Playing Up

　　失靈了

　　Rob: Hello, Im Rob.

　　Helen: Hi 大家好，我是 Helen 歡迎收聽地道英語。

　　Rob: Hold on Helen. We cant hear you properly.

　　Helen: Whats happening?

　　Rob: I think your microphones playing up.

　　Helen: Playing up 玩起來?

　　Rob: Sorry, sorry, I didnt quite catch that.

　　Helen: Let me just push this button. There! 我的麥克剛才出問題了。But Rob you said the microphone was playing up?

　　Rob: Thats right. It wasnt working properly. You see, if something isnt working as it should be, we sometimes say its playing up.

　　Helen: 如果什么東西不像原來那么好用了，或者出現小故障，那么我們就可以說 its playing up. 只能是 playing up not down?

　　Rob: Nope. Playing down something is a different expression that means something totally different.

　　Helen: OK. So as the picture on my TV at home is flickering, I can say my TV is playing up?

　　Rob: Exactly. And lets hear about some other things that are playing up

　　I dont think Ill be able to give you a lift to work today; my cars been playing up.

　　My phone keeps playing up. Every time I dial a number, it just switches itself off.

　　Helen: That sounds like my phone! 如果一個東西時好時壞，那么它表現可真不好，它失靈了 its misbehaving.

　　Rob: Ha ha! You could say that. And its just like people. When they misbehave we say theyre playing up. Like this

　　Sorry, but Im going to be late. The children have been playing up and Ive still got so much to do.

　　Helen: 當小孩子們表現不好時，我們也可以說他們不聽話了。I think its usually because they want attention.

　　Rob: Mmm, now Helen, could I have your attention now please, because playing up is also something you can say to describe to a part of your body thats not working properly.

　　Ow! Im going to have to lie down; my backs playing up again.

　　Count me out of this weekends football match; my legs playing up so I need to rest it.

　　Helen: 我們可以說我們的身體部位出現小故障，比如今天腰疼了，不好使。So it seems playing up refers to anything thats not working or behaving as it should. Now Rob, my legs also been playing up so I wonder if you could give me a lift home in your car?

　　Rob: No way oh it sounds like my microphones playing up now!

　　Helen: No Rob, its you whos playing up now switch it back on!

　　Rob: Oh, oh OK then, Helen!

　　Helen: Lets go then. 再見!

　　Rob: Bye.

　　Playing Up

　　失靈了

　　Rob: Hello, Im Rob.

　　Helen: Hi 大家好，我是 Helen 歡迎收聽地道英語。

　　Rob: Hold on Helen. We cant hear you properly.

　　Helen: Whats happening?

　　Rob: I think your microphones playing up.

　　Helen: Playing up 玩起來?

　　Rob: Sorry, sorry, I didnt quite catch that.

　　Helen: Let me just push this button. There! 我的麥克剛才出問題了。But Rob you said the microphone was playing up?

　　Rob: Thats right. It wasnt working properly. You see, if something isnt working as it should be, we sometimes say its playing up.

　　Helen: 如果什么東西不像原來那么好用了，或者出現小故障，那么我們就可以說 its playing up. 只能是 playing up not down?

　　Rob: Nope. Playing down something is a different expression that means something totally different.

　　Helen: OK. So as the picture on my TV at home is flickering, I can say my TV is playing up?

　　Rob: Exactly. And lets hear about some other things that are playing up

　　I dont think Ill be able to give you a lift to work today; my cars been playing up.

　　My phone keeps playing up. Every time I dial a number, it just switches itself off.

　　Helen: That sounds like my phone! 如果一個東西時好時壞，那么它表現可真不好，它失靈了 its misbehaving.

　　Rob: Ha ha! You could say that. And its just like people. When they misbehave we say theyre playing up. Like this

　　Sorry, but Im going to be late. The children have been playing up and Ive still got so much to do.

　　Helen: 當小孩子們表現不好時，我們也可以說他們不聽話了。I think its usually because they want attention.

　　Rob: Mmm, now Helen, could I have your attention now please, because playing up is also something you can say to describe to a part of your body thats not working properly.

　　Ow! Im going to have to lie down; my backs playing up again.

　　Count me out of this weekends football match; my legs playing up so I need to rest it.

　　Helen: 我們可以說我們的身體部位出現小故障，比如今天腰疼了，不好使。So it seems playing up refers to anything thats not working or behaving as it should. Now Rob, my legs also been playing up so I wonder if you could give me a lift home in your car?

　　Rob: No way oh it sounds like my microphones playing up now!

　　Helen: No Rob, its you whos playing up now switch it back on!

　　Rob: Oh, oh OK then, Helen!

　　Helen: Lets go then. 再見!

　　Rob: Bye.