VOA英语教学：美语训练班 047

 　　A: 大家好! 我是杨琳, 欢迎来到这期的美语训练班!

　　B: 大家好，我是Kat! 杨琳，赶快来介绍一下今天的节目内容吧！
　　A: 没问题！今天，咱们要看看怎么促进销售，要聊聊谣言是如何制造出来的，还要告诉大家怎么用美语说“道听途说”。
　　B: 道听途说？这是什么意思我不太明白，但是告诉大家一个好消息，上次功夫比赛，我是冠军！Yeah!!
　　A: 哎...都过了一个星期，你还记得！
　　B: Of course! I have to share my good news with our audience!
　　A: 好了好了，冠军，输给你了！ 咱们还是言归正传，节目一开始，先带大家花一分钟，学一个词儿！
　　Learn A Word successive
　　今天我们要学的词是successive. Successive is spelled s-u-c-c-e-s-s-i-v-e, successive. Successive 意思是连续的，连接的。New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin scored an average of 20 points a game over six successive games. 纽约尼克斯队控球后卫林书豪连续6场比赛取得了平均每场得20分的成绩。Housing prices fell in Scotland for the fourth successive month. 苏格兰的房价连续第四个月降低。UK stocks slid slightly after five successive days of gains. 英国股市在接连五天上涨后略微回落。This was the school's fifth successive victory. 校队连续获得了五场比赛的胜利。好的，今天我们学习的词是successive, successive, successive.
　　B: I'll definitely have successive victories if we have kung fu competitions every year.
　　A: 什么？你说要是我们年年比赛，你每年都能赢？
　　B: 哈哈，开个玩笑嘛! Speaking of which, the New York Knicks just had their fifth consecutive win last night. Jeremy Lin 林书豪打得特棒！
　　A: 那当然了！我的偶像嘛！ 不过我希望他小心点，别像姚明那样老受伤！
　　B: Hmm, good point. Yao Ming is back on his feet now, right?
　　A：Back on his feet?
　　B：Let's listen to Popular American and you will know what I mean by this!
　　Popular American Back on your feet, B.O. (bee-oh)
　　现在播送《流行美语》。 李华前阵子伤到左手，最近刚刚康复。今天Larry到医院来看李华。李华会学到两个常用语：back on your feet 和B.O.。
　　LL: Li Hua, are you feeling better now?
　　LH: 嗯。你看，我现在都能搬东西了呢！
　　LL: Whoa, be careful! But hey, it looks like you're back on your feet again!
　　LH: Back on my feet? 我脚没有受伤啦，只有手而已。
　　LL: No, that's not what I meant. To be back on your feet is a general saying referring to a person who has recovered or healed from an illness.
　　LH: 啊，你说 I am back on my feet 是指我手臂养好了，恢复了，是吗？
　　LL: Yes. I understand why you would think I was talking about your feet, though. A sick person is usually in bed all day. Therefore, when we say that a person is back on their feet, that means they can get off the sick bed and walk around feeling healthy.
　　LH: 喔。原来 to be back on your feet 是说一个病人已经不用再整天躺在病床上，可以自由走动的意思。
　　LL: That's right. Can you give me an example?
　　LH: 好啊。Larry, I really hope you get back on your feet soon.
　　LL: You...you hope that I will get well soon? But I'm not even sick...
　　LH: 可是你脸色好差喔。
　　LL: That's not true. Ohhh..ughhh...what is that smell??
　　LH: 咦？有不好闻的味道吗？在哪里？
　　LL: Li Hua! You didn't shower the whole time you were in the hospital did you? I can smell your B.O.
　　LH: B.O.? 你在说什么啊？我可是天天洗澡呢！
　　LL: But that smell...B.O. is body odor. I don't think you showered, Li Hua.
　　LH: 你说我有体臭？！怎么可能呢？我真的每天都清洗呢。
　　LL: Then what's that smell??
　　LH: 我真的不知道你在说什么。难道。。。
　　LL: See?! You didn't shower!
　　LH: 如果不是我的话，那一定是你！
　　LL: It cannot be me. I shower everyday and I put on cologne this morning. Li Hua, maybe you're not back on your feet yet. You can't even remember if you showered or not.
　　LH: 怎么这样说。我只不过是手骨折，记性并没有变差啊。And no, I do not have B.O.
　　LL: Fine then. But hey, you've learned two slang expressions today! Back on your feet and B.O. do you know how to use each?
　　LH: 嗯。B.O. 就是体臭的意思。For example: Larry had such horrible B.O. that I almost passed out. Larry 的体臭难闻到我差点昏过去。
　　LL: I do not have horrible B.O.! You were the one who smelled like---
　　LH: 举个例子嘛，干嘛那么认真。那么 back on your feet 是康复的意思。我可以说，My hand is back on my feet, 我都康复了。
　　LL: You used B.O. correctly. But the phrase, back on your feet, refers to a person. You cannot say your hand is back on its feet. Instead you should say that you, the person, are back on your feet.
　　LH: 喔。To be back on your feet 是形容康复的人，而不是形容受伤的部位。所以我得说，I am back on my feet.
　　LL: That's right. But oh, that smell! It's okay, Li Hua. You can tell me if you didn't shower in a while. I understand. I won't mind.
　　LH: 可是真的不是我的 B.O. 啊。啊！我知道了！一定是这个！
　　(Li Hua holds out a bag of food.)
　　LL: Oh my goodness! What is that?
　　LH: 这是臭豆腐！其实很好吃的，而且又香。你是因为没吃过所以不习惯它的味道。
　　LL: Stinky tofu? Why do you have stinky tofu?
　　LH: 喔。刚才爸妈来过了。知道我很爱吃臭豆腐，就带来给我吃的啊。来，你也尝一块。
　　LL: Phew! Thanks but no thanks. I don't want to make people think I have terrible B.O. But hey, I'm sure glad to see that you are back on your feet!
　　今天李华从 Larry 那儿学到两个常用语，一个是 back on your feet, 表示一个人“恢复健康”；另一个是 B.O., 也就是“体臭”的意思。这次《流行美语》播送完了，谢谢收听，下次节目再见。
　　A: 哦！原来 back on your feet 就是恢复健康的意思！ Yao Ming is 100% back on his feet after his retirement from the NBA.
　　B: That's great! I bet a lot of athletes have to retire early because of health problems and injuries.
　　A: That's true! 不过还是希望我的偶像林书豪不要受伤！
　　B: Haha. Rumor has it that Jeremy Lin has a girlfriend.
　　A: What?!! 你听谁说的！一定是在造谣！
　　B: Well, I'm not sure if it's a rumor or not. But you know, there will always be gossip around a popular public figure like him!
　　A: 在今天的美语怎么说里，我们就来看看传谣言用美语怎么说！
　　How to say it in American English: grapevine
　　Jessica 在北京学中文，她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教她。今天是怡茹要问的：道听途说。
　　YR: Jessica, Congratulations! And I'm mad at you!
　　Jessica: What? Why? What's going on?
　　YR: 我听说你交了个特帅的男朋友! 所以当然恭喜你一下喽!不过，咱俩是好朋友，你居然瞒着我，所以我生气啦!
　　Jessica: What boyfriend? Where did you hear it?
　　YR: 大家都这么说啊。就是...啊...怎么说来着，street words say...
　　Jessica: Do you mean "word on the street"?
　　YR: 对! Word on the street is you've got a new boyfriend! 坊间传言，您交了新男友哦!
　　Jessica: Gosh! This is pure rumor! Yiru, you must tell me who told you this. I need to dispel this rumor!
　　YR: 我也是道听途说，这样吧，你告诉我道听途说用美语怎么说，我就告诉你传谣言的人是谁!
　　Jessica: Deal! 道听途说...Let me see...Okay, you can say "I heard something through the grapevine." Grapevine is spelt g-r-a-p-e-v-i-n-e.
　　YR: 哦，grapevine是葡萄藤的意思，I heard it through the grapevine 就是“通过葡萄藤听来的消息”，也就是道听途说喽! 还有别的说法么？
　　Jessica: You can also say "a little bird told me." For example, if you don't want to tell others the source of your information, you can say "Let's just say I know because a little bird told me."
　　YR: 哈哈，真可爱，A little bird told me, 小鸟告诉我的!
　　Jessica: 好啦，现在你可以告诉我了吧？Who's spreading the rumor?
　　YR: Well, let's just say a little bird told me!
　　Jessica: Hey! That's cheating, Yiru! Besides, if you say "a little bird told me," usually it means both you and I actually know the source of the information, but neither of us wants to say it. 可我现在不知道啊!
　　YR: 原来，在用 a little bird told me 的时候，大家对消息来源其实都心知肚明，只是故意不说。好吧，那我告诉你吧，其实---I heard the rumor through the grapevine!
　　Jessica: Hey!
　　YR: 今天我们学的内容包括：第一，坊间传言可以说Word on the street is...;
　　第二，道听途说可以说 I heard it through the grapevine;
　　第三，大家心照不宣地不挑名消息来源，可以说 A little bird told me.
　　B: See! I heard through the grapevine that Jeremy Lin has a girlfriend.
　　A: 到底是谁告诉你的? 这样我才能顺藤摸瓜，找到造谣的人!
　　B: Okay Okay, I'll stop teasing you. I came across it in a paparazzi magazine.
　　A: 原来是八卦杂志! 这些杂志里说的东西很少有对的，他们就是为了满足人们的八卦欲!
　　B: Yeah, gossip is everywhere in society. In today's GoEnglish, we are going to look at what gossip another Jeremy is facing after he invited Heather to his house party.
　　A：Let's listen!
　　Go English High School : Advanced
　　今天我们为您播出“美语三级跳”节目“高中生活”单元的中级课程。
　　Professor: Jeremy invited Heather to his party last weekend because she helped him cheat on his math homework. Today Jeremy is talking with his friend Allison about some of the gossip people have been saying since the party.
　　Gossip? 八卦闲话？哎呀，我也想听听!
　　Jeremy: Hey Allison, what's up? Did you have a good time at my party last weekend?
　　Allison: Oh yeah, it was totally awesome. Although I'm sorry to hear that you broke up with Karen. You guys were such a great couple!
　　Jeremy: What? I didn't break up with Karen. We're still dating. Why did you think we weren't together anymore?
　　Allison: What? Everyone is saying that you dumped Karen and are with Heather now.
　　Jeremy: What? That's a complete fabrication. You shouldn't believe hearsay like that.
　　哇，不知道party上发生了什么! Allison说，大家都在传，Jeremy dumped his girlfriend Karen--甩掉了自己的女友Karen, 和Heather成一对儿啦!
　　Professor: Exactly. But what does Jeremy say?
　　他说这些传言完全是fabrication--虚构的谎言。
　　Professor: That's right. You can also use fabricate as a verb. For example, "Elliot forgot to do his homework, so he fabricated a story about his dog eating it."
　　哦，fabricate是动词，就是“瞎编”的意思。对了，professor, Jeremy 说，Allison不该听信这种hearsay。 Hearsay是谣传的意思么？
　　Professor: Right. Now let's see where this rumor came from.
　　Jeremy: Where did you ever hear such a crazy rumor?
　　Allison: Oh, I don't know .... I suppose I heard it through the grapevine.
　　Jeremy: Oh come on, Allison. Tell me why people are saying that.
　　Allison: Well, you've never invited Heather to any of your parties before. And people have been seeing you two spending a lot of time together lately.
　　Jeremy: No, we haven't!
　　Allison: Sure! People in math class say that you all have been talking very quietly and secretly in the back of class. And then there were some people who overheard you spending a long time begging her to come to your party.
　　原来，Jeremy以前从没邀请过Heather参加party，所以，这次Heather一去，大家都觉得肯定是有什么特殊原因!
　　Professor: That's right. And why else have people started to think they're dating?
　　因为大家看到Jeremy和Heather两个人老在教室后面嘀嘀咕咕，所以觉得俩人八成儿是好上了! 哈哈，他们哪里知道，这俩人是在偷偷商量抄作业的事儿呢!
　　Professor: Right. Say Winnie, have you ever heard of "the grapevine" before?
　　我知道，grapevine就是“口头消息”的意思。所以，Allison刚开始的时候说，她是从别人口中听到Jeremy和Heather交往的消息的。
　　Jeremy: What? I didn't beg her. When I invited her, I just gave her some advice about what clothes to wear.
　　Allison: I don't know Jeremy, isn't that the kind of advice that a boyfriend usually gives? And what about your secret conversations in math class?
　　Jeremy: No! She was just giving me the answers to the math homework ... Wait! I mean ... she is my math tutor.
　　Allison: Your math tutor? I have to say, that sounds pretty fishy. Isn't tutoring the usual excuse people use when they start dating?
　　Jeremy: Come on Allison, you have to believe me. This is all just a big misunderstanding.
　　尽管Jeremy费力澄清，可是Allison并不相信他的话，觉得他说的话很"fishy"--可疑!
　　Professor: Right. You can call something "fishy" if it sounds suspicious or unbelievable.
　　Jeremy: Eh ... It's really bad when people believe whatever they hear without asking for proof.
　　Allison: Well you know, everybody just wants to be in the loop. And when the gossip is really good, everybody wants to tell their friends.
　　Jeremy: Hmm .. Do you think we could start a good rumor? Like, that I'm the smartest student in school?
　　Allison: Sorry buddy, nobody is interested in good rumors. And that one definitely isn't believable if you need a math tutor!
　　Allison说得对，人们只喜欢传坏事儿，看别人热闹。不过，professor, 什么叫“to be in the loop?”
　　Professor: Being in the loop is having the latest information.
　　哦，to be in the loop就是消息灵通! Professor Bowman, 下次你想给我们pop quiz的时候，一定要keep me in the loop，好不好？
　　Professor: Nice try!
　　A: Allison 问Jeremy是不是跟原来的女朋友分手，跟Heather在一起了。Jeremy说this is a complete fabrication. 纯粹的谣传，Allison说，I heard it through the grapevine, 道听途说，尽管Jeremy认真解释，可是Allison还是觉得他很fishy, 特别可疑!
　　B: Hey, speaking of fishy...I noticed that you have been dressing up lately when you come to work...is there something you want to tell me, 杨琳?
　　A: What? 才没有呢....不是因为我们要开始制作电视节目吗? 所以我才买了一些新衣服，好为上镜做准备！
　　B: 哦，原来如此！ Have you ever heard the English saying: Beauty is skin deep? Then again, I do think first impressions make a difference. 在工作中有时候形象塑造也很重要啊!
　　A: 没错，在今天的 business etiquette里，就谈到了一些boosting sales，促进销售的好方法，咱们一起去听一听!
　　礼节美语 Boosting Sales I
　　公司副总裁Lisa找到销售部经理Frank.
　　Lisa: Frank, we just got our sales figures in and the numbers are very disappointing. What's going on here?
　　Frank: I haven't actually seen the new figures. How far have we fallen?
　　L: We were in sixth place at the beginning of the year and we've now slipped to the eleventh! That's a considerable drop.
　　F: Wow, that's really bad news. Maybe we should brainstorm some ideas for a radical reinvention of our sales and marketing plan.
　　L: Yeah, let's do that right now. What do you think the problem is?
　　公司副总裁Lisa找到销售部经理Frank, 因为最新销售数字很令人失望，年初的时候还排名第六，we've now slipped to the eleventh. 如今已经滑落到了第11位，下跌幅度很大，That's a considerable drop. Frank听了这个坏消息，觉得应该 brainstorm some ideas，to brainstorm 是头脑风暴，集思广益的意思，看看怎样彻底调整一下公司的销售和市场规划。Lisa建议，择日不如撞日，说谈就谈，问Frank觉得问题出在哪里。
　　F: Well, it seems our competitors have managed to carve a niche in the market. They are now perceived as more "cool" or trendy than we are. Perhaps we should consider getting some celebrity endorsements.
　　L: You mean like a rock star or a famous sports figure?
　　F: Yeah, that might help. The person has to be seen as kind of a rebel so we can associate our brand with individuality.
　　L: That's not a bad idea. I'll talk to the Board of Directors about that.
　　F: I'd also suggest we reevaluate our packaging. Right now the box we sell our product in seems a little drab and colorless.
　　Frank说，公司的竞争对手 carved a niche in the market 在市场中找到了属于自己的一块地方，niche is spelled n-i-c-h-e, niche 是缝隙的意思，动词 carve 是雕刻，划出的意思。Frank说，现在消费者都觉得公司竞争对手的产品更时尚，因此不妨找两个名人，给公司做产品代言，get some celebrity endorsements, 但选择的名人一定要带有反叛色彩，让用户觉得我们的产品有个性化，individuality. Frank 还建议，眼下的产品包装有些呆板，a little drab, 可以考虑变化一下。Lisa说：
　　L: Yes, we could redesign our packaging. But on the other hand, there is a recent trend to move away from excessive packaging. You know...to help save the environment.
　　F: That's another way we could go. We could reduce our packaging, and then advertise our environmentally-friendly business policies. Being"green" is definitely cool these days. Perhaps environmentally-friendly packaging would appeal to a younger customer demographic.
　　Lisa说，如今的趋势是放弃过度包装，实现包装简单化，因为这样做有利环保 environmentally-friendly. Frank觉得Lisa说得有道理，公司在包装上可以走环保路线，用环保的新思维来吸引年轻客户群，appeal to 是吸引的意思，demographic is spelled d-e-m-o-g-r-a-p-h-i-c, demographic 在这里指的是消费人群中的一部分。
　　A: 由于销售下降，公司主管brainstorm头脑风暴。他们认为需要get some celebrity endorsements 名人代言，实现包装简单化，be environmentally-friendly, 有利环保。这样才能在市场中立足。
　　B: Sales is definitely a very tough profession! You need to meet a certain quota every month, otherwise you risk being fired! It needs people who are super creative and work well under pressure!
　　A: 对啊! 我认识的做销售的朋友都说，他们得找到缓解压力的方法，比如慢跑啊，瑜珈什么的!
　　B: 是啊! 不过下面的体育美语里，我们要去了解一个更刺激的运动! Biathlon!
　　ASE Biathlon
　　Y: Hey What's up, Patrick?
　　P: Well, Yang Chen, I'm watching the Winter Olympics on TV. Today they are having the biathlon competition.
　　Y: Biathlon是什么?
　　P: The biathlon is one part cross country skiing, one part shooting.
　　Y: That's a real sport?
　　P: Yep, its pretty entertaining too.
　　Y: 那biathlon的比赛规则是什么?
　　P: Well they are timed, so whoever goes through the course the fastest and hits the most targets shooting wins.
　　Y: 噢，我知道了，这叫冬季两项，就是越野滑雪和射击两项运动。
　　P:That's why its called the biathlon.
　　Y: 那要是你 miss the target 没有射中目标怎么办?
　　P: You have time added to your total.
　　Y: 就是说速度和射击两项的综合成绩。 It's such a weird sport.
　　P: Oh come on. Yang Chen, you can't say it's weird just because you are not good at it.
　　Y: It is weird.
　　P Well it's a tough sport too. But lucky for us, we're in here watching it on TV.
　　Y: Watching TV is your number one sport.
　　P：I'll have you know I am a very accomplished skier.
　　Y: Accomplished skier? 滑雪好手?
　　P: It's a shame there are no mountains in downtown Washington, or I'd show you a thing or two.
　　Y:幸亏这周围没有山。 万一你摔坏了，我可不想送你到急诊室。
　　P: What about you, Yang Chen, do you ski?
　　Y: Oh no. Not me. 我怕冷。
　　P: You mean your warm personality isn't enough to keep you from getting frostbite?
　　Y: Don't be sarcastic, Patrick. I just prefer to be warm, that's all. Let's leave the biathlon to other people.
　　P: Sounds good to me. Pull up a seat and watch a round!
　　B: It's a tough sport that requires great skiing and shooting skills. Maybe I can give it a try...
　　A: 哈哈，这回轮到你白日做梦了! 咱俩还是老老实实，等会儿下了班跑跑步去吧!
　　B: 哈哈， that sounds good! We can jog around the Tidal Basin. The cherry blossoms are in full-bloom!
　　A: 边锻炼边赏樱花？好主意！好了， 这次节目时间就到这里, 同学们，我们下次的美语训练班再见！
　　B: Bye bye! See you next time!