流行美語 第183課
时间：2019-02-12 作者：英语课 分类：美国之音《流行美语》
李华开始在图书馆打工，但是她告诉Larry她担心自己不能胜任这份工作。今天李华会学到两个常用语：learn the ropes和put a lid on it。
LH: 我实在搞不清楚怎么用图书馆的电脑系统。我好怕我会做错什么事情。
LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. You'll figure it out. It takes a little while to learn the ropes at a new job.
LH: Larry, 你在说什么啊？To learn the ropes? 我是在图书馆工作，又不是在体育馆里呢。我干吗要学习拉绳索。再说，图书馆里也没有绳索啊？
LL: No (laughing). "To learn the ropes" is an expression. It means to learn how to do something, especially something related 1 to work.
LH: 噢，to learn the ropes就是学会怎么做某件事，特别是指跟工作有关的事。这个用法好奇怪噢。你知道这个常用语是怎么来的吗？
LL: The expression is related to sailing. When sailors first started working on a boat, they had to learn which ropes were attached to which sails.
LH: 原来这是从航海而来。没错，这水手一开始学必须学会哪条绳索是控制哪个风帆的。我也希望我能赶快学会图书馆的一套工作，不然我可能要被开除了！
LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. Everyone needs some time to learn the ropes at a new job. I'm sure your boss knows that.
LH: 对，每个人到一个新的工作岗位都需要时间才能熟悉自己的工作。可是我真想表现好一些，不让我老板失望。
LL: I'm sure you won't. When I started my most recent job, it took me about three weeks to learn the ropes.
LH: 你花了三个星期才学会你现在的工作啊？那你在那三个星期里有没有犯错呢？
LL: Of course, but no one minded because they knew that I was still learning 2 the ropes.
LH: 你的同事真好。他们知道你是新人，所以你犯错，他们都很包容。那如果你现在还犯错，他们会怎么样？
LL: I don't have that excuse anymore, but my boss is still relatively 3 understanding. He knows that everyone makes mistakes from time to time.
LH: 你现在再犯错误就没有借口了。可是，你的老板真好，很能理解工作人员。我希望我的老板也能如此。不过，谢谢你的安慰，Larry!
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LH: 今天有个人来图书馆拿他订的书，可是书还没到。他对我好凶噢。我吓的都不知道该怎么办才好。
LL: I would have told him to put a lid on it. After all, it's not your fault.
LH: Put a lid on it? Lid那不是盖子的意思吗？我要他盖盖子做什么？
LL: Telling someone to "put a lid on it" is the same as telling him or her to shut up.
LH: 什么！Put a lid on it就是叫人闭嘴？我可不能那样做，那是很不礼貌的！
LL: Well, it sounds as though he was being really rude to you.
LH: 他虽然对我没礼貌，但我可不能学他那样。我是在那儿工作的，我可不能叫他闭嘴。
LL: Yeah, you're probably right. It wouldn't be very professional to tell the guy to put a lid on it.
LH: 我啊，只希望那个家伙再也别来图书馆了！
LL: If he does, you can give me a call and I'll come over and tell him to put a lid on it myself.
LH: 你别担心我啦。那个人要是再来找麻烦，我就直接找我的老板去和他谈喽！
LL: That's a good idea.
今天李华学到两个常用语。一个是learn the ropes，就是学习，掌握诀窍的意思，通常是指工作方面的事。另一个常用语是put a lid on it，这是叫人闭嘴的意思。
- I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
- We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
- When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
- Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
- The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
- The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。