例句-2: You don"t have to break your neck fixing this TV set: I really don"t need it next week.
他说：“你不必赶紧地修这个电视机,我下星期并不需要它。”
在任何情况下把脖子伸得太长都是既冒险又危险的。中国话里有“枪打出头鸟”的说法。在英文里就是：to stick your neck out。据说to stick your neck out这个说法是来自形容乌龟的处境。当乌龟的头缩在乌龟壳里的时候，一切都很安全。可是，一旦它们把头伸出来，那可就危险了。可是，to stick your neck out已经成为美国人在日常生活中常用的表达形式了。下面我们来举个例子：
例句-3: I think my boss is dead wrong about hiring his son-in-law, but I"m not going to stick my neck out and tell him!
这个人说：“我认为我的老板雇用他的女婿是绝对错误的，但是我才不去冒那风险去告诉他呐。”
可是，不怕担风险的人还是有的。下面这个人就是在称赞他们州的国会议员：
例句-4: I admire our congressman -- he"s one politician who"s not afraid to stick his neck out and say what he really thinks, even if it costs him some votes.
这句话的意思是：“我很钦佩我们的国会议员。他是一个敢于冒着风险说自己心里话的政治家尽管那样做会使他失去一些选票。”
流行美语37课
李华到美国来念书还不到一年，纽约有好多地方她还没有去过。今天Michael 带李华到一个夜总会去玩。李华有点紧张，但是她会学到两个常用语：uptight和to get it 。
M：Hey Li Hua, why are you sitting over here next to the bar? Why don"t you go out and dance?
L：我为什么坐在这里，不去跳舞？我。。。有点累。
M：Oh come on! Don"t be so uptight! Everyone is having a good time except for you.
L：你说除了我，每个人都很高兴？你叫我不要什么？什么是uptight?
M：I said, don"t be uptight. Uptight means tense, irritable, or unable to relax.
L：Uptight 就是紧张，显得烦躁，不能放松。Uptight 这个词是怎么拼的？
M：Uptight, u-p-t-i-g-h-t. You really are uptight! We"re at a dance club, and you"re still trying to learn English!
L：在夜总会问你一个英文字就说明我情绪紧张呀？我听不懂问你还不行吗？
M：Hmph. You"re never this uptight when you are with your Chinese friends. You"re never afraid to sing karaoke, even it sounds so bad!
L：跟中国朋友在一起我当然不紧张咯，我跟他们都很熟嘛。我知道我唱卡拉OK 唱得很难听，但是我也不怕。
M：Hmm. Sometimes if I feel a bit uptight, I have a few beers. That helps me relax.
L：Michael， 你得小心，不要在感到紧张的时候为了放松而喝酒。这样你会越喝越多的。
M：I don"t always drink when I feel uptight. Just sometimes.
L：要不是经常的话，那还可以。不过，我现在。。。不想喝酒。
M：Stop being so uptight, have a drink. Come on, I"ll buy you something.
L：行，行。让我想想。。。我要一个Jack and Coke.
M：Be right back!
M：I don"t get it, Li Hua. I thought You liked to dance.
L：你没有什么？Don"t get 什么？
M：I said "I don"t get it". Don"t - get- it. That means I don"t understand.
L：噢，don"t get it 就是不懂。那要是我想学什么，可是又弄不清楚，弄不懂，我就可以说：“I don"t get it." 对吗？
M：That"s right! Like my dog, Ralph. I tried to teach him to sit whenever I tell him to. But he still doesn"t understand me. He doesn"t get it.
L：等等，你要训练你的狗，叫它坐哪里就坐哪里，它弄不懂你的要求，这也能说：He doesn"t get it.
M：Yes. If I tell you a joke, and you understand it, you can say: "I get it."
L：要是我懂你说的笑话，我可以说：“I get it." 可是，Michael, 你说的笑话，我大多数都听不懂。
M：There you go again...you are always so uptight.
L：听不懂你的笑话也怪我紧张呀？ Michael, you don"t get it, 我根本就不紧张。
M：Wait, I get it! You"re being uptight because Zhao Lifeng is dancing over there. Everyone says you like him!
L：什么！说我喜欢赵立封！他在那儿跟别人跳舞，所以我就很紧张。 Michael, you really don"t get it at all. 赵立封是我好朋友的男朋友，我要跟他跳舞，我的好朋友就会生气。何况我也不喜欢他。
M：Whatever you say, Li Hua. But you still don"t have to be so uptight. You can dance with me.
L：好吧，我跟你跳舞，这样你就不会再说我uptight 了。 (dance music)
今天李华学到两个常用语：to get it, or don"t get it 意思是懂某件事，或弄不懂某件事；另一个是：uptight，也就是一个人显得很紧张。
「美国习惯用语」第三十八讲
pain in the neck
neck and neck
下面我们再讲两个和脖子有关的俗语。第一个是 pain in the neck。Pain这个字大家都知道是痛的意思。 Neck 是指脖子。但是，pain in the neck 并不是脖子痛的意思，pain in the neck 是说某人很讨厌。这个俗语非常普遍，你每天都可以听到美国人这么说: He"s a real pain in the neck.这就是说：“那个人真讨厌。”下面这个例子是一个饭馆的老板在说某个顾客：
例句-1: I want to run and hide every time I see that woman come into my place. A real pain in the neck; she"s always complaining about the food and the service.
这位老板说：“每当我看到那个女人来到我饭馆的时候，我总是想拔腿就跑，到什么地方去躲起来。她可真是讨厌，老是抱怨不是饭菜不好，就是服务不好。”
Pain in the neck 不是一定要针对别人说的，有时还可以用在自己身上。我们来举个例子。下面是一个很不高兴的爸爸在对儿子说话：
例句-2:I don"t want to be a pain in the neck, son, but I"ve reminded you a dozen times already to clean up your room. Better do it tonight, or you can"t use the car this weekend.
这个爸爸说：“儿子，我并不想让你讨厌，但是我已经提醒你几十次了，要你把房间整理乾净。你还是今天晚上把房间打扫干净的好，否则，这个周末你就别想用汽车。”
下面我们要介绍的一个和 neck 有关的习惯用语是 neck and neck。 Neck and neck 是指比赛进行得很激烈，竞争双方不相上下。 Neck and neck 这个说法原先是来自比赛，如赛跑、赛马等。就拿赛马来说吧，有的时候两匹马齐头并进，很难分辨出那匹马在前头，那一匹在后头。在有的情况下，一匹马由于它的脖子比另一匹马先到终点而获胜，还有的时候甚至由于它的头，或它的鼻子先到而成了冠军。但是，neck and neck 现在也经常用在别的竞争方面，下面这个例子就能说明这一点：
例句-3:Right now, only a week from the election, the republicans and the democrats are running neck to neck and none of the experts can predict which party will win.
这句话的意思是：“现在离开选举只有一个星期了，但是，共和党和民主党在竞选方面仍然不分上下，没有一个专家能预测到底那个党会在竞选中获胜。”
Neck and neck 有时还可以用在其他场合，就拿我们广播的这课「美国习惯用语」来做例子吧：
例句-4:I"m running neck and neck with the clock to see if I can finish on time.
这句话的意思是：“这次节目的时间已经很紧了，我正在加紧播送，不知能不能在限定时间内播完这次节目。”
我们讲了两个和neck这个字有关的习惯用语，其中之一是pain in the neck。 Pain in the neck 是指某人非常讨厌的意思。这是美国非常普遍的一个俗语。我们今天介绍的另一个和 neck 这个字有关的习惯用语是neck and neck。 Neck and neck是指比赛双方齐头并进，竞争十分紧张，不分上下。
流行美语38课
星期天，迈可和李华约在一道到户外市场去买东西。他们很自然地聊起前一天晚上各自做了些什么事。李华问迈可昨晚上干吗？
M: Man, last night I just vegged out in front of the TV all night.
L: 你说什么? 你说你在电视机前面vegged out? 是不是说你在电视机前面吃生菜？
M: No, no, no It doesn"t have anything to do with vegetables! To veg out, V-E-G O-U-T, means to sit around and do nothing.
L: 噢，原来如此。“to veg out”意思是说无所事事，呆坐在那里。那你干吗不出去呢?
M: I was supposed to go out with some friends, but I was too tired after being at work all day. That"s why I ended up vegging out in front of the TV all day.
L: 啊，原来你是太累了，昨晚你除了呆坐在家里，什么也没干。那么veg out 和英语里面另外一个形容：老是坐在电视机前的人是个couch potato一不一样呢?
M: Yes, it is similar to being a couch potato. However, if you are vegging out, that does not necessarily mean you are watching TV or eating like a couch potato does.