VOA英语教学：美语训练班126（在线收听）

美语训练班126

 　　B: Welcome to American English Mosaic, I'm Mike Bond!

　　A: And I'm Lin Yang.

　　B: Are you a smart investor? Do you know how to better manage your money? We will offer you some useful tips in today's business etiquette.

　　A: 调皮的小孩长大后更容易成功? 我们在下面的节目中为你介绍。

　　B: And in words and idioms, we will learn what "squeak by" and "long shot" means!

　　A: All coming up on this edition of American English Mosaic!

　　B: Now let's go into our first segment, Learn a word!

　　Learn A Word 1839 misbehaving

　　今天我们要学的词是 misbehaving. Misbehaving is spelled m-i-s-b-e-h-a-v-i-n-g, misbehaving. Misbehaving 形容词，意思是表现不好的，行为不端的。A new study listed a number of signs that misbehaving children may become extremely successful. 一份最新研究列举了一系列迹象，那些表现不好，但是带有这些特征的孩子，长大后很可能会极其成功。Compelled by the U.S. Justice Department, a Mississippi school district has agreed to keep more misbehaving students in the classroom instead of suspending or expelling them. 在美国司法部的要求下，密西西比州的一个校区同意让更多表现差的学生留在学校，不让他们暂停或是开除学籍。好的，今天我们学习的词是 misbehaving, misbehaving, misbehaving...

　　A: Misbehaving children may become extremely successful? OMG does that mean I'm gonna be super successful soon?

　　B: The study says "may", not "will" YL. I'm willing to bet that you belong to the latter group...

　　A: Ugh...At least I'm intelligent enough to squeak by in life, unlike some people I know...

　　B: Ouch! That was harsh...but since you only said to introduce the idiom we are going to teach.....I guess I'll let it slide....

　　A: Haha, you know I'm kidding! 我们来听听今天的美国习惯用语，学学squeak by 这个短语的用法!

　　Words and Idioms 875 Squeak by

　　美国习惯用语第 875 讲

　　我不久前带侄子去考驾照，眼看着他倒车上了马路牙子，本以为这下没戏了，没想到考官居然给了他第二次机会，最后擦着边儿通过了路考。这也让我想起一个习惯用语可以跟大家分享，那就是：

　　M: Squeak by. Squeak is spelled s-q-u-e-a-k. Squeak by.

　　听过老鼠的尖叫声吗，这种叫声在英文就是 squeak. To squeak by 意思是勉强通过，侥幸成功。刚才说，我侄子驾照路考的成绩刚好过线，我们就可以说，He squeaked by. 不过，我的邻居詹姆斯太太就没有这么幸运了。75岁的她为了延驾照，要接受视力测试，考官让她从后视镜里分辨苹果和桌子两个图像，她居然问考官，你说什么桌子?What table? 结果驾照没延成。The official didn't let her SQUEAK BY.

　　下面例子里的学生拿到考卷后如释重负，我们一起来听听是怎么回事。

　　M: "My university doesn't allow graduate students to get any Cs. So I was really nervous about my final exam in chemistry. But when my grades were posted, I discovered that I had gotten an 80, which qualified as a B. Whew! If I hadn't SQUEAKED BY, my dad would have been furious."

　　这个学生说：在我们学校，研究生是不允许得C的。我这次化学期终考完试后，心里特别紧张，最后成绩下来，我得了八十分，刚好够得上B，真是万幸，如果没能侥幸过关的话，我爸一定会气炸了。

　　还记得前年带孩子去游乐场玩，儿子因为个头不够高，很多姐姐能玩的东西他都不能去。一年下来，他长了足足两英寸，去年再去，刚好擦边够高，所有翻滚过山车都能坐了。He was thrilled to have squeaked by. 好的，让我们再来听听上面那段话。

　　M: "My university doesn't allow graduate students to get any Cs. So I was really nervous about my final exam in chemistry. But when my grades were posted, I discovered that I had gotten an 80, which qualified as a B. Whew! If I hadn't SQUEAKED BY, my dad would have been furious."

　　如果让你在富有但却空虚，和贫穷但却充实这两种生活之间选择一个，你会选哪个?我们一起来听听下面的例子：

　　M: "I admire my friend Alice. She could have easily chosen a high-paying career. Instead, she took a position with a non-profit organization dedicated to saving endangered tigers. I don't know how she manages to pay her bills on her meager salary. But somehow she SQUEAKS BY."

　　这个人说：我很佩服我朋友 Alice. 她原本可以选择一份高薪的工作，但是她没有，反而加入了一个挽救濒危老虎的非盈利机构。我真不知道她挣的那点儿钱，怎么够付账单，不过她好象也能凑合过。

　　我们刚结婚那会儿，两个人没多少钱，家里开支却很多。It wasn't easy SQUEAKING BY. 一分钱掰成两半花的日子确实不好过。那会儿我们还年轻，在英语里，叫 Salad Days, 意思是少不更事的青春年华。好的，我们再来听一下上面那个例句。

　　M: "I admire my friend Alice. She could have easily chosen a high-paying career. Instead, she took a position with a non-profit organization dedicated to saving endangered tigers. I don't know how she manages to pay her bills on her meager salary. But somehow she SQUEAKS BY."

　　To squeak by 这个习惯用语是二十世纪上半叶出现的，想想看，squeak 指的是勉强发出来的声音，所以，用 squeak by 来指勉强通过，侥幸获胜，也就不难理解了。

　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。

　　M: Until next time.

　　下次节目再见。

　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.

　　B: When I had just graduated from college I couldn't find a job right away, it sure wasn't easy squeaking by.

　　A: Look at you now, things worked out just fine!

　　B: Yeah. I feel like I need to learn some investing skills though, no one gets rich by living paycheck to paycheck every month.

　　A: That I agree! And in today's business etiquette, we will discuss that exact topichow to make smart investment!

　　B: Let's check it out!

　　礼节美语 Investing I

　　Frank 去见投资顾问 Jerry.

　　Frank: Jerry! My financial counselor! Good to see you... as always.

　　Jerry: Hey Frank, nice to see you, too. How's your stock portfolio these days?

　　F: Not that bad. I bought into a hedge fund and it helped minimize my losses.

　　J: Wise! You seem to beat the market at its own game pretty often. What's your secret?

　　F: I don't really have a secret. I just read a lot and pay attention to trends.

　　投资顾问 Jerry 问 Frank 投资的股票赚不赚钱，How's your stock portfolio? portfolio is spelled p-o-r-t-f-o-l-i-o, portfolio 是投资组合的意思。Frank 说他买了 hedge fund 对冲基金，减少了不少损失。Jerry说Frank投资总能赚钱，beat the market at its own game. 这里所说的 to beat someone at his own game 意思是以其人之道还治其人之身，在这里意思就是利用市场规则，成为市场投资的赢家。

　　J: Well, I commend your business sense. You seem to be staying ahead of the curve.

　　F: You win some and you lose some, that's business. So, I hear you have a sales pitch for me.

　　J: Well, actually...it's not really a sales pitch...I have a vision I want to share with you! This idea could turn your company into a leader in the industry!

　　Jerry对 Frank 的商业头脑 business sense 表示赞赏，说 Frank 总是 stay ahead of the curve, 走在别人前面，stay ahead of the curve 意思是比别人更有远见，更能预见未来走向。Frank则说，You win some and you lose some, that's business. 做生意就是有赚有赔。you win some and you lose some. 是很常用的一句话，意思是有输有赢，正常现象。Frank 问 Jerry 想向自己推销什么。a sales pitch 是推销的意思。Jerry 说有个投资想法，能让 Frank 的公司成为行业领军人, turn your company into a leader in the industry。Jerry 的想法是什么呢?

　　F: Ok...you've got me interested. Let's hear the idea.

　　J: You know that old expression: strike while the iron is hot?

　　F: Uh huh.

　　J: Well, it comes from blacksmiths. They would get the iron really hot so they could shape it. But, if the iron cooled down, the blacksmith couldn't beat it into the shape he needed.

　　F: Ah...I never thought about where that expression came from...Makes sense: you've got to strike while the iron is hot.

　　Jerry 问 Frank 听没听说过 strike while the iron is hot 趁热打铁这句话，这句话是从打铁来的，铁匠打铁，一定要趁热，等铁冷却下来，就不行了。可这跟 Jerry 的投资想法有什么关系呢?我们下次继续听。

　　A: 投资顾问Jerry询问Frank他的stock portfolio 投资组合怎么样，Frank说，他买了hedge fund, 对冲基金，所以还不错。Jerry说，I commend your business sense, 赞扬Frank的商业头脑，说他总是stay ahead of the curve, 走在别人前面。

　　B: That's why he's ready to pitch an investing idea to him! Smart people always share information with each other, and that information can help them really stay ahead!

　　A: True. Let's keep listening to Jerry and see what idea he's going to pitch!

　　礼节美语 Investing II

　　投资顾问 Jerry 跟客户 Frank 见面，向他推销一种投资想法。

　　Jerry: I believe the iron is hot right now in the field of energy and transportation. Everyone is looking for new ways to reduce energy consumption.

　　F: Yeah, you're right. I bought a hybrid car last month...saves me as much as 50% in gasoline use!

　　J: Hybrids are the hottest thing on the market these days, and I think they fill a niche right now, but I'm betting that the future belongs to fully electric-powered vehicles.

　　Jerry 觉得，能源和交通是投资的正确方向，一定要趁热打铁。Frank 表示赞成，说自己上个月刚买了一辆汽电混合动力车 hybrid，耗油量少了一半。Jerry 承认，汽电混合动力车现在很流行，有自己的市场定位 niche, niche is spelled n-i-c-h-e，但他觉得，汽车今后还是要向纯电动的方向发展。

　　F: That might be true. But I manufacture in China. Millions of people there don't even have a gas-powered car yet.

　　J: Yes...but don't you see? This is a golden opportunity! Millions of middle class Chinese could potentially leapfrog over the old technologies and embrace electric vehicles.

　　F: It's an interesting idea. I know the government is supporting electric vehicles since many cities have serious air pollution.

　　Frank 的工厂在中国，而中国很多人连汽油动力车都没有，哪谈得上什么纯电力车呢?Jerry 却觉得，这是绝好的机会。This is a golden opportunity. 因为中国数以百万计的中产阶级都可以跨越陈旧的技术，直接利用新技术，这里所说的 leapfrog 蛙跳，是跃过，跨过的意思。Frank觉得，这种想法有道理，因为中国政府为了治理空气污染，非常支持电动汽车的发展。

　　J: Just imagine! You could make a lot of money AND help make China a better place for people to live.

　　F: So you want me to invest in producing electric cars?

　　J: I think the real area of interest here is batteries. Battery technology needs to catch up. We already have a lot of companies that can make the cars, but batteries are far too expensive.

　　开发电力汽车，这种既能赚钱，又能改善中国生活环境的事何乐而不为呢?Jerry 补充说，他其实不是建议 Frank 投资电力汽车，The real area of interest is batteries. 真有干头的是电池这一块，因为 battery technology needs to catch up. 电池技术还需要改进。Frank 会被 Jerry 说服，投资电力汽车电池技术的开发吗?我们下次继续听。

　　A: 原来Jerry想让Frank投资电动汽车业，it's a golden opportunity, 绝好的机会，像中国这样的发展中国家可以leapfrog， 蛙跳，直接接触最新的电池技术。

　　B: That's actually a really good idea! If everyone chose hybrid cars over traditional cars, I bet the smog in Beijing would improve!

　　A: That's true. 咱们接着来看看Jerry和Frank谈得怎么样吧!

　　礼节美语 Investing III

　　投资顾问 Jerry 跟客户 Frank 见面，建议他投资电动汽车电池技术的开发，Frank 似乎有顾虑。

　　F: I don't know....sounds like a gamble to me.

　　J: All investing is a gamble! But sometimes gambling pays off big time!

　　F: That's true...but sometimes you lose your shirt.

　　J: I'd recommend we take it step by step. The first step is to do lots of research. We really have to do our homework.

　　F: And then? What's step two?

　　J: I'm recommending buying a small Chinese company called WinTron Power. They hold several key patents and they have a good R&D department.

　　Frank觉得投资电池技术的开发听上去有些象 gamble 赌博，可是话说回来，投资就要有风险，堵注下对了就会赚一大笔钱，pay off big time, 全军覆没则会 lose your shirt 倾家荡产。Jerry 已经做好了全盘规划，第一步是要做一下市场调查，do our homework 意思是先做好准备工作。第二步是收购一家叫 WinTron Power 的小公司，这家公司掌握着好几项关键专利，而且有优秀的 R&D Department 研究和开发部。

　　F: How much is this going to cost me?

　　J: The initial investment is about five million.

　　F: Five million U.S. dollars? That's steep!

　　J: Yes...but you could end up becoming a major supplier to the auto companies of the future. Invest millions for a chance to make billions.

　　F: It's a tempting idea. It could be huge.

　　Jerry 说，首期投资 the initial investment 估计要500万美元，Frank 说，that's steep. 这么多钱。steep is spelled s-t-e-e-p, steep 意思是倾斜度大，坡陡，也有过份的意思，比如说 The price is steep. 意思是价钱太贵。 Jerry 劝他说，如果成功，投个几百万，就有机会赚回几十亿，是个上算的买卖。Frank说，It's a tempting idea. 他好象动心了。

　　J: China has the potential to be the leader in the field. This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I think it would be foolish to let it slip away.

　　F: Jerry...you sold me. I'll get working on this project right away. This could be my big break! Thanks for the info!

　　J: Just doing my job.

　　Jerry 说，This is an once-in-a lifetime opportunity. 这可是千载难逢的好机会，过了这个村就没这个店了，这样的机会千万不能错过。Frank 终于被说动了。他说，you sold me. 意思是你把我说服了。This could be my big break. 这回没准我的机会来了。big break 往往用来指突如其来的好运气。Jerry 回答说，Just doing my job. 这是我份内的工作，这是我应该做的。

　　A: Jerry想让Frank投资500万，Frank说，that's steep, 钱真够多的。Jerry说，投资就像赌博，有时pay off big time, 赚一大笔，但是不注意也会lost your shirt, 倾家荡产。最后Frank被说动了，this could be my big break,没准我的机会来了。

　　B: Wow, invest millions to make billions! I wish I had that kind of initial investment capital...

　　A: Maybe one day, but that's a long shot!

　　B: Haha, very funny. (A: Ha!) Well you just mentioned an idiom, long shot, let's check it out in today's words and idioms!

　　Words and Idioms 876 Long Shot

　　美国习惯用语第 876 讲2010年，我的宏伟目标是锻炼身体。从1月1号开始，我一直坚持去健身房，每周四次，每次一小时，刚开始的时候，我只能跑一公里，现在已经能跑三公里了。教练鼓励我去参加小型马拉松。我知道自己肯定跑不下来，不过觉得，试试看也没什么不好。这倒让我想起一个习惯用语可以跟大家分享，那就是：

　　M: Long shot. Long is spelled l-o-n-g. Long. Shot is spelled s-h-o-t. Shot. Long shot.

　　在中文里，long 是长的意思，说一件事情是 long shot，意思就是成功的可能性很小，不过还是值得尝试。就好比，我想去参加小型马拉松比赛，明明知道跑下来的机会很小，it's a long shot. 但我还是很想去试试看。下面例子里这个人正在鼓励自己的弟弟去申请一份管理层的工作，我们一起来听听他是怎么说的。

　　M: "Sure, it's a LONG SHOT, but why not? You thought you weren't going to get your current job! You said they'd never hire you straight out of college. But you got that job and who knows, maybe you'll get this one too."

　　这个人说：没错，申请到这个工作的机会确实不大，但为什么不去试试看呢?你原来也没想到能争取到现在这份工作啊!还说什么他们死活不会招个象你这样大学刚毕业的新人，结果他们还是雇了你啊，谁知道呢，没准这次你又能拿到呢。

　　我最近一直在鼓励女儿申请去做校刊编辑。I know it's a LONG SHOT, 我也知道可能性不大，但我还是希望她能去试试看，起码可以积累点儿经验。好的，让我们再来听听上面那段话。

　　M: "Sure, it's a LONG SHOT, but why not? You thought you weren't going to get your current job! You said they'd never hire you straight out of college. But you got that job and who knows, maybe you'll get this one too."

　　A LONG SHOT 这个习惯用语是从十九世纪末开始流行的。最早起源于打枪。枪支刚刚出清b时，准性很差，距离稍微远一点就打不中目标。因此，A LONG SHOT 就成了成功可能性很小的意思。这个习惯用语在赛马中也很常用，指不被大家看好的参赛马匹，但是赔率一般很高。我们一起来听下面这个例子中有关肯塔基赛马大会的一段报道。

　　M: "In this year's Kentucky Derby, Brother Derek is a safe bet but if he wins you'll only win a small amount. However, if you want to take a LONG SHOT, put your money on Giacomo. He doesn't have the best record, but if he wins you'll win a lot of money!"

　　这段话说：今年的肯塔基赛马大会，把赌注押在德拉克弟兄身上很保险，但是如果它赢了，你只能赢一点点钱。不过，如果你决定选择一匹胜算不大的马，那就把钱押在 Giacomo 身上吧，它的比赛记录虽然不是最好的，但如果它赢了，你就能赢很多钱。

　　最近，我的一个朋友决定去参选市议员。他明明知道，It's a LONG SHOT, 胜选的可能性微乎其微，但还是打算试试看，因为他觉得，美国华裔参政的比例太小，希望尽自己的一份力，增加华裔在政治事务中的能见度。好的，我们再来听一下上面那个例句。

　　M: "In this year's Kentucky Derby, Brother Derek is a safe bet but if he wins you'll only win a small amount. However, if you want to take a LONG SHOT, put your money on Giacomo. He doesn't have the best record, but if he wins you'll win a lot of money!"

　　好的，这次美国习惯用语就到此结束了。

　　M: Until next time.

　　下次节目再见。

　　M: This has been Words and Idioms.

　　A: I have to admit, when I first met you I thought it was a long shot that you would last this long!

　　B: I know! but now it's a long shot that you will ever get rid of me!

　　A: guh, don't remind me! 好了同学们，这次节目时间就到这里了。

　　B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!

　　A: See you next time!