A:I wonder if I can ask you a question.
我能問你一個問題嗎?
B:Ask me a question? What do you want to know?
問我個問題?你想知道什么?
A:Well... er... it is just... just that I...
這個...... 呃...... 就是...... 就是我......
B:Just what? Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what you want to know.
就是什么?別兜圈子了。告訴我想知道些什么。
A:I... er... I just want to know if you could lend me a few bucks.
我...... 呃....... 我就是想知道你能借點錢給我嗎?
B:Lend you a few bucks? No way! Still remember the money you borrowed me last time?
借錢給你?沒門!你還記得上次借錢的事情嗎?
A:Yeah. But I...
記得。但是我......
注釋:
beat around the bush
講解:該習語意思是“說話兜圈子”或“說話拐彎抹角”。其中beat指“敲打”或“收索”,bush是“灌木叢”,beat aroud是“四處閑逛”“四處奔走”。那么beat aroung the bush字面意思就是“在灌木叢里走來去搜索東西”,這個是需要時間的。因此beat around the bush就比喻為:說話拐彎抹角,說話兜圈子。