VOA英语教学：美语训练班 106

 　　A: 欢迎大家来到这期的美语训练班! 我是杨琳!

　　B: 我是Mike! 杨琳，来告诉大家今天都要学什么!

　　A: 好! 今天，我们要一起来聊聊在公司报销都有什么规矩，看看别出心裁的结婚仪式，还要告诉你怎么说捉刀人!

　　B: Yeah, most couples want a special wedding ceremony. It's the kind of memory that will last a lifetime. I wonder what my wedding will be like...

　　A: You got to find someone who is willing to marry you first!

　　B: Ugh...

　　A: Kidding kidding! You will be fine! 咱们等会再来讨论你梦想中的婚礼，现在, 先来进入第一个单元...

　　B: Learn a word!

　　Learn A Word  1743 ghost writer

　　今天我们要学的词是 ghost writer. Ghost is spelled g-h-o-s-t, ghost, and writer, w-r-i-t-e-r, writer, ghost writer. Ghost writer 代笔作者，捉刀人。Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is taking heat for hiring Marc Thiessen, who vocally supports "enhanced interrogation techniques", as his ghost writer.  威斯康辛州长沃克因为找马克.泰森代写新书而受到批评，因为泰森公开支持使用强化审讯手段。Michael Malice, the celebrity ghost writer, raised $30,000 to write an autobiography of Kim Jong-il. 著名捉刀人迈克尔.马利斯集资三万美元，准备给金正日写传记。好的，今天我们学习的词是 ghost writer, ghost writer, ghost writer...

　　A: Ghost writer, 代笔作者。 现在是个人就可以出书，最后都不知道书是谁写的!

　　B: Yep, I feel like Internet is the thing to blame. Nowadays a lot of people just go on the Internet, get whatever information that they can find and then start writing a book!

　　A: Yeah, the Internet is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's so much easier to obtain information now, but on the other, you need to have the ability to identify the useful from the useless.

　　B: Yep, or you can always just march to a different drummer, go back to reading academic papers!

　　A: 没错! 诶，你刚才提到了个很好的短语， march to a different drummer, 让我们来听今天的美国习惯用语，学学这个短语的用法!

　　Words and Idioms  833 MARCH TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER

　　美国习惯用语第833讲

　　我干广播这一行已经十几年了，以前的编辑都是每星期一早上开会，但是最近刚来的这位领导别出心裁，把小组会议改在了星期五下班以前。这倒让我想起了今天要学的习惯用语，叫

　　M: March to a different drummer. March is spelled m-a-r-c-h, and drummer; d-r-u-m-m-e-r. March-to-a-different-drummer. March to a different drummer.

　　March to a different drummer. March 是齐步走，行军的意思，drummer 是鼓手。March to a different drummer 按照不同鼓手的节奏前进，意思就是独树一帜，标新立异。这下大家明白了吧，别人一般都是星期一早上开会，但是新来的这位编辑却规定星期五下班前开会，跟别人不一样，这就叫 march to a different drummer. 其实啊，生活中这种人并不少见，让我们听听下面例子里这个人是怎么过年的。

　　M: "My friends are always inviting me to these crazy New Year's Eve parties. But I've always MARCHED TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. Going to big noisy celebrations just to wait until midnight isn't for me. I'd much rather stay home and have a quiet evening watching a good movie or reading a good book."

　　这个人说：朋友们经常邀请我去参加他们那些疯狂的元旦派对，但是我跟他们不一样。我一点也不喜欢那种喧闹的庆祝活动，我更愿意一个人待在家里，晚上安安静静地看个电影，或是读本好书。

　　虽然我也是喜欢安静的人，大年夜可不是安静的时候，要让我说，迎接新的一年到来，跟亲朋好友在一起庆祝，一年就这么一次，是无论如何也少不了的。好的，让我们再来听听上面那段话。

　　M: "My friends are always inviting me to these crazy New Year's Eve parties. But I've always MARCHED TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. Going to big noisy celebrations just to wait until midnight isn't for me. I'd much rather stay home and have a quiet evening watching a good movie or reading a good book."

　　有时候，我还会穿上晚礼服，跟先生一起到大饭店里去参加新年庆祝活动， 玩个通宵呢！

　　刚才说到新年晚会，下次我要记得，一定得穿一双舒服点儿的鞋。我朋友建议我，下次买鞋，可以上网去试试。下面就让我们一起听听一家网上鞋店的介绍。

　　M: "Zappos, the biggest online shoe store could have copied its competitors. Instead, it MARCHED TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. By offering free shipping, a 365-day return policy and continuously available service, it provided some of the best service in the industry. Maybe that's why it's grown from nothing to an almost $1 billion giant."

　　这个人说：最大的网上鞋店 Zappos 本来可以效仿对手的做法，随大流，但是他们却选择了独树一帜，为顾客提供网上购物一些最优惠的服务，包括免费送货上门，购物一年之内包退包换等，这可能就是

　　他们白手起家，发展成为一个价值十亿美元的大公司的秘诀。

　　看来，这家公司的经营者还真是挺有创意的。我认识一对夫妇，他们结婚是在山崖上，婚礼最精彩的节目是蹦极。WOW，真够刺激的。这就叫 March to a different drummer. 好，我们再听一下上面的例句。

　　M: "Zappos, the biggest online shoe store could have copied its competitors. Instead, it MARCHED TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. By offering free shipping, a 365-day return policy and continuously available service, it provided some of the best service in the industry. Maybe that's why it's grown from nothing to an almost $1 billion giant."

　　很显然，March to a different drummer 这个习惯用语的出处跟阅兵，仪仗有关，来自美国著名作家和思想家亨利?戴维?梭罗1854年著作《沃尔登》里的一句话。也许你听人说过，March to a different beat, march to a different tune, 还有 march to the beat of a different drum or drummer, 其实这些说法都是一个意思。

　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。

　　M: This has been Words and Idioms. Until next time.

　　我们下次节目再见。

　　B: That's what I was talking about. I want to march to a different drummer for my wedding. Actually, instead of having a wedding, I would rather spend the money on an around-the-world trip!

　　A: 其实现在很多人都这样结婚啊! 省去了婚礼的繁琐，还多了一份共同的旅行记忆! 我也觉得这样很好!

　　B: And you can save a lot of money on all the useless things you have to get for a wedding, like flowers....You can actually have a better financial starting point for your future life.

　　A: That's definitely true! In today's business etiquette, we will touch on how to save expense, not for your personal life, but in business settings. Let's check it out!

　　礼节美语--Expense Accounts

　　公司开会，最后一项讨论内容是支出账目，经理 Tim 让会计部主任 John 介绍情况。

　　Ok, now for the last item on our agenda: expense accounts. Let me turn the meeting over to our chief accountant, John Summers. John?

　　Thank you, Tim. As you all know, the current economic climate is, to put it mildly, difficult. Our company is being affected by higher prices and a downturn in orders.

　　Basically, we are going to have to tighten our belts.

　　支出账目 Expense accounts 是指员工可以因公报销的账目。会计部主任 John 说，现在经济不景气，公司成本价格上升，定单减少。经理 Tim 说，因此大家要勒紧裤腰带，tighten our belts.

　　Yes, that's exactly right. And one of the first ways we can save money is by clarifying what you can and cannot claim as "company expenses." For starters, we will henceforth limit each person's personal expense account to $300.

　　That's cutting it pretty close, no? I mean, when I have to go to New York on a business trip, 300 bucks blows by pretty fast.

　　John 说，要减少不必要开支，先要明确什么支出可以报销。For starters, 首先，要把个人支出账目限制在三百块以内。Shannon 认为，限制太严了cut it pretty close. 她举例说，去纽约出差，300块一眨眼就花光了。300 bucks blows by pretty fast.

　　Yes, we understand. But your $300 isn't for "special expenses" such as taking a client to dinner. And, of course, the company still pays for your hotel accommodation and all airfares.

　　But transport while traveling such as taxis, etc., that comes out of the $300?

　　Yes, it would. So would food for yourself and any other small purchases.

　　John 说，三百块限额不包括请客户吃饭，也不包括旅馆住宿和机票，这三百块的用途是打车和自己吃饭。

　　It does - however -- mean that you'll have to cut back on some of the "extras."

　　Like what?

　　Well, I don't want to single people out, but here's a good example: someone claimed $120 for a massage. That's the kind of stuff that will be axed.

　　John 进一步解释说，要减少额外开支，cut back on some of the "extras", e-x-t-r-a-s, extras 是指额外的东西。比如说按摩 massage. 按摩这类不必要的□

　　'7d支一定要被砍掉 will be axed。

　　Let me speak up here. I'm the one that claimed the massage, but I think I deserved it. I was at the Berlin trade fair for three days before flying directly to Peru to visit our supplier. I was doggone tired!

　　Mike 承认，报销按摩的人就是他，但他觉得这是自己应得的。I deserved it.  因为他在柏林参加了整整三天的博览会后，又直接飞到秘鲁去见公司的供应商。I was doggone tired! 累死了。

　　A: 经理Tim说，现在经济不景气，公司预算不好，大家需要tighten our belt, 勒紧裤腰带， cut back on some of the extras, 减少额外的开支，things like massage will be axed, 像按摩这类的一定要砍掉。

　　B:Yeah, I feel like some of the expenses in private companies are really ridiculous. There's an expense account called entertainment, and you basically can take your clients everywhere, including a strip bar!

　　A: Well...not that I agree with it, but some business is done in that way. Let's keep listen to Tim and John about how to cut their expense!

　　礼节美语--Expense Accounts II

　　公司开会讨论支出账目，经理 Tim 和会计部主任 John 告诉大家，要紧缩开支，首先从员工可报销的账目下手。Tim 说，

　　I'm not going to sugarcoat it: we'll have to cut back on our expenses or we'll have to cut back on staff, something I'd rather not do.

　　But we still have discretionary spending money, right?

　　Sure. You can spend half of the $300 on whatever you want without providing a receipt.

　　经理 Tim 说，我不想粉饰太平，sugarcoat it. 实际情况是，不减少开支，就得裁员。Mike 问，是不是还有 discretionary spending money, 可以随便支配的钱。答案是，三百块里一半的开销都可以不交收据。

　　What other ways can we help cut costs?

　　Well, if it's a flight of less than four hours, we're going to ask you to fly economy class. For long distance flights you can still use business class.

　　And we need to talk about client dinners. I know you have to take the client to a nice place. I know you can't take them to McDonald's.

　　But...the five Michelin star A+1 Golden Steakhouse? That's pushing it. I see a $265 claim here for a business dinner for two. That's got to come down.

　　Tim 说，今后凡是不到四个小时的短途飞行，一律改为经济舱。John 补充说，请客户吃饭，虽然不能去麦当劳，但两个人吃牛排花265块，则未免有些过份。That's pushing it.

　　Actually, I've been doing more Internet research before I take clients to business meals. I've found you can save a lot of money by choosing an interesting, special place that isn't necessarily expensive.

　　Right! Say, "I know this little place..." and take them somewhere cool, but not at $265 a pop!

　　Shannon 建议，不用带客户去太贵的地方吃饭，可以带他们去一些更有意思，但并不贵的餐馆。Tim 赞成，说最好是 take them somewhere cool, but not at $265 a pop. A pop 是每次花多少钱的意思。

　　Another thing: stay out of the hotel bar! It's outrageous what they charge for a couple of cocktails! Go find a bar down the street to meet at. It's got more character and it's substantially cheaper.

　　Yes, good thinking.

　　And it goes without saying, the hotel room's "adult" movies are not business expenses. (Laughter)

　　No, they most certainly aren't! Thanks guys! I appreciate your understanding.

　　Mike 补充说，旅馆酒吧太贵。最好能出去找个酒吧见面。不仅便宜，而且 It's got more character. 还更有个性。Mike 搞笑道，It goes without saying 不用说，旅馆的成人电影是不能报销的。

　　A: I agree! A 300-dollar business meal is definitely over the limit! It's always more fun to go to some place that has more personality.

　　B: Yeah, for a foodie like me, it's always important to go where the best gourmet food is.

　　A: But you need to watch out though. We don't have a big paycheck!

　　B:  Yeah. That's why I'm learning to cook for myself.

　　A: Well, let's see how to use the word "paycheck"!

　　Learn A Word  1745 paycheck

　　今天我们要学的词是 paycheck. Paycheck is spelled p-a-y-c-h-e-c-k, paycheck. Paycheck 工资单。为了显示跟被迫停薪休假的联邦雇员同甘共苦，President Obama will give 5% of his paycheck back to the federal government. 美国总统奥巴马将拿出工资的5%来还给国库。在美国，一个典型中产阶级家庭把孩子养大到17岁，平均要花费23万5千美元。对于学龄孩子的家长来说，Costs from their children's extracurricular activities like football, gymnastics, and music lessons, chip away at their paychecks. 家长收入的一部分要花在孩子的橄榄球，体操和声乐等课余活动上。好的，今天我们学习的词是 paycheck, paycheck, paycheck...

　　A: 哇，养个小孩到17岁要花23万美元，简直可以买栋房子了!

　　B:Yeah, kids are really expensive. In America,  tuition at private schools is off-the-charts. If you send you kids to private high school, their tuition is going to be over 50k a year.

　　A: That's true, but there're also different kinds of scholarship to help those who can't afford to pay tuition but are qualified to go to a good school!

　　B: Yep, I got a couple of scholarships to go to college in Ohio thanks to some local NGOs!

　　A: A lot of NGO are going to the mat for the students in need these days. Speaking of which, 我们来听今天的美国习惯用语， go to the mat!

　　Words and Idioms  834 GO TO THE MAT

　　美国习惯用语第 834 讲

　　我可不是老古董，对进步事物总是拍手称快。不过，最近有人建议，把我们家附近的一个公园推掉，盖个超市，这我可不赞成。好在，市政委员会的一名代表跟我的想法一样。他正在竭尽全力设法推翻这项提案。这倒让我想起了今天要学的习惯用语，叫

　　M: Go to the mat. Mat is spelled m-a-t. Go-to-the-mat. Go to the mat.

　　Mat 是脚垫，地板垫的意思，to go to the mat 意思是不遗余力，设法解决难题，往往是为了那些无权无势的小人物的利益。就好像刚才说到的，我们地区的那位市政议员努力说服其他人，不要拆掉我们附近的公园。I'm so thankful that he's been willing to GO TO THE MAT for my neighborhood. 他能为我们这个居民区摇旗呐喊，据理力争，真让我感动。在下面这个例子中，上司的支持让一名雇员感激涕零。我们一起听听他是怎么说的。

　　M: "When I told my supervisor that I was going to be let go, she marched into the president's office to defend me. Apparently, she told him that the company couldn't afford to lose one of its most valuable employees. If she hadn't GONE TO THE MAT for me, I wouldn't still be here."

　　这个人说：我告诉上司说，公司要解雇我，她马上找到总裁，为我进行辩护。显然，她告诉总裁说，公司不能失去象我这样最有价值的雇员。要不是她挺身而出，替我说话，我今天早不在这儿了。

　　有这么个替自己撑腰的上司，可真够幸运的。这倒让我想起我的一个高中同学，他后来在一个大学里当系主任。那所大学里很多有学习障碍的学生多年来一直抱怨说，他们得不到应有的帮助。直到我的这位同学当上系主任，他们的问题才得到了解决，She went to the mat for them. 给他们争取到了各种各样的帮助。好的，让我们再来听听上面那段话。

　　M: "When I told my supervisor that I was going to be let go, she marched into the president's office to defend me. Apparently, she told him that the company couldn't afford to lose one of its most valuable employees. If she hadn't GONE TO THE MAT for me, I wouldn't still be here."

　　很显然，每个社会里都有不少需要别人代言的群体。让我们一起听听下面这个例子。

　　M: "What happens to the poor and sick who need to see a doctor? Fortunately, one of my favorite charities is GOING TO THE MAT for these needy people. It's a clinic that travels across the U.S. to provide thousands with free medical services. Because of its staff of volunteer health care professionals and donated supplies, there's a little less suffering in the country."

　　这个人说：那些没钱看病的穷人该怎么办呢？幸运的是，我们最喜欢的一个慈善机构正在向这批人伸出援手。他们出资办的一个流动诊所到美国各地去，给数以千计的人免费看病。诊所里不求报酬的医务工作者和社会各方捐献的医疗设备，让我们这个国家减少了一分病痛。

　　真巧，我最近刚刚在电视上看过这个流动诊所创办人的人物介绍，这个人真是太了不起了。正是因为这种人的出现，社会上需要帮助的人才有了希望。好，我们再听一下上面的例句。

　　M: "What happens to the poor and sick who need to see a doctor? Fortunately, one of my favorite charities is GOING TO THE MAT for these needy people. It's a clinic that travels across the U.S. to provide thousands with free medical services. Because of its staff of volunteer health care professionals and donated supplies, there's a little less suffering in the country."

　　也许你能猜到，go to the mat这个习惯用语是从摔跤比赛来的，指把对手摁在垫子上，最早的使用可以追溯到二十世纪初。

　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。你现在又多了一个习惯用语，用一下试试看，如果有人敢说你用得不对，只管告诉我，I will go to the mat for you.

　　A: My dream is to be a journalist that can make a difference in the world! I want to go to the mat for those who are underprivileged.

　　B: I'm pretty sure the underprivileged would rather have someone else going to the mat for them....

　　A:.....好了同学们，这次节目时间就到这里了。 如果你有什么建议，或者想提什么问题，请发电子邮件到[email protected].

　　B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!

　　A: See you next time!