VOA英语教学：美语训练班 114

 　　A: 欢迎大家来到这期的美语训练班! 我是杨琳!

　　B: 我是Mike! 杨琳，来告诉大家今天都要学什么!
　　A: 好的! 今天，我们要一起看看美国老板鼓励员工的方式，告诉你怎么说陷入困境，还要来看看如何说越界!
　　B: Performance evaluations 2 are very common in American companies. Basically, your supervisor 3 gives an evaluation 1 of your work performance every three months. Most of the time, they just want to see whether you perform your job well.
　　A: Aren't your nervous that your first evaluation is coming up Mike? I can put in a good word for you if you buy me lunch today....
　　B: As if I need it.
　　A: 呵呵，好了，不开玩笑了! 咱们赶快开始今天的课程吧! 先来进入第一个单元...
　　B: learn a word!
　　Learn A Word 1794 replica 4
　　今天我们要学的词是replica. Replica is spelled r-e-p-l-i-c-a, replica. Replica 是复制品的意思。Lego built a life-sized replica of an X-Wing Fighter, the iconic spaceship from the Return of the Jedi. 乐高公司搭建了一个跟星球大战6杰迪归来里的经典飞机X-Wing 一样大小的复制品。A scaled replica of the Titanic 5 will be put on display. 一个泰坦尼克号的复制模型将向民众公开展览。瑞士手表生产行业说，The replica watch market costs them billions of dollars each year. 假冒伪劣的复制名表市场每年都会给他们造成数以十亿美元计的损失。今天我们学习的词是 replica, replica, replica...
　　B: So you just got back from your vacation to Las Vegas 杨琳。How do you like the city?
　　A: I heart it! Especially all the different theme hotels... and their buffets 6! But my favorite is the replica of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph, they're breath-taking.
　　B: Yeah, Las Vegas is a very attractive city to visit. According to TripAdvisor.com, The fountains at the Bellagio Casino are actually the top place people wanted to see when they come to America.
　　A: You lived there for two years, right?
　　B: Yep, I really like the city. It's diverse and energetic, but some times...it's a little out of line.... But as we put it: what happens in Vegas ends up on Facebook.
　　A: 哈哈，对! 你正好提到了我们接下来要教的短语: Out of Line! Let's check it out in today's words and idioms!
　　Words and Idioms 851 Out of Line
　　美国习惯用语第 851讲
　　这个周末我去参加一个派对，其中一个客人显然是喝多了，居然去骚扰另一位客人的太太。 那位太太一气之下甩了他一巴掌。我看是活该。
　　这个人的行为可以说是:
　　M: Out of line. Line is spelled l-i-n-e. Out-of-line. Out of line.
　　Out of line 这个习惯用语由三个很简单的英文词组成。Out ，外面；line，线，界限；那么Out of line很容易理解，就是超越了界限。说一个人 Out of line，就是行为不检点。比如我上次碰到的那个醉酒的男子，骚扰别人的妻子。
　　M:He shouldn't have been acting 7 like that; he was OUT OF LINE.
　　下面我们再举个例子，有一位父亲在足球场的行为超越了界限而遭到其他父母的非议:
　　M: Some parents don't know how to behave. At my son's football game, one player's  dad ran onto the field and started screaming at the referee 8 about a call he didn't agree with. He was so OUT OF LINE. I don't blame the officials for banning him from the stands for the rest of the season. What he did was unacceptable.
　　有的父母就是不懂得控制自己的行为。在我儿子的足球比赛上，有一个球员的父亲觉得裁判的判决不公平，所以就冲到足球场上，对着裁判大喊大叫。后来球队决定禁止他在本赛季观看比赛。他的行为让人无法容忍。
　　其实很多父母都会这样，看孩子比赛太投入了，常常就会做出一些缺乏理智的举动，明明是大人，行为却幼稚得像小孩子。
　　小孩也应该有大人正确引导，才不会行为出轨。有一天我走在路上，一只篮球滚到我脚边。有个孩子命令我说"把篮球给我扔过来"，我提醒他要加上一个"请"字，可是他既没有道歉，也没说"请"，自己把篮球捡起来转身就跑了。 这种行为在我看来就是OUT OF LINE。
　　很多学生大学毕业要申请工作，走入社会。申请工作要面试，考官可以问你哪些问题，哪些问题又会OUT OF LINE呢?
　　M: What can a potential employer ask you? It's fair enough for an interviewer to inquire about your job history and education. Yet questions about your age, religion and political views are way OUT OF LINE. You never have to answer them. Not only are they inappropriate, but they are also illegal.
　　你未来的雇主可以问你哪些问题呢? 面试官有权询问有关你的工作经历和教育程度方面的问题。但是如果他问你的年龄、宗教信仰和政治立场，那就大大超越界限了。这种问题不仅不恰当，而且不合法。
　　注意刚才这个人说
　　M: Way out of line.
　　这里的 WAY 就是非常或者很严重的意思。
　　我们还可以在 out of line 前面用动词 GET; 和STEP; 表示超越了界限。
　　M:Get out of line;  step out of line.
　　例如:
　　M:If that unruly father STEPS OUT OF LINE next season, he might never be allowed to watch another football game.
　　这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。以后我想到更精彩的习惯用语一定和大家分享。
　　M: Until next time.
　　下次节目再见。
　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.
　　A: True. Never talk about religion, sexual orientation 9, or politics in the work place. You may cross the line and get yourself in trouble.
　　B: Exactly. You don't want that kind of record on your performance evaluation. Once your reputation is ruined, you can never get it back.
　　A: 没错! 今天的business etiquette里，部门经理就要来找手下谈谈他的年度中期工作表现!
　　B: Let's check it out!
　　礼节美语Performance Evaluation I
　　部门经理 Fay 找手下 Steve 来，讨论他的年度中期工作表现。
　　Fay: Hi there, Steve....grab a seat.
　　Steve: Hi, Fay. How are you this morning?
　　F: Very well, thanks. Great weather we've been having.
　　S: I know! Makes me want to sneak 10 away from work and go hiking!
　　F: Yeah...hiking would be great right about now! Ok...let's get down to the task at hand...your bi-annual performance evaluation.
　　Steve 的上司 Fay 让他随便坐，grab a seat 是非常口语的说法，意思就是请坐。谈正事之前先要寒暄一下，Steve 说，最近天气好，让他恨不得上班开小差儿，去滑雪 to sneak away from work and go hiking. 寒暄过后，Fay 说，let's get down to the task at hand，咱们开始谈正事吧。Fay 找 Steve 来为了每年两次 bi-annual 的工作表现评定。
　　S: So how did I do?
　　F: Well, in many areas you get high marks. You have a lot of creative thoughts and your enthusiasm regarding work projects is very much appreciated.
　　S: That's good to hear. I enjoy being creative and I'm glad to see you appreciate that. Now what's the bad news?
　　F: (Chuckle) Well, we all have areas in which we could do better.
　　S: And what are my areas?
　　Fay 首先表扬 Steve，说他很多方面都做得很好，get high marks, 得高分，尤其是他点子多 ，工作热情高。Steve 问，So what's the bad news? 坏消息呢？意思是缺点呢？Fay 婉转地说，we all have areas in which we could do better. 大家都有可以改进的地方。
　　F: For starters, there is an issue of punctuality. You've been clocking in roughly 20 to 30 minutes late almost every day.
　　S: But I moved last month and the office is almost 40 miles away from my home now! Sometimes the traffic is really terrible.
　　F: Yeah, I know. I also live out in the suburbs. Sometimes I'm stuck in traffic for 45 minutes! But, as you know, the company requires all employees to be at work by nine A.M. sharp.
　　首先是准点上班的问题，the issue of punctuality. Steve 几乎每天迟到二、三十分钟，to clock in 指进办公室的时间，to clock out 则是指离开办公室的时间。Steve 解释说，这是因为他最近搬家，路上堵车。Fay 表示理解，说自己有时也会 stuck in traffic for 45 minutes.有时路上会堵45分钟，可是公司要求员工九点准时到办公室，to be at work by nine A.M. sharp. 这一 点不能含糊。
　　S: Yeah...I know...but it's really been tough for me lately! Can you possibly make an exception?
　　F: If it were up to me, I'd love for everyone to come in at noon. But I can't make exceptions; otherwise everyone else will be unhappy. We're a team and we all have to follow the rules.
　　S: All right. I guess I'm just going to have to wake up an hour earlier.
　　F: Sounds like a good plan.
　　Steve 问 Fay 能不能 make an exception 破例，让他稍微晚点到。Fay 说，如果依她，if it were up to me, 大家中午到都行，但是公司的规定，大家都要遵守。除了上班迟到，Steve 还有哪些缺点，我们下次继续听。
　　A: Fay跟Steve谈起了他的工作表现，Fay说，Steve有很好的一面，比如说have creative thoughts, 点子多，还有enthusiasm towards work，工作热情高。但是话峰一转，谈到了the issue of punctuality, 准时的问题。Steve表示自己搬到了离公司很远的地方，能不能make an exception.
　　B: I think rule No. 1 in work place is to be fair. You can't make an exception for just one person, whatever the reason is. It'll take a long time to get the office morale 11 back.
　　A: I can say that again. Let's keep listening to Fay and see what else he has to say about Steve!
　　礼节美语Performance Evaluation II
　　部门经理 Fay 找手下 Steve 来，讨论他的年度中期工作表现，除了上班迟到，Steve 还有哪些缺点呢？
　　S: OK...what other issues are there with my performance?
　　F: Well, like I said before, you are very enthusiastic and we appreciate that, but sometimes you can be a bit over-the-top.
　　S: What do you mean by that?
　　F: Well, sometimes your co-workers feel that you are too loud, or you tell inappropriate jokes during office hours.
　　S: Who said that about me? Tell me their name!
　　Fay 说 Steve 有时热情得 over-the-top, 有点过头，办公室同事觉得 Steve太吵，而且还开一些不合时宜的玩笑。Steve 气得不行，问是谁在背后打他的小报告。
　　F: You know I can't do that and I don't think it's important who feels this way. The truth is that maybe you could try to tone down your volume and be more careful of what you say.
　　S: I think people are too sensitive.
　　F: That could be true, but we all have to work together so it's probably best not to step on people's toes.
　　S: OK...I guess I can try to tone it down.
　　F: Can you handle another criticism?
　　S: Sure...why not? Bring it on!
　　Fay 表示，谁说的并不重要，她也不能告诉 Steve，但她建议Steve 还是要 tone down your volume 说话小声点，Don't step on people's toes. 别踩到别人脚指头，意思是不要冒犯别人。Fay 问Steve说，Can you handle another criticism? 天啊，还有？
　　F: I would recommend that you work on following through with projects. You have a lot of good ideas and you start quite a few different projects, but many times you don't follow through. Then all these ideas are just floating around but nothing is really getting done.
　　S: But I'm really more of an idea person. I come up with concepts and start them, but the legwork is really not my style.
　　Fay 建议 Steve 做项目要 follow through. 做事有始有终。Steve 好主意虽然多，可是 nothing is really getting done. 没有什么是真正落实了的。Steve 说自己就是擅长出点子，I'm more of an idea person. 但是具体跑腿儿、落实就不是他的风格了，the legwork is not my style. legwork 意思是跑腿儿的活，具体工作。Fay 表示，这不利于Steve升职。
　　F: Honestly Steve, You have a lot of talent, but if you don't complete tasks, you won't get promoted.
　　S: Well, thanks for the advice. I'll try to work on that.
　　F: Again, I can't stress enough how grateful we are for all the work you do. Overall, you are a quality employee and we're glad to have you.
　　S: Thanks for saying that, Fay. I appreciate it.
　　F: Sure. Thanks for stopping by and we'll do this again in six months.
　　S: See you then!
　　Steve 保证，他会努力改正。I'll try to work on that. 谈话结束前，Fay 再次强调，Steve 是优秀员工，a quality employee，公司能有他这样的员工很高兴。We're glad to have you.
　　A: 原来呢，Steve虽然很善于出点子，但是不善于follow through 做事有始有终, 而且有点不顾别人的感受, step on people's toes, 有时会冒犯别人。Steve说，legwork is not my style, 不善于做具体工作，但是会从此注意，开始改正。
　　B:  Creative ideas and the ability to follow through, that's the way to get a promotion 12.
　　A: 没错! 哎，Mike,你两样都没有，怎么办呢?
　　B: Ugh....
　　A: (笑) 好了好了不开玩笑了! 工作表现就到这里吧! Now let's go to another learn a word!
　　Learn A Word 1795 showstopper
　　今天我们要学的词是showstopper. showstopper is s-h-o-w-s-t-o-p-p-e-r, showstopper. Showstopper 意思是精彩的表演，或是吸引人的事物。New York is a city rich in landmarks 13 and showstoppers for visitors to experience. 纽约有各种地标和吸引人的景点，给游客提供丰富的体验。音乐喜剧“海上情缘”正在美国的肯尼迪艺术中心上映。"Anything Goes" is a musical comedy full of showstopper numbers. “海上情缘”里一段段演唱，精彩纷呈。The new 2014 Jaguar 14 F-Type is a true showstopper. 2014年新款捷豹 F-Type 实在是太吸引眼球了。今天我们学习的词是 showstopper, showstopper, showstopper...
　　B: Have you watched Pacific Rim 15? It's a real showstopper! I highly recommend it!
　　A: Hmm...我不喜欢机器人打打杀杀的电影，我更喜欢看些轻喜剧什么的! 有一次硬着头皮跟朋友去看恐怖片，I was so afraid that I couldn't look at the screen, but at the same time I couldn't leave! I was stuck there, it was so painful...
　　B: Wow...OK. Then you probably should skip the next one. Well, the idiom we are going to teach next means exactly what you just said. Let's check it out!
　　Words and Idioms 852 PAINT ONESELF INTO A CORNER
　　美国习惯用语>第 852 讲我表姐最近遇到了一件很为难的事。她准备两个月后结婚，并答应让自己最要好的朋友做伴娘，可是她忘了，其实她早就把伴娘的角色缸5c给了自己的亲妹妹。我真不知道她要如何才能脱身。用我们今天要学的习惯用语来形容她的处境恰如其分，那就是：
　　M: Paint oneself into a corner. Paint is spelled p-a-i-n-t, and corner; c-o-r-n-e-r. Paint-oneself-into-a-corner. Paint oneself into a corner.
　　在英语里，Paint 是画的意思，corner 是角落。TO PAINT ONESELF INTO A CORNER 意思是让自己陷入困境。我表姐的情况一个很好的例子，因为她把伴娘的重要任务许给了两个人。SHE PAINTED HERSELF INTO A CORNER. 别以为自己为难自己的人只有她一个。让我们一起来听听下面这个人的故事。
　　M: "To make extra money, I took a part-time job. But then one of my co-workers at my full-time 16 job quit and I volunteered to do some of his work. Now I've really PAINTED MYSELF INTO A CORNER. I've taken on too much. It's impossible for me to get everything done!"
　　这个人说：为了多赚点钱， 我找了份兼职工作。后来我的一个同事辞职，我主动提出分担他留下来的一部分工作，如今我是自作自受，揽了太多的工作，简直是分身乏术。
　　我也经常干这种傻事。比如说，最近公司有个大项目，时间很紧，我主动承担了下来，谁知负责该项目的另外一位同事突然生病，我只好周末加班，一个人干两个人的活。I PAINTED MYSELF INTO A CORNER. 好的，让我们再来听听上面那段话。
　　M: "To make extra money, I took a part-time job. But then one of my co-workers at my full-time job quit and I volunteered to do some of his work. Now I've really PAINTED MYSELF INTO A CORNER. I've taken on too much. It's impossible for me to get everything done!"
　　我上周末去看电影，是去年夏天一部大片的续集。电影里的主人公本来已经死了，可以因为影片很卖座，所以制片人决定让主人公起死回生。让我们一起听听下面这个娱乐记者的报道。
　　M: "How can there be a movie sequel when the main character was killed off? Writers are used to coming up with solutions to impossible situations. They're not about to PAINT THEMSELVES INTO A CORNER. So they'll find ways to miraculously 17 save the hero or explain that his death was only a dream!"
　　这个记者说：主人公死了还能拍续集？不论是多么不可能的事情，编剧们都能找到出路。他们绝不会让自己陷在里面拔不出来。他们会神奇地找到解救主人公的办法，或是说他的死其实是一场恶梦。
　　让自己陷入困境是 PAINT ONESELF INTO A CORNER. 如果是别人让你陷入困境该怎么说呢？那就是要用到动词 BACK 了， 说 BACK SOMEONE INTO A CORNER. 我朋友的公司最近紧缩开支，通知他，要么同意减少工资，要么就走人。THEY BACKED HIM INTO A CORNER. 再比如，我们社区委员会主任让我组织节日游行，但是给我的经费又少得可怜。I FEEL LIKE SHE'S BACKING ME INTO A CORNER。好的，我们再来听一下上面那个例句。
　　M: "How can there be a movie sequel when the main character was killed off? Writers are used to coming up with solutions to impossible situations. They're not about to PAINT THEMSELVES INTO A CORNER. So they'll find ways to miraculously save the hero or explain that his death was only a dream!"
　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。我建议大家，每次学习一个新的习惯用语，都要反复练习，这样真到了用的时候，才不会 PAINT YOURSELF INTO A CORNER.
　　M: Until next time.
　　下次节目再见。
　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.
　　A: You need to give yourself some free time. When I was in graduate school, I painted myself into a corner by attending school, being a TA, and interning 18 at a company. The end result was that I couldn't do any of them well enough.
　　B:Maybe someone smarter, aka me, could have handled it?
　　A: Yeah, as if. 好了同学们，这次节目时间就到这里了。
　　B: Tune 19 in next time for American English Mosaic 20!
　　A: See you next time!