【英语早间课堂】Keep it to yourself.

【主题】

We've learnt a way of telling someone to keep a secret which is " keep your mouth shut " . Today I would like to share a new one with you. It means¹ something isn't private. It's like saying " Please don't tell anyone else ." what's it? Let's listen to a simple situational dialogue and find it. A : Keep this to yourself. I'm planning to retire.

B : But the company needs you to run things.

【答疑解惑】

It is " Keep this to yourself ". It’s similar to saying in Chinese：这是秘密，你一个人知道就行了，不要对任何人说。

【即学即用】

And now let's put it into practice in class. Please translate the following sentences into English. 1 在我们解决这个问题期间，这件事只能你一个人知道。

2 这可是个秘密，不要透露半个字。我们也不会再提起，明白了吗。

Think them hard and the answers will be given later. 1 You keep this to yourself while we work it out. 2 You keep this to yourself . Not a word. We don't speak of this again. You understand. The above two sentences are from hit American films. Here are some tips. “Work out ”是解决的意思。Not a word. 就是我们中文说的“半个字也不要透露。”的意思。“Speak of”是提及，谈到的意思。

【小题大作】

Next let's do some listening exercises. Please write down the key phrases² while listening to the recording³. A : Keep this to yourself. I'm planning to retire. B : But the company needs you to run things.

【短语积累】

The following phrases should be underlined⁴. 1 plan to do something 打算做某事，计划做某事2 need somebody to do something 需要某人做某事3 run things 管理事务【听透美语】

Please listen to me to read the dialogue to see differences between my pronunciation and one of the recording. Be careful , here we go. A : Keep this to yourself. I'm planning to retire. B : But the company needs you to run things. We should pay attention to the following places.

1 Keep this to yourself【点拨】keep 以爆破音 [p] 结尾，this 以 辅音 [e] 开头，当[p] 遇到 [e] 是就失去爆破。To 在美国人的真正发音是 [d?].

2 But the 【点拨】but 以爆破音[ t]结尾 , the 以 辅音 [e] 开头，当[t] 遇到 [e] 是就失去爆破。

3 needs you [ 'ni:dzju:]

【点拨】needs 以辅音 [dz] 结尾，you 以半元音 [ju:] 开头，辅音和元音进行连读。

【关键句子】

Now let's come to the sentences study in the dialogue. I'm planning to retire. 【翻译】我准备退休。

【要点】In this sentence there is a key words which is "retire" . It means "to stop doing your job, especially because you've reached a particular age or because you are ill . For example: She was forced to retire early from teaching⁵ because of ill health. 他由于身体不好而被迫早早的离开利教学岗位。He has no plans to retire as an editor of the magazine. 他还没有打算从杂志的编辑位子上退下来。From the above two sentences the meaning of two phrases which are:" retire from" and "retire as" is the same. 意思是：从某个工作岗位退休。What's more，the above tow⁶ sentences are written in active tense. Let's look at a sentence which is written in passive⁷ voice: He was retired⁸ on the medical grounds. 他由于健康问题被安排退休。Here retire means "to tell somebody he must stop working ". 意思是：（使）退休，（令）退职。如果用主动语态的话，是表示这个字自己自愿的退下工作岗位，而用被动语态就是被安排退休，不由得你愿不愿意。

But the company needs you here to run things. 【翻译】但是公司需要留住你在这里管理事务。

【要点】

1 The key word in this sentence is run. It means "to be in charge of business, etc." For example: He has no idea how to run a business. 他丝毫不懂企业管理。 Stop trying to run my life. 别老是操纵我的生活。

2 to run things 是动词不定式， 在句中做宾语成分。而我们今天的经典句子中: Keep it to yourself中也有个动词不定式 to yourself 做的是it 的补足语。

3 我们来仔细的看这个句子 here 作为副词作状语，通常放在句尾，可是这里却放到了动词不定时前，是有一中强调的意味在里面，强调的是“还需你在公司工作，有一种缺你不可，你是公司的骨干分子”的意味在里面，放于句尾则没有，这个要靠我们的语感去品味。

 

转自可可英语

1 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。

2 phrases   

n.短语( phrase的名词复数 )；成语；说法；乐句

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

4 underlined   

v.在…下面画线( underline的过去式和过去分词 )；加强，强调

参考例句：

• She underlined her disapproval of the proceedings by walking out. 她退席以表示不赞成这些做法。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In his speech he underlined several points. 他在讲话中强调了几点。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

6 tow   

n.拖，拉，牵引

参考例句：

• The broken-down car was taken in tow by a lorry.那辆坏了的车由一辆货车拖着。
• Mrs Hayes went to the supermarket with her four little children in tow.海斯太太带着她的4个小孩到超市去了。

7 passive   

adj.被动的；消极的

参考例句：

• He has a passive expression on his face.他脸上有一种漠然的表情。
• It lands the manager in a passive position.它使经理处于被动地位。

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。