搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。
(单词翻译)
Express Your 'Self' 表达你的“自我”
Hello! From VOA Learning1 English, this is Words and Their Stories.
Have you ever talked to someone who only wants to talk about themselves? It’s “me, me, me” or “I, I, I” all day long! This kind of talk can be a real “turn off” to the people listening.
But at times, perhaps we are all guilty2 of being selfish3 or self-absorbed. For those days, here are some self-centered expressions you can use.
Today our program is all about you!
Let’s start with the word “self.”
“Self” can be added4 to many words to make new words. If you are self-conscious, you are aware of yourself in a bad way. You carefully plot5 your every move. People who are self-conscious can seem nervous around others and perhaps not very self-confident.
However, self-awareness is a good thing.
Self-awareness means6 you recognize both your good points and bad points. A person who is self-aware understands that what they say and do affects the people around them.
The difference between being self-aware and self-conscious may seem minor7. But there is a big difference.
Self-employed people are people who work for themselves. They are their own bosses. But people who are self-serving only think of their own needs. However, if you are self-employed, being a self-serving business person is a good thing. No one is there to help you. You must look after yourself.
Self-preservation is also good thing. You have to depend on yourself to survive. However, self-pity is not a good thing to have. Nobody likes to be around people who always feel sorry for themselves.
You don’t have to be filled with self-pity to annoy other people around you.
If you are unable to make a decision, people could say to you, “suit yourself.” This expression is a response when you don’t really care what someone does. It means to do as you please. In other words, have it your way!
Let’s listen to an example:
“I don’t think I’m going to the party tonight.”
“But you just said you were going and that you would give me ride!”
“Okay, I’ll go.”
“Look, suit yourself. Don’t go because of me. But make up your mind!”
Some expressions using the word “self” can sound strange.
Take, for example, the saying to be beside yourself. To many people, this might sound like you are having an out-of-body experience. But to be beside yourself means to be affected8 by a strong, usually negative emotion, like anger or sadness.
Here are a few examples:
“When her mother died, she was beside herself with grief9.”
“He was so upset that he was beside himself.”
Another unusual-sounding expression is to be full of yourself. This means that you think so highly10 of yourself that you are full; there is no room for anyone else.
If you are full of yourself, you might think that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread -- a common expression in American English.
If you are full of yourself, you may need to get over yourself. “To get over yourself” may sound like a difficult physical exercise. But it only means that you need to think of someone other than yourself.
If you are way too caught up in your own life or think you are better than everyone else, others might say to you, “Get over yourself.”
Now, getting out of your own way is different. This means that the thing or barrier11 keeping you from getting what you want is you!
If you are the reason you are not achieving your goals a friend could say to you, “You have to get out of your own way!”
People who experience hard times can become a shadow of their former self. This means they have less influence or strength than they once did.
For example, imagine a man who has a loving wife, a high-paying job and helps out in his community. Then his wife leaves him. She blames herself for the separation12. But this doesn’t help. The man turns to alcohol13 to escape his marriage problems. Then he loses his job, his home, his friends. When you see how low he has fallen, you could say he is a shadow of his former self.
But enough about him.
Let’s get back to you. Practice using some of these “self” expressions to express yourself.
1 learning | |
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 guilty | |
adj.犯罪的;有罪的;内疚的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 selfish | |
adj.自私的,利己主义的,自我中心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 added | |
adj.更多的,附加的,额外的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 plot | |
v.绘制;n.小块土地,地区图,图,阴谋,情节;vt.划分,绘图,密谋;vi.密谋,策划 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 means | |
n.方法,手段,折中点,物质财富 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 minor | |
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 grief | |
n.悲伤,悲痛,悲伤的事,悲痛的缘由 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 highly | |
adv.高度地,极,非常;非常赞许地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 barrier | |
n.栅栏,障碍,壁垒,关卡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 separation | |
n.分离,分居,缺口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 alcohol | |
n.酒精,乙醇;含酒精的饮料 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。