英语听力精选进阶版 20108

Take a back seat 退居二线 

The script¹ of this programme 本节目台词

Is this the place to sit if you want to lose control?

Feifei: 大家好，欢迎收听《地道英语》节目。我是冯菲菲，还有我的搭档 Rob²。

Rob: Feifei, keep your eyes on the road! Look where you're going.

Feifei: OK, OK! Rob让我一边主持节目一边开车。Why exactly am I driving my car?

Rob: Well, I really wanted you to understand the phrase³ we're going to learn today. But I'm going to leave it all to you.

Feifei: 诶，活儿我都干了，你干什么呢？So what are you going to do then?

Rob: Oh nothing. I'm just going to a take a back seat today. You carry on, I'll just watch.

Feifei: Take a back seat? 你今天退居二线，让我来统管。So you're going to let me take control - do all the work - while you sit there and watch?

Rob: Yes - look, I'm just sitting here - on the back seat.

Feifei: Oh I get it! To take the back seat 是一个成语表达，意思是退居次位，让别人来处理大小事儿。

Rob: That's it Feifei. Let's hear from some other people who are 'taking a back seat'...

Examples

Mary was happy to take a back seat and let Jim run the meeting. 

I'm going to take a back seat this year and let you decide where we go on holiday. 

Now he's getting older he's decided⁴ to take a back seat in running the company. 

Feifei: To take a back seat 的意思就是“退居二线”。Rob, does this mean you're just being lazy?

Rob: Of course not Feifei. It just means⁵ I'm letting you have a turn at being in charge - I trust you - although... What are you doing?!

Feifei: Letting you take a back seat while I show you how to really drive!

Rob: Feifei! Watch out for that roundabout⁶... and that traffic light... aren't you driving a bit fast?

Feifei: Rob - don't be such a back seat driver!

Rob: A what?

Feifei: A back seat driver - someone who offers unwanted advice - someone who tells the driver how to drive. But we'll save that expression for another day!

Rob: OK OK - but you are going really fast - can I take the front seat now?

Feifei: Stay where you are!

Both: Bye.

1 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

2 rob   

v.抢劫；vi.抢劫，盗窃；vt.非法剥夺，使丧失，抢劫

参考例句：

• Two men formed a plot to rob the bank.两人制定了抢劫那家银行的秘密计划。
• They were scheming to rob the bank.他们在密谋抢劫银行。

3 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 roundabout   

adj.绕道的，转弯抹角的，间接的

参考例句：

• Last night I got lost,and took a very roundabout way.昨天夜里走错了路，绕了一个大圈子。
• What a roundabout way of doing things!这是个多么绕圈子做事的方法！