【一起听英语】抱怨

抱怨是种坏情绪。解决不了问题，还会影响别人的情绪，我们应该如何应对抱怨呢？

Dan: Hello, I'm Dan.

Alice: And I'm Alice.

Dan: And this is 6 Minute English! Hmm, I'll just have some coffee. Ugh, this

coffee is disgusting! That cafe over the road serves the worst coffee!

Alice: Oh, you should complain! Tell them you're not satisfied.

Dan: Hmm, you're right; I should complain. But I don't want to make a fuss¹.

Alice: Ah, you don't want to make a fuss – very British!

Dan: Maybe I should though! Traditionally, British people have been very bad at

complaining. We don't want to cause unnecessary problems for anyone; we

don't want to make a fuss or make a scene. But apparently² we're getting better

at complaining about problems. And that's the topic of this week's 6 Minute

English – complaining. Are you a good complainer Alice?

Alice: Oh I'm a very good complainer – I'll let you know when I don't like something.

Dan: Right, I'll watch out for that. But first, this week's question for you Alice, is:

According to the Wall Street Journal³, what was the cause of most airline

complaints in the US in 2010? Was it: 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

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a) Delayed or cancelled flights

b) Rude staff

c) Lost luggage

Alice: Mmm, I'm not sure: I'll go for c) lost luggage.

Dan: OK, well, we’ll see if you're right at the end of the programme. Now let's hear

now from Ben Page, from the surveying company Ipsos MORI. Here he is

talking about some of the reasons British people don't complain and why it

might be changing. He uses the phrases 'formal complaint' and 'annoy' here

Alice, so I wondered if you could explain those?

Alice: Sure. A formal complaint is a written document of your complaint. It's usually

a letter or email, and can sometimes be used as a legal document. And to

annoy is another term for 'to irritate⁴'. Both mean 'to make you a bit angry'.

Dan: Also listen out for the phrase 'riled up'; what do you think it means here?

Ben Page, Ipsos MORI

Most Brits still won't complain unless it's something that's really important,

and that's because they just don't think it would make any difference. I think it

is changing, slowly; there are more channels; it's easier to whack⁵ off an email

or a tweet to an organisation⁶ that's annoyed you. But overall⁷ it's still… a formal

complaint still takes somebody to feel pretty riled up. 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

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Dan: So British people need to feel pretty riled up if they're going to make a formal

complaint.

Alice: To get riled up means to become angry or annoyed. So if an organisation has

annoyed you and you're riled up, you can now complain using new technology,

such as email or Twitter, so it's much easier to complain now than it used to be.

Why else are British people complaining more now, Dan?

Dan: Ah, well some people say we've developed more a culture of complaining, and

that's in part because of television programmes that encourage people to take

action when things aren't right. A television programme called 'That's Life!'

was regularly broadcast in the UK from the early 1970s right up to the 1990s.

It made sure that people weren't ripped⁸ off, and encouraged people to complain

if they were.

Alice: To be ripped off means to pay too much for something.

Dan: So here's the programme's host, Esther Rantzen, who says that being able to

complain is a fundamental⁹ democratic¹⁰ right. What phrase does she use to

encourage people to complain?

 

Esther Rantzen

I think being able to complain is a fundamental democratic right. There are

people around who will be on your side, but it's really up to you to grasp the

nettle¹¹ and complain. Keep going!

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Alice: She said we should 'grasp the nettle and complain'. A nettle is a plant that

stings¹² you when you touch it. But if you grab¹³ it quickly it doesn't hurt so much.

So as a phrase, if you grasp the nettle, it means you do an unpleasant task

quickly, and then it won't hurt as much.

Dan: So British people should grasp the nettle and complain when something's not

right.

Alice: As long as they're polite about it!

Dan: Quite right! OK Alice, back to today's question: According to the Wall Street

Journal, what was the cause of most airline complaints in 2010? Was it:

a) Delayed or cancelled flights

b) Rude staff

c) Lost luggage

Alice: And I guessed c) lost luggage?

Dan: Well actually, the answer was delayed or cancelled flights. Often, lost luggage

is the main cause of complaints throughout the year, but you'll remember that

in 2010, with the ash cloud and some very extreme weather, there were lots

and lots of cancelled flights, so it's not very surprising that was the major cause

for complaint. So before we go, let's hear some of the words and phrases we've

used in today's programme:

Alice: OK, we had: 

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To make a fuss

To make a scene

To annoy

To irritate

Formal complaint

Riled up

Nettle

To grasp the nettle

Dan: Thanks, Alice. I hope you've enjoyed today's programme and you'll join us

again for more 6 Minute English next time. I'm off to complain about this

coffee!

Alice: Oh, I hope you get a good result!

Both: Bye! 

1 fuss   

n.过分关心，过分体贴，大惊小怪，小题大作

参考例句：

• My mother makes a fuss of me every time I come home.我每次回家，母亲总对我体贴备至。
• Stop all this fuss and do your homework.别大惊小怪了，去做你的家庭作业吧。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 journal   

n.日志，日记；议事录；日记帐；杂志，定期刊物

参考例句：

• He kept a journal during his visit to Japan.他在访问日本期间坚持记日记。
• He got a job as editor of a trade journal.他找到了一份当商业杂志编辑的工作。

4 irritate   

vt.使恼怒，使烦燥，使不适，使疼痛

参考例句：

• Don't irritate her,she's on a short fuse today.别惹她，她今天动不动就发火。
• These tight shoes irritate my toes.我的鞋太紧，夹痛我的脚趾。

5 whack   

v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

6 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

7 overall   

n.工作服，工装裤；全面的，全体的

参考例句：

• The shop assistant was wearing a white overall.那店员穿着白色的工作服。
• How much will it cost overall?一共多少钱？

8 ripped   

adj. <美俚>喝醉的，受毒品麻醉的 动词rip的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He had ripped up the carpet, leaving only the bare boards. 他用力扯去了地毯，只剩下裸露的地板。
• I ripped my jeans on the fence. 我的牛仔裤在栅栏上划破了。

9 fundamental   

adj.基本的，主要的；基本原则，基本法则

参考例句：

• The fundamental way out for agriculture lies in mechanization.农业的根本出路在于机械化。
• Fresh air is fundamental to good health.新鲜空气对健康是不可缺少的。

10 democratic   

adj.民主的；民主主义的，有民主精神的

参考例句：

• Their country has democratic government.他们国家实行民主政体。
• He has a democratic work-style.他作风民主。

11 nettle   

n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼

参考例句：

• We need a government that will grasp the nettle.我们需要一个敢于大刀阔斧地处理问题的政府。
• She mightn't be inhaled as a rose,but she might be grasped as a nettle.她不是一朵香气扑鼻的玫瑰花，但至少是可以握在手里的荨麻。

12 stings   

螫伤处( sting的名词复数 )； （某些昆虫的）毒刺； （身体或心灵的）剧痛； （警察为抓捕罪犯而设的）圈套

参考例句：

• Falsehood like a nettle stings those who meddle with it. 谎言似荨麻，玩弄会刺手。
• This cream contains a mild analgesic to soothe stings and bites. 这种乳膏含有一种性能平和的止痛剂，能缓解被螫咬后的疼痛。

13 grab   

vt./n.攫取，抓取；vi.攫取，抓住(at)

参考例句：

• It is rude to grab a seat.抢占座位是不礼貌的。
• The thief made a grab at my bag but I pushed him away.贼想抢我的手提包，但被我推开了。