第17课：ToBum-TurnOff
现在大家可能都已经很熟悉michael和李华了吧！他们俩都在纽约上大学。纽约有许多酒吧都是爱尔兰移民开的。今天michael要带李华去看一个酒吧。michael在讲话时会用两个常用语：to bum和turn-off。
l：嗨，这儿好热闹啊！michael，在爱尔兰酒吧里大家喝些什么呢？
m: people normally drink a large beer that is usually served warm.
l：我可从来没喝过热的啤酒，一大杯也喝不了，要一小杯行不行？
m: well, you can order whatever you want, but i need to bum a couple of dollars, if you don't mind.
l：随便我要什么都行呀！那好，就来一小杯。对了，你刚才说要是我不在意的话，你想bum a couple of dollars, 那是什么意思啊？
m: what i mean is, can i borrow a couple of dollars from you.
l：原来你要问我借几块钱！
m: yes. but don't use this word for big things. for example, you would not ask your friend, “can i bum your car?”
l：噢，在问别人借大的，象汽车之类的东西时，不能用bum这个字，bum只能用在问人借小东西的时候。
m: yeah, it's usually used when asking for something small, like a piece of gum or candy.
l：哟，你们美国人，怎么一片口香糖，一颗糖还要借啊？难道真的还要还吗？
m: no, small things you don't need to return, such as gum and candies.
l：这很重要，因为在这种情况下，我们中国人就不说借了，我们大概会说：给一颗糖吧。
m: you are right li hua. but if you feel cold at a friend's home and you asked to bum a sweater, then you would return it when you were going to leave.
l：对，要是在朋友家感到冷要借一件毛衣，那一般都应该还的。所以，这要看情况，对不对？
m: yes, if you will let me bum a couple bucks tonight, i promise to pay you back tomorrow.
l：行，行，行，就借你两块钱，你问服务员要酒吧，我来付钱。可明天别忘了还我。
m: okay. two beers please!
l：我以前有一个朋友，每次跟她一起出去，不管去看电影，还是去喝咖啡，她总是问我借钱。
m: a girl i used to hang out with acted the same way. whenever a group of us went out, she would always ask to bum money. it got to be a real turn-off.
l：你也碰到过这样的人哪？等等，a real turn-off? 这是什么意思呀？把什么东西关掉？
m: no, a turn-off is something that repels someone.
l：噢，是一个让人讨厌的什么东西。是不是指一个人的性格里有什么地方让你不喜欢他？
m: yes, that's right. let me give you an example. your ex-boyfriend always smoked cigarettes around you, that was a real turn-off.
l：是啊，我以前的男朋友跟我在一起的时候老是抽烟，那真是讨厌。
m: a girl i once dated always interrupted me whenever i was talking. that was a real turn-off.
l：对，你告诉过我，你从前的女朋友老是打断你的话，让你很讨厌。我还有一个朋友把脏衣服在房间里到处乱扔，that was also a turn-off.
m: see, you've learned how to use turn-off. by the way, i also have dirty clothes lying around my apartment. does that bother you?
l：哼，你也把脏衣服到处乱扔？你要是不打扫乾净的话，别想请我到你家去。
m: ok, i'll try to clean it up.
今天李华从michael那里学到了两个常用语，一个是：to bum，意思是借钱或其他东西；另一个是：a turn-off，意思是让人讨厌的地方。