菲菲好不容易烤了餅乾，帶給喜歡甜食的 Neil 吃，但 Neil 卻說她做的餅乾是 "something to chew on"。他是在描述餅乾的口感，還是另有它意？聽他們的對話，學習一個包含動詞 「chew 咀嚼」 的英語表達。
Feb 18, 2019
Feifei:
大家好，歡迎來到 BBC 英語教學的《地道英語》，我是馮菲菲。
Neil:
And I'm Neil.
Feifei:
Hey, Neil. Would 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 可愛吃甜食了，所以他肯定沒辦法抗拒我親手做的餅乾。
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 用到了短語 "something to chew on"，他的意思是說我的餅乾很 "chewy 有嚼勁兒" 嗎？
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，短語 "to chew on something" 的意思並不是 「咀嚼」，而是指 「好好想想」，也就是 「在做出決定之前仔細考慮某事」。Well, Neil, I will chew on a response to your insult about my cooking while we hear some 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:
這裡是 BBC 英語教學的《地道英語》節目。Neil 對我的廚藝持保留態度，他用英語短語 "to chew on something" 或 "something to chew on" 來表達 「做出決定前仔細考慮」 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.
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