Hannah晚上要和老公出去看电影，所以雇了临时保姆Elliot来家里照顾女儿Amber。

Professor: During the last episode at the playground Amber hit another child and stole the ball he was playing with. She sounds like a troublemaker, doesn't she?

可不是嘛! 看来Elliot今晚有得忙了!

Hannah: Hi there, Elliot. Thanks for being on time. We're just about to leave for the movie.

Elliot: Hi Hannah. You know, I love kids. I think I will have a lot of fun with Amber.

Hannah: That's great, but I should warn you: Amber can be a handful.

Elliot: Don't worry, I'm a very patient person. Even if Amber misbehaves I'm sure she won't get on my nerves.

Professor, Hannah提醒Elliot, 说 "Amber is a handful," 这是什么意思呢？

Professor: You can say someone is "a handful" if he or she gives you lots of trouble. For example, "Paul's girlfriend is really a handful. He has to call her 10 times per day or she complains he doesn't care about her."

原来，a handful就是那些非常难伺候，总惹麻烦的家伙。不过，Elliot说，自己很有耐心，即Amber不听话，也不会get on his nerves - 惹他生气。

Hannah: First, let me give you some basic rules. Amber has to finish all her dinner. If she doesn't, she can't watch TV.

Elliot: What should I cook for her? Is she a picky eater?

Hannah: I left her dinner in the refrigerator. Make sure you stand on the other side of the room when she eats.

Elliot: Why do I have to do that?

Hannah: Sometimes if Amber doesn't like the food I make her, she screams and throws it at me.

天呀，Hannah说， 如果Amber不喜欢吃什么东西，就会大喊大叫，还会把吃的扔出去! 如果让我看这种孩子，我每小时得要100美金!

Professor: I agree. But Winnie, can you guess what a "picky eater" is?

Hmm...picky是 "挑剔"的意思，所以 "picky eater"应该是"挑食的人。"

Professor: Correct. And what does Hannah say will happen if Amber doesn't eat her dinner?

她说，如果Amber不把饭吃完，就不许看电视。

Elliot: She might throw her food at me? Alright ... what should I do with her before dinner?

Hannah: Before dinner you have to help her do her homework. But watch her very carefully when she is holding the pen.

Elliot: Why?

Hannah: If she doesn't know the answer she gets really mad and draws all over the wall.

Elliot: What? Well it's good she is so serious about doing her homework, I guess....

啊？Amber不会做作业，就会发脾气，在墙上乱画？! 这孩子太可怕了，我要是Elliot，现在就拍屁股走人!

Professor: I agree. She definitely doesn't sound like an angel.

An angel? 小天使？

Professor: Yes. Sometimes if a child is really well behaved and nice, you can say that he or she is "an angel."

还天使呢，我看，Amber根本就是个小恶魔!

Elliot: What should I do if she misbehaves?

Hannah: Amber can be really stubborn, so it's probably best to just give her whatever she wants.

Elliot: You mean I shouldn't discipline her at all?

Hannah: No, don't try to discipline her. If things get out of hand, just call my cell phone.

Elliot: What time will you be home? Very soon, I hope?

Hannah: We will be back by midnight. Make yourself at home!

Elliot 有点打退堂鼓了。也是的，Amber听起来好象一点规矩都没有。

Professor: That's right, when parents don't discipline their children, they can get really "out of hand."

可不是么，对于这种不听话的孩子，家长更应该discipline - 严格管教，否则，他们就会out of hand - 管不了了。对了，Professor, Hannah让Elliot "make himself at home," 这是什么意思？

Professor: When you have guests at your house and you want them to feel relaxed, you can tell them to make themselves at home. It means "to act as if you are in your own house."

哦，就是把这里当自己家，不用客气的意思。如果我家有个Amber这样的小魔王，我就。。。

Professor: What would you do?

赶快搬走！

这次的美语三级跳就播送到这里。

• definitely [´definitli]   ad.明确地；绝对   (初中英语单词)
• whatever [wɔt´evə]   pron.&a.无论什么   (初中英语单词)
• discipline [´disiplin]   n.纪律；训练   (初中英语单词)
• midnight [´midnait]   n.午夜；漆黑   (初中英语单词)
• playground [´pleigraund]   n.操场；运动场   (高中英语单词)
• handful [hændful]   n.一把，少数，一小撮   (高中英语单词)
• refrigerator [ri´fridʒəreitə]   n.(电气)冰箱   (高中英语单词)
• stubborn [´stʌbən]   a.顽固的；坚持的   (高中英语单词)
• episode [´episəud]   n.插曲；一段情节   (英语四级单词)
• holding [´həuldiŋ]   n.保持，固定，存储   (英语六级单词)