英语听力精选进阶版 20130

Part of the furniture 常客，长期没有变动的人

节目梗概：

Helen 告诉 Neil 她碰到了一个 Neil 的老同事。Neil 回想起他的工作史，还用到了一个听似不太礼貌的比喻，听听 Neil 是怎么解释这个比喻的用法吧。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Helen

大家好，欢迎收听BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》。 我是 Helen，和我在一起的还有我的同事 Neil。

Neil

Hello everyone.

Helen

Neil, guess who I met yesterday?

Neil

No idea. Anyone I know?

Helen

The name is Jonathan Kendall - he said you guys worked together a long time ago.

Neil

Oh yes, we did. Gosh, it must have been nearly 15 years ago if my memory is right.

Helen

Wow, that is a long time ago.

Neil

So, what is he doing now?

Helen

He works at Radio Melody¹. He is now the station manager.

Neil

He is still there! Wow, he really is part of the furniture.

Helen

What do you mean 'he's part of the furniture'? 说某人是家具的一部分，这好像不太礼貌吧？That doesn't sound very polite.

Neil

Oh, I don't mean it literally². It's an expression we use to describe someone or something that's been in the same place for a very long time. You almost think they will be there forever.

Helen

Right, I've got it. 说某人是“家具的一部分”的实际意思是“常客”或“长期没有变动的人”犹如家里或办公室常年摆设的家具一样，固定不变，大家都习以为常了。 让我们来听几个例句吧。

Examples

John has been the school caretaker for nearly twenty years. He's become part of the furniture.

We come here so often, it's almost as if we are part of the furniture.

She's had a seat in parliament for over 50 years - she's part of the furniture in the House of Commons.

Helen

So, how long have you been at the BBC?

Neil

I've lost count. Let me see, I left school at 18, did an apprenticeship³ for 2 years and then I joined BBC in 1995.

Helen

That's twenty years. My goodness! So you are part of the furniture at the BBC!

Neil

Yes, you are absolutely right. Where have all the years gone?

Helen

Will you be here for the next twenty years?

Neil

Who knows? Let's wait and see.

1 melody   

n.旋律，曲调，悦耳的音乐

参考例句：

• She struck up a folk melody on the piano.她开始用钢琴演奏那首民歌。
• After she wrote the melody,she asked us for criticisms.她做好曲之后，请我们提意见。

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 apprenticeship   

n.学徒身份；学徒期

参考例句：

• She was in the second year of her apprenticeship as a carpenter. 她当木工学徒已是第二年了。
• He served his apprenticeship with Bob. 他跟鲍勃当学徒。