Hair-raising和中国俗语“寒毛直竖”很相像。据说巨大的恐惧能使人体的毛发或者猫身上的毛往上竖立起来。这也许就是这个习惯用语的出典。我们听个例子，但是先得学个生词: cub。 Cub是食肉动物的幼仔。在我们的例子里指小熊仔。

My daughter and her boyfriend had a hair-raising time hiking in the mountains -- they met a black bear with her cub. But they stopped， stayed quiet and finally the bears went away slowly without bothering them.

我女儿和男朋友在山里徒步旅行时跟带小熊的黑熊狭路相逢。这可真是段令人毛骨悚然的经历。他们当时停下脚步，屏息静气，黑熊终于慢步走开了，没打扰他们。

可以想象他俩和熊对峙的那段经历有多可怕，所以这段话里的hair-raising就是令人毛骨悚然的。

Hair-raising常用来描绘万分惊险的处境。我们再看个例子，这回说的是遇上龙卷风时的险境。当龙卷风刮起的时候，会有漏斗状乌云直压地面。乌云随即挟带着旋风横扫大地，风速高达每小时二百公里，所到之处危及生命财产。

It was hair-raising! There was a terrible rushing sound，the windows blew in and I saw tree-limbs sailing by. I heard loud bangs and crashes -- I thought my house would blow away!

这真是惊险万分。随着那可怕的冲击声，窗户都被刮下来掉进屋里。我看到屋外飞过的树干，又听到震耳欲聋的碰撞击毁的声音。我想我那房子也要被刮走了。

You’re listening to British Council’s English Online and I’m Nina.

Today on Language Snacks we take a look at the expression a bad hair day. Let’s listen to the dialogue.

A: What’s the matter Sam? You look upset.

B: Oh, it’s nothing, I’m just having a bad hair day – everything’s going wrong.

Do you ever have days when nothing seems to be going right? Well, I’m sure you do - in English you can call this a bad hair day.

Anyway, this morning I overslept, then I was late for work and missed an important meeting, then I left my mobile phone in the restaurant at lunchtime and just before I spilt coffee on my new skirt – this is a real bad hair day!

And that’s it for now – join us again for some more Language Snacks

You’ve been listening to English Online – the podcast for English learners in China.

Exercise

1. What is a bad hair day?

a) a day when your hair is a mess

b) a day when everything goes well

c) a day when everything goes wrong

2. What 5 things happened to Sabrina on her bad hair day?

Answers

1. b) a day when everything goes well

2. She overslept, was late for work, missed an important meeting, left her mobile phone in the restaurant at lunch time and then spilt coffee on her new skirt.