英语听力精选进阶版 19595

Butter up 阿谀奉承

Finn: Hello Feifei. I didn't know you shopped at this supermarket, too.

Feifei: Hi Finn. Usually I don't. But it's close to the office and I have to rush home to welcome an important guest.

Finn: Mmmm, who is it? Someone I know?

Feifei: No, it's my landlady¹. 我的房东今晚要过来，我租房子的合同下个月就要到期了，所以我想趁她来的时候讨好讨好她，希望再签合同的时候别涨价。

Butter

Many idioms are inspired by food

Finn: I see what you mean. So you'd better butter her up then!

Feifei: Butter? Oh, yes. But I'm a really bad cook. If I baked a cake, it would probably be horrible…

Finn: I don't mean butter for a cake. In English when you say you'll 'butter someone up', you mean you'll be especially nice to them in the hope they'll do something good for you in return.

Feifei: Oh, I see. 其实短语 butter someone up 的意思是讨好、巴结一个人，以便日后能从这个人那儿得到点儿好处。

Finn: Yes, you're right - it can have a negative connotation. Let's hear some examples of how to use 'to butter someone up' or 'to butter up someone', which are today's expressions in Authentic² Real English.

Johnny: I was very impressed with your presentation³, Mrs Beany. You are really intelligent and perceptive⁴ and…

Mrs Beany, the boss: Don't waste your time buttering me up, Johnny. I'm not raising your salary anytime soon.

The director⁵ was always ready to butter up Angelina Jolie. He knew she was looking for her next role and he wanted her in his movie.

Feifei: Oh, look. It's 6pm already. I'm very late. I might not be on time to meet my landlady and she will be angry with me. She's a very busy woman.

Finn: Mmmm… then you're in a jam!

Feifei: Jam?!

Finn: Yes.In English you say someone 'is in a jam' when you mean they're in a difficult situation – but that's a different kind of jam!

Feifei: 在美式英语里，我们用短语 in a jam 来表达某人遇到困难，陷入窘境。这里的 jam 和我们吃的那种 jam 可是两回事儿啊。

Finn: That's right. It's an expression for another day. Bye!

Feifei: Bye!

1 landlady   

n.女房东，女地主

参考例句：

• I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
• The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。

2 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

3 presentation   

n.赠与，陈述，介绍；表演，展示

参考例句：

• Last week we went to the presentation of a new play.上星期我们去观看了一场新剧的演出。
• The manner of presentation is highly important.介绍的方式很重要。

4 perceptive   

adj.知觉的，有洞察力的，感知的

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• He is very perceptive and nothing can be hidden from him.他耳聪目明，什么事都很难瞒住他。

5 director   

n.主管，导演；主任；理事；董事；处长

参考例句：

• The director has taken the visitors off to his office.经理把客人带到他办公室去了。
• The new director is easy to get along with.新来的主任很好处。