流行美语第346课
李华和Larry星期六早上坐船去钓鱼。今天我们要学两个常用语：try your hand和getting the knack of something.
LH: Larry, 你说的一点没错，这里简直太美了。
LL: See? I told you. There`s no better way to relax after a tough week than to come out to the lake, rent a boat and try our hand at catching some fish.
LH: 什么？你不是准备鱼饵了吗，为什么还要try MY hand? 用我的手做鱼饵？我不干。
LL: No, silly! I don`t mean "use your hand." I said "try your hand." To try your hand at something means to give something a try that might not necessarily be successful - like trying to catch fish.
LH: Whew! 原来try your hand是试试看的意思。
LL: Right. Since we don`t often go fishing, we really don`t know how good we will be at catching fish. But that`s OK. We can try our hand at it anyway.
LH: 我明白了。那这样，你在这儿慢慢钓鱼试试看，我正好把这本书读完。
LL: But first, wouldn`t you like to try your hand at it baiting my hook? I bet you haven`t put a live worm on a hook before!
LH: Eww! 我最后一次去钓鱼还是小时候跟爷爷，那会儿都是我爷爷帮我准备鱼饵。我最怕摆弄这些扭来扭去的虫子了。
LL: Ok, fine. But you should really take this opportunity to try your hand at some new experiences!
LH: 只要你不让我去摆弄那些虫子，让我尝试什么都行！
LL: Really? I`ve got an idea. Maybe you could try your hand at massaging my neck and shoulder while I am waiting for the fish to bite.
LH: Larry, 我按摩虽然没学过，可跆拳道却略通一、二，要不要试试？
LL: 饶命啊...
******
Larry和李华在湖边待了整整一天，李华开始觉得累了。
LH: Larry, 我累死了，咱们回去吧，上岸找点东西吃。
LL: Give me just a few more minutes - I think I felt a nibble!
LH: (Groans) Larry....一整天都没钓到鱼，每次我一提走，你就说好象有鱼上钩了。
LL: Aww, but Lihua, we`re just starting to get the knack of it!
LH: Get the knack? 什么是knack? 我怎么没听说过这种鱼。
LL: No, When someone says they are getting the knack of something, it means they are starting to become better at it. We`ve been fishing all day without any luck, but I think we`re getting the knack of it now.
LH: 哦，我明白了, getting the knack of something意思就是有点入门了。你是说咱俩钓鱼有进步了，我怎么不觉得？
LL: Of course we`re making progress. You, for example, are getting better at dealing with our bait.
LH: 这倒是真了，我现在准备鱼饵已经是专家了，不过，这都要归功于你。是你经常让狡猾的鱼把鱼饵叼走，我才有这么多锻炼机会。
LL: Fine. if you want to go back so bad, why don`t you try your hand at rowing? I`ve been moving this boat around while you sit there and relax the whole day.
LH: 你让我把船划回去？可我不会划船啊，我只会原地打转。
LL: Just give it a try, it`s not that hard. I`m sure you`ll get the knack of it in no time.
(Lihua starts trying to row the boat)
LH: 哎，你当初干嘛把船划到湖中心来嘛！
LL: The guy at the dock told me all the best fishing is out over on this side of the lake. I wanted to try my hand at catching the big fish!
LH: 这船怎么就是不动啊！I`ll never get the knack of this. 我永远也学不会划船。还是你来吧。
LL: Oh, alright. But I could have sworn I felt a fish nibbling on my line! Here, take my rod. Try you hand at bringing a fish in.
LH: 没问题，只要你往回划，让我干什么多行。啊，有鱼上钩了！
LL: There you go! See, you`re already getting the knack of it! I told you I had a fish biting.
LH: 现在怎么办？你快来帮我把鱼拉上来啊！
LL: It`s OK! You try your hand at reeling it in. Just stay calm, patient and slowly reel it in...I think I see it - It`s huge!
LH: 什么鱼这么重？
LL: Wow! It`s a huge, black...boot. (sign)
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是try your hand, 意思是尝试做某件事。另一个是getting the knack of something, 意思是入门了，开始掌握基本要领了。