The english we speak(BBC教學)第349期:Donkey's years 很長時間

Why has Rob got a donkey in the studio?! It's probably got something with today's authentic English phrase which is about not doing something for a long time. How long will it take for Feifei to work out what it means?

爲什麼羅布要帶驢來演播室？！這可能與今天要講的地道英語短語有關，這個短語表示很長時間沒有做某事。菲菲需要多長時間能瞭解這個短語的意思？

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei...

菲菲：大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語節目。我是菲菲。

Rob: And I'm... Rob.

羅布：我是……羅布。

Feifei: Errr... sorry Rob. What did you say?

菲菲：呃……抱歉，羅布。你剛說什麼？

Rob: I said, I'm... Rob.

羅布：我說，我是……羅布。

Feifei: Right, and why have you brought a donkey into the studio?

菲菲：好吧，你爲什麼要帶頭驢來演播室？

Rob: To help with today's authentic English phrase – which is... donkey's years.

羅布：爲了幫助大家學習今天的地道英語短語——donkey's years。

Feifei: So is this about age and how I look like a donkey?

菲菲：這個短語是與年齡有關嗎？我看起來像驢嗎？

Rob: Not exactly Feifei. The phrase comes from rhyming slang – donkey's years rhymes with donkey's ears, yes?

羅布：不是的，菲菲。這個短語來自同韻俚語，donkey's years和donkey's ears押韻，對吧？

Feifei: Yes. 'Donkey's years' does rhyme with 'donkey's ears' – so you're saying my ears are like a donkey's?

菲菲：對，donkey's years的確和donkey's ears押韻，所以你的意思是說我的耳朵像驢耳朵？

Rob: No. Unlike your ears, donkey's ears are long and when we say we haven't done something for 'donkey's years' we mean we haven't done something for a long time.

羅布：不是。和你的耳朵不一樣，驢耳朵非常長，當我們說“很長時間”沒有做某事的意思是，我們很久沒有做過這件事了。

Feifei: Right. Good, so it's got nothing do with me looking like a donkey?

菲菲：好。很好，所以不是說我長得像驢？

Rob: Absolutely not. Let's hear the phrase in action...

羅布：當然不是了。我們來聽一下這個短語如何應用。

Examples

例句

I'm so bored; I've been doing this job for donkey's years!

我太無聊了，這個工作我已經做了很長時間了！

I haven't driven a car for donkey's years; I hope I can remember what to do.

我已經很久沒有開過車了；希望我還記得應該怎麼做。

We've got to go to Lily's party; I haven't seen her for donkey's years so it'll be great to catch up.

我們要去參加莉莉的派對；我有很多年沒有見過她了，所以敘敘舊還是很不錯的。

Feifei: That's 'donkey's years' – when we haven't done something for donkey's years, we haven't done it for a very long time. So Rob, I could say we haven't been to the cinema for donkey's years?

菲菲：所以這個短語的意思是，我們很長時間不做某事，也就是我們很久都沒有做過這件事了。羅布，我可以說我們很久沒去過電影院了嗎？

Rob: Yes and you'd be correct. We haven't. Shall we go now?

羅布：可以，你說得對。我們很久沒去過了。我們現在去吧？

Feifei: OK. But does your donkey have to come too?

菲菲：好。不過你的驢也要和我們一起去嗎？

Rob: Oh look, he's very excited!

羅布：哦，快看，它現在非常興奮！

Feifei: Yuk! I can see... What's that on the floor?

菲菲：哈哈！我看到了……地板上那是什麼？

Rob: Ooooh yes! Perhaps we'll leave him shall we, clear that up later. Perhaps he could present some more programmes while we're away.

羅布：哦，是的！也許我們應該把它留在這裏，一會兒再來清理。也許我們不在的時候，它可以多做幾期節目。

Feifei: Ha – that is donkey work! Bye.

菲菲：哈哈，那可是單調又乏味的工作！再見。

Rob: Bye.

羅布：再見。

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重點講解：
1. come from 來自；始於；
例句：Correct ideas come from social practice.
正確的思想來自社會實踐。
2. donkey's years 很久；多年；
例句：I've been a vegetarian for donkey's years.
多年以來我一直是個素食者。
3. catch up 瞭解近況；敘舊；
例句：The ladies spent some time catching up on each other's health and families.
女士們花了點時間敘舊，聊了聊彼此的健康和家庭狀況。
4. clear up 整理；收拾；
例句：After breakfast they played while I cleared up.
早飯後，他們玩耍，我收拾餐具。