美語訓練班第50課:"跑腿"和"放鴿子"用英語怎麼說?
A: 大家好! 歡迎來到這期的美語訓練班! 我是楊琳！
B: 我是Kat! 楊琳，今天咱們學什麼呢?
A: 今天，咱們要看看寵物心理醫生靠不靠譜，分析一下打高爾夫的好處，走神放空一下，還要告訴大家怎麼用美語說“跑腿”和“放鴿子”。
B: 我保證，我們的節目絕對不會放大家鴿子！
A: 哈哈，那是當然！好了，閒話少說，我們先趕快來進入第一個單元，Learn a Word!
Learn A Word # 1494
今天我們要學的詞是immune. Immune is spelled i-m-m-u-n-e, immune. Immune的意思是免疫的，比如，immune system就是指免疫系統， immune disease 則是免疫系統疾病。Immune還可以指"免除的","不受影響的". Apple's OS X, which has long been considered immune to viruses, was recently hit by a malicious software called Flashback. 蘋果電腦的OS X操作系統一向被認爲百毒不侵，可是最近，該系統遭到一種名叫Flashback的惡意軟件的襲擊。The IMF says Africa's economy is expanding, but it is not immune to global slowdown. 國際貨幣基金組織說，非洲經濟整體有所發展，但並不能完全不受全球經濟放緩的影響。好的，今天我們學習的詞是immune，immune，immune...
A: 聽見沒有，You have to upgrade your Macbook! Mac is no longer immune to viruses. Kat, kat, kat! 你想什麼呢？
B: what? I'm sorry what?
A: 瞧你這走神的！認真點！我正在說給macbook下補丁呢！
B: 對對, I spaced out there for a second! 不過正好，下面的Popular American裏面，我們就要來學學走神要怎麼說！
Popular American
現在播送《流行美語》。Larry和李華明天要考試，今天一起複習，但李華一直沒法專心。她今天會學到兩個常用語：zone out和now you're cooking with gas。
LL: So Reaganomics were the economic policies of U.S. President Ronald Reagan—Li Hua? Are you listening?
LH: (Pause) 嗯？發生什麼事了？
LL: Li Hua! How can you zone out when your final is tomorrow?
LH: Zone out? 你在說什麼啊Larry?
LL: To zone out means to lose concentration and to not notice what's happening around you.
LH: 喔，你是說我分心嗎？
LL: Yes. A "zone" is an area. If you "zone out", you mentally drift away from the place you are currently at, and go off into empty, dreamy space.
LH: 所以zone是指一個區域, zone out 就是走神。
LL: Yup. So stop zoning out! We still have a lot of studying to do!
LH: 好吧。那你告訴我，什麼是supply-side economics？
LL: Supply-side economics argues that economic growth can be most effectively created by lowering barriers for people to produce goods and services (supply)—
LH: 比如說降低所得稅。
LL: Hey! Now you're cooking with gas!
LH: Cooking—cooking with what?
LL: Now you're cooking with gas! It means now you understand what I'm talking about.
LH: 啊。Now you're cooking with gas 是指我終於跟上了，瞭解你在說什麼。是啊，我還是懂一點點的。不過now you're cooking with gas和了解一件事情怎麼能扯得上關係呢？
LL: This comes with a little bit of history. In the 1930's cooking became more convenient as the kitchen evolved from the old coal/wood range into the wood/gas combination. So when we say "now you're cooking with gas", it means you've crossed the barrier and progressed!
LH: 真有意思。原來是1930年代煮飯從依靠炭和木頭進化成依靠天然氣，生活方便了許多。所以說now you're cooking with gas就代表我進步了。
LL: Yes, that is correct. Wow you're really cooking with gas now! Learning so fast.
LH: 哈哈對呀。我現在精神好多了。還是學習英文俚語比較有趣。
LL: But we have to keep going with Economics, or else we're both going to fail the exam tomorrow.
LH: 是啊。But if we keep talking about boring Economics, I'm going to zone out again!
LL: Hmm what should we do then...
LH: 要不這樣！你先教我zone out 和now you're cooking with gas 的用法，讓我變得有精神之後，我們再繼續看經濟學，怎麼樣？
LL: I guess that could work. Hmm... you seem to be able to use these two phrases already. Do you have any questions?
LH: 當然有。如果分心是zone out, 那很專注的時候就是I'm really zoned in, right?
LL: That's interesting. But no one says it that way. A lot of phrases are only used in one direction. Therefore, you can only say zone out, but there is no such thing as zone in.
LH: 啊，原來如此。分心是zone out, 但注意力集中時不能反過來說zone in.
LL: Right. What about "now you're cooking with gas?" Can you give me an example using that phrase?
LH: Even though I was zoning out at the beginning of this review session, I began to cook with gas.
LL: Hmm. The phrase 'now you're cooking with gas' is usually used together as one, so no words are changed. Therefore, we don't say that someone begins to cook with gas.
LH: 好麻煩。所以說，Now you're cooking with gas. 得要整句一字不露地用。通常是一個人對另一個人說，Now you're cooking with gas. 而不是用來形容第三者的。
LL: That's right. Now you're really cooking with gas! Do you think we can go back to Economics?
LH: 啊！我要回家了。今晚是美國偶像American Idol的決賽。拜拜！
LL: Wait! Li Hua!
MC: 各位聽衆，今天李華從Larry那兒學到兩個常用語，一個是zone out, 是走神，發呆的意思；另一個是now you're cooking with gas. 指一個人開始進入情況了。這次《流行美語》播送完了，謝謝收聽，下次節目再見。
A: Kat, 我可要批評你了，How could you zone out in the middle of the show?
B: I'm really sorry! I was thinking about all the things I want to say to my supervisor! 他今天早晨又讓我去幫他買咖啡！我又不是給他跑腿的小時工！
A: 原來是這樣！也許你可以跟他談談，說不定他根本就沒覺得這是個事兒呢！
B: if he asks me to buy coffee again, I will throw it in his face! Yeah, yeah! I will do that! 不過大家先拿我當個模版，咱們來看看跑腿兒用美語怎麼說！
Donny 在北京學漢語，他的中國朋友要是遇到了不知道用美語怎麼說的詞，就會來請教他。今天是方方要問的：跟班打雜的。
Donny: Hey, Fang Fang, what's up? Do you like your new job?
FF: 啊，還行吧。就是初來乍到，專業一點都用不上，盡打雜了。
Donny: 打雜？What do you do everyday?
FF: 無非就是複印文件，取東西，接電話什麼的。哎？美國人怎麼形容這種工作啊？
Donny: Oh! Someone who does small and unimportant tasks at work is called a go-for. g-o-f-o-r, go-for.
FF: 哦! 這麼說，go-for 就是公司裏的小弟小妹! go-for 的主要工作就是跑腿兒。那“跑腿”又怎麼說呢？
Donny: We say they "run errands for others." Run is spelled r-u-n, errands is spelled e-r-r-a-n-d-s. The word "errand" means a short trip that's taken to finish a necessary task.
FF: Errand 差事，複數加s, errands, 所以 run errands for others 就是替別人“跑腿”的意思。
Donny: That's right. I guess you don't really like running errands for your boss, right?
FF: 是啊，我想做有意義的工作，可老闆總讓我幹些沒用的活兒。
Donny: She gives you a lot of busy work, I'm assuming? The phrase "busy work" refers to tasks that keep people busy but are not very useful.
FF: 哦! 原來，busy work 就是花時間，但沒意義的工作。老闆給我 busy work，並不是因爲這些工作重要，而是因爲她不願意看我閒着!
Donny: That's right! Fangfang, a lot of people start as go-fors and work their way up. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Now let's see what you've learned today!
FF: 公司裏跑腿打雜的小弟小妹叫 go-for；跑腿是 run errands for others；消磨時間，但是沒意義的工作是 busy work.
這次的“美語怎麼說”就到這裏結束了。如果你也有不會說的詞，請寫信給 Donny, 電郵請寄
B: See, I'm such a go-for at work! I hate that they make me do all this busy work!
A: 怎麼可能！你可是我們的優秀主持人！上次還有聽衆說最喜歡Kat的幽默風格呢！
B: haha, you know how to cheer me up, girl! Thanks! 好了，咱們接下來說點好玩的，Today Tom is taking his dog to a pet psychologist!
A: 寵物心理醫生？這真的靠譜嗎？咱們趕快去聽一聽！
Cats and Dogs: Advanced
大家好！今天我們爲您播出“美語三級跳”節目“寵物”單元的高級課程。
Tom和Mindy養的狗不聽話，今天帶它去看 pet psychologist——寵物心理醫生。
Tom: Thank you so much for seeing us today, Doctor. Our dog is having some mental problems and needs a professional evaluation.
Psychologist: Of course. I understand that you are very concerned about your dog's mental health. What's the problem?
Tom: Well you see, he is always running around wild, tearing the furniture up and breaking things.
Psychologist: Is that it?
Tom: Well... he also doesn't listen when I give him commands, and he tries to eat the food off of the table. He is really wreaking havoc in our house.
Psychologist: I see ...
Professor Bowman, 你說Tom是不是有點小題大作了？他說的這些“症狀”，比如亂跑，撕咬東西，吃桌上東西什麼的，不是所有小狗都會做的麼？
Professor: Yeah. It probably needs a professional dog trainer more than it needs a pet psychologist.
對了，Tom說the dog is "wreaking havoc." 這是什麼意思？
Professor: To wreak havoc means to ruin or damage. For another example, I could say that the really powerful typhoon wreaked havoc on the coastal cities. 原來wreak havoc 就是毀壞，造成很大破壞的意思。
Tom: What do you think, Doctor? Is he depressed? He probably needs to be on some strong anti-depressants, right?
Psychologist: Well, it's perfectly normal for a young puppy to have this kind of temperament. How often do you take him out to get some exercise?
Tom: Not that often. You see, I promised my wife that I would always take him for walks. But I started getting really tired of running after him all the time, so I stopped.
Psychologist: It's pretty important that he gets lots of exercise to use up his energy. He shouldn't be cooped up in the house all day.
我就知道Tom很難做到每天出去遛狗! 瞧，連醫生都說，Tom的狗精力過盛。
Professor: Right. The dog shouldn't be cooped up in the house all day. Cooped up? 就是指被關起來麼？
Professor: Exactly. You can use it in lots of different ways. For example, it's important you have someone to talk to when you're sad so that you don't keep your emotions cooped up inside yourself. 哦，就是說難過的時候不要把感情憋在心裏，應該找人聊聊天，發泄一下。對了，這個心理醫生還說到一個詞，“temperament”， 這是什麼意思？
Professor: The word temperament means character or personality. For example, it's important for doctors to have a calm temperament so they can handle the stress of their job. 哦，就是性情。那even temperament是性格隨和，好脾氣嘍？
Professor: That's right.
Psychologist: Tom, I really wouldn't worry about it. As he grows up he will mellow out.
Tom: I hope so, because I have such high hopes for him! Even though, my parents never loved me and never thought I could achieve anything, I'm going to make sure this dog is a winner!
Psychologist: I see ... so you're treating your dog the way you wish your parents had treated you?
Tom: Exactly! And when we win first prize at all the dog shows, I'll show all those people who made fun of me when I was a kid.
Psychologist: Right. Well Tom, I'm happy to say your dog is totally healthy. You, on the other hand, need some serious professional help!
Professor: So Winnie, what is the psychologist's conclusion? 他說，狗沒病，人有病! 需要看心理醫生的是Tom自己! 對了，professor, 他說 the dog will "mellow out"，是什麼意思？
Professor: Someone is mellow if he is very relaxed, calm and not worried about things. 所以醫生是說Tom的狗隨着年齡的增加，脾氣會越來越好。Tom還說，等他的狗在寵物比賽中得了冠軍，他會show all the people who made fun of him as a kid. 他要向這些嘲笑過他的人show什麼呢？
P: Winnie, if you prove that you were right and another person is wrong, you can say you "showed" that person. For example, I never thought Andy was very smart. But when he got into Harvard, he really showed me.
噢，就是讓別人服氣，見識自己的厲害! 原來Tom養狗是這個目的，他還真得去看看心理醫生!
A: 原來Tom養狗的初衷是he wants to show all the people who made fun of him as a kid! 診斷出爐：小狗沒問題，是Tom該去看心理醫生了！
B: Gosh.. uh.. Tom's a pretty weird guy, huh? I think most people want to have pets because they love them, not because they want to show off to other people.
A: 大千世界無奇不有唄！
B: 說的對。Alright, enough about pets. Now let's go learn some tips for climbing up the corporate ladder—today's tip is playing golf!
禮節美語——BE-240 Taking up Golf II
Robert兩年前開始打高爾夫球，在球場上積累了不少商業界的人脈。同事Mark問他：
Mark: But how can you play with people who've been golfing for 20 years? Isn't it embarrassing?
R: Golf has a system called "handicapping" and the system does its best to level out the differences in skill. It's quite common for a novice to play alongside a more experienced golfer.
M: That's interesting. I read an article once that says you can tell a lot about a person's management style by how they play golf. Do you agree with that?
R: Actually, yes. Say for example you hit your ball into a sand way you react to that demonstrates a great deal about your character.
Robert告訴Mark, 打高爾夫球有所謂的 handicapping system 差點系統，能 level out the differences in skill 平衡不同選手的水平，讓水平相對較差的新手novice能play alongside a more experienced golfer. 跟經驗豐富的老手一起打球。在這裏，新手novice還可以用rookie來代替。Robert說，從球風還能看出一個人的管理風格。
M: So the executives on the golf course are all sort of sizing each other up?
R: Absolutely. So what about you? Do you play any sports?
M: I was on the ping-pong team in high school. Ping-pong suits my temperament. It requires high concentration and quick decision-making skills. Unfortunately, ping-pong is not a game of choice for most business executives.
R: Yeah...I don't think CEOs like to get too sweaty. Are you interested in trying your hand at golf?
M: I thing I might be. Do I have to purchase a set of golf clubs to begin with?
既然從球風，能看出一個人的經營管理風格，那球場上的公司主管們自然都會 size each other up 相互打量，彼此觀察。Robert 問Mark 喜歡什麼運動項目，Mark說自己上高中的時候曾經打過乒乓球，因爲 It suits my temperament. 乒乓球適合我的性情。temperament is spelled t-e-m-p-e-r-a-m-e-n-t, temperament 是性格，性情的意思，可惜的是，乒乓球不是商界高層喜愛的運動， not a game of choice. Robert表示同意，因爲公司CEO們可不願意get too sweaty 出一身臭汗。Robert 問Mark 願不願意 try his hand at golf 試着學打高爾夫球。to try one's hand at something 是嘗試的意思。Mark問Robert要不要事先準備一套球杆。Robert回答說：
R: Not in the beginning. I'll tell you what, let's go out to the club and hit a few balls next Saturday morning. Who knows? You might get addicted.
M: And like you said, playing golf is a good chance to expand my business networks.
R: It certain is. Well, I've got to take off. How does 7:30 next Saturday morning work for you?
M: Sounds great! Thanks, Robert.
R: Not at all. I'll see you next week.
Robert告訴Mark, 先不用置備球杆，可以先去球場打幾個球試試手。Who knows? You might get addicted. 意思是說不定你一下子就會上癮呢。兩人分手前，約好下星期六早上7點半一起去打球。
A: 原來那些商業主管會在打高爾夫的時候size each other up 彼此觀察呢！連運動的時候都不能閒着，這些老闆們也是真累。
B: That's the price you have to pay if you want to be successful in business!
A: 哎呦，看來我真不是當有錢人的材料嘍！
B: 哈哈，別泄氣嘛楊琳！ You can be successful in your own field!
A: 借你吉言嘍！好了，上面Robert和Mark約好要去打高爾夫，下面我們要來教教大家如果其中一個人爽約要怎麼說！
Jessica 在北京學漢語，她的中國朋友要是遇到了不知道用美語怎麼說的詞，就會來請教她。今天是莊明要問的：放鴿子
Jessica：喲，莊明，你幹嘛氣沖沖的？
ZM: 今天真倒黴! 我剛讓人放鴿子了!
Jessica: 鴿子？Pigeon? I don't get it.
ZM: 放鴿子，就是你和別人約好，結果對方卻沒來! 誒？美語裏這個該怎麼說？
Jessica: Oh! You mean you arranged to meet someone, but the person was a no-show!
ZM: No-show? 把 no 和 s-h-o-w “show” 放在一起，no-show，就是“沒來，爽約”。
Jessica: Yes! But Zhuang Ming, who was this no-show? Your boyfriend?
ZM: 嗯……怎麼說呢。我約好去見一個從來沒見過面的男生，是別人介紹的，就算是相親吧!
Jessica: 噢，我明白了! You went on a blind date!
ZM: blind 後面加上 date——約會，blind date， 就是相親嗎?
Jessica: Yes! if your friend set you up with someone you've never met before, that's called a blind date. Blind dates usually end up bad.
ZM: 可不是麼! 就說我今天這個相親對象吧，直接放我鴿子，害我白等。
Jessica: In this case, Zhuang Ming, you say "I got stood up"! 我被人放了鴿子。
ZM: stood up 不是“站起來”的意思麼？我可沒一直站着傻等啊!
Jessica: No. If you "stand someone up", you fail to show up at a date.
ZM: 哦! 不去約會，放別人鴿子，就可以說 stand someone up。而我是被放鴿子，所以你說我——got stood up!
Jessica: That's right! 我也常被放鴿子! Last month, I had a date with a really cute guy, but he stood me up! 唉，也別生氣了，還是說說你今天都學了什麼吧!
ZM: 第一，“爽約，沒來”，可以說 no-show;
第二，放別人鴿子，可以說 stand someone up;
第三，“相親”可以說 blind date!
這次的 “美語怎麼說” 就到這裏了。如果你也有不會說的詞，請寫信給Jessica, 電郵請寄
A: 原來相親是Blind date! What're your thoughts on blind dates, Kat?
B: 我不介意認識新朋友，you can start with friendship and see where things go!
A: Kat, 其實我朋友Matthew一直想認識你! Let me set you guys up!
B: Haha, again, I don't mind another friend!
A: It's a date! 好的同學們，這次的節目時間就到這裏。如果你對我們的節目有什麼建議，或者你有任何問題和評價，請發電子郵件到
B: Don't forget to tune in next time for American English Mosaic! Bye bye!
A: See you later!
