美國之音之流行美語Lesson 183 - learn the ropes / put a lid on it

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李華開始在圖書館打工，但是她告訴Larry她擔(dān)心自己不能勝任這份工作。今天李華會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語：learn the ropes和put a lid on it。

LH: 我實(shí)在搞不清楚怎么用圖書館的電腦系統(tǒng)。我好怕我會(huì)做錯(cuò)什么事情。

LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. You'll figure it out. It takes a little while to learn the ropes at a new job.

LH: Larry, 你在說什么啊？To learn the ropes? 我是在圖書館工作，又不是在體育館里呢。我干嗎要學(xué)習(xí)拉繩索。再說，圖書館里也沒有繩索啊？

LL: No (laughing). "To learn the ropes" is an expression. It means to learn how to do something, especially something related to work.

LH: 噢，to learn the ropes就是學(xué)會(huì)怎么做某件事，特別是指跟工作有關(guān)的事。這個(gè)用法好奇怪噢。你知道這個(gè)常用語是怎么來的嗎？

LL: The expression is related to sailing. When sailors first started working on a boat, they had to learn which ropes were attached to which sails.

LH: 原來這是從航海而來。沒錯(cuò)，這水手一開始學(xué)必須學(xué)會(huì)哪條繩索是控制哪個(gè)風(fēng)帆的。我也希望我能趕快學(xué)會(huì)圖書館的一套工作，不然我可能要被開除了！

LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. Everyone needs some time to learn the ropes at a new job. I'm sure your boss knows that.

LH: 對，每個(gè)人到一個(gè)新的工作崗位都需要時(shí)間才能熟悉自己的工作?？墒俏艺嫦氡憩F(xiàn)好一些，不讓我老板失望。

LL: I'm sure you won't. When I started my most recent job, it took me about three weeks to learn the ropes.

LH: 你花了三個(gè)星期才學(xué)會(huì)你現(xiàn)在的工作啊？那你在那三個(gè)星期里有沒有犯錯(cuò)呢？

LL: Of course, but no one minded because they knew that I was still learning the ropes.

LH: 你的同事真好。他們知道你是新人，所以你犯錯(cuò)，他們都很包容。那如果你現(xiàn)在還犯錯(cuò)，他們會(huì)怎么樣？

LL: I don't have that excuse anymore, but my boss is still relatively understanding. He knows that everyone makes mistakes from time to time.

LH: 你現(xiàn)在再犯錯(cuò)誤就沒有借口了。可是，你的老板真好，很能理解工作人員。我希望我的老板也能如此。不過，謝謝你的安慰，Larry!

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LH: 今天有個(gè)人來圖書館拿他訂的書，可是書還沒到。他對我好兇噢。我嚇的都不知道該怎么辦才好。

LL: I would have told him to put a lid on it. After all, it's not your fault.

LH: Put a lid on it? Lid那不是蓋子的意思嗎？我要他蓋蓋子做什么？

LL: Telling someone to "put a lid on it" is the same as telling him or her to shut up.

LH: 什么！Put a lid on it就是叫人閉嘴？我可不能那樣做，那是很不禮貌的！

LL: Well, it sounds as though he was being really rude to you.

LH: 他雖然對我沒禮貌，但我可不能學(xué)他那樣。我是在那兒工作的，我可不能叫他閉嘴。

LL: Yeah, you're probably right. It wouldn't be very professional to tell the guy to put a lid on it.

LH: 我啊，只希望那個(gè)家伙再也別來圖書館了！

LL: If he does, you can give me a call and I'll come over and tell him to put a lid on it myself.

LH: 你別擔(dān)心我啦。那個(gè)人要是再來找麻煩，我就直接找我的老板去和他談嘍！

LL: That's a good idea.

今天李華學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語。一個(gè)是learn the ropes，就是學(xué)習(xí)，掌握訣竅的意思，通常是指工作方面的事。另一個(gè)常用語是put a lid on it，這是叫人閉嘴的意思。