The english we speak(BBC教学)第186期:Someone is like a dinosaur 某人像恐龙

Helen: Hello, Welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. I'm Helen.

海伦：大家好，欢迎收听BBC英语学习频道的地道英语节目。我是海伦。

Rob: And I'm Rob.

罗布：我是罗布。

Helen: Rob, can I ask you something?

海伦：罗布，我能问你件事吗？

Rob: Yes, of course. Go ahead.

罗布：当然可以了。问吧。

Helen: My son's friends came to visit at the weekend. They were all in the bedroom playing with dinosaurs.

海伦：我儿子的朋友周末来家里玩了。他们全都在卧室里玩恐龙。

Rob: Oh right. Sounds fun.

罗布：哦，听起来很有趣。

Helen: Yeah, I even let them watch a dinosaur film and play a computer game. Then I heard one of them say his parents were dinosaurs.

海伦：是啊，我还让他们看了部恐龙电影，还有玩电脑游戏。之后我听到他们中有一个人说他的父母是恐龙。

Rob: Oh, dear.

罗布：哦，天哪。

Helen: I'm a mum, I don't think I look anything like a dinosaur, do I?

海伦：我是个母亲，我认为我长得并不像恐龙，是吧？

Rob: No, you don't look like one at all. You are 100% human! What did the boy say about his parents?

罗布：不，你当然长得不像恐龙了。你100%是人类！那个男孩怎么说的他父母？

Helen: He said that they don't have a TV at home, and that his parents don't have mobile phones either. I was quite surprised by that.

海伦：他说他们家里没有电视，他父母也没有手机。我听到那些非常惊讶。

Rob: No wonder he thinks his parents are dinosaurs. When we call someone a 'dinosaur', we mean they're living in the past, they're not very modern, and probably don't use a lot of technology.

罗布：难怪他认为他的父母是恐龙了。当我们称某人是“恐龙”时，我们的意思是他们还生活在过去，他们不是很时髦，可能他们不会使用很多科技物品。

Helen: I see. So, if I don't have a mobile phone or have a computer, I could be… a dinosaur.

海伦：我明白了。所以，如果我没有手机或是没有电脑，我可能就是恐龙。

Rob: Exactly. Let's hear some examples.

罗布：没错。我们来听一些例子。

My grandfather just bought his first digital camera. I've been telling him to get one for years! He's a dinosaur when it comes to modern technology.

我祖父刚买了他的第一台数码相机。多年来我一直让他买一台！在谈到现代科技的时候，他真是个恐龙。

A: Have you met Jane's new husband?

A：你见过简的新丈夫吗？

B: Yes, he talks like someone from the 1930s. Really old-fashioned!

B：见过，他说话就像来自上世纪30年代的人。太过时了！

A: I know, he said he hates modern technology.

A：我知道，他说他讨厌现代科技。

B: Oh, he's such a dinosaur.

B：哦，他真是个恐龙。

Helen: So calling someone a dinosaur means they're not in touch with the modern world.

海伦：所以称呼某人为恐龙意思就是他们不太接触现代世界。

Rob: Yes, a bit old-fashioned, maybe conservative in their thinking, and not keen for new challenges.

罗布：对，有点过时，可能他们的想法很保守，不热衷于新挑战。

Helen: Well, I love modern technology.

海伦：嗯，我喜欢现代科技。

Rob: Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram?

罗布：你有用脸谱网吗？推特呢？Instagram呢？

Helen: No, what are these?

海伦：没有，那些都是什么？

Rob: Oh dear, Helen! You really are a dinosaur!

罗布：哦天哪，海伦！你真是个恐龙！

(sfx roar!)

（音响效果：咆哮的声音）

重点讲解：
1. go ahead
表示同意对方的请求，根据情况可译为：说吧，做吧，开始吧，进行吧；
eg. May I start? Yes， go ahead.
我可以开始了吗? 好，开始吧。
eg. Will you do me a favour? Go ahead.
请你帮个忙好吗? 说吧。
2. no wonder
（表示找出某事的原因）难怪，怪不得；
eg. As soon as he cannot meet the place looks up the material on the surfer, also no wonder he understands compared to others many.
他一遇到不懂的地方就上网查资料，也难怪他比别人懂得多。
eg. No wonder my friends began to think of me as being a little weird when it comes to movies.
难怪那时我的朋友们一说起电影就会觉得我很奇怪。
3. when it comes to
谈到；涉及；
eg. John is such a know it all when it comes to history. I wonder if he majored in history, or if it's just his hobby.
当谈到历史方面的内容时，约翰真是无所不知。我很想知道他是否专修过历史，或者仅仅是他的业余爱好。
eg. Experience has taught me that when it comes to creating life-long change, psychology plays much more of a role than physiology.
经验告诉我，如果要将某种改变持续一生，心理作用往往大于胜利作用。
4. old-fashioned
老式的；过时的；不时髦的；
eg. The house was dull, old-fashioned and in bad condition.
这幢房子死气沉沉、风格过时并且破败不堪。
eg. She has some old-fashioned values and can be a strict disciplinarian.
她的观念比较保守，有时过于严格地奉行纪律。
5. be in touch with
（与…）联络；（与…）联系；
eg. Lily was affected with flu, when she was in touch with the patient.
莉莉和病人接触的时候被感染而感冒了。
'll be in touch with you by telephone or by mail within a week.
我们会在一周内打电话或者写信联系你的。