355 turn the corner...

Larry和李华在看世界杯美国对加纳的比赛。今天我们要学两个常用语:haunt someone和turn the corner.

LH: Larry, 美国今天如果赢了加纳,就进8强啦!我可紧张死了!

L: Me too! But I kind of have a bad feeling, because it was Ghana that eliminated the U.S. from the tournament in 2006.

LH: 啊?2006年世界杯美国就是被加纳淘汰的?那今天就是美国报仇的时候啦!我觉得,美国队在比赛开始的时候就得设法赶快进球,不要总让别人领先。

L: I agree. If they keep letting the other team score early in the game, eventually it will come back to haunt them.

LH: Haunt them? 什么意思?

L: When a mistake in the past causes you trouble in the present, you can say it comes back to haunt you.

LH: 哦,comes back to haunt you就是说从前犯的错误到如今还在给你带来麻烦。你是说, 如果美国队在比赛开始的时候失球,那就可能输掉比赛,后悔莫及。

L: Exactly. For example, Joe decided not to buy car insurance, but that decision came back to haunt him when he had a major accident.

LH: Joe决定不买汽车保险,结果后来出了大车祸,之前的错误决定就让他陷入了麻烦之中。

L: You're right, now let's have fun and watch the game. Do you have some popcorn and soda?

LH: Larry,这些食品不健康,少吃为妙!

L: That's true, an unhealthy diet can come back to haunt you later if it causes you health problems.

LH: 对啊,吃不健康的东西会影响到你的身体。啊, Larry, 我真希望咱们现在在南非,看世界杯现场!

L: Yeah, it would have been so much fun to go. If the U.S. makes it into the finals, that decision is really going to come back to haunt me.

LH: 对啊,如果美国队进了决赛,你一定会后悔自己没去南非!哎?Larry,你这个电视怎么这么清楚啊?难道你换了新电视机?

L: That's right, I bought it just to watch the U.S. play in the World Cup! Although that decision will come back to haunt me if they lose today.

LH: 是啊,要是美国今天就被淘汰,你这台电视就白买了,你肯定得后悔!看,比赛开始了!

L: Great, let's watch!

******

比赛结束了,Larry和李华都很失望。

LH: 唉,美国队输了!不过,这场比赛打得很激烈,一直打到了加时赛呢!

L: Well I'm pretty disappointed that the U.S. lost, but at least they played well and improved from 2006.

LH: 是啊,2006年时美国都没能进16强!

L: Yeah, they have been getting better. Hopefully 2014 will be the year that they turn the corner.

LH: Turn the corner? 这是什么意思?

L: When you turn the corner, that means you pass a critical turning point.

LH: 哦,就是出现转机,实现突破。 你是说,希望美国队2014年世界杯能突破自己,成为强队!

L: Right! Here is another example. Joe spent two years studying Chinese in America, but he never really turned the corner until he went to live in China.

LH: 哦,Joe在美国学了两年中文,一直学得不怎么样,直到去中国留学,他的中文水平才有了突破。哎, Larry, 你买的这个电视真是越看越好!

L: Thanks, Lihua.

LH: 这电视一定很贵。你最近是不是发财了?

L: Yeah, my investment in the stock market wasn't going very well for a long time. But it really turned the corner recently.

LH: 我这学期不知怎么了,两门课成绩都不是很理想,真不知道什么时候才会有转机。

L: Don't worry Lihua, I'm sure that before long you're going to turn the corner and start getting straight A's.

LH: 哪有那么简单!不过,既然美国队已经被淘汰了,我就可以专心学习了!

L: Well, I hope all this time watching soccer instead of studying doesn't come back to haunt you during your final exams.

LH: 没关系,为了四年一次的世界杯,考不好也值!

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是haunt someone, 表示以前的错误如今还在对某人产生影响。另一是turn the corner, 意思是出现转机,实现突破。