The english we speak(BBC教學)第79期:Plain sailing 一帆風順
Rob: Hello. I'm Rob. And this is Li!
羅布：大家好。我是羅布。這位是李！Li: Hello.
李：大家好。Rob: The weather is so great today we're outside on the sea, sailing in this beautiful boat. What do you think Li?
羅布：今天天氣真好，所以我們出海來玩，坐在這條美麗的船上航行。李，你覺得怎麼樣？
Li: Impressive. Rob, I didn't know you had a sailing boat–in fact I didn't know you could sail a boat!
李：令人印象深刻。羅布，我不知道你有一隻帆船——實際上，我不知道你會駕船！Rob: Don't worry Li, I know what I'm doing.
羅布：別擔心，李，我知道我在做什麼。Li: Mind that rock!
李：小心那塊岩石！Rob: Whoa…it's ok Li. I’m in control–just keep your hand on that rope. We've got the wind in our sails, the sea is calm–we can just easily sail around this island and be home in time for tea.
羅布：哇……沒問題的，李。我能控制——你要一直抓着那條繩子。我們在航行中遇到了風，海面很平靜——我們很容易在這座島周圍航行，而且能及時趕回家喝茶。Li: Oh right. I thought our excursion was going to be trouble free–or plain sailing.
李：哦，好吧。我想我們的旅行會順利的——或者是會一帆風順的。Rob: What? Plain sailing? We're not sailing any planes Li.
羅布：什麼？飛機航行？李，我們可不是在航行飛機。Li: No Rob. Plain sailing. It's an expression used to describe an activity that goes well or smoothly and is easy and uncomplicated.
李：不是的，羅布。是一帆風順。這是一個用來形容活動進展順利、容易、不復雜的短語。Rob: Yes of course–this sailing is going well and is actually quite easy–so you're right–this is plain sailing. But can we only use the phrase to describe sailing boats?
羅布：當然——這次航行會很順利的，實際上也很容易——所以你是正確的——這次會一帆風順的。不過我們只能用這個短語來形容駕駛船隻嗎？Li: No. Although it was originally a sailing term, it can really refer to any activity. Listen to these examples:
李：不是。雖然這來自於帆船用語，不過也可以用來指任何活動。來看下面這些例子：Driving through the city was difficult but once we were on the motorway it was plain sailing all the way.
在城市裏開車很難，不過我們要是走高速公路就會一路暢通無阻。Once we found some office space and recruited staff, setting up our business was plain sailing.
只要我們找到辦公地點並招聘員工，建立我們自己的企業就會一切順利。Li: So plain sailing means things are going well. I have to admit Rob, your sailing skills are very good and …oh watch out for that big wave!
李：所以一帆風順的意思就是事情進展順利。羅布，我必須要承認，你的航海技巧非常棒，而且……哦，小心那個大浪！Rob: ! I've hit my head on the boom. Oh no, we're heading for the rocks again…hold the rope Li, quick!
羅布：哇……哎呀！我的頭撞到帆桁上了。哦不，我們前面又有岩石……李，快抓緊繩子！Li: I've changed my mind Rob, this isn't plain sailing anymore! That's taken the wind out of your sails Rob.
李：羅布，我改變想法了，這不再是次一帆風順的航行了！羅布，那完全滅了你的風頭。Rob: Err, it's still windy Li. Look at the sails.
羅布：嗯，李，現在仍在颳風。看看那船帆。Li: No Rob. That's another sailing idiom – to take the wind out of your sails is an expression that means your boasting and arrogance has been challenged. Let's hear some other people using this expression:
李：不，羅布。這是另一個有關航行的習語——這個表達的意思是你的自誇和傲慢遇到了挑戰。我們來看其他人對這個表達的應用：I was all ready for a big argument but when he bought me some flowers it took the wind out of my sails.
我已經準備好大吵一架了，但是他給我買了些花，這挫敗了我的銳氣。The negative feedback from my boss has really taken the wind out of my sails.
從老闆那裏得到的負面反饋給了我當頭一棒。Rob: Hmm, Li you've certainly taught me a lot about sailing today – there are some really good expressions – but one thing you haven't taught me is how to sail this boat.
羅布：嗯，李，你今天教了我很有關航海的東西，有許多好的表達，但是你沒有教我一件事，那就是如何駕駛這艘船。Li: You said you knew how to sail it.
李：你說你知道怎麼駕船的。Rob: Well when I said I had been sailing several times I had… I meant on a ferry… a passenger.
羅布：嗯，我說我有過幾次航行經驗，但我的意思是我作爲乘客坐在渡船上航行的經驗。Li: Oh. Watch out!
李：哦。當心！Rob: That was close. I've a feeling this really isn't going to be plain sailing after all.
羅布：好險啊。我有種感覺，這不會是場一帆風順的航行。Li: Too right! Bye bye.
李：太對了！再見。Rob: Bye. Now Li could you just hold that rope there please.
羅布：再見。現在，李，請你抓住那邊的繩子。重點講解：
1. plain sailing
輕而易舉的；一帆風順的；
eg. Pregnancy wasn't all plain sailing and once again there were problems.
孕期並非一帆風順，這不，又出現問題了。
eg. We know it won't be plain sailing at Wembley because there are no easy games at this level.
我們知道在溫布利不會順風順水，因爲在這一級別就沒有輕鬆的比賽。
2. in time for
及時；不遲；
eg. I arrived just in time for my flight to London...
我及時趕上了飛往倫敦的航班。
eg. She set the alarm so she'd wake up in time to give her two sons their medication.
她定了鬧鐘，以便及時醒來給兩個兒子服藥。
3. trouble-free
順利的；沒問題的；沒困難的；
eg. The carnival got off to a virtually trouble-free start with the police reporting only one arrest.
狂歡節開幕進行得幾乎是一帆風順，警方只報告了一例拘捕。
eg. They are assured of an enjoyable and trouble - free holiday.
他們肯定會過一個愉快的無憂無慮的假日。
4. watch out
小心，提防（不愉快的事情或陷入困境）；
eg. The casinos in Las Vegas had better watch out since I'm obviously on a lucky streak!
拉斯韋加斯的賭場要小心了，因爲我顯然正紅運當頭！
eg. Watch out for cars when you cross the road.
過馬路時當心車輛。
5. change one's mind
（使）改變主意；（使）改變決定；
eg. It would be impossible to change his mind.
要讓他改變想法是不可能的事情。
eg. No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind.
任你費盡口舌也不會說服我改變主意。
6. take the wind out of one's sails
給…潑冷水（或當頭一棒）；
eg. I was happy to see that you take the wind out of his sail.
我很高興看到你削了他的銳氣。
eg. Be beat by a newcomer have really take the wind out of his sail.
一個新來的人就比他強，他覺得很窩囊。
