【英语早间课堂】Above Board

 【直击今日主题】

This morning I'd like to talk to you about a type of person who is always do something required and allowed by legal¹ and always doesn't hide the truth about something , not cheating and stealing. How should we put it? Let's listen to a simple situational dialogue and find it?

{原声对话， 美语发音}

A : Whatever we do, we should do it above board.

B : You are right. We shouldn't do anything under the table.

A : Well, since you agree with me , we put the issue² abover board instead of talking about it through other channels .

{答疑解惑}

Now , have you found it ? 【Juliet，is it "under the table"?】. Nope, Lucy, it is "above board". Let's look at it. Aove， a-b-o-v-e, 是在......上面的意思。 Board , b-o-a-r-d, 意是面板的意思。Above board 字面上的意思就是“在面板上”，我们很清楚摆在桌面上的东西，大家都看的一清二楚，则引申为“正大光明的，坦诚布公的， 公开的，不耍手腕的”意思。It's similar to this word: he is honest.

{追踪历史}

Talking of this idiom , we can go back to it's origin. It's from a card game. If a card player keeps his hand above the table(or the board) , other players can see what he's doing. 当今打牌可成为了时尚，在我们桂林，没钱的就在胡同里摆个小桌津津有味的撩牌，有钱的就到宾馆开个房间挫起麻将，任何一个人都不会那么“stupid”, 把手和牌摊在桌面上，让大家看见，or he sends his money to his card friends.

{咬文嚼字}

【Juliet, on 也是在.....上面的意思，我们可以说成是on boar吗？】Lucy, a very good question. what's the differences between them.This is just I want to remind you. 虽然只是一字之差，可是意义却是天壤之别。On board means³ "to be in a ship , aircraft⁴ or a train". For example: have all the passengers gone on board? 意思是所以的乘客都登机了吗？Next let's look at a sentence example for "above board '. If not, and one of them causes the other suffering that is natural and above board. 合不来时，给别人点苦头吃，也是正常的摆在桌面上的事。This word is from a Chinese modern novel. In reality, it's very much so.

{开拓视野}

Of course we have another idiom whose meaning is the same as "above board". It's "fair and square". For example: "No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I won't go back on you." This word is from British literature called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. 这句话来自英国文学作品《汤姆历险记》，意思是：对。 莫夫 - 波特，你一向待我不错，我不会对不起你。 Here, " go back on somebody"是背叛某人的意思。

【Juliet， what's meaning of "under the table"?】 Okay, Lucy, you'er pretty bookish. Let's call it a day. What we need is not quantity but quality . Quality first, quantity second. "Rome wasn't built in a day." 今天就到此为止了，冰冻三尺非一日之寒。先求质，再求量。Well , it's time to say goodbye to you. Than you for your listening this time , have a nice day , see you next time. 又要跟大家在空中暂时分别了，祝您有愉快的一天，感谢您的这次收听，下次再会。

{习题 }

Please translate the following sentences into English with "above board" or " fair and square".

1 我不能不问你几桩事情;你得老老实实地回答我,别害怕。

2 他正大光明地赢了这场比赛。

3 琼斯是个很诚实的人,他所做的事都是光明磊落的.

4 这笔交易是完全光明正大的。

5 他的行为一切都是公开的。

{习题答案}

1 I'm obliged⁵ to ask you a few questions and you just answer up fair and square and don't be afraid.

2 He won the game fair and square.

3 Jones is a very truthful⁶ person. Everything he does is above the board.

4 The deal was completely⁷ above board.

5 His conduct has been entirely⁸ above board.

 

转自可可英语

1 legal   

adj.法律的，依照法律的，合法的，法定的，正当的

参考例句：

• He is my legal adviser.他是我的法律顾问。
• This is partly a political and partly a legal question.这个问题部分是政治问题，部分是法律问题。

2 issue   

n.出版，发行，（报刊等）期、号，论点，问题，结果， （水，血等的）流出；vt.使流出，放出，发行（钞票等），发布（命令），出版（书等）发给；vi.发行，流出，造成...结果，进行辩护，传下

参考例句：

• I bought the book the day after its issue.这书出版后的第一天，我就去买了它。
• I'll support her down the line on that issue.在那个问题上我将全力支持她。

3 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。

4 aircraft   

n.飞机 (单复数同)

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• They have placed an order with us for three new aircraft.他们向我们订购了三架新飞机。

5 obliged   

adj.感激，感谢v.迫使做( oblige的过去式和过去分词 )；使负义务；满足请求；施惠

参考例句：

• We were obliged, faute de mieux, to drink the local beverage. 因为没有更好的饮料，我们只好将就着喝当地的。
• Parents are obliged by law to send their children to school. 法律规定父母必须送子女入学。

6 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

7 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。