礼节美语128讲
来自中国的雇员Dana跟同事Charlie聊天儿，说自己要去美国朋友家过圣诞，请Charlie给她讲讲美国人过圣诞的习俗。
D: I`ve heard that some Americans celebrate and open presents on Christmas Eve, while others choose Christmas morning. What`s the difference?
C: Each American family makes their own Christmas traditions. My uncle eats hot dogs every Christmas....don`t ask me why, that`s just his thing. When I was a kid, we opened our presents on Christmas Eve but our neighbor always had to wait until Christmas morning.
D: That`s kind of nice...everybody makes their own traditions.
美国有些家庭圣诞前夜拆礼物，有些家庭则要等到圣诞节一大早。有区别吗？Charlie说，这要看每个家庭的习惯， Everybody makes their own traditions. 比如说，Charlie的叔叔每年圣诞节都要吃热狗。那是为什么？Charlie说，don`t ask me why, that`s just his thing. 意思是不要问我为什么，他就是这么个习惯。
C: We have lots of different kinds of people in America...lots of different religions, lots of different nationalities. Jewish people don`t celebrate Christmas, but they have a winter festival called Hanukkah. Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists don`t celebrate Christmas either, but almost everybody in America enjoys the winter holiday season.
D: So I can expect to see snow?
C: There is a pretty good chance it will snow. But you better hope there isn`t a blizzard! If there`s a storm, you might not be able to go anywhere.
在美国，并非所有人都庆祝圣诞节。犹太人不过圣诞，他们过的是hanukkah。 Hanukkah is spelled h-a-n-u-k-k-a-h, 光明节。另外，穆斯林、印度教和佛教徒都不过圣诞节，但是几乎所有人都喜欢过节的气氛。Charlie告诉Dana, there is a pretty good chance it will snow. 很有可能会赶上下雪，但是最好不要是暴风雪，blizzard.
D: Well, I`m certainly looking forward to this trip. I think it will be a lot of fun.
C: Christmas in America is great...especially if you don`t have to do any Christmas shopping. For me that`s the worst part....crowded shopping malls...crazy people. I love Christmas, but I hate Christmas shopping.
D: Someone told me the day after Christmas is a good day for sales.
C: That`s true. You can go check out the malls on the 26th.
D: Sounds like a plan. Thanks for your input, Charlie.
C: My pleasure and a Merry Christmas!
D: Merry Christmas to you, too!
Charlie最头疼圣诞节前出去买礼物，因为外面到处都是人。不过，圣诞节次日是大减价的日子。The day after Christmas is a good day for sales. You can go check out the malls. 可以到商场去逛逛。
美国习惯用语第519讲
今天要讲的习惯用语共有这样一个关键词 ： shake。 Shake这个词最常用的意思是“摇动”或者“震动，”而且shake既可以当动词也可以作名词。例如，在今天要学的第一个习惯用语里shakes就是名词，而且根据习惯这个短语里的shake还带有复数词尾-s。这个习惯用语是： no great shakes。 No great shakes这个习惯用语听来意思是没引起多大的震动。换句话说也就是平凡普通、中不溜秋的东西或者事情。
我们来听个例子。说话的人在对朋友评论自己昨晚看的一场电影。我们听听他是否欣赏这部片子。
例句-1：Well, it was no great shakes. The story was mediocre and the acting was just so-so. I was bored except for that new actress - she can`t act but she`s a beautiful woman.
他说：嗯，这片子毫不出色。故事情节一般，演技也不过如此。除了里面的一位新的女明星之外，其它方面都让我觉得腻烦。这位新星不会演戏，但她是个美女。
这里他用了习惯用语no great shakes表示这电影毫不出色、相当平庸。
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我们再听个例子。这段话在谈运动，说话的人最心爱的棒球队是波士顿的红袜队，只是听来红袜队今年的战绩让他很扫兴。
例句-2：I thought the Red Sox had a real chance to win the World Series this year after so long without a championship. But they turned out to be no great shakes, just like last year.
他说：我原以为红袜队那么久没有得过冠军，今年一定有可能在世界职业棒球锦标赛中赢得胜利，但是他们却和去年一样成绩平平。
这里的no great shakes意思是成绩平平，并不出人头地。听来这个失望的球迷只能耐心地再等上一年了。
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今天要学的第二个习惯用语是： shake a leg。 在Shake a leg这个习惯用语里，shake显然是个动词，照字面意思看shake a leg就是晃动一条腿。我们听下面的例子来捉摸习惯用语shake a leg是什么意思吧。这是大学生在叫醒早上贪睡不起的室友Bob。注意他话里的shake a leg：
例句-3：Bob! Hey, Bob, wake up! It`s already 9:30 and you`ve got that big math test at 10 o`clock. Come on, man, shake a leg! Come on, - you`ve got to get moving right now!
他使劲叫醒Bob，因为已经到九点半了，而Bob十点有数学大测验。时间紧迫，所以他要Bob必须立刻行动起来。
显然他说shake a leg，是催促Bob赶快行动。这就是这个习惯用语的意思。
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再听个例子。说话的人正焦灼不安地在房间里来回踱步，又一而再、再而三地看手表，他终于按捺不住，对在里屋磨蹭个没完没了的太太发话了，注意他话里也用了shake a leg：
例句-4：Honey, we`d better shake a leg. The wedding is at eleven and it takes an hour to drive there. It`s already 10:15 so we better get moving because we`re already late!
他和太太要去参加定在十一点举行的婚礼。他们开车去那儿要一个钟点。而现在已经十点一刻了。他催促太太赶快开步走，因为他们已经晚了。
这段话里的习惯用语shake a leg意思显然也是赶快行动，可见shake a leg是用来催促旁人加快行动的。它是非正式的语言，常用在家人和老朋友之间。