【大紀元12月21日訊】

Larry真準備跟李華一起出去吃飯，外面突然下起了瓢潑大雨。今天我們要學兩個常用語：it’s raining cats and dogs和I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: Larry, 我好像從來沒見過這麼大的雨。

LL: I know, it’s really raining cats and dogs.

LH: Cats and dogs? 什麼貓啊狗啊的，明明是在下雨啊。

LL: No, it’s raining cats and dogs out means that it is really pouring outside.

LH: 噢，原來說it’s raining cats and dogs就是中文裡說的瓢潑大雨。真奇怪，下雨跟cats and dogs有什麼關係呢？

LL: You know, Li Hua, I have no idea.

LH: 既然能下貓下狗，能不能下獅子，下老虎呢？

LL: No, I’m pretty sure cats and dogs are it.

LH: 糟糕了，我把雨傘落在學校了。沒有傘，怎麼出門呢？有了！我可以頭上頂著報紙，衝到車上去。

LL: Come on, Li Hua! The newspaper won’t keep you dry, it’s raining cats and dogs! Maybe we could share my umbrella and stay dry.

LH: 就你這把小傘，八成咱倆一出去就濕透了。

LL: It really is coming down out there. You’d better hang on to me, otherwise you’ll be washed away.

LH: 沒問題，我可是游泳健將。

LL: You know, I haven’t seen it rain cats and dogs like this in a very long time.

LH: 還好我們現在是在家裏，要是半路趕上下暴雨，那才倒霉呢！

LL: Yes, we’d be a couple of drowned rats.

LH: 落水的老鼠？I wouldn’t want to be with cats and dogs if I were a rat. 我如果真是老鼠的話，一定不願意跟這些貓啊狗啊的在一塊兒。

LL: Never mind, we’ve had enough animal phrases today.When do you think the storm will start to let up?

LH: 既然是雷陣雨，那用不了多久可能就會停了。

LL: I sure hope it will let up soon, because I’m getting hungry!

LH: Larry, 看，雨小了。

*******

LL: I’m glad it stopped raining, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: Horse? 你當真要吃馬肉？這裡恐怕沒有馬肉！

LL: No. I don’t mean that I actually want to eat a horse, I’m just so hungry I could eat one.

LH: 你剛才不是說，今天不再提動物的話題兒了嗎？

LL: I couldn’t help myself, just like I won’t be able to help myself from gorging on food right now.

LH: 我明白了，I am so hungry I could eat a horse，意思是餓極了，能吃掉一匹馬。Well me too. 咱們點些什麼呢？

LL: How about we get two orders of the steamed dumplings, sweet and sour soup, eggplant, cashew chicken, green beans, some spicy squid….

LH: 等等等等，我們就兩個人，吃得了這麼多嗎？

LL: I wasn’t kidding when I said I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

LH: 你這種人，在中文裡叫眼大肚子小。

LL: That’s probably right, Li Hua. What do you say we order?

LH: 別急，我還沒決定要點什麼呢。肚子餓的時候，看什麼都香。

LL: Yes, when you are hungry enough to eat a horse, it can be pretty difficult to decide what to eat.

LH: Larry, 你記不記得，上次我們登山回來，餓得不行，結果點了一桌子菜，結果連一半都沒吃掉。

LL: I cannot believe you remember that. It was raining cats and dogs on our way down the mountain and both of us were drenched.

LH: 哈哈，怎麼跟你在一起不是淋個精濕，就是餓肚子。

LL: Very funny, Li Hua. At least this time you are not wet AND hungry.

LH: 對了，Larry. 你那把小傘也該換換了吧！

LL: I know I do. The problem is I never remember to get one when it’s nice out, and then when it starts raining cats and dogs, I need one, and I don’t have it.

LH: 好了好了，服務員來了，我們趕快點菜吧！

今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是it’s raining cats and dogs意思是瓢潑大雨。另一個是I am so hungry I could eat a horse意思是肚子餓極了，可以吃掉一匹馬。 (//www.dajiyuan.com)