GoEnglish: Commute to work-beginner
各位听众,大家好!今天我们为您播出“美语三级跳”节目“出行”单元的初级课程。
MC: Craig 被纽约一家大公司录用,今天第一天上班。他刚搬来纽约不久,对公司周围的路不太熟,为了保险起见,他决定打车去公司--take a taxi。
Professor: Yes, Winnie. But if there is lots of traffic, taking a taxi might be slower than the subway.
MC: 的确,如果路上有lots of traffic--很多车的话,那么,坐subway--地铁,的确比打车更快。让我们一起听 Craig 打车是否顺利。
Driver: Good morning. Where are you headed?
Craig: I'm going to number 250, East 97th Street.
Driver: Which way do you want to go?
Craig: I'm not from New York, so I don't know the way. You decide.
MC: Professor Bowman, 司机问 Craig "where he is headed", 这是什么意思?
Professor: Asking someone where he is headed is a common and casual way to ask him where he is going.
MC: 我明白了,那么Craig在回答的时候,也可以说I'm headed to East 97th Street.
Professor: That's correct.
MC: 不过,我还真有点儿替Craig担心。他居然老实地告诉出租车司机,说自己新来乍道,不认识路。这种乘客很可能被司机 rip off,宰上一刀!
Professor: Well, let's see if your worries are necessary.
Driver: Oh, you don't know where you're going? Well, I know a special shortcut to that address.
Craig: I'm not sure we need a special shortcut. The address isn't very far away.
Driver: Well, it's rush hour right now. If we don't take my shortcut you might be late.
Craig: Hmm.... alright. I guess you know where to go.
Professor:Winnie. Why did the taxi driver say he needs to take the shortcut?
MC: 他说,现在是rush hour--上下班的高峰时段,如果不 take the shortcut--超近道,Craig 就可能会迟到。
Professor: That's right, Winnie. If traffic is really bad, you can say there is a "traffic jam."
But I think the driver sounds quite sketchy.
MC: 没错!我倒要看看这条shortcut能不能省时间!
Craig: Are we there yet? We've been driving for 30 minutes, and it feels like we've been going in circles.
Driver: Don't worry, we'll be there soon.
Craig: But the meter says the fare is already $25 dollars! I'm only going a few blocks. It shouldn't cost so much money.
Driver: Hey, you have to trust me. I'm a professional driver, remember?
MC: Craig 虽然不熟悉纽约,但也知道公司其实并不远。可是,出租车司机开了半个小时还在绕圈子,而且,the meter--计价器,显示,the fare--车钱,已经25块了!
Professor: That's right, Winnie. And remember, in this case the word "fare" is spelled F-A-R-E, not F-A-I-R.
MC: 我记住了。Professor Bowman, 看来我们猜对了,司机是想黑 Craig 的钱。
Craig: Alright, just pull over here and I'll get out. This is the last time I hail a cab.
Driver: What? Why? We're almost there.
Craig: You've been saying that for the past 30 minutes. I'm going to walk.
Driver: Well, at least you got to see a lot of the city. Will you give me a good tip for that?
Craig: A tip? I'm not even paying the fare!
MC: 好样的,Craig! 他明智地让司机停车,决定自己走到公司去。对了,Professor,什么叫hail a cab?
Professor: "Hail a cab" is when you stand on the side of the road and raise your hand to tell the taxis to stop and pick you up.
MC: 哦,就是站在路旁招手叫出租车。Craig说,他以后再也不打车了!对了,Professor,是不是在美国打车时都得给司机 a tip--小费呢?
Professor: Usually you give a tip, but not if he cheats you.
MC: 难怪Craig说,别说小费,他连车钱都不想付! 唉,希望他能顺利地走到公司!
Professor: Listen next time to find out!
B: Poor Craig! He was taken for a ride.
A: Yeah, but he got out of the taxi before the cabbie can take more advantage of him. 如果换成我,可能就不好意思,只能认倒霉挨宰了。
B: 我也是。
A: 所以还是自己开车好! 对了,CAT, you don't drive, do you?
B: No I don't. I live in the city and it's very convenient─everything is within walking distance. So I don't need a car.
A: But there must be some places outside the city where you want to go, right?
B: That's right. In that case, I'll have to ask other people for a ride or get a taxi.
A: 那不是要张嘴求人?要不就是要花很多钱。
B: 对啊。
A: 不如买车吧!来听听今天的“礼节美语”,讲的就是买车的事儿。
Business Etiquette: buying a car I
Chris告诉同事Jason, 准备买辆新车。
Jason: Hey there Chris, what are you up to?
Chris: I'm just poring over some brochures about various car models.
J: Oh, so you're thinking about buying a new car?
C: Yeah, it looks that way. My wife has been bugging me about it. I thought we could probably survive without one, but with a baby on the way, maybe it is time to get a car.
J: So this would be your first automobile?
C: That's right. For quite a few years, I rode a bicycle to work. Then I got a motorbike.
Chris太太怀孕,所以不得不考虑买车。Chris说,my wife has been bugging me about it. 意思是我太太一直在软磨硬泡要说服我,to bug someone是没完没了烦某人的意思,比如说,Stop bugging me. 意思就是别烦我了。这是Chris的第一辆车,他以前都是骑自行车或是骑摩托车上班,但现在 with a baby on the way 眼看就要有孩子了,所以只好考虑买车。Jason表示理解。
J: Yeah, I think I can understand your wife's position. Asking her to ride on a motorcycle when she's pregnant is a tall order.
C: Oh...I don't let her ride with me. It's just too dangerous. She takes the bus to work, but it is sometimes difficult to get a seat and it's crowded and hot.
J: So it's time to buy your very first car! Wow, that's exciting!
C: Yes, but it's also a pretty big financial responsibility.
J: Yeah. I still remember my first car. It was an old clunker that my dad gave me when I turned 17. I drove it around for a couple of years until I scraped together enough money to buy a better secondhand car.
Jason说,让太太挺着大肚子坐Chris的摩托车确实有点强人所难,It's a tall order. tall order 意思是很难完成的任务或要求。Christ解释说,其实太太不坐他的摩托车上班,但是挤公交车也很辛苦,所以才必须买车。Jason说,他的第一辆车是 17岁过生日时老爸送的,It was an old clunker. clunker is spelled c-l-u-n-k-e-r, clunker, clunker 是老破车的意思,开了几年后,攒够了钱才自己买了辆稍微像点儿样的 secondhand car 二手车。Chris 说,
C: I'm having a hard time deciding which model is best for us.
J: Yeah, it is a tough call. Each one has its pros and cons. Are you looking for a sedan?
C: Yes, I'd like a Jeep, but my wife says we have to get a comfortable sedan for long drives home to see her relatives.
J: I'd advise you to listen to your wife. She will be sitting in the back taking care of the kids so whatever she prefers is probably the best choice.
Chris说,拿不定主意应该买什么型号的车。Jason承认,It's a tough call. tough call意思是很难做的决定。他还说,不同型号的车有各自的优缺点,pros and cons 是指一件事情的正反面,pros 是优点,正面的,cons 是缺点,负面的。Chris想买吉普车Jeep,但他太太坚持要买轿车sedan, 因为sedan开长途坐着更舒服些。买车还要考虑其他哪些因素呢?我们下次继续听。
B: See? That's exactly why I don't want to get a car─not only is it a big financial responsibility, it is also too much headache to choose the right model.
A: 咳,买车都一样。好车买不起,破车又不敢买。
B: So you don't like your car?
A:一般吧,It's not my dream car, but I can live with it just for now.
B:What's your dream car then?
A:越野吉普!开那种车驰骋在荒野里,太酷了!
B: You? driving a jeep in the wilderness? Er....I just don't see it.
A:别看我外表斯文,其实我内心是很狂野的!
B: If that's the case, you'll definitely like the sport we are doing in today's American Sports English!
American sports English: ski jump
Y: Aren't the Rocky Mountains beautiful, Patrick? 多么壮观的洛基山脉!啊!I'm so glad you agreed to go skiing with me.
P: Uhhh..Yeah, the Rocky Mountains are beautiful, Yang Chen. But I guess when you asked me to go skiing with you, I didn't realize you meant to go ski jumping. S-K-I J-U-M-P-I-N-G
Y: Of course, we are going ski jumping. 高台滑雪。多刺激啊。Say, Patrick, 你脸色发绿. Are you feeling okay?
P: Actually, Yang Chen, I look green because I'm afraid of heights. And right now I'm feeling a little sick.
Y: 你有恐高症啊!Well, think about it this way, once you slide down the take-off ramp and make your jump─you will be at the bottom.
P: I have to ski down there?
Y: Yup. There's only one way to learn, Patrick. Here let me give you a little push.
P: No, Yang Chen, wait. Don't push me.
Y: 跳啊,多么篮的天,快点儿跳。跳下去你就会融入蓝天。。。
P: I have no idea what you are talking about, it sounds like some kind of cheesy Japanese movie.
Y. All I'm saying is "Jump"!
P: .Noooooooooooooooàà.Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Y: Are you OK, Patrick?
P: Yeah, I'm okay. I'm glad I'm still alive.
Y: Good, it's my turn next. 该我跳了。You better get out of my way.
P: Okay, I'm out of the way. It's all clear. You can jump now, Yang Chen.
Y: Okay! Here I go! Yeeeeee-haaaawwwww! (Sound of sliding down a ramp, landing).
P: Wow, Yang Chen. That was a great jump! And a perfect landing, too.
Y: I love ski jumping! Do you want to go again, Patrick?
P: Uh, no thanks, Yang Chen. I'll just stay down here and watch you jump.
Y. Here I go again. Yeeeeee-haaaawwwww!
B: How about that, 杨琳? Wanna go try ski jumping some day?
A: 诶....这个,我....
B: 不用不好意思承认,我也不敢!
A: 这个太危险了,咱们有时间还是多研究研究做饭吧。
B: 这也差得太远了。
A: 哈哈! 好了,今天的节目时间差不多了。这次的撰稿人是晓北,编辑是蔚然。同学们,我们下次的美语训练班再见!
B: Bye!