美国之音《流行美语》 372 top dog

　　李华和Larry要去打网球，他们会用到两个常用语：shoo-in和top dog.
Larry: Hey, Lihua, are you ready to go? Where are your tennis shoes?
LH: Sorry, Larry.今天网球不打了。我得温习功课! 我们系里新设立了奖学金，只有成绩最好的学生才拿得到!
Larry: The top student? Don't worry - you're a shoo-in!
LH: Shoe? In? 你说我鞋子怎么了？
Larry: No no no. Not the shoes that you put on your feet. Shoo is spelled s-h-o-o. A "shoo-in" is a guaranteed winner.
LH: 哦! shoo-in就是绝对的赢家，肯定得胜的人。你是说，我不用温习，也肯定能拿到讲学金？
Larry: Yea, exactly. Remember when you tried out for that student dance group last year? I knew you were a shoo-in for the team. You're such a good dancer!
LH: 真的？! 说实话我当时没多少信心! 能入选学生舞蹈团真是出乎我的意料!
Larry: Well, it looks like my prediction was correct - you eventually made the team, right? You should have more confidence in yourself! You were a shoo-in!
LH: Thanks Larry! 你还记得么？你找工作的时候，去面试，特别紧张，可我当时就觉得you were a shoo-in，你肯定能被录取!
Larry: Well, I was hardly a shoo-in for the job. There were a lot of qualified¹ people vying² for that position - I was lucky to get it.
LH: 好啦，Larry，不要谦虚啦! 话说回来。这次奖学金竞争激烈，不光要看成绩，还要看课外活动和表现，真难啊!
Larry: Lihua, you're involved with plenty of extracurricular activities. Among your classmates, I'm sure you're a top dog.
LH: Larry! 你怎么说我是狗？
Larry: Not a dog - Top dog. "Top dog" means "the best", you know, "number one."
LH: 哦? Top dog是第一名，最棒的人？
Larry: Exactly. For instance³, my boss is the top dog at my office. Not only does he have the most experience, but he also has the ability to influence the work of his staff. He's definitely⁴ a top dog.
LH: 哦，你说你的老板是办公室里最牛的人，他不仅经验丰富，而且能影响其他的工作人员。不过，Larry，我可对我的同学没有什么影响力......
Larry: Sure you do. I know plenty of your classmates look up to you. Not only are you a hard worker in class, but you also volunteer as a math tutor⁵ for middle school students at the community center, and you're a member of the school dance team!
LH: 对啊，我学习努力，还当志愿者给中学生补课，又是舞蹈团成员。经你这么一说，我也感觉着自己怪不错的!
Larry: Haha! But seriously, you are the top dog in your class, and you're definitely a shoo-in for the scholarship. Just show the scholarship committee how great you are!
LH: 对，Larry. 我现在很有信心，虽然我不敢说I'm a shoo-in for this scholarship, 但是我得奖的机会还是蛮大的!
Larry: I'm glad to hear it! But aren't you forgetting one more extracurricular activity you can put on your list?
LH: 啊？什么活动啊？
Larry: Playing tennis with the top dog of the tennis court - me!
LH: 你呀？你才不是网球的top dog，我自己不是打赢过了你好多次嘛
Larry: Oh, I was just letting you win... come on, let's go play!
LH: 对不起啊Larry，这个奖学金的事确实比网球更重要。我准备好了奖学金的申请书以后，一定会跟你打网球。我保证!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是shoo-in，意思是“绝对的赢家”。另一个是top dog，意思是“优胜者，最棒的人”。

1 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

2 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

3 instance   

n.例，例证，实例

参考例句：

• Can you quote me a recent instance?你能给我举一个最近的例子吗？
• He's a greedy boy,yesterday,for instance,he ate all our biscuits!他是个贪吃的孩子――比如，他昨天把我们的饼干都吃了！

4 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

5 tutor   

n.家庭教师，导师，助教，监护人；vt.当…的教师，教，指导，约束

参考例句：

• I think you should get her a tutor.我认为你应该替她请个家教。
• What do you think of your tutor?你觉得你的家庭教师怎么样？