流行美語 第191課

Larry和李华在谈一位最近刚找到工作的朋友。今天李华会学到两个常用语：cushy和legit。

LL: Hey, Li Hua, did you hear about Kelsey? She just got a cushy new job.

LH: A "cushy" job? 我知道Kelsey最近找到了新工作，但什么是cushy job？那是不是她找到了很理想的工作？

LL: Oh, yeah. A "cushy" job a cushy job is one that isn't hard to do and has lots of benefits. A cushy job is soft and has a lot of padding¹ like a cushion.

LH: 我懂了，cushy就是从cushion软垫子这个词来的。所以cushy job就是很舒服的工作，就是钱多事少的好差事。Larry，快告诉我，Kelsey的工作到底是什么性质，为什么能够这么cushy？

LL: Well, she'll be working as an interpreter for a local businessman who does a lot of work with Chinese companies. Her salary is very high, she'll get to travel regularly to China, and her other benefits are good, too.

LH: 哇，帮美国商人做翻译，不但薪水高，还有机会到中国出差。真好！Kelsey的中文很好，个性又活泼，我想这个工作对她来说应该不难。 真是一个cushy job!

LL: Doesn't it make you want to find a new job, Li Hua? Being a teaching² assistant isn't the cushiest job.

LH: 就是啊，当助教一点也不舒服，每星期我得花很多时间备课，和学生面谈，上课，批改作业，但是助教的薪水却少的可怜。It isn't a cushy job at all.

LL: But you know, the teaching assistant job gives you valuable experience, and maybe some day you will have a cushy job as a Chinese professor at a major university.

LH: 我也希望如此啊。希望我这个助教工作能为我将来能到名牌大学当教授打下基础，那可就是个cushy job了。Larry，那你呢？你希不希望你的暑期工作也是个舒服的好工作呢？

LL: Well, it isn't hard to do, but I am hardly being paid anything, so I don't think you can call it a cushy job.

LH: 工作虽不难做，可是工资微薄。那没什么意思。 那你想找个新工作吗？ 你可以去问问Kelsey 她是怎么找到的，没准那公司还要人呢！

LL: Yeah, I am going to talk to Kelsey. Maybe she has some good advice for me.

******

LL: Well, Li Hua, I talked more to Kelsey about her new job, and now I am a little concerned that it isn't legit.

LH: 你说，Kelsey的工作怎么样？什么是legit？

LL: Legit. It's short for legitimate³. I am afraid Kelsey's new job may not be legitimate.

LH: 噢，legit就是合法的意思，是legitimate这个词的简化。你是说，你担心Kelsey找到的工作不合法？为什么呢？

LL: Kelsey told me she hasn't actually started her job yet, and she had her interview in a coffee shop.

LH: 嗯，在咖啡厅里面谈，这也不奇怪啊，很多公司觉得在办公室外面谈比较放松一些嘛。

LL: But, I tried to look up the company name in the phone book and couldn't find it. If a company is legit, it should have a listing in the phone book.

LH: 那倒也是。你在电话本里找不到这公司的名字？一个合法的公司应该在电话本里有它的名字呀。或许是你把公司的名字拼错了？

LL: I am pretty sure that I got it right. The more I think about the job it seems too good to be true.

LH: Larry，我知道你是为Kelsey担心，不过Kelsey很聪明，这个工作到底合不合法，我想她自己心里应该很明白。

LL: I guess you're right. Maybe it is my concerns that aren't legit.

LH: 不过话说回来，Larry，你替好朋友担心，这也是很正常的。

LL: Well, that's true. I should stop worrying about Kelsey.

LH: 好啦，现在什么都别担心了，我们一起去吃冰淇淋好不好？

LL: Now, that is a business we KNOW is legit!

今天李华学到两个常用语。第一个是cushy。这是形容很软，很舒服的意思，用来形容一个工作，就是轻松容易的工作。另一个常用语是legit。这是指合法的，正确的意思。
 

1 padding   

n.衬料；衬垫；赘语；废话v.给…装衬垫，加垫子( pad的现在分词 )；步行，放轻脚步走

参考例句：

• The old man was padding along. 这位老人慢慢地向前走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Players must wear padding to protect them from injury. 运动员必须戴防护垫以免受伤。 来自辞典例句

2 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

3 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。