A: 歡迎大家來到這期的美語訓練班! 我是楊琳!
B: 我是Kat! 楊琳,快說說咱們今天都要學什么?
A: 好! 今天,咱們要去吃個快餐,繼續(xù)看看Harry倒霉的一天,學學怎么表達隱瞞證據(jù),還要告訴大家怎么用美語說"花美男"和"一夜成名"!
B: 一夜成名? 我年輕的時候也這么想過...
A: 哈哈,stop daydreaming there.... 咱們先趕快來進入第一個單元,Learn a Word!
Learn A Word undermine
今天我們要學的詞是undermine. Undermine is spelled u-n-d-e-r-m-i-n-e; undermine. Undermine 是“削弱,損害”的意思。The U.S. State Department says deep cuts to its budget proposed by Congress will undermine America's security and global leadership. 美國國務院表示,國會提出的大幅削減國務院預算的計劃會傷害美國的安全,并削弱美國的全球領(lǐng)導地位。Afghanistan's president has warned that civilian casualties caused by NATO air strikes could undermine the recently-signed cooperation agreement with the US. 阿富汗總統(tǒng)警告說,北約空襲造成的人員傷亡可能會動搖最近跟美國簽署的合作協(xié)議。好的, 今天我們學習的詞是undermine, undermine, undermine.
A: I've had this problem on my mind lately- One of my best friends is dating this guy, but I feel like I have a responsibility to undermine their relationship....我不能讓他們就這么發(fā)展下去。
B: Wait what? Why would you do that?
A: 其實那個男的也是我的朋友,可他是個花花公子! He's a womanizer! I don't want my friend to get hurt.
B: Oh I see. Yeah, you might want to tell her about that, but you'll be sure to cover your tracks when you warn her about that guy, right?
A: 是啊! 咱們先想想辦法,不過你提到了一個很有用的詞兒: cover one's track, 咱們一起來聽聽這個短語的用法!
Words and Idioms
現(xiàn)在播送<美國習慣用語>第 966講。我是楊琳。
M:我是 Steve Baragona.
上星期我朋友的公司出了一起風波。一名會計被發(fā)現(xiàn)挪用公款。他連續(xù)幾個月沒被發(fā)現(xiàn),因為他做得很隱蔽。我們可以用一個習慣用語來形容他的這種做法,那就是:
M: Cover one's tracks. Cover is spelled c-o-v-e-r; and tracks; t-r-a-c-k-s. Cover-one's-tracks. Cover one's tracks.
Cover 意思是隱瞞,掩飾,tracks 軌跡。連起來,to cover one's tracks, 意思就是掩蓋行蹤,隱瞞證據(jù)。上面的例子中,The accountant was able to COVER HIS TRACKS for a long time before his scheme was finally discovered. 這位會計長期隱瞞證據(jù),直到他的陰謀被發(fā)現(xiàn)。下面的例子里,一名罪犯越獄之后是如何掩飾自己行蹤的呢? 我們趕快來聽聽看:
M: "The prisoner escaped weeks ago. The police had a hard time finding her because she COVERED HER TRACKS. She was careful not to use her real name and she kept traveling from one state to another. When her photo appeared on TV, a viewer reported seeing her. And she was finally captured."
這段話意思是說:[這名犯人幾星期前越獄,警方費了好大力氣搜捕她,但是她很好地掩蓋了自己的行蹤。她不使用真名,而且不停在州與州之間轉(zhuǎn)移。直到她的照片被公布在電視上,有人舉報說曾經(jīng)見過她,才終于把她抓了回來。]
現(xiàn)在高智商犯罪真是越來越普遍! 很多犯罪分子不但聰明,還會利用高科技手段來掩蓋自己的所作所為。我還記得前幾年大熱的美劇: Prison Break 越獄,里面的男主角Michael就是這樣,He was able to cover his tracks with a complicated underground maze. 他挖了一條復雜的地下迷宮來掩飾行蹤。好的,言歸正傳,我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:
M: "The prisoner escaped weeks ago. The police had a hard time finding her because she COVERED HER TRACKS. She was careful not to use her real name and she kept traveling from one state to another. When her photo appeared on TV, a viewer reported seeing her. And she was finally captured."
大家都喜歡驚喜派對。下面的這個例子里,兄妹倆人為了給他們的媽媽制造一個驚喜派對,一直試圖掩飾他們的計劃。讓我們來聽聽看他們都做了些什么:
M: "Mom and dad have no idea that we're organizing a party to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. So far we've been pretty good at COVERING OUR TRACKS. If we let them think that we and the other guests have other plans that weekend, they won't find out what's really happening. Then it'll be a big surprise!"
這段話是說:[媽媽和爸爸完全不知道我們?yōu)樗麄?0周年結(jié)婚紀念日準備了一場派對。到目前為止,我們的掩飾工作做得還不錯。如果我們能讓他們以為大家在那個周末都有別的安排,他們就完全不會知道我們真正的計劃。那就真是個大驚喜了!]
所以說,cover one's tracks 也不一定都是干壞事。我同事有一次也給了我這樣一個驚喜。他們計劃了一次特別的午餐會慶祝我晉升,但是卻騙我說這是一次編輯會。They carefully covered their tracks so I didn't find out about the surprise lunch party! 他們小心掩飾,所以我一點也沒發(fā)現(xiàn),原來那是一次驚喜午餐會! 好的,讓我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:
M: "Mom and dad have no idea that we're organizing a party to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. So far we've been pretty good at COVERING OUR TRACKS. If we let them think that we and the other guests have other plans that weekend, they won't find out what's really happening. Then it'll be a big surprise!"
今天我們學習的習慣用語是 cover one's tracks,意思是“掩蓋行蹤,隱瞞證據(jù)”。好的,這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結(jié)束,我是楊琳,我是 Doug Johnson。謝謝各位的收聽。
B: Ooh! Ooh! I have an idea, 楊琳! You can try to get your friend to see that guy's true colors by showing her all the pictures of him with other girls on 人人!
A: 嗯,也行, 這樣我就什么都不用說,讓她看事實就行了! 我覺得她就是喜歡他的外表,this guy takes GREAT care of himself! I bet he spends more money on his hair than I do! 就是咱們老說的花美男!
B: Oooh- he's one of those, eh? I know that kind- sometimes I think they're prettier than me!! 在今天的美語怎么說里,咱們就來看看花美男這個詞怎么說!