L: Michael,最近你跟邻居处的怎么样? 她们是不是每天晚上还是吵得很厉害呀?
M: It's funny you should mention that. Last night they had their music turned on so loud that I finally just flipped out and went over there and yelled at them.
L: 你做的对,你终于去吼他们了。可是你刚才说你flipped out,那是什么意思啊? 是不是指你气疯了的意思?
M: Yeah, to flip out means to go crazy because you are so angry about something. People sometimes flip out because they just can't stand it anymore.
L: 哎哟,你也真可怜,忍了这么多星期以后终于忍无可忍,要对他们发火了。
M: I know. I really don't like to complain about my neighbors, but it was so loud. My windows were shaking.
L: 我真不敢相信以前你是怎么忍受下来的。你怎么能够念书呢?更别说晚上睡觉了。
M: Well, it is pretty difficult.
L: 我要是你的话,早在八百年前就发火了。对了,你能不能再给我举个例子来说明怎么用flip out?
M: Let me see. Well, do you remember I told you about the time I left my keys in the door of my apartment overnight? When my roommate found the keys in the morning, he totally flipped out.
L: 你是说你那天晚上把钥匙整夜忘在公寓门外,结果你室友气得要命,对你发火啊?
M: Yeah, he was so angry, I thought he might actually kill me. He said that since we don't live in a very good neighborhood, I should be more careful. He said I put both of our lives in danger.
L: 我想你是应该小心点,不过我认为你是无心之过嘛,他实在不必生那么大气flipped out。
M: Well, my roommate was always getting angry at me for one thing or another. I am glad he doesn't live with me anymore.
L: Hey,Michael,你的衣服是不是洗好了?
M: Yeah, I have to put my clothes in the dryer now.
L: So, Michael, 告诉我,你昨天对你邻居大吼大叫的, 她们的反应是什么呢?
M: Not very well. The girl just yelled at me and said get off my back. I think I'm going to have to talk to the apartment company.
L: 天哪, 她们不但不向你道歉,居然还朝着你吼啊。不过你说那个女孩说get off my back是什么意思啊?
M: To get off my back means to leave me alone or stop bugging me about something. Get, g-e-t, off, o-f-f, my back, b-a-c-k.
L: Oh,要是你说get off my back,就是说:少管我闲事或是说别为了什么事来烦我。
M: She told me to get off her back, because they were just having friends over and listening to some music.
L: 所以当你告诉别人get off your back, 除了要他别来烦你,也表示你认为自己没做错事。
M: That's right, Li Hua. Well, I mean her roommate was a little more polite to me. She said they would turn the music down a little bit. But a couple hours later, they just turned it back up again.
L: 现在你要怎么办啊? Michael?
M: I think I've got to talk to the apartment company now. I don't care if that girl told me to get off her back.
L: 我想既然她根本不理会你,那也是唯一的办法了。有了什么结果再告诉我, Michael!