VOA英语教学：美语训练班 011

　　B: 欢迎大家来到美语训练班！I'm Donny.
　　A: 大家好！我是杨琳! Donny, 有听众问咱们这个“美语训练班”节目的英文名是什么，人家都猜是English training class.
　　B: 其实我们的英文名是American English Mosaic. M-o-s-a-i-c, mosaic, 就是"马赛克"。
　　A: 没错! 美语训练班把美国之音的美语教学节目汇集到一起，就跟马赛克一样，拼贴杂烩，内容丰富。
　　B: Exactly! So what are we going to teach today?
　　A：今天，我们要去看棒球比赛, 和朋友聊聊大学里的社团生活和打工经历，出点份子钱，帮同事过生日, 还要告诉大家怎么用美语说“拗口”和“不择手段”。
　　B: But first, let's just take a small piece from the whole mosaic.
　　A: 对，咱们先花一分钟，学一个词！
　　Learn A Word : obesity
　　今天我们要学的词是obesity, obesity is spelled o-b-e-s-i-t-y, obesity. Obesity肥胖症。A new study finds that comparing to the reduction of food intake, food choices are more important in tackling obesity. 一项新的研究显示，与减少食物摄入量相比，食物的选择在改变肥胖症情况上更为重要。Not getting adequate amounts of sleep is a significant risk factor for obesity. 睡眠不足是导致肥胖症的危险因素之一。First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign aims at making children exercise more and eat better. 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马的反肥胖症运动鼓励孩子们增加运动，改善饮食。好的，今天我们学习的词是obesity, obesity, obesity.
　　A: Obesity，肥胖症. But how fat is too fat? 要到多胖才算是肥胖症呢？
　　B: One way to determine if you're obese is to have a doctor measure your BMI, or body mass index.
　　A: 计算身体质量指数？可是我觉得这个指数定得太宽松了! 就拿我来说吧，我BMI在正常范围，可我觉得自己特胖，一点都不苗条!
　　B: 啊？You don't look fat at all!
　　A: 是嘛？我可没信心。
　　B: Some women just feel like they can never be thin enough.
　　A: Seriously! I'd do anything to lose 10 pounds!
　　B: Anything? 那好吧，来听下面的words and idioms，看看怎么形容你这种心态。
　　Words and Idioms: beg borrow or steal
　　各位听众，现在播送<美国习惯用语>第 937讲。我是杨琳。
　　我是 Douglas Johnson.
　　我女儿最近迷上了一个摇滚乐队。下个月，这个乐队要来我们这里演出，我女儿可兴奋了，说什么都要去。可是，这个乐队人气太高，演唱会票非常抢手，很难买到。不过我女儿铁了心要去，说什么也要弄到一张票。她这种追星的热情，让我想到了一个习惯用语，那就是：
　　M: Beg, borrow, or steal. Beg is spelled b-e-g, borrow; b-o-r-r-o-w, and steal; s-t-e-a-l. Beg,-borrow,-or-steal.
　　beg是“求”，borrow是“借”，steal则是“偷”，beg, borrow or steal字面的意思是“祈求，借用或者偷”，其实就是指“不择手段，用一切方法”。我女儿非要去看演唱会，She'd beg, borrow or steal to get a ticket. 不论用什么方法，她非得搞到一张票不可。
　　很多人都有失眠或睡不好觉的问题，在下面这段话中，我们来听一听，有什么办法可以改善睡眠质量：
　　"Many people would do anything for a good night's sleep. But they don't have to BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL to get it. They need to keep a regular sleeping schedule, make sure the bedroom is dark, quiet and cool, and avoid alcohol and caffeine at night. That's how they'll be able to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed."
　　这段话是说：[很多人为了能睡上一夜好觉愿意做任何事。其实，他们不这么大费周章也能睡好觉。只要保持固定的睡眠时间，保证卧室里黑暗、安静、凉爽，并且晚上不喝含酒精和咖啡因的东西，就行了。这样做，第二天醒来时就能神清气爽。]
　　我还听说，电脑、电视和手机也会造成人们失眠，因为它们发射的信号会干扰大脑产生的睡眠荷尔蒙。所以，在快睡觉的时候，最好远离这些东西。好了，我们再来听听刚才那段话：
　　"Many people would do anything for a good night's sleep. But they don't have to BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL to get it. They need to keep a regular sleeping schedule, make sure the bedroom is dark, quiet and cool, and avoid alcohol and caffeine at night. That's how they'll be able to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed."
　　Beg, borrow or steal这个习惯用语也可以说成 beg, borrow and steal, 意思是一样的。在节目开始时，我谈到女儿迷恋摇滚乐队，不过，同下面这段话中提到的乐队相比，我女儿的偶像只能是后生晚辈了。我们来听一听：
　　I can't believe the Rolling Stones concert is already sold out. All I want is two tickets. I don't care where the seats are. And I'm willing to travel wherever I have to. This may be their last tour ever. That's why I'm prepared to BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL to see them perform."
　　这段话是说：[我简直不能相信滚石乐队演唱会的票已经卖光了。我只要两张票，不在乎座位，也不在乎演唱会在什么地方开，反正我一定要跑去看，这也许是他们最后一次开演唱会了。这就是为什么我无论如何，用一切办法都要去看不可。]
　　看来歌迷的心情都是一样的! 不过，Rolling Stones 滚石乐队的告别演唱会的确是意义非凡。这个摇滚乐团60年代出道，叱诧数十年屹立不倒，已经是重量级的流行文化符号了! 好，我们再来听听刚才那段话：
　　"I can't believe the Rolling Stones concert is already sold out. All I want is two tickets. I don't care where the seats are. And I'm willing to travel wherever I have to. This may be their last tour ever. That's why I'm prepared to BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL to see them perform."
　　各位听众，今天我们学习的习惯用语是beg borrow or steal，意思是“不择手段，用尽各种办法”。
　　A: Beg, borrow or steal! 真是说出了我减肥的心声! I would beg, borrow or steal to fit in my bikinis! 不管怎样我都要减肥成功，好去穿比基尼! 我要做骨感美女!
　　B: 好了! 这是美语训练班，不是美女训练班。
　　A: 哈哈，Donny, 美语和美女你说起来不拗口嘛？
　　B: Of course not, I'm a trained professional.
　　A: 你还真不谦虚! 不过，既然说到“拗口”，咱们就来听听这个词用美语怎么说。
　　How to say it: tongue twister
　　DONNY 在北京学汉语，他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教他。今天是吴琼要问的：拗口。
　　DONNY: 吴琼，What's up?
　　WQ: 我表姐要生宝宝了，发动全家给孩子起名儿呢，这不，我翻翻字典，找点灵感。
　　DONNY: Interesting! 我也来出主意!
　　WQ: 孩子姓唐，你说叫什么好？
　　DONNY: 唐？嗯....唐--老--鸭。
　　WQ: 啊？!
　　DONNY: Haha! I'm sorry, Wu Qiong. I know this is a terrible name, but when you mentioned the word "唐”， the name rolled right off my tongue.
　　WQ: Rolled right off your tongue? 从舌头上滚下来？我明白了，就是顺口，脱口而出。你一听到“唐”字，顺口就说出了唐老鸭。 那...如果不顺口，也就是拗口，该怎么说呢？
　　DONNY: You can say it's a tongue twister. Tongue is spelled t-o-n-g-u-e, and twister, t-w-i-s-t-e-r.
　　WQ: 哦，tongue twister， 就是说起来拗口的东西! This name is a tongue twister 这个名字真难念。
　　DONNY: 没错! Wu Qiong, you know the luxury car brand "Mercedes-Benz", do you?
　　WQ: Mercedes-Benz? 就是奔驰嘛!
　　DONNY: Right. The Chinese translation 奔驰 rolls right off the tongue. However, if we call the brand 梅赛德斯·本兹， to me , that's a tongue twister! It's like I'm tripping over my own tongue when I try to say it.
　　WQ: Trip over your own tongue? 我知道 t-r-i-p, trip 是摔倒的意思，所以 trip over one's own tongue 就是打磕巴，吃螺丝吧？
　　DONNY: Absolutely!
　　WQ: DONNY, We need to find a good name for this baby. We don't want people to trip over their own tongues when they say the baby's name!
　　DONNY: Of course, but first let's see what you've learned today!
　　WQ: 第一，顺口叫 to roll right off the tongue
　　第二，拗口的东西则是 a tongue twister
　　第三，打磕巴，吃螺丝，叫 to trip over one's own tongue
　　A: Donny, 快展示一下你的中文水平，给大家来段儿tongue twister, 绕口令!
　　B: 四是四，十是十，四十是四十，十四是十四，别把十四当四十，也别把四十当十四，谁能说一说，请来试一试。
　　A: 够溜的!
　　B: 你也来一个？A tongue twister in English!
　　A: 这有何难？你听好了！How many cans can a canner can if a canner can can cans? And how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?
　　B: Awesome!
　　A: 还可以吧! 大学时口语课上学的。
　　B: I bet you were a good student back in college.
　　A: 那当然。我是拿全额奖学金的! 我可是大学里的风云人物。
　　B: 那咱们就听听大学生活吧，Let's listen to“美语三级跳”。
　　GoEnglish: College─Intermediate
　　各位听众，大家好！今天我们为您播出“美语三级跳”节目“大学生活”单元的中级课程。
　　Winnie: Eric 和 Patty 是大学同学，俩人正在聊校园生活。
　　Professor: Eric wants to find out what clubs Patty is in. In this section, listen for the word "a cappella," which means singing without any instruments.
　　Eric: So Patty, tell me about what kind of clubs you like to do.
　　Patty: Well, I've always loved singing, but it's pretty hard to get into the singing clubs.
　　Eric: I know, they can be pretty competitive. But if they don't accept you, you should start an a cappella group! I'm sure lots of people would want to join.
　　Patty: Do you think it's hard to start a club?
　　Eric: I don't think it's very hard. You should talk to the student life officials. I think you just have to find a professor to sponsor you.
　　Patty: That's all? That's really easy. I think I'll do that.
　　Winnie: Patty 喜欢唱歌，但是要进学校合唱团很难。
　　Professor: That's right, Winnie. So what does Eric suggest that she do?
　　Winnie: Eric 建议她自己组织一个"A-cappella" club，也就是不用乐器伴奏，全靠清唱的阿卡贝拉合唱团。Professor Bowman，阿卡贝拉合唱团在美国大学里受欢迎么？
　　Professor: Yes, they're very popular. Now we're going to learn about what Eric does in his free time. Listen for the word "cramming," which means to study really hard.
　　Patty: What about you, Eric? What kind of clubs and activities do you do outside of class?
　　Eric: Personally, I don't have time for clubs.
　　Patty: Why not? Do you have to do a lot of cramming for the three English classes you take?
　　Eric: Actually, I'm not busy because I have to spend lots of time cramming. I'm busy because I have a part-time job.
　　Winnie: 啊？我原来还觉得，Eric只选三门英文课是因为他偷懒呢，原来他是因为要兼职打工才没这么多时间的。
　　Professor: In America, lots of students have part-time jobs to help pay for college.
　　Winnie: 学生打工都干些什么呢？
　　Professor: Some students work on campus in places like the library. Others work off campus as waiters at restaurants.
　　Winnie: 不知道Eric打的是什么工？
　　Patty: What do you do for your part-time job?
　　Eric: I work at a restaurant bartending and serving food.
　　Patty: Oh cool! How do you like it?
　　Eric: I love it because all my hours are at night, so I can save my days for class and studying.
　　Patty: That's very convenient. Do you make a lot of money?
　　Eric: Yeah, the tips are great and I meet a lot of fun people.
　　Winnie: Eric晚上在酒吧调酒？哇，太酷了~~
　　Professor: Yes, but he must be very tired going to school all day and working all night. Did you hear how Eric is paid at the restaurant?
　　Winnie: 他说，他在酒吧挣很多tips--小费。
　　Professor: Exactly. Now let's find out if Patty has a job.
　　Eric: What about you? Do you have a part-time job?
　　Patty: No, I got a scholarship, so I don't have to worry about working.
　　Eric: That's great. Does your scholarship pay for everything, including classes, housing and food?
　　Patty: That's right, thanks to my good grades in high school I got a full ride.
　　Winnie: Patty真厉害，有scholarship奖学金，所以不用打工赚学费。Professor Bowman, 什么叫"full ride"呢？
　　Professor: Some scholarships only pay for part of college. But if your scholarship pays for everything, you can say it's a "full ride" scholarship.
　　Winnie: 哦，full ride就是全额奖学金，学杂费和生活费全包！Patty一定特别优秀。
　　Professor: Yes, she said she got good grades in high school.
　　Eric: Wow, I wish I had studied harder in high school so that I got a scholarship.
　　Patty: Well, there is one big problem. Since the scholarship pays for my meals, I have to eat the food in the dorms.
　　Eric: Oh right! The cafeteria food is terrible. But whenever you want a good meal, come to the restaurant I work at and you can eat for free.
　　Patty: Believe me, that is an offer that I will not refuse.
　　Winnie: Patty和Eric都觉得学校食堂cafeteria的饭菜不好吃。 Professor Bowman, 在美国大学住学生宿舍好不好玩？
　　Professor: Let's tune in next time to find out.
　　A: 原来Patty和我一样，She got a full ride, 拿到了全额奖学金。
　　B: Well, I'm more like Eric. I had some part-time jobs in college, including bartending.
　　A: 你大学时也在酒吧打过工？That sounds so cool!
　　B: I also started my own club!
　　A: 你自己成立了社团？是什么？
　　B: 就是练习中文，说绕口令的社团啊。
　　A: 啊？听起来好像相声社，真有意思！好啦，大学生活聊起来就没完了，咱们还是进入下一个单元--“礼节美语”吧，今天讲的是：凑份子。
　　Business Etiquette: Birthday Bucks I Sarah 转到新部门工作不久，在去吃午饭的路上遇到原来的同事 Amanda.
　　S: Hi Amanda, how are you? I've missed working with you and the whole gang since my transfer last week.
　　A: We've missed you too. The office just isn't the same without you. How is your new job?
　　S: It's great. I really get to focus on what I like to do and everyone has been very nice and welcoming. However, I'm having a small problem with my new colleagues.
　　A: What happened?
　　MC: Sarah告诉Amanda她很想念原来的同事，I missed working with you and the gang. 大家都知道，Gang 有团伙的意思，在这里指常聚在一起的一群人。 Amanda 也说，The office just isn't the same without you. Sarah走了，办公室好像就不一样了。虽然Sarah很喜欢她新的工作， 但是在跟新同事相处时却遇到了一些小麻烦，我们继续听。
　　S: Well, three people are celebrating their birthdays this month and the policy here is for everyone to contribute ten dollars to a card and cake for each person.
　　A: Wow, so you'll be out thirty dollars on your first week at work!
　　S: I know. It is a lot of money and I haven't gotten to know any of the people celebrating their birthdays well enough yet. At our old department, it was only three dollars for each birthday and there were only ten of us.
　　MC: 原来，这个月有三个新同事过生日，Sarah 不得不跟着一起凑份子，买卡片和蛋糕为同事庆祝。They want her to contribute to the card and cake. Contribute is spelled c-o-n-t-r-i-b-u-t-e, contribute 是贡献的意思。这样一来，She will be out thirty dollars. 一下要出三十块。Sarah 跟这些同事还不熟，所以觉得有点亏。Amanda 安慰她说，
　　A: Well, every department is different. You wouldn't want your new co-workers to think you're a Grinch, right?
　　S: What is that? It doesn't sound like a good thing to be.
　　A: A Grinch is a person who spoils the mood at a happy occasion by being selfish or unenthusiastic. You know -- a party pooper.
　　S: I definitely don't want to be that! But, I still think it's unreasonable for them to ask me for such a big sum of money when we don't know each other very well. What should I do?
　　MC: Amanda 警告Sarah，如果她不出份子钱的话，同事会认为她是 Grinch, Grinch is spelled g-r-i-n-c-h, grinch 专门用来形容自私，而且没有情趣的人。Sarah当然不想让新同事觉得她是个败兴的人，a party pooper， 可她还是很不甘心，觉得新同事的要求不合理 unreasonable. reasonable 是有道理的，前面加上 un, unreasonable 就变成了没有道理的。这笔份子钱，Sarah最后会出吗？我们下次继续听。
　　A: 唉! 凑份子的事真的很难掌握。出钱吧，有点舍不得，不出吧，You don't want people to think you're a Grinch. 又不想让别人觉得自己小气，不合群。
　　B: Yeah. I know what you mean! When I was in China, I got invited to several weddings. I always had a until I learned that all the guests had to contribute a 红包 to the new couple.
　　A: 是啊! 结婚凑份子可比办公室帮人过生日的钱多多了!
　　B: Okay, let's stop complaining and listen to something fun and relaxed.
　　A: 那就是“体育美语”喽!
　　American sports English: Seventh inning stretch
　　YC: Gosh, Patrick, this baseball game is taking forever.
　　PW: Well, Yang Chen, a baseball game is nine innings long.
　　YC: 一场棒球赛有9个 innings 9局。
　　PW: Oh--It's the seventh inning already? All right! You get to experience the famous "seventh inning stretch," Yang Chen.
　　YC: Yayyyyyy. Patrick, What exactly is the "seventh inning stretch"?
　　PW: It is a baseball tradition! Because baseball is such a long game, during the seventh inning everyone stands up and stretches their legs and sings a song.
　　YC: 如果碰上两个烂队，到第7局大概观众都要睡着了。所以要来个"seventh inning stretch"，舒展一下身体，活动活动筋骨。Let's stretch our legs,
　　Music
　　YC: Oh, I've heard the song before─带我去看棒球赛！
　　PW: That's right─Take me out to the Ball Game. Stand up and sing it with me, Yang Chen!
　　YC/PW: Take me out to the Ball Game, Take me out to the Crowd; Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don't care if I never get back! Let's root, root, root for the home team, if they don't win it's a shame, for its one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ball game!
　　PW: There! Don't you feel better now, after the seventh inning stretch? I'm going to the snack bar. So would you like peanuts? Cracker Jacks?
　　Y: No. Just get me a beer.
　　B: Take me out to the Ball Game, Take me out to the Crowd; Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don't care if I never get back!
　　A: 唱得不错啊 Donny! 不过看棒球这么放松的事，还需要休息啊？那我们主持节目这么辛苦，更应该take a stretch!
　　B: Yeah! Let's do it!
　　A: 好了，今天的节目就到这里。节目的撰稿人是晓北，编辑是蔚然。同学们，我们下次的美语训练班再见!
　　B：Bye!