這個(gè)故事講述了一個(gè)自作聰明的人在聚會(huì)上不知道何時(shí)適可而止。閱讀這個(gè)故事，學(xué)習(xí)文中的習(xí)語(yǔ)，并利用后面的定義解釋增進(jìn)理解。試著閱讀下面的故事，第一次時(shí)，在不看后面定義的前提下去理解故事梗概。最后，完成故事末尾的測(cè)試。

Wise Guy

自作聰明的人

Last week I was at a party having a great time when a wise guy really started to bother me.

上周，我在一個(gè)聚會(huì)上玩得十分開(kāi)心，直到被一個(gè)自作聰明的人弄得興致全無(wú)。

The party started off very nicely, there were lots of people and plenty of good food and, of course, everybody was drinking quite a bit. My friends and I were chewing the fat about the past week when this guy joined our conversation. We continued our conversation and everything was very pleasant. A friend of mine was letting off steam about some problems he was having at work. Suddenly, the wise guy asked a loaded question about one of our colleagues. We thought he was horsing around, so we really didn't answer his question. I mean, it's not a good idea to take a dig at a colleague no matter how much you might dislike him. We continued our conversation although it was clear that the new guy really wanted to have a run-in because he kept asking stupid questions.

聚會(huì)一開(kāi)始進(jìn)展得十分順利，賓客如云，美食眾多。當(dāng)然，人們都舉杯暢飲。在這個(gè)家伙加入我們的談話前，我和朋友們聊著上周發(fā)生的事。我們繼續(xù)著談話，一切都那么美好。我的一個(gè)朋友抱怨著工作上遇到的煩心事。突然，這個(gè)自作聰明的人問(wèn)了我的同事一個(gè)別有用心的問(wèn)題。我們覺(jué)得他是在找茬，就沒(méi)有回答他的問(wèn)題。我的意思是說(shuō)，不管你多么不喜歡你的同事，挖苦他也是不好的。雖然這個(gè)家伙很顯然想插嘴，因?yàn)樗煌５貑?wèn)一些愚蠢的問(wèn)題，但我們?nèi)岳^續(xù)著自己的談話。

It became clear that we weren't going to answer any of his questions. This led him to start talking big about all his projects, business deals and how important he was.

顯而易見(jiàn)，我們不準(zhǔn)備回答他的任何問(wèn)題。于是他開(kāi)始吹噓起自己所有的項(xiàng)目、生意和本事。

In other words, the guy was full of hot air. In fact, he seemed to be a sitting duck for someone. It didn't take long. One of my friends decided he wouldn't pull his punches and started to make fun of everything the guy said. It just got worse and worse. Finally, my friend told the guy to put a sock in it.

換句話說(shuō)，這個(gè)家伙滿嘴都在跑火車(chē)。事實(shí)上，對(duì)于別人來(lái)說(shuō)，他似乎就是一個(gè)容易被打擊的對(duì)象。沒(méi)過(guò)多久，我的一個(gè)朋友決定挫挫他的銳氣，開(kāi)始取笑起他說(shuō)的話。結(jié)果玩笑越開(kāi)越大。最后，我的朋友告訴這個(gè)家伙讓他閉嘴。

Still, the guy continued on about what a fantastic life he had, the great vacations he had taken, the amazing job offers he got every week, on and on he went. The last straw was when he told us about the brand new hot car he had bought. My friend turned to the man and told him that everything he had told us was a snow job. He obviously didn't have a job, friends or a fancy car. He was, in fact, a wise guy. He had hit the bull's-eye. It was rather sad, but you could see how embarrassed the poor guy felt. It was all rather sad.

但是他仍然吹噓這自己過(guò)著多么有趣的生活、享受這多么棒的假期，以及每周收到多好的工作機(jī)會(huì)。我朋友告訴他，他所說(shuō)的一切都是謊言。顯而易見(jiàn)，這個(gè)家伙既沒(méi)有工作，朋友，也沒(méi)有豪車(chē)。事實(shí)上，他就是在自作聰明。這真是一針見(jiàn)血。雖然很悲慘，但你可以看到這個(gè)可憐蟲(chóng)有多么窘迫。真是太慘了。

Idioms Used in the Story

故事中的習(xí)語(yǔ)

talk big = to speak about your own successes or plans in an exaggerated way

用夸張的方式談?wù)撟约旱某晒蛴?jì)劃

take a dig at someone = to criticize someone

批評(píng)某人

last straw = something that happens that makes someone take action

使某人的忍耐突破極限的某事

put a sock in it = shut up, be quiet

閉嘴，安靜點(diǎn)

hot air = conversation is exaggerated and not true

大話

horse around = to joke and do silly things

胡鬧，做蠢事

hit the bull's-eye = to be right about something

掌握事物的關(guān)鍵

sitting duck = to be an obvious target for criticism

容易攻擊的對(duì)象

chew the fat = to discuss, have a chat

討論，聊天

have a run-in = to have a disagreement with someone

不贊同某人

let off steam = to say or do something in order to relax

說(shuō)或做某事以舒緩壓力

loaded question = a question that means to trap someone into saying something

別有用心的問(wèn)題

wise guy = a person who tends to joke and exaggerate too much

開(kāi)玩笑，夸大其詞的人

snow job = a lie or false story

謊言或騙局

pull one's punches = to not criticize although you could - often used in the negative

故意不猛烈打擊——常用于否定句