
LH: 啊？2006年世界盃美國就是被加納淘汰的？那今天就是美國報仇的時候啦！我覺得，美國隊在比賽開始的時候就得設法趕快進球，不要總讓別人領先。
L: I agree. If they keep letting the other team score early in the game, eventually it will come back to haunt them.
LH: Haunt them? 甚麼意思？
L: When a mistake in the past causes you trouble in the present, you can say it comes back to haunt you.
LH: 哦，comes back to haunt you就是說從前犯的錯誤到如今還在給你帶來麻煩。你是說， 如果美國隊在比賽開始的時候失球，那就可能輸掉比賽，後悔莫及。
L: Exactly. For example, Joe decided not to buy car insurance, but that decision came back to haunt him when he had a major accident.
LH: Joe決定不買汽車保險，結果後來出了大車禍，之前的錯誤決定就讓他陷入了麻煩之中。
L: You’re right, now let’s have fun and watch the game. Do you have some popcorn and soda?
LH: Larry，這些食品不健康，少吃為妙！
L: That’s true, an unhealthy diet can come back to haunt you later if it causes you health problems.
LH: 對啊，吃不健康的東西會影響到你的身體。啊， Larry, 我真希望咱們現在在南非，看世界盃現場！
L: Yeah, it would have been so much fun to go. If the U.S. makes it into the finals, that decision is really going to come back to haunt me.
LH: 對啊，如果美國隊進了決賽，你一定會後悔自己沒去南非！哎？Larry，你這個電視怎麼這麼清楚啊？難道你換了新電視機？
L: That’s right, I bought it just to watch the U.S. play in the World Cup! Although that decision will come back to haunt me if they lose today.
LH: 是啊，要是美國今天就被淘汰，你這台電視就白買了，你肯定得後悔！看，比賽開始了！
L: Great, let’s watch!
******
比賽結束了，Larry和李華都很失望。
LH: 唉，美國隊輸了！不過，這場比賽打得很激烈，一直打到了加時賽呢！
L: Well I’m pretty disappointed that the U.S. lost, but at least they played well and improved from 2006.
LH: 是啊，2006年時美國都沒能進16強！
L: Yeah, they have been getting better. Hopefully 2014 will be the year that they turn the corner.
LH: Turn the corner? 這是甚麼意思？
L: When you turn the corner, that means you pass a critical turning point.
LH: 哦，就是出現轉機，實現突破。 你是說，希望美國隊2014年世界盃能突破自己，成為強隊！
L: Right! Here is another example. Joe spent two years studying Chinese in America, but he never really turned the corner until he went to live in China.
LH: 哦，Joe在美國學了兩年中文，一直學得不怎麼樣，直到去中國留學，他的中文水平才有了突破。哎， Larry, 你買的這個電視真是越看越好！
L: Thanks, Lihua.
LH: 這電視一定很貴。你最近是不是發財了？
L: Yeah, my investment in the stock market wasn’t going very well for a long time. But it really turned the corner recently.
LH: 我這學期不知怎麼了，兩門課成績都不是很理想，真不知道甚麼時候才會有轉機。
L: Don’t worry Lihua, I’m sure that before long you’re going to turn the corner and start getting straight A’s.
LH: 哪有那麼簡單！不過，既然美國隊已經被淘汰了，我就可以專心學習了！
L: Well, I hope all this time watching soccer instead of studying doesn’t come back to haunt you during your final exams.
LH: 沒關係，為了四年一次的世界盃，考不好也值！
今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是haunt someone, 表示以前的錯誤如今還在對某人產生影響。另一是turn the corner, 意思是出現轉機，實現突破。
──轉自《美國之音》
