流行口語 第181課
时间：2019-01-15 作者：英语课 分类：美国之音《流行美语》
Larry和李华正在商量如何帮助他们的朋友Jane，因为Jane在工作上碰到了困难。今天李华会学到两个常用语：a can of worms和cut one's losses。
LL: I think that maybe we should just be supportive of Jane. It's best not to open a can of worms by trying to give her advice.
LH: 当然我们应该支持Jane。你说我们不要什么？Open a can of worms? Worms是虫子，支持Jane，给她提建议和一罐虫子有什么关系？而且哪儿有什么罐子里装虫子的？
LL: "To open a can of worms" means to do something that results in a complicated 1 situation full of problems.
LH: 我说呢，open a can of worms是个比喻，不是真的开一罐虫子。所以To open a can of worms 是指做了某件事会把问题弄得更复杂。可是，Larry， 我不懂，为什么给Jane提一些建议反而会造成更多问题呢？
LL: Well, if she follows your advice and it doesn't solve her problem, then she might blame you.
LH: 这倒也是，如果Jane听了我们的建议，但是问题解决不了，她可能会反过来怪我们。还有，我们也可能因为不了解情况而给她错误的建议呀！
LL: Right. There are so many things that could go wrong when you give people advice that I usually avoid opening that can of worms.
LH: 这是没错，给人提建议是很可能会出问题的，因为你毕竟不了解他的情况。可是，你也不能因为这样就避免给人提建议，不能因咽废食。给朋友出主意也是应该的嘛。对了，Larry, 你还不知道，那天在课堂上我才真的是opened a can of worms.
LL: What did you do?
LH: 我问教授为什么不讨论第13章，结果教授要全班回家读第13章，而且星期一还要考试呢！
LL: I bet 2 that everyone in your class is unhappy with you right now.
LH: 就是啊，现在全班同学一定在骂我。更惨的是，连教授也生我的气，因为这本来是他的疏忽，可给我指明了。所以喽，我真的是招惹了更多麻烦。
LL: Wow, that's a tough situation. You really did open a can of worms.
LH: 就是啊，所以我现在很后悔，早知道什么都别说就好了。
LL: Unfortunately, sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the only way to avoid opening a can of worms.
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LL: Well, Jane decided 3 to cut her losses and quit her job. She's going to start looking for a new job tomorrow.
LH: 真的？Jane决定要辞掉那个工作啦？Larry，什么是cut her losses?
LL: To cut one's losses means to give up and withdraw 4 from a losing situation.
LH: Cut one's losses就是看到形势对自己不利就决定改变方向，这样可以减少损失。所以Jane决定宁可辞职，也不要再浪费时间去解决工作上的问题。是这个意思吗？
LL: Exactly. She didn't see any way to improve her relationship with her co-workers, so she decided to cut her losses and leave.
LH: 嗯，要是根本没有希望改善和她同事的关系，那还不如趁早离开，免得再继续受罪。
LL: Sometimes, there's nothing you can do to improve a situation. All you can do is cut your losses and try to find a better situation.
LH: 说的也是。人生有许多事情真的是你再怎么努力，也没办法改善的。像我一位朋友，她是研究生化专业的博士生，可是她和她的指导教授关系很差。
LL: What happened?
LH: 跟了那个教授三年后，决定不能再浪费时间了。所以她决定cut her losses，拿了个硕士学位就走人。博士学位也不要了。
LL: She gave up on her PhD?
LH: 她实在没别的选择，就只能放弃喽！
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是to open a can of worms，意思是做了某件事会造成更多问题。另一个常用语是to cut one's losses，这是指及时从对自己不利的局面里撤出来，以减少损失。今天的流行美语就进行到这里，谢谢大家收听，我们下次节目再见。
- The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
- This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。
- I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说，你解决不了这个难题。
- I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。