VOA流行美語 Unit 200:holed up和come up for air

Larry最近一直在忙着幫老闆準備講話稿。李華到Larry的辦公室來看望他。李華今天會學到兩個常用語：holed up和come up for air。

LL: It is so nice to see you Li Hua. I've been holed up in the office for days trying to get this presentation done for my boss.

LH: Larry，我知道你忙着給你老闆準備報告，可你說在辦公室好幾天幹什麼來啦？Hold up，這不是搶劫嗎？

LL: No, not a hold up. I said "holed up". Well, when I said I had been holed up here in the office, I meant I hadn't left my office in days,

LH: 原來如此。你是說你在辦公室好幾天沒出去。Holed up就是由於某種原因呆在一個地方很久沒法出去。

LL: Right. I've been holed up here for three whole days now. I feel kind of like a rabbit sleeping in his rabbit hole for the winter.

LH: 你覺得自己好象是隻兔子鑽在洞裏過冬！說得真形象。對了，我是有好幾天沒見到你了，好象不止三天哪！

LL: When you were holed up working on your thesis, Li Hua. I didn't see you for a long time.

LH: 那到也是。我在趕論文的那段時間常常好幾天都不出門， 真有鑽進了洞裏的感覺。

LL: Well, if you have to be holed up somewhere, your apartment is a pretty good place. At least it is comfortable.

LH: 這倒是真的。 我呆在家裏好幾天，是覺得很舒服，不象你這辦公室，累了連個躺的地方都沒有。

LL: There is a sofa in the break room. I've been taking naps there.

LH: 你在休息室裏的沙發上睡個午睡就行啦？ Larry, 你還要多久才能準備好你老闆的報告呀？你這麼老呆在這裏不回家，對你的身體不好。

LL: Never mind, I'm strong. I'll finish my boss's presentation in a few days.

LH: 還要幾天才能完成這報告呀？這樣做，時間長了你會生病的。生了病，你可就真的不能出門了。You'll be holed up at home。

LL: At this point, being holed up at home sounds a lot better than being holed up here at work.

LH: Larry, 還是跟我出去呼吸一下新鮮空氣，你再回去繼續幹。

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LL: Thanks for getting me out of the office, Li Hua. I just had to come up for air.

LH: 你不用謝我，我寫論文的時候，你也把我拽出來休息休息。Larry，你說"come up for air" 大概是指換換環境，呼吸點新鮮空氣，休息一下，是嗎？

LL: Right, I felt like I was drowning under all that work. Coming up for air was just what I needed.

LH: 我跟你有同樣的感覺。學期結束前我趕着寫一篇報告時候，好幾天沒出門；我覺得自己真的好象被那些書和筆記本給淹沒了。

LL：I know. You looked so pale and evenly sickly. That's why I practically dragged you out to come up for air.

LH: 我當時確實感到好象要生病的樣子。幸虧你拉我出去換換空氣，休息了一下。好吧，你現在想做些什麼呢？

LL: Well, I remember when you were working on your thesis, Li Hua, I'd get you to come up for air by asking you to go for a walk in the park.

LH: 我記得你帶我去的那個公園。那裏有各式各樣的花。好吧，我們上那公園去散步。

LL: OK, let's go for a walk in the park for a little while. I know I'll work better after coming up for some air.

LH: 我敢肯定你散步，休息後工作起來會更有效的。對了，明天我要說服我的同Lisa 也出來休息一下。

LL: Why? What is she working on?

LH: 她正在找工作，所以忙着在網上，報上查招聘廣告，寄幾十份履歷給公司，填寫申請工作的表格...... 她已經有一個星期沒有出門了。

LL: Sounds like she does need to come up for some air. If she wants to come out for air tomorrow, maybe I can join you too.

LH：那太好了。你們倆都應該注意休息。You two should come up for air sometimes!

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是" holed up", 意思是一個人由於某種原因在一個地方不能出門。李華學到的另一個常用語是"come up for air", 意思是換換環境，休息一會兒。