VOA英语教学：美语训练班136

美语训练班136

 　　B: Welcome to American English Mosaic 1, I'm Mike Bond!

　　A: And I'm 蔚然。杨琳休假，我带班。

　　B: What is the word of the year for 2013? We will find out.

　　A: 人靠衣服马靠鞍，这句话在职场是是否适用呢?礼节美语为您介绍。

　　B: And in words and idioms, we will learn what "too close for comfort" and "won’t do something to save your life" mean!

　　A: All coming up on this edition of American English Mosaic!

　　B: Now let's go into our first segment, Learn-a-word!

　　Learn A Word 1900 selfie

　　今天我们要学的词是 selfie. Selfie is spelled s-e-l-f-i-e, selfie. Selfie 名词，自拍照片。From Oct 20 to 27, "selfie" was mentioned in Facebook status updates over 368,000 times. 10月20到27号这段时间里，脸书用户状态更新里提到自拍字眼的就有36.8万次。Many drivers are using their smart phones to take selfies while driving. 现在很多人一边开车一边用智能手机自拍。Experts warn that people taking driving selfies are putting their safety and that of those around them in danger. 有关专家警告说，边开车边自拍的人让自己和周围人的安全都受到了威胁。好的，今天我们学习的词是 selfie, selfie, selfie....

　　A: 不要说拍selfie, 方向盘后面的开车一族真是干什么的都有。

　　B: Yeah. My sister always puts on her makeup 2 while on the way to work.

　　A: I even saw people playing candy crush saga 3 糖果粉碎游戏 behind the wheel?

　　B: I….may have tried that once, and ended up almost kissing the car in front of me! I must say, it was too close for comfort.

　　A: 真是太危险了。不过，你正好介绍了我们下面要学的习惯用语。一起来听。

　　Words and Idioms 895 too close for comfort

　　美国习惯用语第895讲

　　我刚才和表姐吃午饭，她告诉我一个好消息，那就是，她们公司的裁员大潮她躲过去了!这一个月来，和她资历接近的同事一个一个被炒鱿鱼，她本来以为下一个就轮到自己，没想到，裁员结束了，而她留了下来。虽然保住工作，但她这些日子提心吊胆的心情让我想到一个习惯用语，那就是：

　　M: Too close for comfort. Too is spelled t-o-o, close; c-l-o-s-e, and comfort;c-o-m-f-o-r-t. Too-close-for-comfort.

　　Close是“接近”的意思，comfort表示“舒服”，too close for comfort字面的意思就是“过于接近，太相似了，让人不舒服”。根据语境，too close for comfort 有时可以表示“险些遇到不好的结果”。比如，我表姐在这次裁员潮中，离被炒鱿鱼就是 too close for comfort--险些就丢掉工作了!

　　在生活中，我们或多或少会做一些“打擦边球”的事儿。就是明知道有危险，也抱着侥幸心里去做。比如，开车的时候打手机，甚至发短信! 我们来听听下面这个司机的遭遇：

　　M:"I should have been more careful. Driving home, I was answering a text message. I had only looked away from the road for a couple of seconds. But when I looked up, the car ahead of me had stopped abruptly 4. That was TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. I barely missed plowing 5 into him."

　　这段话意思是：我当时真该小心点! 那天，我开车回家，边开车边回短信，虽然只有几秒钟没看路，可当我重新把目光转回路上时发现，我前面的车已经突然停住了! 太危险了! 我差点就撞上它了!

　　打电话、发短信、上网这些事情请您不开车的时候尽情做，开车的时候可需要全神贯注! 车祸往往就是司机分心造成的，几秒钟的注意力不集中就可能导致车毁人亡的惨剧! 刚才那个司机离车祸已经很近了，too close for comfort! 我们再来听听刚才那段话吧：

　　M: "I should have been more careful. Driving home I was answering a text message. I had only looked away from the road for a couple of seconds. But when I looked up, the car ahead of me had stopped abruptly. That was TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. I barely missed plowing into him."

　　刚才我们说到，开车需要全神贯注。在下面这个句子中，一个学生意识到，上学也得专心。上课走神不行，要逃学就更不成了! 我们来听听他是怎么说的：

　　M: "I'll never skip school again. When I stopped at a restaurant for lunch I saw the assistant principal sitting across from me. Luckily, I managed to slip out the door without being noticed. The risk of getting caught was TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. I learned my lesson."

　　这段话的意思是：我再也不会逃学了。那天，我逃课去饭馆吃饭，结果看到副校长就坐在我对面! 幸运的是，我趁他没注意，从门口溜走了。我差一点就被副校长抓个正着! 这下我可长记性了。

　　这孩子，因为差点被抓到才不敢继续逃课! 其实，就算没有“巧遇”副校长，他也应该想想，还有那么多孩子想上学却上不起、上不了，和他们相比，他真应该珍惜受教育的机会才对。好了，我们再来听听刚才那段话：

　　M: "I'll never skip school again. When I stopped at a restaurant for lunch I saw the assistant principal sitting across from me. Luckily, I managed to slip out the door without being noticed. The risk of getting caught was TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. I learned my lesson."

　　有时候，有些东西太像了，也会让人不舒服。比如，我一个朋友总说她男友多浪漫，多会写诗，她小心地保留每一首他写的情诗。可后来她发现，这些诗和一本叫 “情诗大全”的书上的内容相差无几。She finds it all too close for comfort--内容太像了，男友的情诗明显都是抄书抄来的! 你说，我这朋友能不生气么?!

　　好的，今天我们学习的习惯用语是 TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT，表示“太接近了，太像了，让人不舒服。”

　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束。

　　M: Until next time.

　　下次节目再见。

　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.

　　A: Mike, 你上学时是不是经常逃课?

　　B: What? No! I never played hookie. But I was sent home once for wearing a T-shirt with inappropriate words on it.

　　A: What did it say?

　　B: I….probably shouldn’t say. But I did learn my lesson. Dressing 6 properly is important no matter who you are. Let’s listen to our next segment: Business Etiquette 7 and learn more.

　　Business Etiquette

　　Topic: You Are What You Wear

　　Cathy 早上上班见到同事 Adam.

　　Cathy: Hi, Adam, nice tie.

　　Adam: Thanks.

　　C: By the way, can I ask you a personal question?

　　A: Ask away!

　　C: How come you're the only one at the office who wears a tie to work every day? I'm not criticizing your fashion choices, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

　　A: No. I'm happy to answer that question! I assume you're like most people: you prefer to wear comfortable clothing whenever possible, right?

　　Cathy 问了 Adam 个personal question 私人问题，问Adam 为什么每天上班都西装领带的，而公司的着装标准并不严格，所以其他人一般都是怎么舒服怎么穿。Cathy 还补充说，I'm not criticizing your fashion choices. 意思是说我不是想对你的穿着指手划脚，而是好奇。Cathy 承认，平时如果没事，他就会穿得很随便。

　　C: Absolutely! If it's a special event or a business meeting or something, then sure, I'll put on a suit or a nice business dress. But I much prefer to dress more casually 8.

　　A: I understand that logic 9. But of course you've heard about "power-dressing," no?

　　C: Yeah....if you wear nicer looking clothes, people take you more seriously, right?

　　A: That's the idea. I think everybody knows that the clothing we wear affects how others perceive us. But I've also discovered that what I wear affects how I think.

　　C: Really? That's an interesting idea. What exactly do you mean?

　　Cathy 说，如果有什么特别活动或是要开会，She'll put on a suit or a nice business dress. 穿西装或套装，否则的话，她还是喜欢穿得随便些，to dress more casually. Adam 问 Cathy 有没有听过 power-dressing 的说法，也就是说，如果穿得正式，别人就会更把你当回事。Adam 说，他发现，power-dressing 不仅会影响别人对自己的看法，同时也会对他自己的精神状态产生影响。

　　A: Well, there's a lot of research out there that says the position of our bodies affects our thoughts.

　　C: I've heard about that. I read an article that said if you sit up straight your thoughts become sharper than if you were slouching.

　　A: Exactly! But there are some new studies that show what you are wearing can also affect your thoughts.

　　C: Give me an example.

　　A: Scientists found that students who were wearing white lab coats performed better on tests than students who were wearing their own clothes.

　　C: Ah! So because the white lab coat has an association with intelligence, the students' brains actually got more intelligent?

　　有很多研究显示，一个人身体的姿势，往往会对人的思维产生影响，比如，坐直了就比窝着的时候思维更敏锐。Slouch is spelled s-l-o-u-c-h, slouch 意思是很放松地窝在那里，蜷在那里。Adam 补充说，现在的一些新的研究结果发现，what you are wearing can also affect your thoughts. 一个人的穿着也会对他的思维产生影响。比如说，穿着实验室白大褂的学生，考试往往比穿日常衣服的学生成绩好，因为穿着白大褂，会让学生觉得自己智商更高，因此考试时大脑的表现也就更出色。

　　A: 英语里有句话叫，You are what you wear. 没错吧?

　　B: Absolutely. For instance, if you wear casual clothes to an interview, you pretty much have blown your chances of landing that job.

　　A: 我看到有研究说，第一印象的形成只需要三到五秒。

　　B: Therefore, image management is very important. Let’s keep on listening to the second half of Business Etiquette.

　　Business Etiquette

　　Topic: You Are What You Wear II

　　Cathy 跟同事Adam 正在讨论，一个人的穿着是否会对他的精神状态产生影响。Adam 说，

　　A: Have you ever heard the saying, "clothes make the man"? It might be truer than we imagine.

　　C: When a police officer or firefighter puts on their uniform it must affect their psychology 10. It probably gives them a sense of responsibility and authority.

　　A: Absolutely. When a judge puts on that heavy black robe it transmits an image of power, but it also serves as a reminder 11 to the judge of the responsibility of their position.

　　C: I know when I'm wearing a nice suit I feel a lot more confident. If I'm going out for a night on the town and I'm all dressed up I feel a lot better about myself than if I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

　　英语里有一种说法叫 clothes make the man. 相当于中文里说的人靠衣服马靠鞍。Adam 说，这句老话恐怕比我们想的更有道理。警察穿上警服，消防员穿上消防服，法官穿上黑色长袍，都会平添一种使命感和权威感，Cathy 说，她每次穿西装，也会倍感自信，还说，晚上出去吃饭消遣时，如果 dressed up 精心打扮，就会自我感觉更好。Cathy说的， go out for a night on the town, 是一种固定说法，意思是出去吃饭，喝酒，看节目，消遣。

　　A: Yeah, I think everyone recognizes that part about the power of clothes....but that's not exactly why I wear a tie to work every day.

　　C: You wear it because you think it makes you smarter.

　　A: Yes. I think putting on a shirt and tie actually affects the way my brain works. C: That's a very interesting concept!

　　A: My eyes look down and see what I'm wearing and my brain gets a reminder that I'm a businessman.... and I think the brain responds to expectations.

　　Adam 说，他每天都穿西装打领带，不是给别人看的，更多的是在提醒自己，随时提醒自己是商界人士，这样大脑就会做出反应，做出的事，说出的话都会更加得体。

　　C: It's kind of like an actor trying to play a role...you have to have the right costume!

　　A: I think that's a good way of expressing it! I'm sure it's much harder for actors and actresses to get into character before they put on the right costume.

　　C: Yeah....but after the clothes and the makeup go on, they look in the mirror and their brains are able to shift into the role.

　　A: The symbolic 12 meaning of a tie is "business" and so for me it's an identifying symbol that I think affects both how others see me and how I see myself.

　　C: Interesting.....hmm.....maybe I should start wearing a suit.

　　这就跟演员穿上戏服，才能进入角色一样。Adam 觉得，这样比喻恰如其分，that's a good way of expressing it. 演员穿上戏服，化好妆，看着镜子里的自己，他们的大脑就会做出反应，help them to shift into the role. 帮他们进入角色。Adam 最后说，西装领带，对他来说就是一种定位的象征符号，不仅影响到别人对他的看法，也会影响到他自己的精神状态。 Clothes make the man, 也可以说，you are what you wear, 人靠衣服马靠鞍。

　　A: Adam 说，穿西装打领带，不光是给别人看，也是随时提醒自己，说话做事都要符合身份，这一点我倒真没想到。

　　B: I agree that whenever I dress formally, my self-image does go up a notch 13.

　　A: 看来，以后上班真要改变形象，不能穿得这么随便了。

　　B: Yeah. It’s always better to overdress than to underdress. Ok, let's listen to another learn a word!

　　Learn A Word 1903 relinquish 14

　　今天我们要学的词是 relinquish. Relinquish is spelled r-e-l-i-n-q-u-i-s-h, relinquish. Relinquish 动词，意思是放弃。Tina Turner recently filed paperwork to relinquish her American citizenship 15. 蒂娜.特纳最近递交了申请文件，放弃自己美国公民的身份。华尔街日报的报道说，Experts believe increased tax enforcement is the major reason for a record number of U.S. taxpayers 16 relinquishing 17 their citizenship or green cards this year. 有关专家认为，税法的严格执行是造成今年放弃公民或绿卡的美国纳税人人数创下新高的主要原因。好的，今天我们学习的词是 relinquish, relinquish, relinquish....

　　A: Mike，你那天还在抱怨交税太多，不如放弃公民吧。

　　B: haha...Maybe one day I’ll become filthy 18 rich. Then I will think about it.

　　A: 好了，让我们进入下面一个单元，美国习惯用语。

　　美国习惯用语第 896 讲

　　昨晚我作东请客，亲自下厨，请表弟和他的女朋友来我家吃饭。谁知道我辛苦做的红烧鲤鱼，表弟的女友却一口不吃! 因为，这位小姐不吃姜，而我在鱼里放了姜丝。唉，虽然我白辛苦了一场，但趁这个机会，可以给大家介绍一个新的习惯用语：

　　M: To save one's life. Save is spelled s-a-v-e, and life; life. To-save one's life.

　　Save one's life 这几个词大家应该都很熟悉，放在一起，不就是“救命”的意思么?说得没错，可是，我们今天介绍的不是这个用法。当我们把一个有否定含义的句子和to save one's life放在一起，意思就变成“宁愿死也不做某事”，“绝对不做某事”。我表弟的女朋友不吃姜，打死也不吃，就可以说 She wouldn't eat ginger 19 to save her live.

　　在生活中，总会有一些事情是我们绝对不做的。比如，让你身上绑跟绳子，从飞机或悬崖上跳下去，看似有惊无险，可能有些人会愿意挑战看看，可还有一些人是绝对不会做的。比如下面这个人：

　　M: "Adventurous 20, I am not. I'd rather die than go bungee jumping, skydiving or mountain climbing. No one could get me to practice any of those sports TO SAVE MY LIFE. I'll let the thrill seekers have their fun. There's simply no possibility of me ever doing anything that's really dangerous."

　　这段话意思是：我不是一个爱冒险的人。让我去蹦极、高空跳伞或是攀岩，还不如让我死了算了!任何人都休想让我去玩儿这些东西。那些喜欢寻求刺激的人，尽可以去玩儿你们的。我是绝对不会做这些危险的事情的。

　　哇，这人还真没有冒险精神! 他大概只喜欢坐在家里安静地看书吧。当然，人各有志，自己高兴就好! 我们再来听听刚才那段话吧：

　　M:"Adventurous, I am not. I'd rather die than go bungee jumping, skydiving or mountain climbing. No one could get me to practice any of those sports TO SAVE MY LIFE. I'll let the thrill seekers have their fun. There's simply no possibility of me ever doing anything that's really dangerous."

　　很多人梦想上电视，当名人，不过，电视节目也不是好上的。听听下面这段话，您也想一想，这样的电视节目如果请您去，您会答应么?

　　M: "My girlfriend has been watching that new game show. Contestants 21 have one minute to succeed at completing outrageous 22 tasks. They might have to wrap all the toilet paper from a roll around their bodies or shake their heads over 170 times. Even for lots of money, my girlfriend would never try those things. She wouldn't look ridiculous on TV TO SAVE HER LIFE."

　　这段话的意思是：我女朋友很爱看电视上那个新的游戏节目。参赛者要在一分钟内完成一些非常难的任务。比如说，他们可能要把整卷卫生纸缠在身上，或者要不停摇头170多下。就算电视台给我女朋友很多钱，她也不会去做这些事情。她可绝对不愿意在电视上出洋相。

　　有些人不愿意在电视上出丑，可也有人不在乎。比如，现在很流行的歌手选秀节目，有些参赛者啊，唱的还真是难听! They are not able to sing to save their lives! 根本就是五音不全! 可是人家还是很有勇气地登上舞台了啊! 好了，我们再来听听刚才那段话：

　　M: "My girlfriend has been watching that new game show. Contestants have one minute to succeed at completing outrageous tasks. They might have to wrap all the toilet paper from a roll around their bodies or shake their heads over 170 times. Even for lots of money, my girlfriend would never try those things. She wouldn't look ridiculous on TV TO SAVE HER LIFE."

　　今天我们学习的习惯用语是 TOO SAVE ONE'S LIFE， 把这个短语加在有否定含义的句子后面，表示“绝对不做某事”。好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束。

　　M: Until next time.

　　下次节目再见。

　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.

　　A: 刚才那个例句让我想起杨琳，我记得她在最近一集视频美语怎么说里说过，不化妆，打死也不上电视。

　　B: Haha, I remember that episode too. She wouldn’t show her face without makeup to save her life!

　　A: 好了同学们，这次节目时间就到这里了。

　　B: Tune 23 in next time for American English Mosaic!

　　A: See you next time!