VOA英语教学：美语训练班 122

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

　　A: And I'm Lin Yang.
　　B: Want to know how to enjoy life on a tight budget ? We will offer you some good tips in today's show.
　　A: Is "staycation" even better than vacation? 我们在下面的节目中为你介绍!
　　B: And in words and idioms, we will learn what "seal one's fate" and "sign one's own death warrant" means!
　　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 1815 blood drive
　　今天我们要学的词是blood drive. Blood is spelled b-l-o-o-d, blood, and drive, d-r-i-v-e, drive, blood drive. Blood drive 是献血活动的意思。The first national gay blood drive was held recently to combat the FDA's ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. 美国不久前举行了第一次全国性的同性恋献血活动，专门针对美国食品药物管理局禁止同性恋和双性恋男性献血的禁令。Blood drive organizers wanted to show how much blood gay communities can contribute. 这次献血活动的组织者希望借此证明，同性恋人群到底能捐献多少血液。好的，今天我们学习的词是 blood drive, blood drive, blood drive...
　　A: 我最怕献血了! 看见那个大粗针头我就直哆嗦!
　　B: Yeah, I'm not a fan as well. Needles terrify me! But there is also a real need for blood donors and the knowledge that I might be sealing someone's fate by not donating is more than I can handle.
　　A: That's true. 诶，你提到了一个有意思的短语， seal one's fate, let's check it out in today's words and idioms!
　　Words and Idioms 867 Seal One's Fate
　　美国习惯用语第 867 讲
　　我侄女好几个月来，一直在为学校的圣诞舞会做准备，可她爸警告她说，如果物理成绩拿不到 B，就不许去参加舞会。我真替她捏把汗。不过，这倒让我想起一个习惯用语，叫
　　M: Seal one's fate. Seal is spelled s-e-a-l, and fate; f-a-t-e. Seal-one's-fate.
　　在这里，seal 是确定，决定的意思。fate 大家都知道，是命运。 to seal one's fate 意思就是决定命运，往往指不好的命运，就象刚才说到的，如果我侄女的物理成绩不能提高的话，It will SEAL HER FATE. 她就别想去参加什么圣诞舞会了，那她一定失望死了。下面这个例子里的年轻人似乎也很失望，是什么事情决定了他的命运呢？让我们一起听：
　　M: "My son graduated 1 in his class, got near perfect scores on the national aptitude tests and had an impressive background. We were so hopeful when he sent in his college application. But the rejection letter he received SEALED HIS FATE. He wouldn't be getting into Harvard after all."
　　这位妈妈说：我儿子毕业时，是班里第一名，参加全国能力考试几乎得了满分，而且过去表现一直特别棒，他递交大学申请的时候我们满怀希望，但是一封不予录取通知书就决定了他的命运。他最终还是没能上成哈佛大学。
　　这么厉害的学生，进不了哈佛也一定会有出息。美国的好大学多得是，很多事业有成的人，其实并不是长春藤名校的毕业生。不过，这个孩子的失望心情是可想而知的。让我们再来听听上面那段话。
　　M: "My son graduated 1 in his class, got near perfect scores on the national aptitude tests and had an impressive background. We were so hopeful when he sent in his college application. But the rejection letter he received SEALED HIS FATE. He wouldn't be getting into Harvard after all."
　　在下面这个例子里，一个保龄球队的队长谈到了他们即将参加的比赛。我们一起听听，这场比赛为什么那么重要。
　　M: "We've been bowling strong all season. Yet everything depends on tonight's play off. We'll be up against our toughest challenger. If they beat us, they'll SEAL OUR FATE. Since only the winning team will advance to the finals, we've got to play our best! "
　　他说：我们整个赛季发挥得都很好，但关键还是要看今天晚上季后赛的表现。我们要对付的是最厉害的对手，如果他们赢了，一切就都完了，因为谁赢谁就能获得决赛的资格，所以我们一定要发挥出最高水平。
　　我最喜欢的经典电影之一是“雨中曲”， Singing in the Rain. 片子结尾的时候，观众才发现，原来他们最崇拜的女明星说话的声音居然如此难听。That sealed her fate. 好的，我们再来听一下上面那个例句。
　　M: "We've been bowling strong all season. Yet everything depends on tonight's play off. We'll be up against our toughest challenger. If they beat us, they'll SEAL OUR FATE. Since only the winning team will advance to the finals, we've got to play our best! "
　　Seal One's Fate 这个习惯用语历史久远，出现于十七世纪中期。我最近收到一封新听众的来信，他说自己以前错过了很多集习惯用语，担心会影响到英语水平的提高。我告诉他，missing a lot of our previous shows won't SEAL HIS FATE. 我们的文字和声音文档在网上都是可以找到的。
　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。
　　M: Until next time.
　　下次节目再见。
　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.
　　A: Hear that Mike? You need to find a way to cure your laziness, otherwise it will seal your fate...
　　B: Haha, If I do then that just gives me an excuse to have a "staycation at home!
　　A: Wait...staycation? What's that?
　　B: With the bad economic situation, maybe families are turning vacations into staycations. That is, staying at home, spend time around each other, and be cozy!
　　A: That...actually sounds not bad at all!
　　B: Haha, sounds like you have a lazy bone as well! (A: Ugh...) Speaking of getting laid off, In today's business etiquette, we will take a look at how to live on a tight budget!
　　A: Let's check it out!
　　礼节美语Living with less"Staycation" I
　　很久不见的好友 Lisa, Karen 和 Gina 一起吃饭。Lisa 先到，注意听她帮朋友点了些什么菜。
　　Lisa: Karen! Gina! So good to see you! Sit down!
　　Karen: Hi, Lisa!
　　Gina: Good to see you, too! It's been so long!
　　L: Indeed it has! I ordered your favorite dish: spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and I got Gina the vegetarian pasta!
　　G: Excellent!
　　K: I really do love the spaghetti here.
　　Lisa 最早一个到，已经帮 Karen 和 Gina 点好了她们爱吃的菜 their favorite dish，Karen 爱吃 spaghetti with cherry tomatoes 加小西红柿的意大利面条；Gina 爱吃 vegetarian pasta 素的通心粉，vegetarian is spelled v-e-g-e-t-a-r-i-a-n, vegetarian 吃素的，素食的。
　　L: So what's new? Are you planning a vacation this summer?
　　G: Well...frankly...I'm not sure we have the budget for a vacation this year.
　　K: Yeah, actually we're thinking about skipping the vacation too.
　　L: I think money is tight for everyone these days. Last year we went to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for six days! It was incredible, but we did end up spending over five grand!
　　K: We went to Mexico last year and stayed at a villa by the beach!
　　G: Last year we did Alaska...absolutely gorgeous...but pretty pricey as well.
　　Lisa 问大家，夏天计划去哪里渡假。Gina 说，I'm not sure we have the budget for a vacation this year. 今年恐怕没钱出去玩了。Karen 也说，考虑 skip the vacation 渡假就免了。Lisa 说，现在大家手头都紧，money is tight for everyone. 去年她们一家去巴厘岛，结果花了五千多美元。end up doing something 意思是最后，结果做了某事。five grand 就是 five thousand dollars. Karen 去年去了墨西哥，Gina 去了阿拉斯加，都很贵，pricey, pricey is spelled p-r-i-c-e-y, 是价钱很贵的意思。
　　L: Well, we have to face reality and adapt to it. There just isn't any extra money lying around these days.
　　K: You can say that again! I've been penny-pinching all year!
　　G: Our family has basically stopped eating out. I cook almost every meal and while it takes some extra effort...cooking at home saves us a lot of money!
　　Lisa 说，大家都要面对现实，适应现实，to face reality and adapt to it. 如今谁都没有多少闲钱，There isn't any extra money lying around. Karen 马上表示赞同，说她一年来花钱一直特别节省，I've been penny-pinching all year. penny-pinch 意思是一分钱掰成两半花，节省。Gina 也说，她们一家现在基本上不出去吃饭 to eat out 是出去吃饭的意思，相反的是 cook at home 自己在家做，能省不少钱。她们三个人还有什么省钱的诀窍呢？我们下次继续听。
　　A: 三个好朋友聚在一起吃饭，Lisa说，她可能需要skip the vacation, 不能去渡假了，因为现在出去渡假对她来说too pricey, 太贵了。现在的经济环境下there isn't any extra money lying around, 谁都没有什么闲钱。Karen说，I've been penny-pinching, 意思是一分钱掰成两半花。
　　B: I've been watching my budget too. Dining out is a really big part of the DC culture, but once I start cooking by myself, it saved me a lot of money!
　　A: True, and I bet it's healthier! Let's keep listening to Lisa, Karen and Gina and see what good tips they have on saving money!
　　礼节美语Living with less"Staycation" II
　　很久不见的好友 Lisa, Karen 和 Gina 一起吃饭。三个人都说，现在手头很紧，彼此交换勤俭持家的经验。Karen 说，
　　K: We've stopped going to the theater! We used to take the kids every Saturday, but with each ticket costing about 10 bucks, it adds up to a couple of hundred dollars a month! These days we just rent a movie and stay at home.
　　G: But you know, even though we can't do as many things as we used to, I feel like our family has grown closer since we've been spending more time together.
　　Karen 说，原来每星期六都要带孩子去看电影，但是电影票一张十块钱，10 bucks, buck is spelled b-u-c-k, buck 是口语里提到美元时常用的词。一个月下来，一家人看电影就要两百块，上面用到的 it adds up to 是加在一起的意思，把这笔钱省了，一家人租影碟在家看。Gina 说，虽然没那么多钱玩这玩那了，但是一家人经常在一起，our family has grown closer 感情反而更亲密了。
　　L: That's true for us as well. We play board games at night with the kids and when we watch movies we do it as a family. It's funny, but the recession is forcing us to get creative and actually...it's kind of fun!
　　K: You know the old saying: troubles can be a blessing in disguise.
　　L: I think it all depends on your attitude. If you stay positive, saving money can be a fun challenge. But being depressed about it doesn't help anything.
　　Lisa 也有同感，因为经济衰退逼得大家不能花钱买娱乐，不得不回去陪孩子玩游戏，一家人一起看电影，反而其乐融融。老话说，troubles can be a blessing in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。Lisa 表示同意，说一切都取决于心态，如果心态是 positive 积极的话，省钱也能变成一件开心的挑战，萎靡不振 doesn't help anything. 于事无补。
　　G: Another thing that has really helped our family is instituting the thirty-day rule.
　　K: What's the thirty-day rule?
　　G: Well, every time we think about buying something we don't really need, we wait thirty days and then ask ourselves if we still want it. A lot of times after thirty days, we can't even remember why we wanted it in the first place!
　　Gina 说，为省钱，她们家还采纳了 thirty-day rule 三十天原则，就是买一件东西之前，必须等30天，如果30天后还是想买的话，才可以买。Gina 说，a lot of times 很多时候，30天过后，她们早就记不起来当初为什么想买了。三个人省钱还有什么高招吗？我们下次继续听。
　　A: Gina说，现在没有闲钱出去，一家人反而经常在一起，our family grow closer since we've been spending more time together。Lisa也有同感，troubles can be a blessing in disguise, 塞翁失马，焉知非福。
　　B: Exactly! If you stay positive, saving money can be a fun challenge! And once you form healthy spending habits, it's going to benefit you for the long run!
　　A: True! Gina also invented this 30 day rule! Will it work? Let's listen and find out!
　　礼节美语Living with less"Staycation" III
　　很久不见的好友 Lisa, Karen 和 Gina 一起吃饭。三个人都说，现在手头很紧，彼此交换勤俭持家的经验。Gina 说，她们家实行三十天规则，想买什么东西，先要等上三十天，如果三十天过后还觉得需要的话，才能买，Lisa 觉得这个办法不错。
　　L: What a great rule! My kids keep bugging me to buy a flat screen TV and I really think we can wait until next year when they will be cheaper. I'm going to institute the thirty-day rule and see if they still want it!
　　K: I find that if I write a very specific shopping list before I go to the mall and stick to it...I'm much less likely to buy unnecessary stuff. The trick is to force yourself to stick to the shopping list! No exceptions!
　　Lisa 说，孩子一直吵着要买个平面电视，bug someone to do something 意思是缠着某人做某事。Karen 又说，如果把需要买的东西列在单子上，write a shopping list,  shopping list 意思是购物清单，就不会看见什么买什么，结果买了一大堆不需要的东西回来。她还介绍经验说，The trick is to force yourself to stick to the shopping list! 诀窍是必需严格遵照购物清单，stick to something 是严格遵守的意思。No exceptions. 不能有例外。
　　G: Yep...Sticking to it is the hard part! In any case, this recession is teaching all of us to have better discipline and that's a good thing.
　　L: Yes, it sure it. We could all learn some self-control!
　　K: We sure could! The days of free spending are over. No more "putting it on the card."
　　Gina 表示赞同，说 sticking to the shopping list is the hard part. hard part 指难度较大的部分，换句话说，Writing down the things you need to buy is the easy part.
　　Sticking to the shopping list is the hard part. 把需要买的东西列在购物清单上很容易，能完全按照这个单子买东西就没那么容易了。Karen 在上面那段话中还说，The days of free spending are over. 花钱不假思索的日子结束了。no more "putting it on the card." 这里所说的''put it on the card''意思是刷卡。
　　G: Hey! I've got a great idea! Let's have a three-day "staycation"...it's a vacation at home! You can bring the kids over to my place and we'll all have fun together.
　　L: That sounds like fun!
　　K: Super idea! Let's start our "staycation" this Saturday!
　　G: Great! See you then!
　　Gina 突发奇想，建议大家一起来个三天的 "staycation," staycation is spelled s-t-a-y-c-a-t-i-o-n, staycation, 是 stay 跟 vacation 连在一起组成的，是这两年出现的新词，指经济不好，在家渡假。大家一致同意，觉得这个主意真不错。
　　A: Karen说，一个省钱的好方法是每次都写一个shopping list, 购物单，然后force yourself to stick to it, 严格按照购物清单的条款来买，no exceptions，不能有例外。
　　B: Yep, I guess the days of free spending are over! But it might be a blessing in disguise, it could help the whole nation learn how to save.
　　A: 哈哈哈，没错! 好啦，staycation 就到这里吧! 现在咱们来进入今天最后一个单元....
　　B: Let's listen to another words and idioms!
　　Words and Idioms 868 SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT
　　美国习惯用语第 868 讲
　　我刚跟我一个做银行出纳的朋友吃完午饭。她最近失业了，不过也要怪她自己。不久前开会，她好心建议，可以增设自动提款机，减少开支，银行高层接受了她的建议，结果非常成功，反而不需要她们这些出纳了。这让我想起一个习惯用语，叫
　　M: To sign one's own death warrant. Sign is spelled s-i-g-n; death is d-e-a-t-h, and warrant; w-a-r-r-a-n-t. To-sign-one's-own-death-warrant.
　　Sign 是签署的意思。death warrant 死亡证书。to sign one's own death warrant 自己签自己的死亡证书，显而易见，就是自我毁灭，自寻死路的意思。就象我那个出纳朋友，主动提议银行增设自动提款机，全自动了，还要他们这些出纳做什么呢？这就叫 She signed her own death warrant. 在下面这个例子里，一位作者怎么会搬起石头砸了自己的脚呢？我们一起听：
　　M: "One of my best selling authors became a multi-millionaire with the continuing adventures of "Detective X". So why did he decide to have his lead character murdered? I don't understand. He must have known that by doing so he was SIGNING HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT. His long career with the series is now over!"
　　这个作家的经纪人说：我的最畅销的作家之一就是仗着他的‘侦探X’系列才成为百万富翁的。他为什么要让主角给人谋杀呢？这我就不懂了。他一定知道，这样做是自毁生路。他写了这么长的系列就算结束了。
　　美国不久前刚刚发生了一起气球男孩事件，孩子的父亲承认，他们欺骗媒体和警方，说孩子爬到热气球里在天上飞，其实完全是为了增加知名度，争取能做个真人秀。可事实上，he signed his own death warrant. 不仅没做成真人秀，反而可能要去坐牢。让我们再来听听上面那段话。
　　M: "One of my best selling authors became a multi-millionaire with the continuing adventures of "Detective X". So why did he decide to have his lead character murdered? I don't understand. He must have known that by doing so he was SIGNING HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT. His long career with the series is now over!"
　　在下面这个例子里，一家录像出租店顺应时代潮流，改变经营模式，让我们听听他们的诀窍。
　　M: "Star Video did a thriving business when everyone was going to their stores to rent movies. Then the industry began to change. So they added an online mail-order service, featuring all kinds of entertainment, including video games. They could have SIGNED THEIR OWN DEATH WARRANT. Instead, they made a smart move that kept them competitive."
　　这段话说的是：原来，所有人都到明星录像店去租电影看，他们的生意火得要命。后来，整个录像带租赁行业发生了变化，他们就增加了网上邮购的服务，提供各种娱乐产品和电子游戏。他们不仅没有自毁前程，反而采取了很聪明的做法，保存了竞争力。
　　跟 to sign one's own death warrant 相类似的，还有一种说法，叫 to order one's own execution 自己下令处死自己，意思也是自绝生路。好的，我们再来听一下上面那个例句。
　　M: "Star Video did a thriving business when everyone was going to their stores to rent movies. Then the industry began to change. So they added an online mail-order service, featuring all kinds of entertainment, including video games. They could have SIGNED THEIR OWN DEATH WARRANT. Instead, they made a smart move that kept them competitive."
　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。
　　M: Until next time.
　　下次节目再见。
　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.
　　B: Seriously Yanglin, if you don't start dressing in more appropriate cloths when you come to work,  you're signing your own death warrant when you dress like that!
　　A: Keep talking and You'll be signing yours!
　　A: 好了同学们，这次节目时间就到这里了。
　　B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!
　　A: See you next time!