李華和Larry 一起去騎馬。李華今天要學兩個常用語，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？你說那匹黑馬嗎？如果我沒理解錯， 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，有的馬性情暴躁，會把騎手從馬背上摔下來，看來真
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，那個英國名模，我們叫他黑珍珠，她還有一次因為行李丟了，
大發(fā)雷霆，還動手打了警察呢！

    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？你說誰？

    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校隊很厲害，可是沒聽說過他們教練的故事。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：他竟然在比賽的時候把椅子扔到賽場上？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，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：你不會是喜歡上這匹黑馬了吧？你忘了，剛才它還對你又踢又咬呢！

    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：我有點兒明白了。像是我中文班里有幾個特別好的學生，可是不知道為
什么，反而是一個學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，有人就是不擅長學語言，那個學生發(fā)音不夠標準，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：他雖然不是個天才型的學生，可是每天上課都特別努力。我想喜歡他，
大概是因為希望他能學好吧。

    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，誰它要吃到什么時候。

    今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是mean streak ，指壞脾氣。另一個是soft
spot，指為什么事情動心。