流行美语: flip out ; get off my back

李华来laundromat洗衣服，正巧碰上也在那儿洗衣服的Michael. 在他们二人一起洗衣服的时候，Michael教给了李华两个流行的美语：Flip out和 off my back。

L: Michael,最近你跟邻居处的如何？他们每天晚上还是吵的很厉害吗？

M: It’s funny you should mention that. Last night they had their music turned on so loud that I finally just flipped out and went over and yelled at them.

L: 你做的对，你终于去吼他们了。可是你刚才说你flipped out，那是什么意思啊? 是不是指你气疯了的意思？

M：Yeah, to flip out means to go crazy because you are very angry about something. People sometimes flip out because they just can't stand something anymore.

L: 你在忍了好多个星期整日震天价响的吵声之后，终于忍无可忍对他们大发雷霆了。

M: Yes. I really don’t like to complain to my neighbors, but it was so loud that my windows were shaking.

L: 我真不敢相信在昨晚之前你早没有气疯。你怎么能够读书呢？更别说晚上睡觉了。

M: Well, it is pretty difficult.

L: 我要是你的话，早在八百年前就发火了。对了，你能不能再给我举个例子来说明怎么用 flip out?

M: Let me see. Well, do you remember I told you about the time I left my keys in the door of my apartment overnight? When my roommate found the keys in the morning, he totally flipped out.

L:你是不是说他因为昨晚你把钥匙整夜忘在公寓门外的锁上使他大为光火了？

M: Yeah, he was so angry that I thought he was going to kill me. He said that, since we don’t live in a very good neighborhood, I should be more careful. He said I had put both of our lives in danger.

L: 他我想你该更小心点，不过我认为你是无心之失，他实在不必生那么大气flipped out。

M: Well, my roommate was always getting angry at me for one thing or another. I am glad he doesn’t live with me anymore.

L: Hey, Michael, 你的衣服是不是洗好了?

M: Yeah, I have to put my clothes in the dryer.

L: So, Michael, 你告诉我你怒气冲天地对你邻居大吼大叫，可是你没告诉我他们的反应是什么。

M: Not very well. The girl just yelled at me and said “get off my back”. I think I’m going to have to talk to the apartment company.

L: 我的老天，他们非但没向你道歉，居然还朝着你吼。不过那个女孩说“get off my back”是什么意思啊？

M: To “get off my back” means to leave me alone or stop bugging me about something.

L: Oh,要是你说“get off my back”, 就是表示：别管我闲事或是说别为了什么事来烦我。

M: She told me to get off her back, because they were just having some friends over and listening to some music.

L: 说所以当你告诉别人get off your back, 也就是要他别来烦你的时候，同时表示你认为你根本没做甚么错事。

M: That’s right, Li Hua. Well, her roommate was a little more polite to me. She said they would turn down the music a little bit. But a couple hours later, they turned it back up again.

L:现在你要怎么办啊？ Michael?

M: I think I’ve got to talk to the apartment company now. I don’t care if that girl told me to get off her back.

L: 我想既然你的邻居根本不理会你，那就是唯一可行的办法了。有了什么结果再告诉我， Michael!

今天在洗衣时，Michael告诉李华说他的邻居实在太吵了，以致他因为太愤怒flip out而去吼骂邻居，但是他的邻居恼羞成怒，要他get off her back，也就是要 Michael别管她闲事，别再烦她。

(ZT)