A: 当当当! 本周美语训练班上课啦! 我是杨琳!
B: Welcome to American English Mosaic, 我是Kat! 杨琳，快说说咱们今天都要学什么?
A: 好! 今天，咱们要去看看有机食品的好处，学学怎么接受媒体采访，看看怎么说大力整顿，还要告诉大家怎么用美语说"普通人"和"人脉"!
B: 人脉很重要呀! Yanglin, don't you feel lucky to have a friend like me -- someone who has a very diverse social circle? 跟我混你能认识好多人呐!
A: OMG....对对对, 臭美冠军! 好了好了，不贫嘴了，我们赶快先来进入第一个单元，Learn a Word!
Learn A Word underwater
今天我们要学的词是underwater. Underwater is spelled u-n-d-e-r-w-a-t-e-r. Underwater本意是“水下的”，但用在商业上可以指资不抵债。美国房屋市场次贷危机产生了许多underwater mortgage，就是指房屋按揭额超过房屋市值的贷款。最近的统计发现，Despite rising home prices, more than 30% of borrowers were underwater on their mortgage during the first quarter of 2012. 虽然房价在上涨，但在2012年第一季度，美国贷款买房者中依然有百分之30的人的房子资不抵债。不过，Most underwater homeowners are still paying their mortgages on time. 大部分资不抵债的购房者依然在按时缴纳按揭。好的，今天我们学习的词是underwater, underwater, underwater.
B: Underwater mortgage? Buying a house is not something I see happening any time soon! When you mention the word "underwater," the only thing I can think of is jumping into the pool!
A: 哈! 对啊，我现在就天天在社区游泳池里游! 解暑又减肥!
B: Oh wow, there's a pool at your apartment complex? Can I go swimming with you, PLEASE?
A: Look at those puppy eyes, haha! 可以是可以，不过可能得等过一阵， They're serious about the rules and are cracking down on non-residents using the pool.... 咱们先避避风头....
B: Oh god....那好吧! 不过你刚才提到了一个很好的词儿，crack down, 咱们一起来看看这个习惯用语的用法!
Words and Idioms crack down (on)
现在播送<美国习惯用语>第 967讲。我是杨琳。
M：我是 Steve Baragona.
家长都希望孩子在学校成绩优异，所以会在功课上不遗余力地辅导和帮助孩子，不过，学校似乎觉得这种帮助得有个度。最近，我朋友收到孩子学校寄来的一份合 同，要求家长在上面签字，保证以后不能替孩子写作业，孩子必须交上独立完成的东西。学校的这种做法让我想到一个习惯用语，那就是:
M: Crack down. Crack is spelled c-r-a-c-k, and down; d-o-w-n. Crack-down. Crack down.
Crack down的意思是“大力整顿，严格管制”。上面说到，校长不愿意家长过份插手孩子的作业，所以试图严格限制这种做法，在这里就可以用 crack down. 在下面的例子中，小镇警方将采取行动，解决一个愈来愈严重的问题，我们来听一听:
M: "For months, motorists had been speeding down Main Avenue. They caused a number of accidents including pedestrians being hit. That's when more police officers were assigned to enforce the law. It's worked. Since we CRACKED DOWN on speeding, there have been fewer problems."
这段话意思是：[几个月来，开车的人总是在主街大道上超速飞车，结果发生了好多起交通事故，还有行人被撞到。为此，警方在那里增加了警力，加强执法。这种大力管制很有效，管制开始以来，事故的数量减少了。]
女：其实还可以在事故频发的路口安装摄像头，这样既节省了警力，又能更清楚有效地抓到违反交规的人。违章超速的司机本来洋洋自得，觉得没有警察管，可是会突然在某天接到罚单，因为被“电眼”逮到了!好的，言归正传，我们再来听听刚才那段话:
M: "For months, motorists had been speeding down Main Avenue. They caused a number of accidents including pedestrians being hit. That's when more police officers were assigned to enforce the law. It's worked. Since we CRACKED DOWN on speeding, there have been fewer problems."
刚才说了学校对学生、警察对违规者的严格管理和整顿，现在咱们来看看工作场所。一个严格的老板会怎么做呢?
M: "I know the employee manual says that we only have an hour for lunch. But once in a while I have an errand to run and I get back a few minutes late to the office. My new boss is so strict about the rules. She's taking notes on anyone who's not at his desk on time. She's really CRACKING DOWN ON us."
这段话是说：[我知道员工守则上说我们的午饭时间只有一个小时，不过有时我有些杂事要办，也会晚个几分钟回办公室。我的新老板对这条规定特别叫真儿。所有没按时回到办公桌前的员工都被她注意到。她管我们真是严格无比。]
大家看到了，如果在crack down 后面加人或物时，需要加介词on, to crack down on somebody or something意思就是大力整顿或者打击某事。另外，把crack 和down这两个词放在一起，就变成名词了crackdown, 意思一样，也是打击，镇压。比如，The government began a crackdown on piracy. 政府开始大力打击盗版活动。 好的，让我们再来听听刚才那段话:
M: "I know the employee manual says that we only have an hour for lunch. But once in a while I have an errand to run and I get back a few minutes late to the office. My new boss is so strict about the rules. She's taking notes on anyone who's not at his desk on time. She's really CRACKING DOWN ON us."
今天我们学习的习惯用语是 crack down，意思是“大力整顿，严格管制”。好的，这次[美国习惯用语]就到此结束，我是杨琳，我是 Steve Baragona。谢谢各位的收听。
B: I hope the crackdown is going to end soon! I can't wait to go swimming! 你看我们普通人住不起高档公寓....
A: 别装可怜了，我不吃这一套!!
B: Oh uh, 被发现了。不过刚才我提到普通人，这个词在美语里也有个说法，咱们一块去听听看!
