常春藤生活英語：The Quiet Contest 無聲游戲

Dialogue A

Helen is in the car with her two sons in the back.

Helen:　If you kids don't keep it down, I'm going to go crazy.

Gary:　Relax, Mom. We are only singing the songs you are crazy about.

Helen:　I know, but I really need some silence right now.

(Helen suddenly has an idea.)

Helen:　Do you want to have a contest?

Jerry:　Sounds like fun. What do we win?

Helen:　There's really no winner. But if you don't try like crazy, you will lose and have to do the dishes tonight.

海倫在車子里，她的兩個兒子在后座。

?！悾耗銈儍蓚€小鬼如果不小聲一點，我會瘋掉。

蓋　瑞：放輕松，媽。我們只是在唱妳喜歡的歌而已。

海　倫：我知道，但我現(xiàn)在真的需要靜一靜。

(海倫突然想到一個點子。)

?！悾耗銈兿氡荣悊?

杰　瑞：聽起來很有趣。我們贏了有什么?

?！悾簺]有什么贏不贏的。但你們?nèi)绻慌υ嚨脑捑蜁敚医裉焱砩系孟赐搿?/p>

Dialogue B

Helen is explaining how to play the game.

Helen:　This is called the quiet contest and there is only one rule: the first person that talks is the loser.

Gary:　No way. I don't want to play. It's boring. I like to have fun.

Helen:　Start now!

Kids:　Hmmm…ummm.

Helen:　Did you say something, Jerry? What was that, Gary?

Jerry:　This contest is driving me nuts.

Helen:　Game over. You lose. You'd better make sure the dishes are clean. Now, who wants to play again? Go!

海倫正在解釋如何玩這個游戲。

海　倫：這叫無聲比賽，規(guī)則只有一個：先說話的人就是輸家。

蓋　瑞：才不要。我不想玩。好無聊哦。我想要好玩一點的。

海　倫：現(xiàn)在開始!

孩子們：嗯……嗯。

?！悾航苋?，你說什么?蓋瑞，那是什么聲音?

杰　瑞：這個比賽快把我搞瘋了。

?！悾河螒蚪Y(jié)束。你輸了。你最好要把碗盤洗干凈。現(xiàn)在誰還要再玩一次?開始!

Phrases for Learning

1.keep it down　　安靜一點

Can you keep it down? People are trying to sleep here!

你可不可以小聲點?這邊的人還想睡覺呢!

2.go crazy　　發(fā)瘋

Stop the banging! I'm going crazy.

不要再敲啦!我快瘋了。

3.be crazy about...　　對……著迷;熱衷……

Since he was 12, Larry has been crazy about football.

自十二歲起，賴瑞就一直很熱衷美式足球。

4.like crazy　　拼命地

Vincent studied like crazy for the whole weekend.

文森整個周末都拼命地念書。

5.do the dishes　　洗碗盤

It's your turn to do the dishes this week.

這星期輪到你洗碗了。

6.drive + 人 + nuts　　使某人發(fā)瘋

My nagging wife really drives me nuts.

我那碎碎念的老婆真是讓我抓狂。

Tips In Use

This contest is driving me nuts.

(這個比賽快把我搞瘋了。)

drive + 人 + nuts　　令某人抓狂

= drive + 人 + bananas

= drive + 人 + crazy

nuts 原為堅果類的復(fù)數(shù)，作用跟 bananas 一樣，在此類詞組中當(dāng)形容詞用，代替 crazy。

The noise from the nearby factory drives me crazy.

(附近工廠傳來的噪音令我抓狂。)