Jessica在北京學(xué)中文，她的中國朋友要是遇到了不知道用美語(yǔ)怎么說(shuō)的詞，就會(huì )來(lái)請教她。今天是方方要問(wèn)的：保質(zhì)期。
FF: Jessica, 你過(guò)來(lái)幫我看看，這個(gè)牛奶是不是過(guò)期了呀?
Jessica: Let me see...Hmm, I'm not sure. When did you get this?
FF: 兩周前吧! 那時(shí)候牛奶大減價(jià)，我就一口氣買(mǎi)了4瓶! 貪便宜, 可是忘了看保質(zhì)期...
Jessica: Milk normally has a shelf life of a week. Shelf is spelled s-h-e-l-f, 是貨架的意思。shelf life 能夠放在貨架上的日子，也就是保質(zhì)期!
FF: 原來(lái)是這樣! 那我都買(mǎi)兩個(gè)禮拜了，我看這牛奶肯定過(guò)期了....
Jessica: I bet you're right. I think this milk is past-date. You'd better throw it away!
FF: Past-date, 這里的date就是盒子上標識的生產(chǎn)日期。past-date 也就是過(guò)期了的意思! 真可惜，這可是最好的牛奶，這些牛都是只吃鮮草，聽(tīng)古典音樂(lè )長(cháng)大的!
Jessica: That sounds like a top shelf product to me! 高檔商品!
FF:Top shelf, 在貨架上最高的地方，就是指高檔貨! 那相對來(lái)說(shuō)，價(jià)格便宜的產(chǎn)品又要怎么說(shuō)呢?
Jessica: It's the opposite of that. We call it a bottom shelf product. Basically less expensive stuff is put on the bottom shelf.
FF:Top shelf product, 高檔貨，bottom shelf product, 便宜貨! 我記住了。
Jessica: 好！那你說(shuō)說(shuō)看，What have you learned today?
FF:今天我們學(xué)到的內容包括:
第一，保質(zhì)期是shelf life;
第二，過(guò)了保質(zhì)期可以用 past-date;
第三，高級貨叫做top shelf product, 便宜貨叫做bottom shelf product!
