LH: 噢， glitch就是技术故障。电脑或软件不能正常运作时往往就是因为有了故障。那你们弄清楚了没有电脑软件到底是什么问题呢？
LL: Well, glitches are often difficult to explain. Basically, we would try to use a certain function of the software, and it would cause the office computers to lock up.
LH: 用软件的某一功能，办公室的电脑就都不能用了，你说的就是所谓的电脑死机吧。
LL: Glitches are very frustrating. They cost a lot of time and effort.
LH: 没错，出了故障要花很多时间去解决，是很烦人的。对了，Larry，你听说没有，最近大家都在抢购一种电子游戏软件，结果发现这种软件有严重的技术问题 - it has a big glitch in it。听说厂家正在回收产品呢。
LL: Oh, I know all about that! I love video games and actually bought that game system. It does have a serious glitch, and now I need to send it back to the company.
LH: 你也买了那软件？那你就得把它寄回去。Larry，你说既然有问题，那厂家为什么还要出售他们的软件呢？
LL: Sometimes the companies don"t know about a glitch in a video game or video game system until enough people play it.
LH: 那倒也是，有的问题必须在很多人用了以后才会发现。 对了，Larry, 你不是说今天要跟老板一起吃午饭吗？
LL: I was originally, but there was a glitch in our plans. My boss discovered he had two appointments on the same day, so he had to reschedule our lunch for next week.
LH: 你的老板也真是够糊涂的，怎么会在同一天安排两个午餐。幸好你是个年轻新雇员，取消和你的约会还不要紧。 Larry，我们说好了这个周末去参观摄影展览。这个计划没问题吧？Are there any glitches in that plan?
LL: I don"t think there will be any glitches. I am really looking forward to it. When do you want to leave?
LH: 我也跟你一样盼着去呢。星期六早上十点半出发，怎么样？
LL：Fine!
******
LL: Hmmm, I need to do an errand Saturday morning. We may have to tweak our plans a little.
LH: Tweak our plans? Tweak这个字的发音有点怪。你的意思是要改变计划吗？
LL: Tweak, may be a funny-sounding word, but it means to adjust something just a little bit.
LH: Tweak的意思是稍微作些改动。 那你的意思是说星期六的计划要变喽。
LL: Right, we don"t have to change our plans too much. If we just tweak the time a little bit and leave at 11:00, I can finish my errand, and we still have plenty of time to enjoy the exhibit.
LH: 没问题。我们把10:30出发改成11点出发就行了。不过我们也不能玩得太晚喽。
LL: Why is that?
LH: 我下个星期要在研讨会上宣读一篇论文。论文是写完了，但我还要作一些修改。
LL: If the paper is in English, Li Hua, I can help you tweak it by reading it after we get back tonight.
LH: 我是用英文写的， 你要是能帮我修改一下，那真是太好了。
LL: It would be my pleasure, Li Hua. Well, this has been a nice lunch, but I need to get back to work. I"ve had some ideas about how to tweak the computers at work.
LH: 瞧你，想出了修电脑的主意就急着要回去工作了。 你真有把握吗？
LL: I"m not sure. But if I can"t tweak it, maybe some one at the software company can. Thanks again for lunch, Li Hua. I"ll see you later.
LH: 哎，Larry，你的午饭都没怎么吃嘛。
LL: To be honest, it wasn"t very good. I think the chef needs to tweak the seasoning. It was kind of bland.
LH: 这菜的确是没有什么味道。厨师是该改变他的佐料了。再见，Larry。 Good luck tweaking your computers!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是glitch，意思是技术故障。还有一个是tweak， 意思是作小的改动。
美国习惯用语第225讲
今天我们要讲的两个习惯用语都是表达速度非常快的意思。它们都很生动，也很形像。当你给别人讲故事的时候，你往往会想用一些有色彩的词汇来使你的故事更加生动。一百五十多年前，当美国人向西部开发的时候，那些打先锋的拓荒者在荒野生活很单调。他们只好轮流讲故事，用一些夸张的词汇来引别人发笑。
我们今天要讲的两个习惯用语就是来自这个传统。当然，那时用的一些词汇已经流传到今天成为人们常用的习惯用语了。下面我们来讲第一个习惯用语。Like greased lightning. Greased就是上了油的。那就是很滑溜的意思；lightning就是闪电。闪电是自然界速度最快的一种现象。别忘了，这里讲的还只是一般的闪电，上了油的闪电当然是幽默性的夸张，但是要是确实存在的话，那它肯定会比一般闪电更加快的。我们现在来举一个例子。这是一个人在跑马厅评论一匹马。
例句-1: I never saw a faster horse in my life. He ran like greased lightning all the way from the starting gate to the finish line and he broke the track record by more than three seconds.
这个人说：我这辈子没见过比这匹马跑的更快的马了。它从开跑的门出来一直到终点始终像闪电一样跑得飞快。它比以前的记录还要快三秒多。
******
我们再来举一个例子。这是一个人在说他下班回家的路上所看到的事。
例句2: Walking home, I looked up and got out of the way quick - here came this black cat running like greased lightning and right behind him was this big dog chasing him so closely.
这个人说：当时我正在走回家的路上。我一抬头，看到一只黑猫跑得飞快。就在它后面一只很大的狗正在紧紧地追赶。我看到这情况，马上就闪到一边去了。
对了，要是他不马上躲开的话，没准那只大狗怪他挡路而咬他一口，或者把他撞倒。
******
我们再来给大家介绍一个描写速度很快的习惯用语。Like a bat out of hell. Bat就是：蝙蝠。Hell就是：地狱。Like a bat out of hell按字面翻成中文就是：就像一只从地狱里飞出来的蝙蝠。发明这个说法的人可能是想像一只蝙蝠在扑打着翅膀，竭尽全力地飞，以逃避地狱之火。Like a bat out of hell现在可以用在各个方面。下面我们要举的两个例子就能说明问题。第一个例子是一群孩子在打篮球，一不小心把旁边住家的玻璃窗打破了。这房子里的主人说：
例句3: As soon as I heard the glass break, I ran out to try to catch who had done it. But the kid ran away like a bat out of hell, so I"ll have to pay for new glass myself.
这个人说：我一听到玻璃打破的声音马上跑了出去，想抓住那打破玻璃的孩子。但是，那孩子像闪电一样地逃跑了，所以我只好自己掏钱来买新的玻璃啦。
******
刚才举的那个例子是说小孩犯了错误生怕受到惩罚而赶紧逃跑。我们再给大家举一个 like a bat out of hell的例子。这是一个参加过二次世界大战的人在说他死里逃生的情况。
例句4: We were marching on this road to the front when this German fighter plane came over the hill ahead of us like a bat out of hell. We were lucky: he was flying so low and so fast he didn"t even see us. And he was gone before we could even turn our heads.
这句话的意思是：“我们当时正在行军到前线去。突然,一架德国战斗机从我们前面的山头上出现。我们还真是运气：他飞的很低，也很快，所以他根本没有看到我们。还没有等到我们回头，它就不见了。
流行美语第225课
Larry和李华刚下课。李华告诉Larry一个非常好的消息。李华今天要学会两个常用语 get out of here和burned out。
LM: Larry! 我有个好消息，说了你一定不相信，我买的彩票中奖了!
LL: Really? Get out of here!
LH: 我中了彩票，你不为我高兴，还让我出去？Get out of here? 我们又不在屋子里，出去上哪儿去呀？
LL: No, listen，when someone tells you some good or exciting news, and you are really surprised, you can say get-out-of-here. It shows that you can barely believe the good news.
LH: 原来get out of here在这里是表示惊讶和难以相信的意思。按字面来解释不就是出去吗。
LL: You are right. So anyway, how much money did you win?
LH: 你说我的彩票呀？ 我中奖得了一千美元。
LL: A thousand dollars? Get out of here! You are sooooo lucky! Hey, I"ve got some good news too. Do you remember that summer internship at the museum I applied for?
LH: 你申请暑假到那博物馆去实习，当然记得呀！怎么啦？他们接受你去实习啦？
LL: That"s right! And not only that, but they are going to pay me a good salary too!
LH: 让你去实习，还给你很好的薪水？Get out of here! 我简直不能相信。这比中奖还棒。
LL: Heh, well, I don"t know about that... Oh, by the way, you won"t believe who I saw in the coffee shop near my apartment this morning, Jet Li!