5. He's out for lunch. Would you like to try again an hour later?他出去吃午餐了, 你要不要一小时后再打来?
受到中文的影响, 许多人要讲某人‘出去’吃午餐了常会说成, "He went out for lunch." 其实这个 went 是多余的, 通常老美只讲 be out for something 就行了. 如果要再简化一点, 单说, "He is on lunch." 或是 "He is on (lunch) break." (他正在休息时间.) 这样子也可以.
如果别人要找的人不在, 通常我们有二种选择, 第一种是请别人晚点再打来, 除了像例句用 try again/ call again 之外, 我们也可以用 call back/ try back 这样的讲法. 例如你可以建议别人, "Why don't you call back in 30 minutes?" (你何不 30 分钟后再打来呢?) 第二种选择就是请对方留言, 客气一点的讲法是, "May I take your message?" 或是 "Would you like to leave a message?" (你想留言吗?)
6. She is not here but you can call her machine.她不在这里, 但是你可以打她的电话答录机.
老美管电话答录机叫 answering machine 或是也有少数人叫 answer machine. 但是在一般的对话中常常简称 machine. 例如 "You can call her machine." 就是说, 你可以打她的电话答录机留言. 或是你打电话给某人, 但你想他很可能不在, 这时你就可以说, "I'm expecting a machine." (我想会是电话答录机接的电话.) 如果是 "I want to check on my machine." 则是说我要检查电话答录机里的留言.
记得喔! 通常人家讲 someone's machine 时百分之九十九都是指电话答录机而言, 你可别傻傻地问人, "Answering machine?" 像六人行 (Friends) 里有一集 Chandler 说, "I got her machine." 结果 Joey 还呆呆地问他, "Her answering machine?" Chandler 就讽刺 Joey 的无知说, "No. interestingly enough, her leaf blower (machine) picked up the phone." (很有趣喔, 不是电话答录机喔! 而是她的吹落叶机接的电话.) 注: 美国的萿叶都不是用扫的, 而是用吹的, 很神奇吧? 而 leaf blower 就是那种背在身上拿来吹落叶的机器啦!
国内英语资讯:China, New Zealand vow to further promote cooperation
国内英语资讯:Poor regions to share earnings from resource exploitation projects: cabinet
Australia air freight crunch hits flights of fancy foods
国际英语资讯:S. Korea to mull development of nuke-powered submarine against DPRK threats
国内英语资讯:Commentary: Dutertes visit presents overdue opportunity for China-Philippines rapprochemen
体坛英语资讯:Ballack to miss Euro qualifiers with knee injury
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier underlines trade stabilization
Commodities-related stocks help European equities to rebound
体坛英语资讯:Cesar Cielo wins gold in 100 meters freestyle in World Cup of swimming
国内英语资讯:Typhoon Sarika makes landfall in south China, 500,000 evacuated
体坛英语资讯:Wladimir Klitschko defends his three belts
Will welfare checks improve conditions on fur farms?
3D mannequin helps cyclist go for gold
国内英语资讯:Chinese naval fleet visits Cambodia to boost naval ties
小学英语阅读之谢谢你,大红狗
国际英语资讯:UN official raises concerns over current situation in Gaza
罗琳暗示邓布利多将在《神奇动物》系列电影中回归
China third quarter GDP grows 6.7 percent as expected as construction booms, debt rises
国内英语资讯:Chinese top political advisor meets Albanian parliament speaker
国内英语资讯:Authorities asked to better demonstrate human rights progress
国内英语资讯:Xinhua Insight: China proposal points direction for enhancing BRICS cooperation
体坛英语资讯:U.S. Open finals postponed one day for drizzle
面试中如何谈缺点 看国外网友怎么说
体坛英语资讯:Inter draw with Twente as Barcelona thrash Panathinaikos
体坛英语资讯:King/Shvedova lift U.S. Open womens doubles title
New York officer shoots woman who charged him with baseball bat: police
With California move, mandatory worker retirement plans gain momentum
国内英语资讯:Chinas top legislature schedules bi-monthly session
'Life on Mars' lander aims for risky touch down on red planet
体坛英语资讯:Djokovic beats Federer to advance into U.S. Open final