A: 歡迎大家來到這期的美語訓練班! 我是楊琳!
B: 我是Mike! 楊琳，趕快來告訴大家今天都要學什麼?
A: 沒問題! 今天，咱們要來一次徒步旅行，聊聊怎麼對付苛刻的上司，還要告訴你怎麼説辯解搪塞!
B: Hiking? That’s my favorite outdoor activity! It’s so relaxing and peaceful, and it’s great to feel so close to the nature!
A: But aren’t you afraid of all the bugs and wild animals in the woods? Bugs, mosquitos, spiders, snakes, BEARS?
B: Hahaha, 你真是個膽小鬼! for bugs, well, That’s why we have bug repellant! as for bears, normally they won’t come out when they see fire or lights.
A: Hmm,要是讓我住五星級酒店，我就去! 哈哈，不過現在咱們還是言歸正傳 ，趕快來進入第一個單元，Learn a word!
Learn A Word 1553 fulfilling
今天我們要學的詞是 fulfilling. Fulfilling is spelled f-u-l-f-i-l-l-i-n-g, fulfilling. Fulfilling 令人滿意的。I had the most fulfilling lunch. 我午飯吃得太滿意了。The old couple had a long-lasting and fulfilling marriage. 這對老夫婦的婚姻長長久久，幸福美滿。Volunteering at the soup kitchen was the most fulfilling experience for me. 對我來説，在食物救濟站做義工，是收穫最多的經歷。有關專家説，Living within your means is the key to a fulfilling retirement. 要想有一個令人滿意的退休生活，量入為出是關鍵。For anyone who likes kids, a career in teaching could prove to be a fulfilling career. 對喜歡孩子的人來説，教書可能會是個讓他們滿意的職業。好的今天我們學習的詞是: fulfilling, fulfilling, fulfilling.
A: So Mike, you have been working for…about a month now, right? How do you like it here?
B: Oh my gosh, I really enjoy it! I get to use my Chinese, keep up to date with the current affairs,and I can use my research and acting skills, so it’s very fulfilling!
A: That’s great! You forgot to mention how much you like to work with me! Also I need to let you know, 今天晚上給你慶祝工作滿月的happy hour我去不了了……
B: What? Why?
A: 哎呀，最近工作太忙了! 你看，等一下我還得寫好幾篇稿子，還得錄節目，還得排練明天的演出….
B: Hold on, don’t try to just explain this away with me! Do you have a date tonight, don’t you?
A: Of course not! 我可不是重色輕友的人!
B: Hahaha, I’m just messing with you!
A: 嘿! 這人! 不過你剛才提到了個很好的詞兒, explain away,咱們就來學學這個習慣用語的用法!
Words and Idioms #979
現在播送美國習慣用語第 979講。我是楊琳。
M：我是 Dan Markus.
我記得一個月前，我們辦公室來了一位新同事。但是最近一直沒看見她。問了其他同事才知道，她被炒魷魚了! 原來是，她工作拖拉，而且還推辭説是因為自己患有維他命缺乏症。公司最終還是決定開除她。這也讓我想到一句習慣用語，那就是:
M: Explain away. Explain is spelled e-x-p-l-a-i-n, explain; and away; a-w-a-y. Explain away.
Explain 是解釋的意思，explain away 就是搪塞，辯解的意思。上面的例子裏，我的同事顯然試圖用缺少維他命來為她的工作效率低下做辯解，In the end, that excuse couldn’t EXPLAIN AWAY her inefficiency at work. 最終，她沒法再為自己的低效率辯解。下面例子裏，我們的職業顧問要給我們一些工作中的建議，讓我們來聽聽看：
M: “Are you having trouble finding employment because of gaps in your resume? Rather than EXPLAINING AWAY why you were laid off or took time off, consider being honest. Let employers know why you lost your job or needed to stop working to raise a family or tend to a sick relative. Often a good reason will help you get hired again.”
這段話是説：你是否也曾因為簡歷裏有斷層而沒被雇傭呢？與其極力辯解自己為什麼會被開除或者有段時間沒有工作，不如如實告訴僱主到底發生了什麼。告訴僱主你為什麼丟了飯碗，是不是必須停止工作來照顧孩子，或是照看生病的親人。理由充分的原因一般都能幫助你再找到下一份工作。
我覺得，大家一般都是害怕僱主不能理解他們的境遇，迫不得已，才編出各種故事來掩飾事實。與此相同的，如果你覺得工作太難或者有什麼不懂的地方，不如誠實地告訴你的老闆，Rather than explaining away why you didn’t finish the work, you should just go ahead and let your boss know what you don’t understand. 好了，讓我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:
M: “Are you having trouble finding employment because of gaps in your resume? Rather than EXPLAINING AWAY why you were laid off or took time off, consider being honest. Let employers know why you lost your job or needed to stop working to raise a family or tend to a sick relative. Often a good reason will help you get hired again.”
Explain away 解釋,搪塞 。一般來説，父母最愛的都是自己的孩子，會對他們百般呵護。但是下面例子裏的這位母親卻不是這，讓我們來聽聽看:
M: “The daycare worker asked the mom how her child had gotten such a terrible bruise. She said he’d fallen out of bed. But that didn’t EXPLAIN AWAY some of the other marks found on his body. When investigators determined he’d been beaten by his mother, she stopped trying to invent reasons for her son’s injuries.”
這段話是説: 幼兒園的工作人員問這位母親為什麼她的孩子身上有一塊特別嚴重的淤青。她説，這是孩子從床上掉下來摔的。但這並沒有解釋清楚孩子身上的其他傷痕。調查人員最後得出結論，孩子是被媽媽打的，她這才停止為孩子的傷痕尋找藉口。
據説全世界每天有數百萬孩子受到父母或者監護人的毆打或者虐待。所以如果你聽到了什麼或者懷疑什麼，千萬要站出來質問。Be suspicious when someone’s trying to EXPLAIN AWAY a cause of concern, you may be saving a life! 對一些試圖辯解的人要特別小心，你可能將挽救一條生命! 好的，讓我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:
M: “The daycare worker asked the mom how her child had gotten such a terrible bruise. She said he’d fallen out of bed. But that didn’t EXPLAIN AWAY some of the other marks found on his body. When investigators determined he’d been beaten by his mother, she stopped trying to invent reasons for her son’s injuries.”
今天我們學習的習慣用語是explain away, 意思是“辯解，搪塞”。好的，這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結束，我是楊琳，我是Dan Markus。謝謝各位的收聽。
B: So, 楊琳，I have an idea, we should go hiking today! Since our big boss isn’t here, and our little boss is not here either, we don’t have to explain anything away !
A : 噓……你小聲點! 還這麼大言不慚地説，小心被聽到了!
B: 哈哈! Oh…hiking, how much do I miss you?
A: 你還真的很喜歡徒步旅行呀! What do you like hiking that much?
B: I just love being in the woods and being close to the nature. It’s very relaxing and peaceful, and you can escape from the pressure and stress from real life!
A: 我可害怕大蟲子，大蛇和大黑熊! 正好，在今天的Go English裏Daphne就和Roger聊起了徒步旅行，咱們一起去聽聽吧!
Hiking: Beginner
大家好！今天我們為您播出“美語三級跳”節目“遠足旅行”單元的初級課程。
Daphne是個遠足迷。她和朋友Roger一起去山裏露營。不過，不是所有人都喜歡戶外活動。
Professor: That’s right, Winnie. Some people like hiking, but some like to stay indoors.
Daphne: Wow, what a beautiful day! I love being outdoors.
Roger: (Reluctantly) Yeah, I guess so.
Daphne: What’s wrong, Roger? Don’t you like being in nature?
Roger: Daphne, I grew up in the city. For me, being in nature is going to a city park.
唉，看來Roger就是那種不解風情的人! 這個在城市長大的 city boy居然説，他和nature–大自然最親密的接觸頂多是go to a city park – 上街心公園!
Professor: Right. What does Daphne think?
Daphne説，她喜歡being outdoors，做戶外運動，Professor, outdoors的反義詞就是indoors吧？
Professor: Yes. You can also say “inside” and “outside.” They mean the same thing.
我明白了，indoors和inside都是“在室內”， outdoors和outside則是“在戶外”。
Daphne: Oh Roger, stop complaining. Just look at all the great scenery!
Roger: How can I enjoy the scenery when it’s so hot and the mosquitoes are biting me?
Daphne: Don’t you think it’s worth it to see all this beautiful nature?
Roger: The only thing I can think about right now is mosquitoes!
mosquitoes! 蚊子! Professor Bowman, 我不得不承認，蚊子的確讓人討厭! 我不在乎颳風下雨，或者太陽暴曬，可是如果有蚊子叮我，我還真受不了!
Professor: Why don’t you just wear bug repellant?
“Bug repellant”? 驅蟲劑？我用過，可是不管用。 對了， professor, 什麼叫scenery？
Professor: Winnie, scenery, s-c-e-n-e-r-y, scenery, means the appearance of a place. Sometimes people also use the word “view”. For example, “After I climbed the mountain, I enjoyed the beautiful view at the top.”
哦，view 和scenery 都是景色的意思，不過, view多指從遠處或高處所見的景色。Roger説，蚊子不停地叮咬他，讓他沒法集中精力享受眼前的美景。
Professor: That’s right. Let’s see if Roger is having any other problems.
Roger: Daphne, can we please stop for a minute? I’m really thirsty and my legs are sore.
Daphne: Roger, are you really that out of shape? We’ve only been walking for 20 minutes!
Roger: I know, but this trail is really steep.
Daphne: Well OK. We can stop and rest for a few minutes.
Roger才走了20分鐘就累啦？難怪Daphne説他out of shape–身體素質差勁！
Professor: Yes. And the opposite of being “out of
shape” is being “in shape”.
In shape就是狀態好，身體棒。在遠足時，如果out of shape, 就會像Roger那樣，legs get sore–兩腿酸疼。
Professor: Exactly. But Winnie, why does Roger say he is so tired?
他説，這是因為the trail–“山路”太”steep”–陡峭。
Daphne: Alright, Roger. Are you ready to go again?
Roger: Daphne, I don’t think I can go any farther today. I’m so tired. Let’s camp here tonight.
Daphne: But Roger, we have only gone one mile! Let’s hike a little farther.
Roger: Please Daphne! I didn’t know how hard hiking is. If we try to go any farther it might kill me.
Daphne: (Sigh) … alright, we can camp here. You rest and I’ll make a campfire.
Roger真是弱不禁風，走了不到1英里，就已經精疲力盡，一步也走不動了!
Professor: That’s right. Roger is not a good hiker. But Winnie, do you know what the word “camp” means?
camp, c-a-m-p,camp, 就是露營的意思。對了，Professor, 既然説到露營，那campfire就是露營時點的篝火吧？
Professor: Yes. Do you think Roger will like camping more than hiking?
我覺得不大可能。不過，還是下次繼續聽吧!
A: 原來，Roger不是特別喜歡遠足，他prefer to be indoors,喜歡呆在室內，而且out of shape, 身體素質不行，走兩步就累得直喘氣。而Daphne很喜歡遠足，She enjoys the scenery，喜歡高處的景色。
B: Exactly. The view is so good on the top of the mountain! It also helps you to get in shape!
A: I just don’t like to get messy! 我就不喜歡渾身是泥，到處都是蚊子包兒的感覺! 而且吧，我特別招蚊子，每次蚊子都先叮我!
B: Well in that case….I will definitely make sure to bring you next time when I go hiking! I’ll save tons of money on bug repellent!
A: Hey! 真是個壞蛋! Well…although I’m not a big fan for hiking, I like the idea of taking a break when our bosses are not here….Bwahahaha…
B: Well, we are kinda lucky that we have an awesome boss! But Betty isn’t so lucky. In today’s business etiquette, she’s going to talk to Gray about how to deal with a bad boss, let’s see what they have to say!
禮節美語 – Dealing With a Bad Boss I
Betty 受了上司的氣，找 Gray 抱怨。
F1-Betty: That’s it!! I’ve had it! I’m gonna start sending out my resume tomorrow.
M1-Gray: Wow…I’ve never seen you this angry before. What gives?
F1-B: Pat just chewed me out for the third time this week! In public, no less! She hates me…and I think I hate her, too. She’s the worst boss in history!
Betty 氣哼哼地説，自己受夠了 I’ve had it! 明天就發簡歷找工作。Gray 問 Betty 是怎麼回事。Betty 説，Pat chewed me out. 原來又被上司 Pat 罵了。chew somebody out 嚴厲責罵。
M1-G: What happened?
F1-B: I printed my quarterly report on both sides of the paper. Pat doesn’t like that because she uses the blank side for notes…it shouldn’t be a big deal, but…
M1-G: So she blew up at you?
F1-B: Yeah! Pat says, “If you can’t follow basic instructions, what use are you?” Then she launches into a 10-minute lecture while shaking her finger at me. What am I? A schoolgirl?
M1-G: Wow, that’s not cool at all. Actually, I’ve heard from a few people that Pat’s a bit of a hothead.
F1-B: You know, Gray, I’m not a confrontational person. I’m generally pretty agreeable. But no one should have to take this kind of abuse!
原來是Betty 把季度報告印在了紙的反正兩面，不符合 Pat 的要求。Betty 覺得，it shouldn’t be a big deal. 這沒什麼大不了的。可是 Pat 卻 blow up at her. 對她大發雷霆。Gray 對她深表同情，説不少人抱怨説 Pat 脾氣急躁。“a bit of a hothead”, 容易頭腦發熱。Betty 説，自己不愛吵架， not confrontational, c-o-n-f-r-o-n-t-a-t-i-o-n-a-l, 但是沒有人該受這種氣，no one should take this kind of abuse.
M1-G: Excuse me, Betty. Hey, Terry…come over here for a second. Betty, this is my friend Terry. Terry works for our company’s Human Resources Department. He might have some ideas for you.
M2-T: Hello Betty, nice to meet you. Hi, Gray. So what’s up?
F1-G: Betty’s boss, Pat Noonan, is giving her a hard time. Betty’s thinking of quitting if she can’t figure something out.
M2-T: Ah…the old nasty boss dilemma. Let me give it to you straight. Pat also supervises my department. So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere.
F1-B: So I’m doomed. I guess I’ll start looking for a new job.
在人事部 Human Resources Department 工作的 Terry 剛好路過，Gray 向他徵求意見。Gray 説，Betty’s boss is giving her a hard time. To give someone a hard time, 意思是跟某人過不去，讓他日子不好過。 Terry 回答説，Let me give it to you straight. 意思説“直話直説”。 因為人事部門也歸 Pat 管，So filing a complaint against her will probably get you nowhere. 因此對她投訴恐怕沒用。get you nowhere 是沒用的意思。Betty 聽後很沮喪地説，So I’m doomed. d-o-o-m-e-d, 那我沒救了。Terry 還有更好的建議嗎？我們下次繼續介紹。
A: 原來Pat脾氣暴躁，she’s a bit of a hothead, 容易頭腦發熱，經常blow up at her employees, 對手下大發雷霆。Betty覺得自己not confrontational, 不愛吵架，不過自己也不該受這種氣。
B: Yeah, I agree with Betty. No one should take this kind of abuse. I used to have a bad boss when I was working in college, he actually told me the only reason that he kept me on the job was because he didn’t have the time to find someone else!
A: 哇，這也不是個省油的燈! So how did you deal with this?
B:I mean, he couldn’t do anything to me, so I just kept my head down and did my job. I think you can also talk with the higher-ups or the human resources department if things get really ugly.
A: 或者換個公司也行! Gary也還在給Betty出主意，咱們接著去聽
禮節美語–Dealing With a Bad Boss Part–II
Betty 在上司 Pat 那兒受了氣，同事 Gray 和人事部的 Terry 給她出謀劃策。Betty 説自己沒救了，準備換工作。
M2-T: Not so fast. Maybe what’s needed here is a fresh approach. Let’s start with Pat. Why is she mean?
M-1G: Um…because she’s not a very nice person?
M2-T: Maybe…but maybe she has a hard time dealing with stress. Did you know Pat’s division has been losing money this quarter? She’s getting a lot of flack from the board of directors.
F1-B: So you’re saying perhaps she is not really mad at me?
M2-T: Could be. For all we know, she has some personal issue that’s troubling her as well. What we do know is we can’t get rid of her, so we might as well try to find a way to work with her.
Terry 説，not so fast. 先別急，Pat 下屬部門這個季度一直賠錢，She’s getting a lot of flack from the board of directors. f-l-a-c-k, flack 批判。公司董事會給了 Pat 很大壓力。Maybe she has a hard time dealing with stress. 也許 Pat 有些承受不了。不管怎樣，既然躲不開她，就得想辦法跟她搞好關係。
M1-G: Do you have any specific suggestions?
M2-T: I think Betty should have a chat with Pat. Tell her you think you need more direction and guidance. Tell Pat you’re sorry if you haven’t lived up to her expectations. Now admittedly, what you’re doing here is employing a strategy.
F1-B: Yes, I think I get it. By offering a kind of truce and by being humble, maybe she’ll change her tune and start being kinder.
M2-T: Exactly! How is your relationship with the other managers in your department?
F2-B: Very good.
Terry 建議 Betty 找 Pat 談心 have a chat with Pat. 告訴 pat 説，如果自己沒能讓她滿意，請她原諒，同時表示自己需要更多的指導。Betty 一聽就明白了，知道這是一種策略， a strategy, 通過改變自己的態度，促使 Pat 改變態度。Betty 還説, 跟其他上司關係都不錯。Terry 聽後很高興。
M2-T: Ok, so spend some time getting to know them better. It’s good to have friends that will go to bat for you in private.
M1-G: That’s sound advice. But of course, it’s always a good idea to evaluate yourself to make sure there isn’t some way to improve.
M2-T: Yep. That certainly can’t hurt.
F1-B: But what if I do all these things and Pat is still nasty to me?
M2-T: Well, you can report her to higher-ups, but that should be a last resort.
M1-G: You could also consider transferring to another department.
M2-T: But you know, it’s been my experience that 99% of the time, a little bit of effort can help overcome these sorts of problems.
F1-B: I think you’re probably right. I’ll give it a shot! Thanks guys!
Terry 説，It’s good to have friends that will go to bat for you in private. 有朋友私下裏幫你是最好的。不過，如果怎麼做都沒用呢？You can report her to higher-ups. 向上級投訴，but that should be a last resort. 但這是不得已而為之。當然了，還可以換到其他部門。
B:It’s so nice we don’t have to worry about this, our boss is awesome! I bet she will even go hiking with us!
A: 那你們自己去吧，我可不去!
B: Seems like we didn’t learn anything from the class. Let me have a talk with you, 楊琳…..
A: 哎喲! 好啦好啦! 去去! (笑)
B: I’m such a great negotiator!
A: 臭美! 我是看在領導份上! 好啦同學們，這次節目時間就到這裡。
