现在线上人数 501人
2025.09.16 23:46
第十四部 第十叁课: gas guzzler , tree hugger
- Larry 和李华要开车去一个国家公园，他们先到加油站给汽车加油。李华今天会学到两个常用语，gas guzzler 和 tree hugger。
- ………………………………………………………………………………
- I can't believe the price of gas these days! I am going to have to get rid of this gas guzzler.
- 我知道，我到美国来以后啊我就从来没见过这麼高的汽油价钱。可是，Larry，你说你要扔掉什麼？Gas guzzler？那是什麼啊？
- To guzzle something is to drink it really fast. A gas guzzler refers to a car that gets very poor gas mileage and constantly needs to be filled up.
- 我明白了。Guzzle 就是口渴的时候啊大口大口地喝水。所以你是说你的车耗油太多，大口大口地喝油。A gas guzzler 就是耗油量很大的汽车。
- That's right. And looking at the price on the gas pump, I am not too happy to be driving a gas guzzler right now.
- 嗯，好多人啊都有你这样的想法。油价这麼高，还开耗油的车，这花钱多了，当然不高兴啦。对了，你这个 gas guzzler 每加仑汽油能跑多少哩路啊？
- Well, about 25 miles to the gallon on the highway, but only 18 miles per gallon driving around town. It isn't the worst gas guzzler out there, but I could be driving something more fuel efficient.
- 在高速公路上开每加仑 25 英哩，在城市裡就只能开 18 英哩啊！那是比我的车要费油多了。你是该换一辆省油的车囉。
- Well, I know there are cars on the market that get as much as 40 miles to the gallon, but they tend to be smaller cars. Bigger cars tend to be gas guzzlers, and I wanted a bigger car.
- 当然啦，省油的车一般都是小型的车，那大车啊都是耗油的。你喜欢开大车，那就得多花钱啦。Larry，现在耗油量大的车啊一定卖不动了吧？
- I think there will always be people who have the money to afford the gas and want to have a big gas guzzler to drive around.
- 没错，就像你这样爱开大车的人啊总是有的。Larry, 这就叫愿者上鉤。不过，有的人有钱，你是穷学生耶。我啊还是喜欢开小车，省油省钱，而且还有利於保护环境呢。
- There! The tank of this gas guzzler is finally full. After I pay the gas attendant, we can get on the road.
- 油加满啦？那你快去付钱啊，完啦我们就可以上路了。太棒了，我早就想去国家公园痛痛快快地玩一天了。
- ………………………………………………………………………………
- So, Li Hua, you drive a small car because you think it's good for the environment. Are you a tree hugger or what?
- 是啊，我刚才说了啊，我喜欢开小车，原因呢就是為了保护环境。你问我是不是个 tree hugger？抱树的人？我是很喜欢树，可是还没有到要拥抱树的程度吧。
- A tree hugger is someone who really likes trees and the environment and is willing to do pretty much anything to protect them.
- 我也猜想 a tree hugger 大概也就是特别喜欢树木、关心环保的人囉。Larry，tree hugger 这个名词是有讚扬的意思，还是含有贬义啊？
- It isn't a bad thing - depending on who you talk to. Some people see tree huggers as standing in the way of progress.
- 没有坏的意思，但是呢又要看你是跟谁说话。那為什麼有的人会认為 tree hugger 会妨碍进步呢？这我不明白耶。
- Do you remember a few years ago some tree huggers in the northwestern United States wanted to protect the forest home of the Spotted Owl?
- 对啊，几年前啊，在美国西北部一些环保人士為了保护猫头鹰的栖息地啊，阻止木材公司伐木，所以就用铁链子把自己捆在树上了。
- Yeah, and the price of lumber in the northwest went up, and people blamed the tree huggers for lost jobs in the lumber industry.
- 原来是这样。因為砍的树少了，所以价格就上升了，伐木业的就业机会也少了；他们都怪环保人士啊！在这些人眼裡啊，tree huggers 显然不是什麼讚美的称呼了。
- No, it’s a term used to put down or disparage people who protect nature at the expense of human comfort and industry.
- 对这些人来说啊，tree huggers 就是牺牲人类的舒适和工业来保护自然。野生动物应该要保护嘛，这总得要有人站出来说话啊。
- I guess so. Driving through the forest reminds me of the good things tree huggers can do.
- 在森林裡开车啊是会让我们想起 tree huggers。他们努力保护森林，好让我们还有我们的子孙后代都能享用，这是很有意义的事啊。
- I think you've answered my question, Li Hua. You ARE a tree hugger.
- 没错，我就是个 tree hugger ─ 我啊，為此感到自豪呢。
- ………………………………………………………………………………
- 今天李华学到了两个常用语。第一个是 gas guzzler, 意思是很费油的汽车。第二个是 tree huggers， 意思是喜欢自然的人或者是致力於环保的人士。
回上一层