The english we speak(BBC教學)第129期:Brownie Points 做好事以便獲表揚

William: Hello and welcome to The English we Speak, I'm William.

威廉：大家好，歡迎收看地道英語節目，我是威廉。

Feifei: And I'm Feifei. William, what are you doing with that suitcase and flowers and boxes of chocolates?

菲菲：我是菲菲。威廉，你拿着行李箱、鮮花和幾盒巧克力要做什麼？

William: Oh, well I'm spending the weekend with my wife's parents so I thought I'd better get something for my Mother-in-law.

威廉：哦，我要和我的岳父母一起享受週末時光，所以我想我最好給給我岳母買些禮物。

Feifei: Oh I see! A weekend with the in-laws.

菲菲：哦，我明白了！和岳父母一起度過週末。

William: And I'm going to do a bit of decorating and gardening for them too.

威廉：我還要爲他們佈置一下房子，修剪一下花草。

Feifei: Wow, you really are trying to earn some brownie points, aren't you? William is trying to get praise and approval by doing something for them.

菲菲：哇，你真的很努力要贏得老人的認可啊，是吧？威廉試圖通過爲岳父母做一些事情來獲得表揚。

William: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points.

威廉：對，我要獲得老人的認可。

Feifei: To earn some brownie points. 'Brownie points' are badges young girls who are members of a youth organisation called 'The Brownies' earn for doing good things for others. Now we use that term generally to mean 'trying to get praise for our actions'.

菲菲：贏得一些認可。Brownie points指The Brownies幼年女童子軍組織的年輕女孩爲他人做了好事而獲得的獎章。現在我們用這個詞組來形容試圖通過我們的行爲來獲得讚賞。

William: Yes, you see I'm not sure if my mother-in-law really… likes me that much. So that's why I'm trying to earn some brownie points. Maybe she'll change her attitude towards me.

威廉：對，你知道，我不確定我的岳母是不是那麼我。所以這就是我要努力獲得認可的原因。也許他會改變對我的態度。

Feifei: Oh dear. Yes, maybe you'll get some approval from her.

菲菲：天哪。你會從她那裏得到認可的。

Man: Look at Gary. He keeps offering to do extra work–even at weekends.

男：看看蓋裏。他一直主動要求加班，甚至週末也是如此。

Woman: Well he's hoping to earn a few brownie points with the bosses. There's a new position opening up and I reckon he'll apply for it.

女：嗯，他希望贏得老闆的嘉獎。馬上就會有升職機會了，我想他會申請那個職位。

Feifei: He's been offering to do extra work to impress his bosses. It's because there's an opportunity for a promotion coming up.

菲菲：他一直主動要求加班來掙得老闆的印象分。這是因爲馬上會有個升職的機會。

William: But to earn brownie points is more than just doing someone a favour.

威廉：但是獲得嘉獎並不僅僅意味着要幫他人的忙。

Feifei: Yes, the expression means you're trying to get approval from someone. It's also quite a light-hearted and informal expression.

菲菲：對，這個表達的意思是你努力獲得他人的認可。這同樣是一個非常輕鬆且不正式的表達。

William: When was the last time you earned brownie points from someone, Feifei?

威廉：菲菲，你上次獲得他人的讚賞是什麼時候？

Feifei: Oh I don't try to get other people's approval.

菲菲：哦，我不會試圖去獲得他人的認可的。

William: Hmm, really? So you don't really care what people think about you?

威廉：真的嗎？所以你不在乎人們怎麼看你了？

Feifei: No, not at all. But William, you've got so much stuff with you. Are you taking the train to your in-laws' house? Can I give you a lift to the station?

菲菲：當然，一點兒也不在乎。可是威廉，你拿的東西太多了。你是打算坐火車去岳父母家嗎？我送你去火車站怎麼樣？

William: Oh thanks! That's really kind of you, Feifei. I was beginning to think you were a bit selfish but now I can see you're quite generous. Ah, I understand!

威廉：哦，謝謝你！你真是太好了，菲菲。我剛開始以爲你有點兒自私，不過現在我知道你非常的大方。啊，我明白了！

Feifei: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points!

菲菲：對，我在試圖獲得你的表揚！

William: Well, you succeeded! Goodbye!

威廉：嗯，你成功了！再見！

Feifei: Bye!

菲菲：再見！

重點講解：
1. brownie points
嘉獎；表彰；
eg. They're just trying to score brownie points with politicians.
他們只是試圖獲得政客們的嘉許。
eg. That'll not only give you some spontaneous practice in talking the stuff but also earn you some "brownie points" for trying really hard.
這不僅僅能夠讓你在談話方面有一些自發的實踐練習也能夠讓你賺取一些所謂努力學習的“印象分”。
2. open up
（使）（機會、可能性等）出現；（使）產生；
eg. It was also felt that the collapse of the system opened up new possibilities...
人們也認爲這一制度的崩潰帶來了各種新的可能性。
eg. New opportunities are opening up for investors who want a more direct stake in overseas companies.
希望更加直接地參股海外公司的投資者獲得了新的機會。
3. come up
即將發生；即將到來；
eg. Plan your activities so that you are rested and refreshed when something important is coming up.
做好日常規劃，這樣一旦發生大事，才能夠從容不迫。
eg. I expect something to come up soon.
我預料很快就要出事的。
4. do sb. a favor
恩惠；幫忙；
eg. He is always ready to do his classmates a favor.
他總是樂於幫助同學。
eg. She implored me to do her a favor.
她懇求我幫她這個忙。
5. light-hearted
輕鬆愉快的；無憂無慮的；不嚴肅的；隨便的；爲了好玩的；
eg. They were light-hearted and prepared to enjoy life.
他們無憂無慮，隨時準備享受生活。
eg. There have been many attempts, both light-hearted and serious, to locate the Loch Ness Monster.
有很多人或隨意或認真地嘗試過，想要找到尼斯湖水怪。
6. give sb. a lift
搭便車；搭順風車；
eg. I'll give you a lift if you like.
如果你願意可以搭我的車。
eg. Please give me a lift to the station.
請讓我搭車到車站。