美語訓練班第87課:換工作需要考慮些什麼 如釋重負
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，趕快來告訴大家今天都要學什麼?
A: 沒問題! 今天我們要一起來聊聊換工作需要考慮些什麼，看看怎麼表達如釋重負，還要告訴你怎麼說毫不示弱!!
B: Making a career change is always a hard decision. There’s so much to think about, how much you can improve, is there room for promotion… the company’s culture plays a big part as well.
A: Yeah, the mere thought of writing a resume and updating a cover letter gives me a headache. I just feel lucky to have a job that I enjoy!
B: I second that!
A: 好了，咱們言歸正傳，趕快先來進入第一個單元，Learn a word!
Learn A Word 1662 caregiver
今天我們要學的詞是 caregiver, caregiver is spelled c-a-r-e-g-i-v-e-r, caregiver. Caregiver 看護，照料別人的人。統計數字顯示，An estimated 42 million people, about 30% of the US adult population, are caregivers for family members. 美國大約有4200萬人有家人需要照料，大約相當於美國成年人口的30%。皮尤研究中心的一項調查發現，Family caregivers are much more likely to go online in search of health information than other groups. 家裏有人需要照顧的人羣，比其他人上網查找健康信息的比例要高出很多。Caregivers' top Internet searches include dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and long-term care for the elderly or disabled. 需要照顧別人的人上網搜索最多的包括癡呆，早老性癡呆，以及如何長期照料老年人和殘疾人。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 caregiver, caregiver, caregiver...
A: Caregiver 這個詞也可以表示替人照顧小孩的人。
B: Yep, in my family I’ve always been the free caregiver! I help my sister look after her 2-year-old daughter all the time. Not that I mind, my niece is the cutest little girl in the world!
A: 呦！看不出來你還挺有愛心的嘛！不過就你這動手能力，別把人家小孩摔了…
B: What? I’m not bragging, ask around! I’m a baby-sitting expert.
A: 哈哈，不信， 換成我，我一定不放心。
B: Hey! At least I give as good as I get.
A: 好， 你剛好提到了一個很特別的說法，give as good as one get, 咱們一起來聽聽今天的words and idioms, 學學這個習慣用語的用法!
Words and Idioms 810 Give As Good As One Gets
美國習慣用語第八百一十講。我是楊晨。我是 Douglas Johnson。
我星期五要跟一個老朋友出去吃飯。她現在是一家電視臺的老總。第一次見她的人都會問，這麼一個身材瘦小，講話輕聲細語的亞洲女子，怎麼能在競爭如此激烈的領域裏出人頭地呢？如果你瞭解她的性格，就不難理解了。今天我們要介紹給大家的習慣用語，形容她真是恰如其分：
M: Give as good as one gets. Give-as-good-as-one-gets. Give as good as one gets.
Give as good as one gets 這個習慣用語的意思是毫不示弱地加以反擊。你現在明白了吧，我那個朋友絕對不會受人欺負，因此才能在娛樂圈子裏闖蕩出一番天地。She gives as good as she gets.
大家肯定都聽說過希拉里?克林頓。她是美國前總統比爾?克林頓的夫人，後來當選紐約州參議員，再後來又成了美國民主黨的總統參選人。我們一起來聽聽下面這個政治問題分析員是如何評價希拉里的。
M: "Polls show that most Americans believe Senator Hillary Clinton is tough enough to be President of the United States. That's because she has handled herself well against continuous political attacks by her opponents and is seen as a strong negotiator. She always GIVES AS GOOD AS SHE GETS."
這位評論員說，民意調查顯示，大多數美國人都相信，希拉里?克林頓參議員很強悍，可以勝任美國總統，因爲面對政治對手接連不斷的政治攻擊，她都能妥善處理，而且被認爲是一個很能幹的談判者。她面對挑戰，絲毫也不示弱。
話雖如此，但是美國要加入女性元首的行列，恐怕時機尚未成熟。大家恐怕還記得，早在上個世紀八十年代，英國就出現了女首相撒切爾夫人，在男性佔據統治地位的政界，她毫不示弱。She used to give as good as she got. 也因此獲得了鐵娘子的稱號。讓我們再聽一遍上面那段話。
M: "Polls show that most Americans believe Senator Hillary Clinton is tough enough to be President of the United States. That's because she has handled herself well against continuous political attacks by her opponents and is seen as a strong negotiator. She always GIVES AS GOOD AS SHE GETS."
要取得成功，往往需要不屈不撓的氣概。讓我們聽聽下面這個排球隊的經歷。
M: "In our first season, a lot of sports columnists doubted that our volleyball team would be any match against our fierce competitors. But we showed them that we were ready to take on any challenge. Game after game, we proved that we could fight back. We GAVE AS GOOD AS WE GOT. And now we're the league champions."
這個人說，第一個賽季，很多體育專欄作家都懷疑我們不是其他人的對手。但是我們以實際行動告訴他們，我們做好了迎接任何挑戰的準備。每場比賽都證明，我們會毫不示弱地加以還擊。如今，我們終於贏得了聯盟的冠軍頭銜。
我可知道被人小看的滋味。上大學的時候，我加入了剛成立的辯論隊。大家都覺得我們的對手經驗豐富，因此我們不堪一擊。不過，雖然我們缺少經驗，但是並不必缺少決心和毅力。沒過多久，我們就開始反擊了。We were giving as good as we were getting. 最後，我們竟然獲得了第二名。讓我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: "In our first season, a lot of sports columnists doubted that our volleyball team would be any match against our fierce competitors. But we showed them that we were ready to take on any challenge. Game after game, we proved that we could fight back. We GAVE AS GOOD AS WE GOT. And now we're the league champions."
Give as good as one gets 這個習慣用語的準確用法的歷史並不久遠，只有幾十年。如今，大家既然已經知道 Give as good as one gets 的意思了，就可以嘗試着把它用在日常對話中。沒準什麼時候你會遇到個英語不錯的人，如果他故意向你炫耀的話，你也可以不甘示弱地露上一手。You can give as good as you get.
好的，這次美國習慣用語就到此結束。
M: Until next time.
下次節目再見。
M: This has been Words and Idioms.
A: I’m going home in 3 days! There’s going to be tons of delicious food and lots of family time. I cannot wait. 歸心似箭啊。
B: I envy you so much! Do you have any plans for your vacation?
A: 哈哈，not exactly. Probably treat myself to all the 北京烤鴨，魚香肉絲，松鼠魚，等等等等…哦，還有你最愛的串兒！
B: grrrr, I am so jealous of your life right now…you know my love for 串兒 is unconditional!
A: 沒關係，我幫你把你那份也吃了！哈哈…好了好了，你提到了一個詞兒，unconditional, 咱們來學學這個詞兒怎麼用！
Learn A Word 1663 unconditional
今天我們要學的詞是 unconditional, unconditional is spelled u-n-c-o-n-d-i-t-i-o-n-a-l, unconditional. Unconditional 無條件的。The U.S. Senate passed a resolution calling for Cuba's immediate and unconditional release of Alan Gross, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 美國國會參議院通過決議，要求古巴政府立即無條件釋放被判入獄15年的艾倫.格羅斯。1970年，佛羅里達州一個16歲的女孩因爲藥物反應進入昏迷狀態，一直沒有醒來。42年間，她的家人一直陪伴在她身邊，直到她上星期去世。This is undoubtedly a true testimony of unconditional love. 這無疑是無條件愛的真實體現。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 unconditional, unconditional, unconditional...
A: Unconditional love! 無條件的愛！又讓我想起了我爸媽，they have always given me unconditional love. No matter what I do or wherever I am, I know they will support me.
B: Yeah. We are both lucky we are from healthy, loving families.
Speaking of which, have you finish shopping for your trip?
A: 哎呀，親戚太多了！我買都買不過來！不過呢，幸好我媽媽決定不回她老家了，so I’m off the hook for now!
B: Good for you! Do you want to consider using the rest of your budget to get a gift for me?
A: Ha，no gift, but how about hot chocolate on me today!
B: I’ll take what I can get! Also, off the hook is a great idiom, let's listen to another words and idioms and check it out!
Words and Idioms 811 Off the Hook
美國習慣用語第811講。我是楊晨。我是 Douglas Johnson。
很多人擅長在大庭廣衆之下講話，比如說婚禮或是生日宴會等場合。我可不行，還沒說話，臉先紅了。不久前，我的一個小師妹結婚，讓我發表賀詞，害得我好幾天沒睡好覺。後來她終於同意，讓我幫忙安排婚禮，不用講話了，真讓我如釋重負。在英語裏，我們說這叫 off the hook.
M: Off the hook. Off is spelled o-f-f. Off. Hook is spelled h-o-o-k. Hook. Off the hook.
Hook 是鉤子的意思。off the hook 脫鉤，其實就是脫身，或是擺脫責任的意思。
這回你明白了吧，不用在小師妹的婚禮上講話讓我如釋重負就可以說，I am off the hook. Off the hook 這個習慣用語也可以用在非常嚴肅的場合下。在下面這個例子中，一名警察告訴刑警隊長說，一名涉案嫌疑人已經不再是調查對象了，讓我們聽聽他是怎麼說的。
M: "We have confirmed that the man was two thousand miles away in Los Angeles at the time of the murder, sir. So as far as we're concerned, he is OFF THE HOOK, and no further investigation is required."
這個警察說，我們已經證實，謀殺案案發的時候，此人正在兩千英里以外的洛杉磯市，所以對於我們來說，他不可能參與此案。不再需要對他進行調查了。
不過有時候，警察也會故意放虎歸山，爲的是讓犯罪嫌疑人自以爲脫身了，off the hook。往往是在這種時候，犯罪嫌疑人非常容易露出馬腳，讓警察找到線索。好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
M: "We have confirmed that the man was two thousand miles away in Los Angeles at the time of the murder, sir. So as far as we're concerned, he is OFF THE HOOK, and no further investigation is required."
我先生星期六本來要加班，所以沒辦法跟我們一起去爬山。誰知星期五的時候，客戶突然打電話通知他，要將星期六的電話會議改爲下星期。My husband is off the hook. 我先生因此脫身了。
不難想象，off the hook 這個習慣用語是從釣魚來的，最早的時候是指一條本來已經咬鉤的魚又脫了鉤，重獲自由，後來到十九世紀中葉，才引伸爲擺脫困境和擺脫責任。
在下面這個例子中，一位商界領袖對市長頗有微詞。他覺得，當地經濟搞不好，做市長的不能一味把責任推到聯邦政府的身上，自己也應該承擔一些責任。讓我們聽聽他是怎麼說的。
M: I agree with the mayor that many of our problems can be blamed on the policies of the federal government, but I also think that the mayor has to take some of the blame himself. There's no way he should be let OFF THE HOOK so easily.
這個人說，我同意市長的看法，我們遇到的很多問題確實要歸咎於聯邦政府的政策，不過我覺得，市長也應該承擔一部分責任，絕不能讓他這麼輕鬆地推卸責任。
這讓我想起了英語裏的一種說法，叫 success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan。意思是“事成都來居功，事敗無人關懷。”看來確實是這個道理。好的，讓我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: I agree with the mayor that many of our problems can be blamed on the policies of the federal government, but I also think that the mayor has to take some of the blame himself. There's no way he should be let OFF THE HOOK so easily.
我姐姐的小孩現在上高中，家裏告訴他，週末出去玩一定要在晚上十點以前回家，但是他經常過點。他父親上星期鄭重警告他，If you are caught coming in late again, you won't get off the hook so easily anymore. 如果我們再發現你晚回來，絕不會輕易放過你！
我幫同事 Jenny 的女兒介紹了一份工作，她今天要在家請我吃飯。Of course, I won't let her off the hook. 因爲 Jenny 做得一手正宗川菜。好的，這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結束。
M: Until next time.
下次節目再見。
M: This has been Words and Idioms.
A: So Mike, are you ready to take over my workload when I’m on vacation? I need to warn you, there’s a lot to get done…
B: Guess what? I’m off the hook! It turns out we will have an intern and she’ll be handling most of your workload!
A: 哎呦！你怎麼這麼幸運呢！不過現在辦公室裏實習生真多呀！
B: Yeah. In today’s economy, a good job is hard to find. Lots of people take on internships hoping they will turn into full-time jobs later.
A: 找工作真不容易！想起以前我上學找工作的時候就焦頭爛額的！
在今天的Business Etiquette裏，Lisa跟同事Emily就談起了找工作的話題，咱們一起來聽聽吧!
禮節美語 Looking for a Change I
Emily問同事Lisa要不要一起吃飯。
Emily: Hey to grab lunch with me?
Lisa: Sure, Emily. We haven't done that in a while.
E: ally, we haven't hung out at all recently. You seem sort of under the weather. Is there something going on?
L: Well, keep this under your hat, but I think I'm going to quit after New Year.
Emily問Lisa要不要一起吃飯，她在這裏用的動詞是 grab, g-r-a-b, grab, grab lunch 是一種口語裏常用的說法，意思是隨便買點午飯吃，也可以說 to grab something to eat. 聽上去，Lisa跟Emily很久沒一起吃飯聊天了，we haven't hung out at all recently. to hang out 意思是跟朋友待在一起，Emily還說Lisa看上去sort of under the weather似乎有點不舒服，問她怎麼回事。Lisa告訴Emily, 自己新年過後可能要辭職，但要Emily暫時保密，keep this under your hat. To keep something under one's hat 意思是保守祕密，不要告訴別人。Emily聽到這個消息感到很突然。
E: Quit this company? .
L: I know I should be pretty happy here, but I'm not finding the kind of job satisfaction I need. I'm a good graphic designer...
E: One of the best in the company.
L: That's kind of you to say. stuff we do here hasn't really challenged me very much at all.
E: Oh, I get it. Simply put: you're bored, huh?
L: That's one way of putting it. For me, a job needs to stimulate my brain, otherwise it becomes a daily drudgery.
Lisa是公司裏最好的圖像設計師之一, 目前這份工作對她沒有挑戰性，simply put 簡單地說，她覺得現在的工作很無聊。put, p-u-t, put 在這裏意思是說出來，表達出來，上面兩人的對話裏還有 that's one way of putting it. 也是同樣用法，意思是“可以這麼說”。Lisa說，她需要一份能讓她興奮起來的工作，否則的話，工作就變成了a daily drudgery, drudgery is spelled d-r-u-d-g-e-r-y, drudgery, drudgery 意思是無聊乏味的工作。
L: Another thing is that I don't feel there is a decent chance of promotion. I've been here for three years and I'm doing the exact same thing at the exact same salary.
E: That's ries have been frozen for a while and I hear next year it's the same story.
L: I'm finding that I spend a lot of time at work just sitting at my cubicle daydreaming or wasting time. I can's sleep on Sunday nights because I know I have to go back to work the next day.
E: sounds like you're suffering from serious job dissatisfaction. I guess you really do need a change.
Lisa還說，想辭職的另外一個原因是覺得沒有升職的機會，There isn't a decent chance of promotion. Emily 表示贊成，因爲工資已經有一段時間沒漲了，而且她聽說，next year it's the same story. 明年也是一樣。Lisa說，有時候上班就是在自己的小隔間 cubicle 裏發愣，浪費時間，星期天晚上一想到第二天早上還要去上班，就睡不着覺。看來，Lisa真是得換份工作了。
A: Lisa最近有些under the weather, 看起來不舒服，不高興，原來是因爲她厭倦了現在的工作，覺得工作是a daily drudgery， 無聊乏味，而且there’s no decent chance of promotion，沒有升職的空間。
B: Yeah, no one wants a boring job. I think a company’s culture is extremely important. You want to be in a company where the management team is open to new ideas and changes.
A: Exactly. You want to go to places like google or facebook! I hear their employee satisfaction is very high, partly because they don’t have to follow corporate bureaucratic procedures.
B: Yep. But again, good jobs are hard to find! Let's continue and see what advice Emily has for Lisa!
禮節美語 Looking for a Change II
Lisa告訴同事Emily新年過後準備辭職，因爲她覺得眼下的工作很無聊，沒有升職的機會，她還說：
Lisa: The other problem is that I think the company is really set in its ways.
Emily: What do you mean?
L: In other words, I think management is resistant to change. I've given great proposals to my section chief and I've even sent emails with ideas on how to streamline operations to the big boss, but the reaction is always the same.
E: What do they say when you offer suggestions?
L: Usually something like: "We'll take a look and get back to you." But that's the last I'll ever hear from them.
Lisa 還覺得公司運作墨守成規，set in one's ways 是指生活方式或做事方法一成不變，類似的說法還有 stuck in a rut, rut is spelled r-u-t, rut 是指車軲轆留下的印兒，to stuck in a rut 陷在車軲轆印裏，也是墨守成規，一成不變的意思。Lisa 說自己向部門經理和公司老闆提出過很多好建議，但都沒有得到重視。得到的回答一般都是：We'll take a look and get back to you. 我們看一下再答覆你，然後就再也沒有任何消息了。
E: So, do you have any job prospects lined up?
L: I've been sending out resumes and I've gotten a couple of bites.
E: I you've pretty much made up your mind to quit then?
L: I think so. I'll miss seeing you everyday.
E: I'll miss you, too. Can I make a suggestion?
L: Sure!
E: Don't burn any bridges when you make your move.
L: What do you mean?
Emily問她工作找得怎麼樣了，Do you have any job prospects lined up? Lisa說自己發了一些簡歷，已經有一些公司對她表示有興趣了，I've gotten a couple of bite. bite, b-i-t-e, bite 在這裏是上鉤的意思，意思是她的簡歷已經引起了一些公司的興趣。看起來Lisa去意已定，Emily好心地建議Lisa, Don't burn any bridges. 辭職的時候不要把事做絕，最後給自己留條後路。Emily進一步解釋說：
E: I mean, don't tell the boss you hate your job or him. Simply inform them that you plan to resign from your position and do your best to train your replacement. That way, this company can remain a back-up option for you.
L: You make a good point. I'll try to be as professional about this as possible. Thanks Emily! Talking to you makes me feel much better.
E: Sure! Now let's eat!
Emily勸Lisa不要burn any bridges 斷了自己的後路，不用告訴老闆對公司有多不滿意，而且還要 do your best to train your replacement 盡力把交接工作做好，這裏所說的replacement 指的是接替Lisa工作的那個人。Emily說，這樣的話，現在的公司還能是Lisa的候補選項 back-up option. Lisa覺得Emily這番話很有道理，並保證自己在處理這件事的時候，I'll try to be as professional as possible. 這裏的professional是專業的，as professional as possible意思是儘可能按照職場的慣例去做。
A: Wow, I feel so lucky to work on such a creative, open-minded, and smart team!
B: For once and only once, we agree on something!
A: 哈哈！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!
