美国之音《流行美语》 378 dodge a bullet

　　Larry和李华开车去多伦多渡假，结果在路上遇到了一些问题。他们会用到两个常用语：Dodge 1 a bullet和cheapskate。

LH: Larry, 还要开多长时间才到多伦多啊?

Larry: If we don't make any more stops, we should get there by nightfall.

LH: 啊，天黑的时候才能到？可我已经快饿死了! 咱们停下来找点东西吃吧？

Larry: Actually, we have a free dinner waiting for us at the hotel in Toronto.

LH: 我知道酒店有免费晚餐，可是还要几个小时才能吃到，我坚持不住啦!

Larry: You know me, Lihua, I'm a cheapskate. Sorry.

LH: Cheesecake? 你带了芝士蛋糕? 快给我吃！

Larry: No, not cheesecake... cheapskate. A cheapskate is someone who is very cheap, or doesn't like to spend money.

LH: Cheapskate就是小气鬼。没错，你就是个cheapskate! 要不是你舍不得花钱，我们才不会选多伦多渡假呢，早买张飞机票飞去泰国了!

Larry: Thailand? Don't be ridiculous! Even if I wasn't a cheapskate, you know we can't afford to go that far away for vacation!

LH: 那，就算去不起泰国，咱们停下车吃顿饭总可以吧？

Larry: If we stop for food, we'll waste time, gas, and money. I think we should just wait until we get to Toronto.

LH: Why are you being such a cheapskate?? 咱们刚开始约会的时候，你可是特别喜欢给我买吃的呢!

Larry: Oh, yeah, I remember that... Actually, now that I think about it, I think I might have some of that candy you like in my backpack...something like a white rabbit, right?

LH: 大白兔奶糖？哪里？！(Sound of LH shuffling 2 through a bag) 还真有诶! 可这包已经过期了。不过我太饿，将就吃了!

Larry: Phew! Looks like I dodged 3 a bullet there.

******

LH: (With candy in her mouth) Dodge a bullet? 躲避子弹？你又在说什么我听不懂的话了？

Larry: To dodge a bullet means to narrowly escape a very bad situation. For example, a second ago you were about to get really angry because I wouldn't stop for food, but luckily, I had that bag of Chinese candy to keep you happy!

LH: 哦, to dodge a bullet意思就是 “逃过一劫”，躲过了非常糟糕的事情。你说，要不是因为你包里正好有糖，我肯定会因为饿肚子而大发脾气，所以你算是躲过了我的一顿数落。

Larry: That's right.

LH: 可是吃糖吃不饱啊!

Larry: We have a perfectly 4 wonderful - and free - dinner waiting for us in Toronto. Sorry, Lihua, we're not stopping.

(ding! The gasoline light comes on)

Larry: Uh-oh.

LH: Larry， 什么声音？是不是没油啦？你看看!几个小时前我不是让你把油箱加满么!

Larry: I heard the gas is a lot cheaper in Toronto, so I didn't want to buy more gas than I needed to... I thought this would be enough for us to reach Toronto!

LH: 啊？你因为觉得加拿大的汽油便宜，就不舍得在美国加油，打算坚持到多伦多再说？你怎么这么小气! Cheapskate!

Larry: I hope we can find a gas station in time... I haven't seen any signs for a gas station for awhile...

LH: 我的老天! 附近没有加油站？那我们岂不是要身陷荒野!

Larry: Don't worry, we always have my cell phone if we need to call for help.

LH: 打电话求救？呃，我刚才一直拿你的手机玩游戏，已经没电了。

Larry: Oh good grief 5. Luckily, I think I have an extra battery in my backpack. Check the outside pocket.

LH: 啊! 真的，这里有块备用电池! We dodged a bullet! 我们逃过了一劫!

Larry: Speaking of dodging 6 a bullet, it looks like there's a gas station a few miles ahead. We should be able to get there without a problem.

LH: 太好了! 前面有加油站，咱们快去把油箱加满!

Larry: OK, I won't be such a cheapskate this time.

LH: 对!这次别再小气了! 还有，在加油站给我买点吃的来!

Larry: OK, fine. You got it.

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是dodge a bullet，意思是“逃过一劫”。另一个是cheapskate，意思是“小气鬼”。