英语听力精选进阶版 6578

Jo: Hello, welcome to Real English from BBC Learning¹ English. I’m Jo.

Sun Chen: Hello, I’m Sun Chen.

Jo: Today we’re going to look at words and phrases that you might not find in your dictionary.

Sun Chen: 地道英语和大家一起学习现代英式英语中最新出现的流行词汇和新鲜表达。那Jo,今天给我们带来的新词是什么呢？

Jo: Today’s phrase is watch…your…back. Watch your back.

Sun Chen: 看你的后背，watch your back. What does it mean?

Jo: It means to be careful, to be alert² of someone or something that might hurt you.

Sun Chen: I see, watch your back 是一个比喻，意思就是要当心有人或者是什么事情可能会对你不利。

Jo: Yes, it’s usually given as a warning to others, alerting³ them to certain danger they may face.

Sun Chen: 那这个比喻平时是怎么用的呢？

Jo: Here’s an example.

Example

A: I think you should make sure that you’ve kept notes from that meeting with Alan.

B: Yeah, you’re probably right.

A: I mean someone might say you said something you didn’t – you need to watch your back.

Sun Chen: 听起来好像很紧张。单位里某一个人可能会对另一个人不利。

Jo: Well, if you think someone needs a bit of warning, then you can tell them to watch their back. But sometimes, it has a much more straightforward⁴ meaning.

Sun Chen: 还有一个非常简单的意思， 那是什么呢？

Jo: It could simply mean be careful of your back as in our body part.

Sun Chen: 这回可就是实实在在的人的身体了，当心自己的腰，别伤了。

Jo: We should all watch our back. Back pain is one of the biggest health problems people experience in life.

Sun Chen: 好了，我们今天学的这个短语 watch your back 有两个含义，一个是警告别人要当心背后有人会捣鬼, 还有就是注意腰部的保养。

Jo: You’ve been listening to Real English from BBC Learning English. Join us next time.

Sun Chen: 我们下次节目再会。

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

3 alerting   

n. 发信号，警告 动词alert的现在分词

参考例句：

• Thanks so much for alerting us to the problem. 感谢你提醒我们这个问题。
• Alerting was indicated by the desynchronization of the EEG. 脑电图上显示的失调结果是一种危险信号。

4 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。