陳太太:馬上把電視給我關掉!
芬妮:什麼?我聽不到。電視太大聲了。
陳太太:我說把電視關掉!
芬妮:可是,媽!現在演的是我最愛看的節目。
陳太太:我才不管在演什麼。我需要妳幫忙做點家事。
芬妮:可是,媽⋯⋯
陳太太:沒什麼可是不可是的。去洗碗。
芬妮:可是我會錯過我的節目!
陳太太:不要讓我再說一次。『現在』就去!
pitch 作動詞有『投擲』之意,如 pitch the ball 指棒球的『投球』。 pitch in 則為俚語,指『出一份力幫忙』。
We should all pitch in and help Dad.
(我們都應該出一份力幫忙老爸。)
We can finish the job more quickly if we all pitch in.
(如果我們每個人都出一份力,就能早點完成工作。)
pitch in 其實還有另一個意思,就是『出一部份的錢』,而另一個俚語 chip in 也有一樣的意思。
阿雄的生日到了,為了體恤他的辛勞,同仁們決定出錢合買禮物給他。我們就可以說:
They all pitched in and bought a birthday present for him.
= They all chipped in and bought a birthday present for him.
= They all paid some money and bought a birthday present for him.
(他們一起出錢買了份生日禮物給他。)
pitch 作名詞,則指『柏油』或『瀝青』,而 pitch black 則成形容詞,表『一片漆黑』。
大家想替阿雄辦一場驚喜派對,所以趁阿雄出去見客戶的時候,
把辦公室所有的燈關掉,躲了起來:
The office is pitch black because there will be a surprise party.
= The office is completely dark because there will be a surprise party.
(因為等一下會有驚喜派對,所以辦公室現在一片漆黑。)
pitch 作名詞時,亦可指『強度』。fever pitch 是指人的情緒到了非常興奮的程度。
其中 fever 是指『發燒』或是『狂熱』的意思。大家在辦公室等了半天,阿雄終於回來了。所有人都很興奮,情緒 high 到了最高點:
The party reached fever pitch.
= The party was at fever pitch.
(派對的興奮程度到達最頂點。)
阿雄回來了,可是他不但沒有驚喜的感覺,
還因為大家沒有專心工作而生氣,於是他就說:
I'd rather you all pitched in with the work!
= I'd rather you all gave me a hand with the work!
= I'd rather you all helped with the work!
(我寧可你們幫忙工作!)
We can finish the job quicker if we all pitch in.
如果我們每個人都出一份力,就能早點完成工作。
Remember to turn off the television when you leave home.
你出門的時候記得關電視。
It’s your turn to do the dishes.
輪到你洗碗了。
I used to do the laundry once a week when I lived in a dormitory.
我以前住宿舍時一星期洗一次衣服。