李华和Larry 讨论情人节的安排。今天我们要学两个常用语：born yesterday
和head over heels.

    LL： So ， Lihua， I know you said that you didn't want me to buy
a Valentine's Day gift for you， but I wasn't born yesterday. I can tell
you're expecting something romantic.

    LH：我情人节唯一的愿望就是能跟你一起渡过！我们可以一起做晚饭，然后
去看电影。你刚才说自己wasn't born yesterday 是什么意思啊？

    LL： Saying someone was born yesterday， means that they are very
easy to fool. I said that I wasn't "born yesterday" because you can't
fool me.

    LH：我知道了，说什么人was born yesterday意思就是说这个人容易受骗，
有点象中文里说的“三岁小孩。”

    LL： That's right. Even though you won't admit it ， I think you would
love to receive some flowers or chocolates for Valentine's Day.

    LH：你心真细！不过，我确实不想要什么礼物，跟你在一起就足够了。不过
你别生气，我可不是说你傻。

    LL： No ， you didn't call me foolish. In the US， stating that you
"weren't born yesterday" is a way to joke around with friends. If you
say that you "weren't born yesterday，" you're expressing that you aren't
gullible.

    LH：我明白了，you said you weren't born yesterday ，是因为你觉得我
肯定想要你送情人节礼物给我。

    LL： We both know I wasn't really born yesterday. What I meant was
that I have known you for so long that I can tell you are looking forward
to a romantic Valentine's Day gift.

    LH：你可真够固执的。那你说，born yesterday什么时候才会带有贬义呢？

    LL： If you are speaking with someone ， for example one of your students，
who don't know who Zhang Ziyi is， and you say 'Were you born yesterday？

    She's a famous Chinese movie star ！'

    LH：那别人肯定会不高兴。这就等于是说，你怎么连这都不知道！

    LL： That's right. Asking someone if they were "born yesterday" implies
that they misunderstood a subject that is rather simple to understand
or that is common knowledge.

    ******

    LL： Lihua， did you get the flowers I sent to you for Valentine's
Day ？ You know I'm head over heels for you ， so tonight when we make
dinner together I have another special gift to give you.

    LH：你真是太浪漫了。我早就说过，情人节最好的礼物就是能跟你在一起。

    你刚才说head over heals ？你摔到哪里了吗？

    LL： No ， that's not what I meant to say. I didn't literally fall
down. I said I'm "head over heels" for you， because you are very special
and I like you a lot.

    LH：我也很喜欢你，粉红色的玫瑰花是我最喜欢的，不过我还是不明白，head
over heels怎么能用来形容爱慕之情呢？

    LL： In the US， it is most common to say that you have fallen "head
over heels" in love for a person. This is an exaggerated way to say that
you have fallen in love.

    LH：真有意思，中文里说，一下子陷入爱河不能自拔，叫“神魂颠倒”，可
是英语里却用头和脚来形容， head over heels. 可是这也讲不通啊，头明明是
在脚上面啊。

    LL： It is obvious that the term "head over heels" doesn't make literal
sense ， but it still communicates a state of being so smitten with a
person that one could jump and flip for joy.

    LH：没想到，Larry ，你在这方面还挺在行的。那你知道这种说法是什么时
候出现的吗？

    LL： This phrase actually originated in the 1400's as "heels over
head，" and didn't have anything to do with expressing love-struck devotion.
But over the years it became "head over heels ，" and is only used to
express feeling suddenly smitten for a boyfriend or girlfriend.

    LH：不管怎么说，head over heels 这种说法用在情人节，简直是太恰当不
过了。Larry ，你送的玫瑰太美了，You've really shown that you are "head
over heels" for me. 这是我渡过的最浪漫的情人节。

    今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是born yesterday，意思是三岁小孩。还有
一个是head over heels ，意思是为某人神魂颠倒。