李華和Larry 一起去騎馬。李華今天要學(xué)兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)，mean streak 和soft
spot.

    LL： If this is your first time riding a horse， Li Hua ， I think
you shouldn't ride that black one over there. That horse looks like he's
got a mean streak.

    LH： A mean streak？你說(shuō)那匹黑馬嗎？如果我沒理解錯(cuò)， mean streak就
是 mean ，壞脾氣的意思吧。

    LL： That's exactly what I am saying， Li Hua. A mean streak is the
potential for meanness.

    LH：那如果馬的脾氣太烈，會(huì)傷害騎手嗎？

    LL： A horse with a mean streak might refuse to let a rider get on
- or even worse might try to throw a rider off their back.

    LH：我在電影里看過(guò)，有的馬性情暴躁，會(huì)把騎手從馬背上摔下來(lái)，看來(lái)真
得小心。那匹灰色的小馬看著挺隨和的。那我就騎它吧。It can't possibly have
a mean streak.

    LL： You know ， Li Hua ， it isn't only horses that can have mean
streaks. People can ， too.

    LH： Mean streak也能用在人身上？

    LL： Do you remember the super model Naomi Campbell ？ She was in
the news for throwing her cell phone at her housekeeper.

    LH：我記得，那個(gè)英國(guó)名模，我們叫他黑珍珠，她還有一次因?yàn)樾欣顏G了，
大發(fā)雷霆，還動(dòng)手打了警察呢！

    LL： That super model reminds me of a famous basketball coach in the
U.S. who also had a mean streak.

    LH：籃球教練？你說(shuō)誰(shuí)？

    LL： The former coach of the Indiana University basketball team Bobby
Knight was famous for his mean streak.

    LH：我知道印第安納大學(xué)校隊(duì)很厲害，可是沒聽說(shuō)過(guò)他們教練的故事。那你
趕快告訴我！

    LL： There was one time he got so mad ， Li Hua ， he threw a chair
out on the basketball court during a game ！

    LH：他竟然在比賽的時(shí)候把椅子扔到賽場(chǎng)上？太暴躁了！Boy ， that coach
really did have a mean streak.

    LL： Well ， it is time to get on our horses， Li Hua. You can take
the nice gray horse ， and I'll try the black one with the mean streak.

    LH：小心點(diǎn)，Larry.

    LL： Don't worry， Li Hua. I'll show that horse who is boss ！ I have
a mean streak ， too！

    ******

    LL： So ， now that we have been riding for a while ， Li Hua ， I
don't think this black horse is so bad. I am actually developing a soft
spot for him.

    LH： A soft spot？什么是soft spot ��？

    LL： A soft spot is a feeling of tenderness or affection for a person
or thing.

    LH：你不會(huì)是喜歡上這匹黑馬了吧？你忘了，剛才它還對(duì)你又踢又咬呢！

    LL： I know it may seem funny ， but， yes， even though this horse
tried to bite me and throw me off his back， I do have a soft spot for
him.

    LH：這么烈的馬，你怎么會(huì)喜歡呢？真搞不清楚！

    LL： Well ， ever since I showed him I was in control ， he's been
very good. And he's a handsome horse， too. It's hard to explain， but
sometimes you end up having a soft spot for a thing or a person that isn't
perfect.

    LH：我有點(diǎn)兒明白了。像是我中文班里有幾個(gè)特別好的學(xué)生，可是不知道為
什么，反而是一個(gè)學(xué)得不怎么樣的孩子最讓我掛心。

    LL： So ， why do you have a soft spot for this particular student，
Li Hua？

    LH：人跟人不一樣，有人就是不擅長(zhǎng)學(xué)語(yǔ)言，那個(gè)學(xué)生發(fā)音不夠標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，而且
總也記不住中文方塊字的模樣。

    LL： This person doesn't sound like the kind of person I'd have a
soft spot for if I were a teacher ， Li Hua.

    LH：他雖然不是個(gè)天才型的學(xué)生，可是每天上課都特別努力。我想喜歡他，
大概是因?yàn)橄Ｍ�他能學(xué)好吧。

    LL： You are such a dedicated teacher ， Li Hua. I know there are
students who have a soft spot for you.

    LH：那可不一定，我那些學(xué)生肯定覺得我很厲害。

    LL： Oh ， I don't believe that. Say， why don't we ride back to the
ranch now ， Li Hua. I'm getting a little thirsty and could use a drink.

    LH：好啊。哎？我的馬怎么不走了？

    LL： It looks like your horse is hungry ， Li Hua. He apparently has
a soft spot for that clump of flowers ！

    LH：這下可慘了，誰(shuí)它要吃到什么時(shí)候。

    今天李華學(xué)到了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)。一個(gè)是mean streak ，指壞脾氣。另一個(gè)是soft
spot，指為什么事情動(dòng)心。