The english we speak(BBC教學)第279期:Until you're blue in the face 任憑你磨破嘴皮

What's making Rob so angry? He's been shouting at someone but they're not listening to him. It's time to learn a phrase about the colour of his face.

什麼事讓羅布這麼生氣？他一直在對別人大喊，可是他們根本不聽他的。現在是時候學習有關他臉部顏色的詞組了。

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei and joining me today is Rob.... Errr Rob, wake up!

菲菲：大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語節目。我是菲菲，今天和我一起主持節目的是羅布。額……羅布，醒醒！

Rob: Oh yeah hi everyone.

羅布：哦，大家好。

Feifei: What's wrong Rob?

菲菲：羅布，你怎麼了？

Rob: It's the kids. My house is a mess — toys, pencils, paints everywhere — and I've been trying to get them to clear everything up.

羅布：都是孩子們鬧的。我們家一片混亂，到處都是玩具、鉛筆和顏料，我一直試圖讓他們清理乾淨。

Feifei: And I guess you haven't been successful?

菲菲：我猜你並沒說動他們吧？

Rob: That's right. I shouted at them until I was blue in the face — but the house is still a mess.

羅布：沒錯。我一直對他們大喊，可是我嘴皮子磨破了都沒用，房子還是一團糟。

Feifei: Rob, you don't look blue to me — just your normal colour.

菲菲：羅布，在我看來你的臉並沒有變成藍色，還是正常的膚色。

Rob: I know that — what I mean is, I'm wasting my time because it won't happen — whatever I say I won't get the result I want...

羅布：我知道，我的意思是我一直在浪費時間，因爲不管我說什麼，我都不會得到我想要的結果……

Feifei: h is a tidy house. Hmm, so saying something 'until you're blue in the face' means telling someone something is a waste of time because nothing will happen or change. Oh dear Rob, it sounds like you have no control over your kids.

菲菲：整潔的房子。嗯，所以until you're blue in the face這個短語的意思是讓某人做某事就是在浪費時間，因爲什麼都不會發生，什麼都不會改變。天哪，羅布，聽起來你管不了你的孩子。

Rob: You're probably right. But I'm not alone — let's hear some other people who are 'blue in the face'...

羅布：你可能是對的。不過不是我一個人這樣，我們聽聽還有誰磨破嘴皮子也沒用吧。

Examples

例句

I've told him to get here on time until I'm blue in the face but still he continues to arrive late.

我告訴他準時到這裏來，可是我嘴皮子磨破了也沒用，他還是遲到了。

He told her not to break the speed limit on the motorway until he was blue in the face but she still did it and guess what? She got a speeding ticket!

他讓她在高速公路上不要超速，可是就算他嘴皮子磨破臉色發青也沒用，她還是超速了，你猜最後怎麼着？她收到了一張超速罰單！

Feifei: So saying 'until I'm blue in the face' means even though you keep saying something, nobody will listen to you. I know what that's like Rob.

菲菲：所以這個短語的意思是雖然你一直在說某件事，可是沒有人聽你的。羅布，我知道那種感覺。

Rob: Really?

羅布：真的嗎？

Feifei: Yes. Every time you make me a coffee I always ask you to put two sugars in it — but you never do!

菲菲：嗯。每次你給我衝咖啡，我都讓你給我加兩塊糖，可是你從來沒這麼做過！

Rob: Err, pardon Feifei? Sorry I wasn't listening. I'm so tired.

羅布：額，菲菲，你剛纔說什麼？抱歉，我剛纔沒聽清你說什麼。我實在太累了。

Feifei: Why are you so tired Rob? All you did was ask the kids to tidy up.

菲菲：羅布，你爲什麼這麼累？你只是讓孩子們整理房子而已。

Rob: Yes but because they didn't listen to me, I had to tidy everything up.

羅布：是，可是他們不聽我的話，所以我不得不自己整理房子。

Feifei: Actually I can see that... you really are blue in the face — look you've got blue paint there... and there... and there...

菲菲：實際上，我可以看出來，你的臉上的確有藍色，你臉上那裏有藍色的顏料，那裏也有，那裏也有……

Rob: Arghhh! Those damn kids!

羅布：啊！這些可惡的孩子們！

Feiefi: Calm down Rob. Your face is turning red!

菲菲：冷靜，羅布。你的臉已經變紅了！

Both: Bye!

羅布：再見！

譯文屬僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載

重點講解：
1. wake up 醒；醒來；喚醒；弄醒；
例句：He did notwake upuntil 11 o'clock in the morning.
他上午十一點才醒。
2. clear up 整理；收拾；
例句：She tell him toclear upthe mess he have make.
她要他清理好他弄得亂七八糟的東西。
3. on time 準時；
例句：The rain kept us from getting thereon time.
那場雨使我們不能準時到達那裏。
4. tidy up 收拾；整理；
例句：You'd bettertidy upbefore the guests arrive.
客人們到達前，你最好先把東西整理一下。
5. calm down (使)平靜下來；(使)鎮定下來；
例句：Calm down! Don't get so agitated.
平靜下來！別那麼激動。