很长时间
Donkey's years
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.
大家好，欢迎收听地道英语。
I'm Feifei…
我是菲菲……
And I'm… Rob.
我是……罗布。
Errr… sorry Rob.
呃……抱歉罗布。
What did you say?
你说什么？
I said, I'm… Rob.
我说，我是……罗布。
Right, and why have you brought a donkey into the studio?
对，为什么你要带一头驴到演播室来呢？
To help with today's authentic English phrase –
为了帮助大家学习今天的地道英语——
which is… donkey's years.
“驴子的很多年”。
So is this about age and how I look like a donkey?
这是关于年纪的吗，我看起来像驴子吗？
Not exactly Feifei.
不是的菲菲。
The phrase comes from rhyming slang –
这个短语来自于同韵俚语——
donkey's years rhymes with donkey's ears, yes?
驴子的很多年和驴子的耳朵押韵，对吧？
Yes.
对。
Donkey's years' does rhyme with 'donkey's ears' –
“驴子的很多年”确实和“驴子的耳朵”押韵——
so you're saying my ears are like a donkey's?
所以你是说我的耳朵像驴子的吗？
No no no.
不不不。
Unlike your ears, donkey's ears are long
和你的耳朵不一样，驴子的耳朵很长，
and when we say we haven't done something for 'donkey's years' we mean we haven't done something for a long time.
当我们说我们“很长时间”没做某事的时候，我们的意思是很久没做某事了。
Right.
对。
Good, so it's got nothing do with me looking like a donkey?
很好，所以不是说我看上去像驴子咯？
Absolutely not.
当然不是。
Let's hear the phrase in action…
让我们听听这个短语是怎么用的吧……
I'm so bored;
我好无聊啊；
I've been doing this job for donkey's years!
我做这个工作已经很久了！
I haven't driven a car for donkey's years;
我已经很久没开车了；
I hope I can remember what to do.
希望我还记得怎么做。
We've got to go to Lily's party;
我们得去参加莉莉的派对；
I haven't seen her for donkey's years so it'll be great to catch up.
我已经很久没见她了，所以小聚一下还是很棒的。
That's 'donkey's years' –
这就是这个短语——
when we haven't done something for donkey's years, we haven't done it for a very long time.
当我们很长时间不做某件事时，就是我们很久没做这件事了。
So Rob, I could say we haven't been to the cinema for donkey's years?
所以罗布，我能说我们很久没去电影院了吗？
Yes and you'd be correct.
对，你说对了。
We haven't.
我们很久没去了。
Shall we go now?
我们现在去好吗？
OK.
好。
But does your donkey have to come too?
但是你的驴子也要一起去吗？
Oh look, he's very excited!
噢看，它很兴奋！
Yuk!
哈哈！
I can see…
我能看到……
What's that on the floor?
地板上是什么东西？
Ooooh yes!
噢是的！
Perhaps we'll leave him shall we, clear that up later.
也许我们应该把它留在这里，一会儿再清理这些。
Perhaps he could present some more programmes while we're away.
我们不在的时候，说不定它能多做点节目呢。
Ha – that is donkey work!
哈——那就是艰苦单调而又无趣的工作了！
Bye.
再见。
Bye.
再见。
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