Popular American #109

come clean
no sweat

今天Larry和Li Hua一边开车一边在车上听广播，Li Hua会学到两个常用语：come clean和no sweat。

(Highway & traffic SFX)

LL:  Hey, Li Hua, did you hear that?  The president of that corporation finally came clean about stealing several million dollars.

LH:  什么什么？我刚才没注意听，你说那个公司总裁怎么啦？他来上班的时候干干净净？这和偷几百万美元有什么关系呀？

LL:   No, I said, "He finally came clean about stealing several million dollars." It means "He finally admitted he stole several million dollars."  To come clean about something is to admit to it. 

LH:  噢，to come clean about something 原来就是“坦白承认”。你刚才是说那个公司总裁最后终于承认他偷了几百万美元。这么说，Larry, 要是我做错了事，然后承认做错了，那我就是come clean 喽？

LL:  That's right.  If you cheat on a test and then tell the professor because you feel guilty, then you are coming clean about your mistake.

LH:  Hey, Larry, 你可别瞎说，我考试从来不作弊，心里没鬼，更不用去教授那儿认错。你刚才闯了红灯，我看呐，你还是干脆承认你的开车技术不怎么样吧！

LL: What? You want me to come clean about my bad driving? What stop light?  There wasn't a stop light.  Don't tease me like that.

LH:  我知道没有红绿灯，我只不过是逗你玩儿呢！

LL:  Speaking of coming clean about things, did your roommate ever come clean about stealing your CD?

LH:  没有！我那个同屋偷了我的CD死活都不承认，可是我敢肯定是她偷的。

LL:  How do you know?

LH:  有一天我看见她的CD夹子在桌上开着，我那张CD明明就在里面。

LL:  Well, if she's not going to come clean about it, then maybe you should just take it back.

LH:  那可不行，她不愿意承认是她的问题，我可不想乱翻她的东西。

LL:  Then you really need to find a new roommate.  You should just come clean and admit that you made a mistake when you moved in with her.

LH:  你说得对，Larry，我真该换个同屋，早知道这样，一开始就不该和这个人搬到一起。

******

LH:  哎哟，Larry, 你刚才拐弯的时候开这么快，我把可乐撒在车座上，把你的车给弄脏了。

LL:  No sweat.  I'll stop at that gas station and we can get some stuff to clean it up.

LH:  那我们赶紧开到前面那个加油站擦擦干净吧！可是你还说 - No sweat - 别出汗？噢，你的意思是让我别着急，是不是？

LL:  That's right! No sweat means "don't worry about it" or "it's okay."  Don't worry about the coke.  We can clean it up.

LH:  你以前还教过我一个类似的短语，是Don't sweat it! 也是“别担心，别着急”的意思。除了可以说Don't sweat it, 也可以说No sweat。可是，Larry, 我还是挺不安的，你看我撒了这么多可乐，这能擦干净吗？

LL:  As I said, no sweat.  The seats are leather, so they are really easy to clean.

LH:  噢，这种皮制的车座很容易擦干净啊？这我就放心了。哎，Larry, 你能不能再给我举个 no sweat 的例子?

LL:  Well, if someone accidentally bumps into you in the hallway and they say, "sorry," you can tell them, "no sweat."

LH:  嗯，要是有人在楼道里不小心撞到我，他如果说sorry, 我就可以说，No sweat! 也就是没关系的意思。Larry, 昨天我和一个朋友约好一起吃午饭，可是他没来。我估计是忘了，我下次见到他能不能也对他说No sweat呢？

LL:  Well, personally, that would upset me, but if he comes clean about the fact that he has forgotten to meet you, then you can tell him no sweat.

LH:   对，让我白等是挺让人恼火的。你说得对，要是他承认是把约会给忘了，那我就会告诉他 No sweat - Don't worry about it 。

今天李华从Larry那儿学到了两个常用语。一个是come clean, 意思是“坦白承认”。另一个常用语是 no sweat,  意思是“别着急，别担心”。