美語訓(xùn)練班 031

A: 美語訓(xùn)練班上課啦! 我是楊琳！

B: 我是Kat! 楊琳，今天教什么呢？

A：今天咱們要去海邊沖浪, 要去看一場糟糕的情侶約會，要談?wù)劤鱿缃换顒拥亩Y儀, 還要告訴大家怎么用美語說“小心眼兒”。

B: 聽著不錯！

A: Of course！不過節(jié)目一開始，咱們還是先來學(xué)個詞兒！

Learn A Word #1373 like-minded

今天我們要學(xué)的詞是like-minded. Like-minded is spelled l-i-k-e-m-i-n-d-e-d, like-minded. Like-minded, 意思是想法和目標(biāo)相同的。維基解密的創(chuàng)始人阿桑奇頻頻登上新聞頭條。He founded WikiLeaks with a group of like-minded people in 2006. 他在2006年與一群志向相似的人共同創(chuàng)辦了維基解秘。Occupy Washington protesters encourage like-minded people to join them on the street. 占領(lǐng)華盛頓的示威者們邀請跟他們目標(biāo)一致的人加入他們的行列。The speed dating agency brings like-minded single people together for social events. 這家速配機構(gòu)給志同道合的單身男女創(chuàng)造社交的機會。好的，今天我們學(xué)習(xí)的詞是like-minded, like-minded, like-minded.

A: like-minded志趣相投的，If you want to start a business, you'd better find a like-minded partner. 如果想做買賣，最好找個志趣相投的合伙人。 這樣說對不對？

B: That's correct. But if you really want to make a wise decision, you should listen to all kinds of opinions, including those that are different from your own.

A: 對，兼聽則明嘛，如果只聽和自己看法一樣的意見，那就可能會出現(xiàn)group thinking──群體性思維，也就是單一固定的思維模式。

B: Exactly. Don't brush off other people's ideas. They may be good, even if they are different from yours.

A：對，在下面的"美國習(xí)慣用語"中，咱們就來教這個brush off.

Words and idioms 948 Brush off

女：各位聽眾，現(xiàn)在播送<美國習(xí)慣用語>第 948講。我是楊琳。

M：我是 Douglas Johnson.

女：我有個朋友最近想買車，她看中了一輛敞篷車，可是這車的車評并不好。我給她看了關(guān)于這輛車耗油和需要維修的車評，可她竟然聽都不聽，就想買這輛車！忽略這些可是買車的大忌，這也讓我想到一個習(xí)慣用語，那就是:

M：Brush off. Brush is spelled b-r-u-s-h, and off, o-f-f. Brush off.

女: Brush是刷的意思，Brush off, 刷掉，引伸出來就是“忽略，不理睬”的意思。上面的例子中， My friend shouldn't BRUSH OFF the poor ratings of the convertible. 我朋友不應(yīng)該忽略這輛敞篷車很差的車評。在下面的例子里，這對夫婦可真不應(yīng)該忽略檢查人員給他們的忠告！到底發(fā)生了什么呢? 我們來聽一聽:

M: "The homeowners were told by inspectors that they ought to move their home further from the river. Instead, they went ahead with plans to add a second story. When a terrible storm hit a year later, the river flooded. And the house was destroyed. If the couple hadn't BRUSHED OFF those safety warnings, they wouldn't have lost their property."

[這段話是說：檢查人員告訴屋主說，他們應(yīng)該把屋子建在離河邊更遠(yuǎn)的地方。但是屋主非但沒有聽取這個意見，還又加蓋了第二層。一年之后下了一場暴雨，河水上漲淹沒了房屋。如果這對夫婦沒有忽略那些安全警告，他們也許不會失去自己的財產(chǎn)。]

女：俗話說，小心使得萬年船，千萬不能忽略任何可能發(fā)生的危險隱患。不過有的時候，又要有主見，不能人云亦云，受別人影響。比如我有個好朋友，是個服裝設(shè)計師，特有才，但是剛開始創(chuàng)業(yè)的頭幾年，很多人都說她肯定不會成功，好在，She brushed off all the bad reviews. 她對這些負(fù)面評論根本不予理睬，結(jié)果才有了今天。好了，我們再來聽聽剛才那段話：

M: "The homeowners were told by inspectors that they ought to move their home further from the river. Instead, they went ahead with plans to add a second story. When a terrible storm hit a year later, the river flooded. And the house was destroyed. If the couple hadn't BRUSHED OFF those safety warnings, they wouldn't have lost their property."

女: 誰都希望有個體貼，疼你的丈夫或者男朋友，不過啊，可不是每個人都那么幸運。要是碰上下面例子里的這位Phil，可就倒霉嘍! 我們來聽聽看Phil是個什么樣的人:

M: "Phil hasn't had many steady girlfriends. That's because they don't like the way he treats them. After a couple of nice dates, he expects them to always be available for him. Yet he rarely makes the effort to return their calls or text messages. Why should they want to stay with a guy who BRUSHES them OFF? "

[這段話是說：菲利普一直沒有什么穩(wěn)定女友，這是因為她們都不喜歡他對待她們的方式。幾次約會之后，他就認(rèn)為這些女孩子應(yīng)該隨叫隨到，可他自己卻很少盡快回她們的電話或短信。為什么要跟一個經(jīng)常忽略自己的人在一起呢?]

女: 這些女孩子做得對！不值得跟一個整天不把自己當(dāng)回事的人在一起。大家可能已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了，這句話中說 Phil often brushes them off. Brush somebody off, 就是忽略某人的意思。比如，I've been telling my husband to see a dentist for his bad teeth, but he keeps brushing me off. 我讓我老公趕緊去看看那顆爛牙，可他卻把我的話當(dāng)耳邊風(fēng)。好了，我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:

M: "Phil hasn't had many steady girlfriends. That's because they don't like the way he treats them. After a couple of nice dates, he expects them to always be available for him. Yet he rarely makes the effort to return their calls or texts. Why should they want to stay with a guy who BRUSHES them OFF? "

女：各位聽眾，今天我們學(xué)習(xí)的習(xí)慣用語是brush off，意思是“忽略，不理睬”。好的，這次[美國習(xí)慣用語]就到此結(jié)束。

A：我有個做生意的朋友，他創(chuàng)業(yè)的時候，大家都不看好他，都勸他放棄，but he brushed off all the pessimistic buzz, and stayed focused on the business.最后人家還真成功了！

B: Good for him!

A：而且他很大度，知道那些當(dāng)初勸他放棄生意的人也是出于好心，所以沒有嫉恨這些人。

B：He has a big heart!

A: 對！心胸開闊，不小心眼兒！

B: what's 心眼兒？

A: 啊？這個還真不好解釋，大概就是thoughtfulness, 或者consideration for others.

B：So小心眼兒就是lack of consideration for others?

A: 差不多！聽聽下面的"美語怎么說"，你就更明白了！

How to say it: petty

Jessica 在北京學(xué)漢語，她的中國朋友要是遇到了不知道用美語怎么說的詞，就會來請教她。今天是吳瓊要問的：小心眼。

Jessica: 吳瓊, are you coming to my birthday party tomorrow?

WQ: En...I'm afraid not.

Jessica: Why not? You're my best friend!

WQ: 我不是不想去參加你的生日派對，可是你請了王貝貝，我可不想見她。

Jessica: Why? I thought you two were friends.

WQ: 你不知道，兩年前，我們?nèi)コ狵。 她走調(diào)了，我心直口快說了出來，結(jié)果她記仇，這兩年沒少說我壞話！太小心眼了！ 小心眼在英文里怎么說？

Jessica: You can say a person is petty. petty is spelled p-e-t-t-y, petty. It means narrow-minded and mean.

WQ: 哦，petty 就是心胸狹窄，小心眼。You have no idea, Jessica, you don't know how petty she is. 她一定還在記仇, hold....hold....記仇是 hold 什么來著？

Jessica: hold a grudge. grudge is spelled g-r-u-d-g-e. hold a grudge 記仇。but 吳瓊, I don't think Beibei still holds a grudge against you.

WQ: Hmm, I don't know. 她表面上也和我過得去，but I think she still has a secret grudge against me! 她還在心里暗暗記仇呢!

Jessica: Oh, come on! It's been two years! I'm sure she has gotten over it!

WQ: Get over it 就是“不再計較”的意思，對不對?

Jessica: Exactly. To get over it means to forget about it.

WQ: You know what, Jessica, you're right. 我決定明天去參加你的party! I want to show Beibei that I'm not a petty person and it's time for her to get over it, too.

Jessica: That's the spirit! Now let's see what you've learned today.

WQ: 第一：形容某人小心眼，用 petty;

第二：記仇則是hold a grudge against someone;

第三：不計較了，可以說 get over it;

B：Oh, 小心眼兒就是petty! 楊琳， did you know petty can also mean “small, trivial”?

A：知道。Petty也可以表示微小。比如，petty cash就是零錢。

B: That's right!

A：話說回來，我經(jīng)常聽見男生抱怨，Oh, my girlfriend is petty sometimes! 我女朋友有時候心眼兒特小！I' tired of her petty jealousy. 她心胸狹窄的嫉妒真讓我煩惱。

B: Yeah. Guys complain about us, but they have to admit sometimes it’s their fault!

A: 對啊，怪女朋友愛生氣，心眼兒小，不如反省一下你們自己的行為。

B: Exactly! Remember the terrible boyfriend who spent 1000 dollars on his own suit but only set a 20-buck budget for his girlfriend' birthday gift?

A：對！就是美語三級跳里面的那個Kevin!說到他，今天咱們就來聽聽他的女朋友看到這些廉價的生日禮物會是什么反應(yīng)。

GoEnglish: Shopping (advanced)

各位聽眾，大家好！今天我們?yōu)槟コ?ldquo;美語三級跳”節(jié)目“購物”單元的高級課程。

Professor: Christine and Kevin are dating, and today is Christine's birthday. Kevin bought himself a $1,000 suit so that he would look good for their special date, but then only had $20 left to spend on Christine's present. He has come to her apartment to give it to her.

MC: 這件禮物肯定是Kevin去折扣店買的便宜貨。我估計，這次之后，他女朋友一定不會再理他了！

Professor: Well, let's listen and find out.

Christine: Wow, Kevin, you look amazing! What a nice suit! Is it new?

Kevin: That's right baby, it was a big sacrifice on my part because it cost $1,000, but I was willing to do it for you because I know you want your boyfriend to look good.

Christine: Hmm ... so you did something nice for me by spending $1,000 on yourself? That's an interesting way of looking at it ... But never mind, let's go out for our dinner date.

Kevin: Wait a minute! Before we go out you should open your present. Something tells me you're going to want to wear it to the restaurant.

Christine: Alright!

MC: Kevin居然還敢把自己花1000塊買衣服的事拿來炫耀，可憐的Christine，一定以為自己收到的是一份超級大禮。

Christine: Umm ... Kevin, what size do you think I wear?

Kevin: Well you know, I wasn't sure so I just kind of guessed. I didn't worry about getting the size exactly right because you look so great in everything.

Christine: Well do you think I'm really fat? This shirt is an extra-extra-extra large. This shirt would never fit me.

Kevin: Yeah, but that's why it was such a steal! They couldn't find anybody to buy it, so they had to lower the price to $8. But don't worry, I think baggy clothing is really popular right now.

Christine: I don't think I would call this clothing. This looks like a sail for a sailboat.

MC: 啊？Kevin花8塊錢給Christine買了件沒人要的超超超大號襯衫！Christine說，這哪是衣服，簡直就是船帆！可Kevin居然還說，自己是撿了個大便宜！

Professor: That sounds more like a rip-off to me.

Christine: Alright Kevin ... thank you for such a lovely shirt ... But hey, it looks like you got me some really nice pants! Wow, are these Prada? Thanks!

Kevin: No problem. You know I spare no expense when I'm buying you things, right Christine?

Christine: Oh, you're the best boyfriend a girl ... wait a minute, one leg of these pants is longer than the other. Kevin, did you get me a pair of defective pants for my birthday?

Kevin: Well you don't think I could afford a real pair of designer pants, do you? A regular pair of designer pants would have put me back like $100. These pants cost only $11.

MC: ?。繘]想到，除了抹布襯衫，Kevin還準(zhǔn)備了其它爛禮物!

Professor: Yes, he bought a pair of designer pants, but they were defective.

MC: 對啊，雖然是designer pants--名牌褲子，但卻是defective--殘次品！褲腿不一邊長！Professor Bowman, Kevin 還說 put him back, 這是什么意思呢？

Professor: To "put you back" means to cost you. For example, an expensive sports car will put me back $50,000.

MC: 哦，put you back 意思就是 "花多少錢”。好，到現(xiàn)在為止，Kevin的預(yù)算--20塊，已經(jīng)花出去19塊了，剩下1塊錢，不知道他還買了什么惡心的禮物！

Christine: Alright Kevin, there better be something really good at the bottom of this box. Otherwise you're going to be single in about 30 seconds.

Kevin: Don't worry, take a look.

Christine: Hmm ...oh wow! This is such a cute hat. It totally makes up for all your other bad presents ... wait, there's a hole in it!

Kevin: But it's just a little hole! It was so cheap because somebody returned it and I thought ...

Christine: You got me a used hat? Well, Kevin, I hope you really like that suit, because you're going to need it to find a new girlfriend!

Professor: Ouch! It seems like Christine got really mad!

MC: 那可不！要我說，Kevin是自作自受。

B: Yeah! Great finale!

A：呵呵，這一巴掌可夠解恨的！An unflattering shirt, a pair of defective pants and a hat with a hole in it! 這些禮物爛透了！

B: They are even worse when you compare them with Kevin’s fancy suit.

A: 可不是，I don’t blame Christine for snapping.

B: Neither do I. 不過，說到買衣服，楊林，還記得black－tie event么？

A: 記得，就是特別正式的社交場合嘛！上次節(jié)目說參加這種活動,男士要穿tuxedo──燕尾服，女士要穿evening gown─晚禮服。不知道還有什么別的要求么？

B: Listen to today's business etiquette and you'll know!