美語訓練班第108課:美國老闆鼓勵員工的方式
A: 歡迎大家來到這期的美語訓練班! 我是楊琳!
B: 我是Mike! 楊琳，來告訴大家今天都要學什麼!
A: 好的! 今天，我們要一起看看美國老闆鼓勵員工的方式，告訴你怎麼說陷入困境，還要來看看如何說越界!
B: Performance evaluations are very common in American companies. Basically, your supervisor gives an evaluation 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，不開玩笑了! 咱們趕快開始今天的課程吧! 先來進入第一個單元...
B: learn a word!
Learn A Word 1794 replica
今天我們要學的詞是replica. Replica is spelled r-e-p-l-i-c-a, replica. Replica 是複製品的意思。Lego built a life-sized replica of an X-Wing Fighter, the iconic spaceship from the Return of the Jedi. 樂高公司搭建了一個跟星球大戰6傑迪歸來裏的經典飛機X-Wing 一樣大小的複製品。A scaled replica of the Titanic will be put on display. 一個泰坦尼克號的複製模型將向民衆公開展覽。瑞士手錶生產行業說，The replica watch market costs them billions of dollars each year. 假冒僞劣的複製名錶市場每年都會給他們造成數以十億美元計的損失。今天我們學習的詞是 replica, replica, replica...
B: So you just got back from your vacation to Las Vegas 楊琳。How do you like the city?
A: I heart it! Especially all the different theme hotels... and their buffets! 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 , 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 's a little out of line.... But as we put it: what happens in Vegas ends up on Facebook.
A: 哈哈，對! 你正好提到了我們接下來要教的短語: Out of Line! Let's check it out in today's words and idioms!
Words and Idioms 851 Out of Line
美國習慣用語第 851講
這個週末我去參加一個派對，其中一個客人顯然是喝多了，居然去騷擾另一位客人的太太。 那位太太一氣之下甩了他一巴掌。我看是活該。
這個人的行爲可以說是:
M: Out of line. Line is spelled l-i-n-e. Out-of-line. Out of line.
Out of line 這個習慣用語由三個很簡單的英文詞組成。Out ，外面；line，線，界限；那麼Out of line很容易理解，就是超越了界限。說一個人 Out of line，就是行爲不檢點。比如我上次碰到的那個醉酒的男子，騷擾別人的妻子。
M:He shouldn't have been acting like that; he was OUT OF LINE.
下面我們再舉個例子，有一位父親在足球場的行爲超越了界限而遭到其他父母的非議:
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 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爲。在我兒子的足球比賽上，有一個球員的父親覺得裁判的判決不公平，所以就衝到足球場上，對着裁判大喊大叫。後來球隊決定禁止他在本賽季觀看比賽。他的行爲讓人無法容忍。
其實很多父母都會這樣，看孩子比賽太投入了，常常就會做出一些缺乏理智的舉動，明明是大人，行爲卻幼稚得像小孩子。
小孩也應該有大人正確引導，纔不會行爲出軌。有一天我走在路上，一隻籃球滾到我腳邊。有個孩子命令我說"把籃球給我扔過來"，我提醒他要加上一個"請"字，可是他既沒有道歉，也沒說"請"，自己把籃球撿起來轉身就跑了。 這種行爲在我看來就是OUT OF LINE。
很多學生大學畢業要申請工作，走入社會。申請工作要面試，考官可以問你哪些問題，哪些問題又會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.
你未來的僱主可以問你哪些問題呢? 面試官有權詢問有關你的工作經歷和教育程度方面的問題。但是如果他問你的年齡、宗教信仰和政治立場，那就大大超越界限了。這種問題不僅不恰當，而且不合法。
注意剛纔這個人說
M: Way out of line.
這裏的 WAY 就是非常或者很嚴重的意思。
我們還可以在 out of line 前面用動詞 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.
這次美國習慣用語就到此結束了。以後我想到更精彩的習慣用語一定和大家分享。
M: Until next time.
下次節目再見。
M: This has been Words and Idioms.
A: True. Never talk about religion, sexual orientation, 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: 沒錯! 今天的business etiquette裏，部門經理就要來找手下談談他的年度中期工作表現!
B: Let's check it out!
禮節美語Performance Evaluation I
部門經理 Fay 找手下 Steve 來，討論他的年度中期工作表現。
Fay: Hi there, 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 away from work and go hiking!
F: ng would be great right about now! 's get down to the task at bi-annual performance evaluation.
Steve 的上司 Fay 讓他隨便坐，grab a seat 是非常口語的說法，意思就是請坐。談正事之前先要寒暄一下，Steve 說，最近天氣好，讓他恨不得上班開小差兒，去滑雪 to sneak away from work and go hiking. 寒暄過後，Fay 說，let's get down to the task at hand，咱們開始談正事吧。Fay 找 Steve 來爲了每年兩次 bi-annual 的工作表現評定。
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 首先表揚 Steve，說他很多方面都做得很好，get high marks, 得高分，尤其是他點子多 ，工作熱情高。Steve 問，So what's the bad news? 壞消息呢？意思是缺點呢？Fay 婉轉地說，we all have areas in which we could do better. 大家都有可以改進的地方。
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.
首先是準點上班的問題，the issue of punctuality. Steve 幾乎每天遲到二、三十分鐘，to clock in 指進辦公室的時間，to clock out 則是指離開辦公室的時間。Steve 解釋說，這是因爲他最近搬家，路上堵車。Fay 表示理解，說自己有時也會 stuck in traffic for 45 minutes.有時路上會堵45分鐘，可是公司要求員工九點準時到辦公室，to be at work by nine A.M. sharp. 這一 點不能含糊。
S: Yeah...I 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 問 Fay 能不能 make an exception 破例，讓他稍微晚點到。Fay 說，如果依她，if it were up to me, 大家中午到都行，但是公司的規定，大家都要遵守。除了上班遲到，Steve 還有哪些缺點，我們下次繼續聽。
A: Fay跟Steve談起了他的工作表現，Fay說，Steve有很好的一面，比如說have creative thoughts, 點子多，還有enthusiasm towards work，工作熱情高。但是話峯一轉，談到了the issue of punctuality, 準時的問題。Steve表示自己搬到了離公司很遠的地方，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 back.
A: I can say that again. Let's keep listening to Fay and see what else he has to say about Steve!
禮節美語Performance Evaluation II
部門經理 Fay 找手下 Steve 來，討論他的年度中期工作表現，除了上班遲到，Steve 還有哪些缺點呢？
S: 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 說 Steve 有時熱情得 over-the-top, 有點過頭，辦公室同事覺得 Steve太吵，而且還開一些不合時宜的玩笑。Steve 氣得不行，問是誰在背後打他的小報告。
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: not? Bring it on!
Fay 表示，誰說的並不重要，她也不能告訴 Steve，但她建議Steve 還是要 tone down your volume 說話小聲點，Don't step on people's toes. 別踩到別人腳指頭，意思是不要冒犯別人。Fay 問Steve說，Can you handle another criticism? 天啊，還有？
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 建議 Steve 做項目要 follow through. 做事有始有終。Steve 好主意雖然多，可是 nothing is really getting done. 沒有什麼是真正落實了的。Steve 說自己就是擅長出點子，I'm more of an idea person. 但是具體跑腿兒、落實就不是他的風格了，the legwork is not my style. legwork 意思是跑腿兒的活，具體工作。Fay 表示，這不利於Steve升職。
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 保證，他會努力改正。I'll try to work on that. 談話結束前，Fay 再次強調，Steve 是優秀員工，a quality employee，公司能有他這樣的員工很高興。We're glad to have you.
A: 原來呢，Steve雖然很善於出點子，但是不善於follow through 做事有始有終, 而且有點不顧別人的感受, step on people's toes, 有時會冒犯別人。Steve說，legwork is not my style, 不善於做具體工作，但是會從此注意，開始改正。
B: Creative ideas and the ability to follow through, that's the way to get a promotion.
A: 沒錯! 哎，Mike,你兩樣都沒有，怎麼辦呢?
B: Ugh....
A: (笑) 好了好了不開玩笑了! 工作表現就到這裏吧! Now let's go to another learn a word!
Learn A Word 1795 showstopper
今天我們要學的詞是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 and showstoppers for visitors to experience. 紐約有各種地標和吸引人的景點，給遊客提供豐富的體驗。音樂喜劇“海上情緣”正在美國的肯尼迪藝術中心上映。"Anything Goes" is a musical comedy full of showstopper numbers. “海上情緣”裏一段段演唱，精彩紛呈。The new 2014 Jaguar F-Type is a true showstopper. 2014年新款捷豹 F-Type 實在是太吸引眼球了。今天我們學習的詞是 showstopper, showstopper, showstopper...
B: Have you watched Pacific Rim? It's a real showstopper! I highly recommend it!
A: Hmm...我不喜歡機器人打打殺殺的電影，我更喜歡看些輕喜劇什麼的! 有一次硬着頭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: . 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
美國習慣用語>第 852 講我表姐最近遇到了一件很爲難的事。她準備兩個月後結婚，並答應讓自己最要好的朋友做伴娘，可是她忘了，其實她早就把伴娘的角色缸5c給了自己的親妹妹。我真不知道她要如何才能脫身。用我們今天要學的習慣用語來形容她的處境恰如其分，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.
在英語裏，Paint 是畫的意思，corner 是角落。TO PAINT ONESELF INTO A CORNER 意思是讓自己陷入困境。我表姐的情況一個很好的例子，因爲她把伴娘的重要任務許給了兩個人。SHE PAINTED HERSELF INTO A CORNER. 別以爲自己爲難自己的人只有她一個。讓我們一起來聽聽下面這個人的故事。
M: "To make extra money, I took a part-time job. But then one of my co-workers at my full-time 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!"
這個人說：爲了多賺點錢， 我找了份兼職工作。後來我的一個同事辭職，我主動提出分擔他留下來的一部分工作，如今我是自作自受，攬了太多的工作，簡直是分身乏術。
我也經常幹這種傻事。比如說，最近公司有個大項目，時間很緊，我主動承擔了下來，誰知負責該項目的另外一位同事突然生病，我只好週末加班，一個人幹兩個人的活。I PAINTED MYSELF INTO A CORNER. 好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
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!"
我上週末去看電影，是去年夏天一部大片的續集。電影裏的主人公本來已經死了，可以因爲影片很賣座，所以製片人決定讓主人公起死回生。讓我們一起聽聽下面這個娛樂記者的報道。
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 save the hero or explain that his death was only a dream!"
這個記者說：主人公死了還能拍續集？不論是多麼不可能的事情，編劇們都能找到出路。他們絕不會讓自己陷在裏面拔不出來。他們會神奇地找到解救主人公的辦法，或是說他的死其實是一場惡夢。
讓自己陷入困境是 PAINT ONESELF INTO A CORNER. 如果是別人讓你陷入困境該怎麼說呢？那就是要用到動詞 BACK 了， 說 BACK SOMEONE INTO A CORNER. 我朋友的公司最近緊縮開支，通知他，要麼同意減少工資，要麼就走人。THEY BACKED HIM INTO A CORNER. 再比如，我們社區委員會主任讓我組織節日遊行，但是給我的經費又少得可憐。I FEEL LIKE SHE'S BACKING ME INTO A CORNER。好的，我們再來聽一下上面那個例句。
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，這次美國習慣用語就到此結束了。我建議大家，每次學習一個新的習慣用語，都要反覆練習，這樣真到了用的時候，纔不會 PAINT YOURSELF INTO A CORNER.
M: Until next time.
下次節目再見。
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 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. 好了同學們，這次節目時間就到這裏了。
B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!
A: See you next time!
