VOA流行美語 Unit 7: choke; money
Michael和李華今天去看籃球比賽。球賽是在紐約大型室內體育館[麥迪遜廣場花園]舉行，這場比賽是華盛頓的球隊對紐約的球隊。 Michael到中國去學過中文，他讓李華跟他講中文，以便練習聽力。現在他們倆正在排隊進入體育館。今天他們在對話中會用choke和 money這兩個詞。
L: 嗨，Michael，謝謝你買到這麼好的票！我真高興能到[麥迪遜廣場]來看球。這可是有名的體育館喲！
M： No problem! I am really happy you could come. Yeah, I love coming to the Garden to watch basketball games.
L: 你也喜歡來這裏看籃球比賽啊，那太好了。今天是紐約隊比華盛頓隊，你看結局會怎樣？
M：Well, Li Hua, I think New York is going to lose. Knowing them, their going to choke.
L: 你說紐約隊會輸？你還說什麼 choke? 你是說他們吃飯時會噎着啦？這跟輸球有什麼關係，我不懂。
M：No, no, no! They're not going to choke on their food! It's the same word with the same spelling, but it has a different meaning. Here, choke means to fail under pressure.
L：噢，我懂了。 你說的choke 是指紐約隊會抵擋不住華盛頓球隊的壓力而輸掉，對嗎？
M: Yes! And choke has many uses. How else do you think it can be used?
L: Choke 可以用在很多地方。考試考糟了，可以用choke 這個字吧？
M: Yes! In fact, I choked on a test last week.
L：你上星期考試考糊了？嘿，Michael，我還知道怎麼用choke這個字。你不是老想請那個姑娘出去玩嗎？你請她，她連電話都不回，這可真讓你choked了，對不對？
M：It seems like you really understand this word! Yeah, but it doesn't matter with that girl because I don't like her anyway.
L: 噢，你說得可真輕鬆，沒關係，因爲你不喜歡她。好，那你告訴我你喜歡哪個女孩吶？
M：Oh, that doesn't matter. Let's go to our seats！
L: 好，好， 去找位置吧！
(Michael和李華找到了自己的座位)
L: Michael，你看，紐約隊看來不會輸，他們贏了兩個球，現在還剩十秒了。只要紐約隊不失去球，他們就不會輸。
M：I think that New York is going to win. Maybe they won't choke after all.
L：你也認爲紐約隊可能不會輸？等等，你看，紐約隊丟了球！這下他們完了！華盛頓隊要求暫停，他們還有贏的機會。
M：Washington is going to win. Michael Jordan will make the last shot. He is money.
L: 你認爲華盛頓球隊會贏，Michael Jordan 會投進最後一個球。你說 "He is money "是說他會賺錢嗎？
M：No, by money, here I mean that he performs consistently at a high level.
L: 噢，這兒的money不是指錢，是指他打球一直保持在高水平上，一直打得很棒。
M：Yes, you could say Yao Ming is money too.
L: 姚明當然很棒，所以也可以說：Yao Ming is money。那我們班的 Steven，他考試總是考得很好，也能說，He is money?
M：Yup. He's money. You can also call things money. For example, this pizza we are eating is money.
L: 原來凡是好的東西都可以說是money。我們正在吃的比薩餅是很好吃，所以也可以說是money.
M：Do you think the coffee shop we like to go to is money?
L: 我們常去的咖啡館當然非常好，我一有空就想去。
M: Michael Jordan won the game! I told you he is money!
L: Michael Jordan贏得了比賽，他就是棒。
M：Let's get going, though. I have to study for a test. I don't want to choke on the test again.
L: 好吧，你快回去準備考試吧，我知道你要再考糊，就麻煩了。
Michael和李華今天在對話裏用的兩個詞意思是相對的。 To choke是糟糕，失敗的意思；而money是保持高水平，非常棒的意思。最好大家都不要choke，都成爲money，那就太棒了。今天的[流行美語]就到此結束，我們下次再見。
