美語訓練班第85課:繼續深造需要考慮些什麼 如法炮製
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! 今天我們要聊聊繼續深造需要考慮些什麼，看看怎麼表達如法炮製，還要告訴你現在最潮的個人設計師要怎麼說!!
B: Having a personal stylist used to be limited to celebrities, but now a lot of ordinary woman are hiring their own personal stylist to look their best!
A: Yep. I've always been interested in the fashion industry. Being a personal stylist sounds like a fun job to me! You can appreciate all the new fashions without spending a dime! 哎呀，這纔是我該進入的行業呀...
B: . discuss that later. Now, let's go ahead with our first segment, learn a word!
Learn A Word - 1655 hi-tech
今天我們要學的詞是 hi-tech, hi-tech is spelled h-i, hi, t-e-c-h, tech, hi-tech. Hi-tech 高科技的。Hi-tech companies 高科技公司。Hi-tech gadgets are sure-fire gifts for the holidays. 過節送高科技產品的禮物一定不會錯。上星期，The House of Representatives voted to make green cards accessible for foreign students graduating with advanced science and math degrees from U.S. Universities, a step strongly backed by the hi-tech industry. 美國國會衆議院投票決定，允許從美國大學畢業，獲取理工科高學位的外籍學生申請綠卡，這一做法得到了高科技工業的強烈支持。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 hi-tech, hi-tech, hi-tech...
A: 說起高科技，我最近剛換了新的智能手機, 覺得生活都變了! GPS, 照相機，上網，發微博什麼都能用手機，太方便了！
B: Yeah, the smart phone is a wonderful invention, and with everyone having a smart phone right now, related industries are booming! I have a friend who is a smart phone app developer. After working at Google for two years, he now has his own firm that is in full swing!!
A: 可不！現在IT人才真吃香！我再次感嘆自己入錯了行…
B: The important thing is that you have to be doing what you love. My friend loves hi-tech stuff, so for him, going to work is like having fun!
A: 對對對！找一份自己喜歡的工作，每天都高高興興的纔是人生真諦！好了，你剛纔提到了一個很好的詞 in full swing, 咱們來聽聽今天的美國習慣用語，學學這個短語的意思！
Words and Idioms 806 IN FULL SWING
美國習慣用語第八百零六講。我是楊晨。我是 Douglas Johnson。
我的一個朋友正在參加社區代表的選舉。過去幾個月來，爲了幫他拉選票，我貢獻了不少自己的時間，給選民打電話，還要登門拜訪，分發資料。離投票的日子越近，我就越忙。形容目前的選舉階段，在英語裏叫：
M: In full swing. Full is spelled f-u-l-l, and swing; s-w-i-n-g. In-full-swing. In full swing. Full 是全部的，徹底的意思，swing 是搖擺。In full swing 連在一起，就是進入高潮階段，正在全力進行當中的意思。說到我朋友參加的選舉，這個習慣用語恰如其分。The campaign is in full swing.
下面這位新郎的弟弟講述了婚禮招待會的場面，讓我們聽聽看。
M: "When the wedding reception began, it wasn't very lively. But it really picked up once the band started playing some popular favorites. Now everyone's out on the dance floor having a great time. The party is IN FULL SWING."
他說，"婚禮招待會剛開始的時候並不是很活躍，後來樂隊開始演奏一些特別受歡迎的曲子，場面纔開始熱烈起來，大家都跑到舞池裏面，蹁蹁起舞，盡情享受，使聚會進入了高潮。"
這不禁讓我想起了參加1999年邁進2000年的跨世紀新年晚會的情景。晚會剛開始的時候，大家都很拘謹，但是隨着午夜的臨近，晚會的氣氛越來越熱烈，直到午夜鐘聲響起，The celebration was in full swing. 好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
M: "When the wedding reception began, it wasn't very lively. But it really picked up once the band started playing some popular favorites. Now everyone's out on the dance floor having a great time. The party is IN FULL SWING."
據語言學家考察，in full swing 這個習慣用語大約是在十九世紀中期出現的。最早的時候，in full swing 是指身體的劇烈搖擺。
剛纔我們提到了新年元旦晚會。除了新年以外，美國還有很多人盡皆知的日子。大家肯定知道十一月份最後一個星期四的感恩節，也就是火雞大餐的日子、12月 25號的聖誕節、7月四號以煙火表演著稱的獨立日，還有10月31號大鬼小鬼粉墨登場的萬聖節，可是你知道4月15號是什麼日子嗎？如果你猜不到的話，就讓我們一起來聽聽。
M: "As a tax accountant, my busiest time of year is between February and April. That's because working Americans must file their tax documents with the federal government by April 15th of every year. So when my office is IN FULL SWING, I'm expected to stay late and come in on weekends."
這個人說，"做稅務會計的，一年裏最忙的就是二月份到四月份這段時間，因爲美國工薪階層每年4月15號以前要向聯邦政府報稅。在這段時間裏，我們公司要全力以赴，晚上和週末都要加班。"
美國著名的政治家和發明家富蘭克林曾經說過一句很經典的話，叫 "The only things certain in life are death and taxes." 意思是說生命中只有死亡和稅務是確定無疑的。讓我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: "As a tax accountant, my busiest time of year is between February and April. That's because working Americans must file their tax documents with the federal government by April 15th of every year. So when my office is IN FULL SWING, I'm expected to stay late and come in on weekends."
報稅確實是一件很讓人頭疼的事情，所以我寧可花點兒錢，也要請別人幫我報稅，這就是社會分工的好處！
今天我們學到，在說起政治選舉、社交聚會和工作進入高潮的時候，都可以用到 in full swing 這個習慣用語。如果你是我們節目的忠實聽衆的話，I bet your learning of new idioms is in full swing. 好的，這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結束。我是楊晨，我是 Douglas Johnson。這次節目的製作人是胡小玲。謝謝各位的收聽。
M: Until next time.
M: This has been Words and Idioms.
A: 我也來造個句，with the presidential inauguration coming next Monday, the operations are all the news agencies are in full swing!
B: Exactly. Everyone in the building is busy preparing for the swear-in ceremony! Luckily with all the hi-tech cameras and phones out there, we can just ask the audience to send in clips of the event!
A: 沒錯，we need to make full use of our hi-tech devices! I don’t know if I want to go to the event myself though, it’s going to be freezing standing outside in 0 C temperatures.
B: Of course you want to go! This only happens every four years and you can’t guarantee you are going to be in DC next time! Come on!
A: 也是！而且，我也想看看Michelle Obama穿什麼衣服！每次她出席這些場合的時候都好優雅, 不知道這次她的造型師是誰…
B: Exactly. Whatever the reason, you have to go!
A: 哈哈，好吧好吧。我剛纔說到了造型師，咱們就再來聽聽這個詞要怎麼說！
Learn A Word - 1657 stylist
今天我們要學的詞是 stylist, stylist is spelled s-t-y-l-i-s-t, stylist. stylist 設計師，造型師。Monica is studying to become a hair stylist. Monica正在學習，想當一名髮型設計師。"Twilight" actress Kristen Stewart's stylist says that Kristen has always been a "tomboy at heart." 暮光之城女主角克里斯汀.斯圖爾特的造型師說，她本質上一直是個假小子。個人造型設計師如今已經不再是有錢人的特權。Many ordinary women are hiring their own personal stylist to look their best. 很多普通女性也開始僱傭自己的個人造型師，讓自己以最好的形象示人。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 stylist, stylist, stylist...
A: Maybe I should consider becoming a stylist…I love fashion and I’ve always been interested in … studying it!
B: Well… From what I have seen, you are really just interested in shopping. Other than that, I don’t see enough talent…
(A: What? ) kidding kidding. Actually, you should consider doing it as a side-job! You have a good sense of fashion, why not use that to make others feel better?!
A: What? You are never this nice to me…I think I’m about to tear up…
B: 哈哈哈, this only happens once in a blue moon, so don’t get used to it! Now let’s go ahead with our show. Another words and idioms!
Words and Idioms 807 Beat Someone at Their Own Game
現在播送美國習慣用語第八百零七講。我是楊晨。我是 Douglas Johnson。
如今互聯網這麼發達，什麼東西只要一放到網上，就會一發不可收拾。如果你突然發現，朋友沒有經過允許，就把你的一張很醜陋的照片放到了網上，你會怎麼做？我的朋友 Jennifer 就被同事這麼捉弄過一回。她也不示弱，立即找出一張同事更丟人的舊照片，發給了更多的人。這種做法在英語裏叫：
M: Beat someone at their own game. Beat is spelled b-e-a-t, and game; g-a-m-e. Beat-someone-at-their-own-game. Beat someone at their own game.
beat 在中文裏是打擊的意思，game 是比賽，遊戲。beat someone at their own game，就是以其人之道，還治其人之身的意思。我的朋友 Jennifer 如法炮製，把同事一些見不得人的照片放到網上，讓更多的人都看到，就可以說是 She beat them at their own game.
如果說這是一場搞笑的惡作劇的話，那麼在下面這個例子裏兩家餐館之間的血拼大降價，就沒有這麼好笑了。讓我們聽聽看。
M: "The restaurant across the street from ours was running a special. Guests who ordered a dinner entrée could receive another at half price. So we introduced an even better deal: buy one entrée, get the other free. Now our place is packed. We're BEATING THE COMPETITION AT THEIR OWN GAME."
其中一位老闆說: "街對面的餐館推出特價活動，點一道主菜，第二道菜半價。我們以其人之道，還治其人之身， 決定買一送一，結果現在我們餐館裏的生意特別紅火。我們在這次較量中戰勝了對手。"
如果是我，我也會光顧這家餐館的。經濟不好的時候，商家就更要想方設法地吸引顧客。商業競爭真是英語裏常說的 "Dog-Eat-Dog"殘酷無情。好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
M: "The restaurant across the street from ours was running a special. Guests who ordered a dinner entrée could receive another at half price. So we introduced an even better deal: buy one entrée, get the other free. Now our place is packed. We're BEATING THE COMPETITION AT THEIR OWN GAME."
剛纔我們談到了商業競爭的殘酷無情。不過有的時候，beat someone at their own game 也會給生活增添不少樂趣。讓我們一起來聽聽下面這對夫妻之間的小故事。
M: "I thought taking my wife sailing was a pretty cool birthday surprise. But, for my big day, she took me skydiving in Mexico. Every year is the same. No matter what gift ideas I come up with, hers are cleverer. She BEATS ME AT MY OWN GAME all the time."
這個人說: "我本來以爲帶妻子去航海是一個絕妙的生日禮物，但是我過生日的時候，她卻計劃好了一起到墨西哥去跳傘。每年都是這樣，她總能想出更棒的生日禮物來，讓我自愧不如。"
去年冬天，我跟老公學下國際象棋，怎麼也贏不了他，結果我正好有機會採訪了一位象棋高手，跟他學了幾招，回家就把老公打敗了。I finally beat him at his own game. 讓我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: "I thought taking my wife sailing was a pretty cool birthday surprise. But, for my big day, she took me skydiving in Mexico. Every year is the same. No matter what gift ideas I come up with, hers are cleverer. She BEATS ME AT MY OWN GAME all the time."
最近美國經濟不景氣，很多公司都在裁員。我前些天做了一個夢，夢見早上去上班，結果接到通知，說我們被另外一家電臺取代了。They beat us at our own game. 一下子驚醒過來，好在是個夢。
從上面的例子大家肯定已經看出，to beat someone at their own game 這個習慣用語裏的 game 可以用來指任何努力和工作。這個習慣用語可以追溯到十三世紀中葉，真可以說是歷史悠久了。
好的，這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結束。我是楊晨，我是 Douglas Johnson。這次節目的製作人是胡小玲。謝謝各位的收聽。
M: Until next time.
M: This has been Words and Idioms.
A: Our previous host Kat is super creative. Whatever ideas I had, she would come up with a better one. She always beats me at my own game!
B: You sure that’s because Kat’s creative? Or is it because you are … a little bit slow in some aspect? (A:You…) Whoops…
A: Actually we were just chatting yesterday. She’s thinking about going back to college for graduate school and wanted my advice. I don’t know…just the idea of going back to school gives me a headache! It’s a huge commitment of time and money, and you don’t want to choose the wrong major!
B: True. In today’s Business Etiquette, Lisa is asking Shirley for advice about going to graduate school, let’s check it out!
BE 202 Continuing education I
Lisa請Shirley吃飯，有事徵求Shirley的意見。
Lisa: Hey, Shirley! Want to join me for treat!
Shirley: Wow! Sure!
Lisa: I must confess I have an ulterior motive for asking you to lunch.
S: 's long as you're buying!
L: I really want to pick your brain about something I've been thinking a lot about.
S: I'd love to help if I can.
請別人吃飯，可以說 my treat, 也可以說 it's on me. 原來，Lisa請Shirley吃飯別有用心，She has an ulterior motive. motive是動機，ulterior is spelled u-l-t-e-r-i-o-r, ulterior意思是暗藏的，別有用心的。Lisa告訴Shirley, I really want to pick your brain about something. to pick someone's brain意思是跟某人交談，獲取信息，徵求意見。
L: Well, as you know, I have a Bachelor's degree in English literature and that's served me well so far, but I've always wanted to do some post-graduate e even get a Doctorate!
S: Wow! Just the idea of going back to school fills my head with pain.
L: But you have a Master's 't that helped your career?
S: Yeah, I'd have to say it has. But I'm still paying for it, you know.
L: I know education is expensive, but it's been my lifelong dream. Call me crazy, but I've always wanted to have that PhD at the end of my name.
原來，Lisa是考慮要回去上學。她已經有了a Bachelor's Degree學士學位，想再拿個Master's Degree碩士學位，甚至是a Doctorate博士學位，這是她的lifetime dream這輩子夢寐以求的。Shirley承認，碩士學位確實對自己的事業有幫助，但是在美國接受高等教育很貴，I'm still paying for it.我上學的錢到現在還沒有還清。Shirley還說，
S: Well, getting a Doctorate degree would mean close to a decade of school. Can you afford that? Can you survive that?
L: I certainly can't afford it, but I'm sure I could find some good student loans.
S: I think you need to separate the dream of having a PhD from the reality of years of more schooling. It's not as romantic as you might think.
L: Yeah....I keep thinking about what I'll do with a Master's or Doctorate. I love language but I don't think there are a lot of well-paying jobs out there for experts on Shakespeare.
S: Uh huh, that's for sure. You might find that your only career choice is teaching other graduate students.
Shirley勸Lisa不要把回去讀書想得太好，要看自己經濟上能否承擔得起，Can you afford that? 還要看自己能不能堅持下來，Can you survive that?Lisa會不顧一切卻追求夢想嗎？我們下次繼續聽。
A: Lisa請Shirley吃飯，想要pick her brain，徵求她的意見。Shirley覺得, 雖然繼續深造是有幫助的，可是要想清楚自己經濟能否負擔。Shirley is still paying for her master degree, Shirley還在爲自己的碩士學位買單。
B: Exactly. Higher education in the U.S. is really expensive. I know a lot of people who are still paying for it 7 or 8 years after they graduated.
A: You also want to be really careful when choosing your major. 你可能特別喜歡歷史，可是市場上不需要那麼多歷史學家。
B: Let's see if Shirley can offer Lisa some good advice!
Lisa請Shirley吃飯，說自己想回學校去讀個碩士或是博士學位，徵求Shirley的意見。Shirley說，
Shirley: I got my Master's in Business Management. It's helped my career, but it took several years of hard studying. If I didn't have a supportive family and a husband with a good job, I don't think I could have done it.
L: So you're counseling me against this idea?
S: Not necessarily, but I do recommend taking a slow approach. Can you take some night classes or find some way to keep working while you go back to school?
L: Might be difficult.
Shirley唸的商業管理碩士學位，她覺得，自己之所以能讀下來，靠的是家人的支持，和老公的高收入。Lisa問Shirley是不是勸她放棄這種想法，so you're counseling me against it? to counsel someone against something意思是勸說某人不要做某事。Shirley說，not necessarily那也不一定。她建議Lisa慢慢來，take a slow approach, 看能不能邊工作邊選課。Lisa覺得不太實際。
S: Maybe you could get an MBA or something more marketable.
L: That's worth considering.
S: I got my BA from Brown University. My major was Environmental Studies but that hasn't been as useful as the business courses I took.
L: Or maybe I should just take some courses that I'm interested in, but skip the Master's.
S: That's another idea, but if you really have a dream, don't let anything stop you from going for it! Going back to school is hard, but it's not impossible.
Shirley勸Lisa考慮其他更容易找高薪工作的專業。不過，她同時也鼓勵Lisa說，if you really have a dream, don't let anything stop you from going for it! 如果這真是你的夢想的話，那就不要讓任何事情阻擋你。
L: You're right! I need to decide if this is truly what I want.
S: And take your time. You're still young. Maybe there's even a correspondence course you can take during your free time.
L: Yeah! Then I could slowly build up credits and maybe later transfer into a university program.
S: There you go! That's some clear thinking.
L: I guess I just love learning! I remember the day my SAT test scores came back....I was so excited!
S: (Chuckle) I don't remember loving school quite so of the time I was either bored or totally stressed out. But like I said earlier, if you have a dream, don't let anything hold you back!
Shirley說，Lisa甚至可以抽空先選幾門correspondence course函授課程，這樣可以慢慢積攢一些學分credits, 以後如果真想讀學位，也可以用得上。她再次強調說，If you have a dream, don't let anything hold you back. 意思是有夢想，就不要讓任何事情拉你的後腿。
A: Don’t let anything hold you back! 不顧一切，去追求夢想。
B: What exactly is your dream? Buy…more clothes?
A: 當然是吃遍全世界了！
B: Actually, I second that!
A: Why I’m not surprised…哈哈， 好了同學們，這次節目時間就到這裏了。 如果你有什麼建議，或者想提什麼問題，請發電子郵件到.
B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!
A: See you next time!
