VOA流行美語 Unit 246:rocket science和chemistry

Larry到李華家來看蜘蛛人的DVD。李華今天要學兩個常用語，rocket science和chemistry。

LL: What's the matter, Li Hua? I can't believe you are having trouble with the DVD player. I mean, it's not rocket science!

LH: Rocket science？這是我家，又不是航空航天局，怎麼會有火箭科學。

LL: Well, when I said it wasn't rocket science, I meant it shouldn't be hard for you to get the DVD player to start.

LH: 噢，rocket Science在這兒的意思是指很難弄懂的東西。但是使用DVD機不該是什麼難事。

LL: That's it! Getting the DVD player to work should be as simple as pushing a few buttons, and not nearly as complicated as rocket science. . . Hey, look, you got it working, Li Hua!

LH：行了，沒什麼難的，只要知道按哪個鍵就行了。

LL: Now all we need is popcorn to eat with our movie. I can go make some. I mean, making popcorn isn't rocket science.

LH: 好啊，你負責爆米花，東西都在廚房微波爐下面的抽屜裏。

LL: Ok, I'm in the kitchen looking at the microwave, and I see three drawers. Which one is it?

LH: It's not rocket science, Larry. 你把三個抽屜都拉開看看不就行了嗎！

LL: Oh, look at that! The popcorn was right on top. Now let me read the instructions. ld be very easy. One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out.

LH: Larry, 你怎麼這麼長時間啊！要幫忙嗎？用微波爐爆米花，不應該是什麼rocket Science吧。

LL: It isn't rocket science, Li Hua. The instructions are very easy. It's just I can't get the plastic wrapper off the popcorn packet.

LH: 包裝紙撕不開？I'm not a rocket scientist, but let me try. . .你看，只要抓住兩邊輕輕這麼一拉就開了。

LL: Wow, Li Hua. Maybe you are a rocket scientist after all. That was pretty good. I better let you do the rest.

LH: Larry, 別這麼懶，你又不是沒用過微波爐。You know it's not rocket science.

******

(Operating microwave machine.)

LL: popcorn is really good, Li Hua. And so is the movie. The chemistry between the lead actor and actress is really good.

LH: 化學？我最後一次上化學課還是高中的事。化學跟蜘蛛人和他的女朋友Mary Jane有什麼關係呀？

LL: When two people are attracted to each other or get along really well -- they have chemistry.

LH: 我明白了，就像做化學實驗的時候一樣。中文裏也有兩個人之間有化學反應的說法，就是說兩個人互相吸引，或者是很合得來。

LL: So, now that you know what I meant by "chemistry," what do you think -- do the actors in Spiderman have good chemistry or not?

LH: 我覺得有。他們演得很逼真，真讓我覺得他們彼此相愛。但是我有一個問題，Larry.

LL: What is it, Li Hua?

LH: 有的時候化學物質混在一起可能起發生爆炸，那這是不是“壞的”化學反應呢？能用來形容人跟人之間的關係嗎？

LL: Absolutely! When two people really don't like each other or can't get along -- that is bad chemistry.

LH: 我原來有兩個鄰居，可以說是勢不兩立，經常互相對罵，他們倆而就是純粹的bad chemistry.

LL: It sure sounds like it. Speaking of bad chemistry, one of the people I work with really doesn't get along with my boss. They often argue about the littlest things.

LH: 你同事跟老闆有bad chemistry？那可得小心，不定哪天就會被炒了魷魚。

LL: You're right, Li , Li Hua, what do you think about the chemistry between us?

LH: Larry, 這還用問嗎！It's not rocket science. 我們認識都快七年了，沒有good chemistry, 就不會一直做朋友做到今天了。

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是rocket science, 意思是很難做，很難懂的事情。另一個是chemistry, 是指人跟人之間的感情關係。