The english we speak(BBC教學)第179期:Until the cows come home 很長時間
(Neil has spent Sunday with Li in the countryside. Now they are going back to town.)
（尼爾和莉一起在鄉村度過週日時光。現在他們正要返回城裏。）Neil: It's been a great Sunday in the countryside, Li. I'm a city boy - I'm not used to this much walking and fresh air. It was good though, but now it's getting late.
尼爾：這個週日在鄉村度過真是太棒了，莉。我是都市男孩，我不太習慣走這麼多路還有這種新鮮空氣。雖然這很好，但是現在時間太晚了。Li: Yes, it is, Neil. But now we are going to catch a bus to town and you'll be back in your normal environment.
莉：是啊，尼爾，是太晚了。現在我們要去趕回城的巴士，你馬上就能回到你習慣的環境了。
Neil: Well, where is this bus?! You said you knew this area. We've been here on this dirt road for a while and no buses have passed by. No vehicles at all, actually.
尼爾：嗯，巴士在哪兒啊？你說你認識這裏。我們已經在這條土路上待了一段時間了，可是沒有巴士經過啊。實際上這條路根本就沒有車經過。Li: Don't worry, Neil. The bus will come.
莉：尼爾，別擔心。巴士會來的。Neil: Li, look! There is a note here on the wall of this old bus shelter!
尼爾：莉，你看！這個老舊的巴士站臺牆上有一張告示。Li: Oh, I didn't notice it. What does it say?
莉：哦，我都沒注意到。上面說什麼？Neil: It says buses are subject to delays! We'll be waiting for a bus until the cows come home!
尼爾：上面說巴士經常晚點！我們要等很長時間巴士纔會來！Li: Those cows?! I think they are already home, Neil. The cows live in that field. It's us who need to go home. You might be feeling a bit light-headed as you are not used to so much fresh air.
莉：奶牛？我想它們已經回家了，尼爾。奶牛生活在那片田地裏。現在是我們要回家。因爲你不太習慣這麼新鮮的空氣，所以你可能會覺得有點頭暈。Neil: Li, we are not actually waiting for the cows to go anywhere. In English, to wait 'until the cows come home' means to wait for a very long time.
尼爾：莉，我們並不是要等奶牛去某個地方。在英語中，until the cows come home意思是要等很長時間。Li: Ah, so nothing to do with the cows?
莉：啊，所以和奶牛沒有什麼關係嗎？Neil: Not at all. Let's hear some examples of how to use 'until the cows come home', today's expression in The English We Speak.
尼爾：一點兒關係都沒有。until the cows come home就是今天地道英語節目要學的表達方式，我們來聽一些例句，看看這個短語如何使用。I'm off work tomorrow so tonight we can party until the cows come home!
我明天不上班，所以今天我們的聚會可以持續很長時間！Alan is very stubborn. His wife can try to persuade him until the cows come home but he won't change his mind.
艾倫非常固執。他妻子花了很長時間試圖說服他，可是他是不會改變主意的。Li: Oh. That's a new expression for me. And you learnt something too, Neil.
莉：哦。我又學了一個新的表達方式。尼爾，你也學到了一些東西。Neil: What's that, Li?
尼爾：莉，我學到了什麼？Li: Look over there!
莉：看那邊！(The bus is approaching.)
（巴士開過來了。）Neil: That's our bus! Here, here! We're over here!
尼爾：那是我們要坐的巴士！這裏，這裏！我們在這裏！Li: Don't worry, it's coming.
莉：別擔心，它會過來的。Neil: Well, you learnt a new expression and I learnt to be more patient.
尼爾：嗯，你學會了一個新的表達方式，我學會要更耐心。Li: One day, even a city boy like you will get used to the calming and relaxing atmosphere of the countryside.
莉：有一天，像你這樣的都市男孩會適應鄉村寧靜和放鬆的氛圍的。Neil: Yes. The cows look happy, don't they? Munching away on the grass...
尼爾：是啊。奶牛看起來很快樂，不是嗎？在草地上咀嚼着青草……Li: Yes, indeed. Let's go. Bye.
莉：是啊，的確是。我們走吧。再見。Neil: Bye.
尼爾：再見。
重點講解：
1. be used to doing sth.
習慣於；
eg. Mr. Brown often wore a heavy coat because he was no t used to living in such a cold climate.
布朗先生經常穿着一個厚重的大衣，因爲他不習慣生活在這麼冷的氣候中。
eg. The cat is used to sleeping in that basket and refuses to be moved to any other places.
貓已經習慣睡在那個籃子裏而不願被移到別的地方。
2. pass by
從…旁邊走過；經過；
eg. It's what makes it impossible for some people to pass by the neighborhood bakery without going in to buy a tart.
這就是爲什麼一些人經過臨近麪包店時總忍不住買個蛋撻什麼的。
eg. He only hoped that someone would soon pass by and lend him a hand.
他希望有人從這兒路過，幫他一把。
3. be subject to
可能受…影響的；易遭受…的；
eg. All prices are subject to review.
一切商品的價格都有可能調整。
eg. Travel arrangements are subject to confirmation by State Tourist Organisations.
旅行安排有待州旅遊組織的確認。
4. until the cows come home
很長時間；長期；
eg. You can initiate policies until the cows come home, but unless they're monitored at a senior level, you won't get results.
你可以花很長時間來制定政策，但除非高層對之進行監管，否則不會有效果。
eg. You can wait till the cows come home but I won't change my mind!
你可以沒完沒了地等下去，但我不會改變主意。
5. light-headed
（因生病、醉酒等而）頭暈目眩的；
eg. If you skip breakfast, your blood sugar level will drop and you will probably feel light-headed.
如果不吃早餐，血糖含量就會降低，你很可能會覺得暈眩。
eg. I think this altitude's making him light-headed.
我覺得這個高度讓他有些頭暈了。
6. change one's mind
（使）改變主意；（使）改變決定；
eg. He find it impossible to make her change her mind.
他發現使她改變主意是不可能的。
eg. Wise men change their minds; fools never do.
[諺]智者通權達變，愚者剛愎自用。
