VOA流行美語 Unit 350:特別留意&僥倖心理
李華和Larry一起去買自行車。今天我們要學兩個常用語：To keep an eye out for sth.和push one's luck.
LH: Larry等你買了自行車，你可以天天騎車上班，又鍛練身體又省汽油錢。
L: Yeah, I think biking will be a lot of fun. And when it rains or snows, I'll have the perfect excuse to take the day off from work.
LH: 這個嘛......我可沒說讓你以這個爲理由偷懶不上班！
L: Well, Lihua, you know I'm always keeping an eye out for a reason not to go to work.
LH: Keeping an eye out? 什麼意思？
L: When you are looking for or expecting something, you can say that you are keeping an eye out for it.
LH: 哦，就是特別留意的意思。你是說，你總是特別想找些理由，好不去上班。
L: That's right!
LH: 以後我當了老闆，肯定不僱你這種員工！ 你再舉個例子行嗎？
L: Sure. When you're riding your bike on the road, it's important to keep an eye out for cars.
LH: 對，騎車的時候要特別留意周圍的交通狀況，小心汽車。哎，說到安全，你應該買個騎車時戴的頭盔。
L: Of course. When we get to the store, I'll keep an eye out for other things I might need too, like a bell and a light.
LH: 行。那我們去哪家店買呢？
L: I've been keeping an eye out for some good deals, and found a sale at a store near my house.
LH: 好吧，我們就去那兒。對了，Larry, 我聽過一種說法叫"keep an eye on something." 這和keep on eye out for something有區別嗎？
L: When you keep an eye on something, you pay close attention to it, usually because something negative has happened or will happen.
LH: 我明白了，keep an eye on something通常用在負面情況中。也就是說，因爲怕某些不好的事情發生，所以緊盯着，特別注意着。
L: Yes. For example, one of the employees at my company has been coming to work late every day, so the boss is keeping an eye on him.
LH: 是嗎？你們公司有個人上班天天遲到，所以老闆已經盯上他了。這個人不就是你嘛？
L: Of course not! I haven't bought my bike yet.
LH: 買了自行車你也不能這麼幹啊！ 對了，待會兒你要騎車回家麼？這天好像要下雨了。
L: Well it's dangerous to ride a bike in the rain, so we'll have to keep an eye on the weather.
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LH: Larry, 你這輛新車真好看，待會兒你就騎車回家吧！
L: I'm really excited to ride it. But unfortunately I don't think I can ride it today, because it will probably rain.
LH: 會麼？沒準不會下的，你騎吧！
L: No, I would really hate riding in the cold rain. I'm not going to push my luck.
LH: Push your luck? 什麼意思？
L: When you push your luck, you take a big risk in the hope that you will have good luck.
LH: 哦，就是抱着僥倖心裏去冒險。你是說，你不想抱着天不下雨的僥倖心理去騎車。
L: Right! Here is another example. Even though everyone knows smoking will likely give them cancer, some people decide to push their luck and smoke anyway.
LH: 可不，抽菸的人都希望自己運氣好，不會因爲抽菸而得肺癌。把自己的健康寄託在運氣上，我可不幹這種事。
L: Speaking of risks, I should buy a helmet, too. What do you think of this one?
LH: 這個是不錯，可是太貴了，不值。
L: I guess I could just not buy a helmet and hope I don't get into an accident, but I don't want to push my luck.
LH: 對，要是真把腦袋撞傷了，可不是鬧着玩兒的。
L: Exactly. You know, Lihua, I really appreciate you helping me shop for this bike. I really owe you a favor.
LH: 啊，這樣吧，爲了表示你對我的感激，給我買個數碼相機怎麼樣？
L: Don't push your luck, Lihua. I was planning to buy you lunch.
LH: 請吃午飯？那也行啊！去哪兒吃？
L: How about McDonalds? Remember that I took you there last weekend, too?
LH: Larry, don't push your luck. 上禮拜就騙我吃麥當勞，這個禮拜還吃？！ 今天我一定要宰你一刀，吃牛排吧！
今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是keep an eye out for sth, 表示特別留意。另一是push one's luck, 意思是抱着僥倖心理冒險。
