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内容简介

菲菲好不容易烤了饼干，带给喜欢甜食的 Neil 吃，但 Neil 却说她做的饼干是 “something to chew on”。他是在描述饼干的口感，还是另有它意？听他们的对话，学习一个包含动词 “chew 咀嚼” 的英语表达。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Feifei
大家好，欢迎来到 BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》，我是冯菲菲。

Neil
And I’m Neil.

Feifei
Hey, Neil. Would like you like to try one of my homemade cookies?

Neil
Well, we shouldn't really eat while we're presenting but… go on then!

Feifei
I made them last night and I thought I'd try them out on you! Neil 可爱吃甜食了，所以他肯定没办法抗拒我亲手做的饼干。

Neil
Mmmm.

Feifei
Well, what do you think?

Neil
They're… OK. Perhaps not the best I've ever had.

Feifei
Oh, so you think my cooking isn't great?

Neil
Let's say it's something to chew on. 

Feifei
Right! So you're saying my homemade cookies are chewy? Neil 用到了短语 “something to chew on”，他的意思是说我的饼干很 “chewy 有嚼劲儿” 吗？

Neil
No, I'm not. In fact, they're crunchy. But when someone says they need to chew on something, it's an informal way to say they need to think about it before making a decision. 

Feifei
Right. 所以，短语 “to chew on something” 的意思并不是 “咀嚼”，而是指 “好好想想”，也就是 “在做出决定之前仔细考虑某事”。Well, Neil, I will chew on a response to your insult about my cooking while we hear some examples.

Examples
Our extension plans are great but we need to chew on it before we give them the go-ahead.

Hmm, it's very expensive to fly to Australia for a holiday. Let's chew on it, shall we?

My boyfriend asked me to marry him and I said I'd chew on it. He didn't seem that pleased!

Feifei
这里是 BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》节目。Neil 对我的厨艺持保留态度，他用英语短语 “to chew on something” 或 “something to chew on” 来表达 “做出决定前仔细考虑” 的意思。And Neil, I've made a decision about what to say to you!

Neil
Oh, yeah? 

Feifei
If you don't like my cooking, I will not be inviting you to my dinner party tonight!

Neil
Oh, Feifei! Oh well, at least I'll avoid your cooking.

Feifei
I’m not cooking. We're getting a takeaway curry and lots of wine. I suppose you could come… if you pay for the takeaway?

Neil
Hmm, that is something I don't need to chew on. The answer's 'no' – I'll stay at home and bake my own cookies! See ya.

Feifei
Bye.