VOA流行美語 Unit 211:head honcho和slam dunk

Larry和李華在一家咖啡店裏聊天， Larry在告訴李華的辦公室裏最近發生的事。李華今天會學到兩個常用語：head honcho和slam dunk。

LL: So, Li Hua， yesterday the head honcho of the company I work for came into the office.

LH: 誰到你們的辦公室來？公司的head honcho？ head是頭腦， honcho是什麼呀？

LL: A Head honcho is the person with the highest position in a company or organization. I think "honcho" actually comes from a Japanese word meaning leader.

LH: Head honcho就是一個公司，或一個機構的最高領導人。Honcho這個詞原來是來自日文， 意思是領導人。Honcho聽起來是像日文。聽起來，你好像挺高興看見你們公司的head honcho。

LL: Yes, indeed. I was very happy to meet the company president. I had never met the head honcho before.

LH: 你和他從來沒有見過面？ 難怪他來了你們都好像有點受寵若驚一樣。那這位高高在上的主管爲什麼會突然到你們辦公室去呢？

LL: Well, some of my co-workers have said that someone in our office is being considered for a promotion, but they don't know who. They think the head honcho came by to see the candidate for himself.

LH: 你的同事說他是來看看他們領導想提拔的那個人，可是提拔誰呢，你們又不知道。他要提拔的人他還不認識呀？

LL: You know how head honchos are. He works in the company's main office across town, and he doesn't always personally meet everyone that is hired.

LH: 那倒也是，這個head honcho在公司總部上班，而總部又不在你們大樓裏。說實話， 即使是在同一個辦公樓裏，老闆也不一定認識所有的僱員呀。我們大學的校長我也只是在大會上見過。

LL: But, Professor Jones is the head honcho of the East Asian Studies Department, and you know him.

LH: 是啊， 東亞研究系的瓊斯教授倒是和我很熟。 你們公司總裁是不是來看你的。他們想提拔的就是你吧？

LL: I don' t know, Li Hua. He did chat with me for a few minutes about my work. Maybe the head honcho IS thinking about me for the promotion.

LH: 他跟你聊了幾分鐘有關你工作的事？我看他很可能是想提拔你！Larry，你將來也許會成爲一個head honcho!

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LL: I really don't think the promotion is a slam dunk, Li Hua.

LH: Slam dunk? Slam dunk不就是我們在打籃球的時候常說的灌籃嗎？

LL: That' s right. A slam dunk is a shot taken by a basketball player that can't be missed. The player is usually right by the hoop and is literally shoving it right in the basket.

LH: 灌籃得分應當是十拿九穩。 人就在欄板下面， 一伸手就把球灌進去了。Larry，我知道公司是否提拔你並不像灌籃那麼十拿九穩。可是Larry，你的確很出色呀！

LL: The company president DID talk to several other people in the office, so I have to say it is too early to think of the promotion as a slam dunk.

LH: 我看也是，我們不要過於樂觀， 畢竟跟公司總裁談話的不止你一個人。不過，什麼時候才知道the head honcho看中的到底是誰呢？

LL: I don't think I will know. Say, what about you, Li Hua? I remember you applied for a fellowship for next year. I'd say for you that is a slam dunk!

LH: 我是申請了獎學金， 可是現在還沒有消息呢。 對我來說， 這也不是十拿九穩的， I don't think it is a slam dunk.

LL: How could it not be a slam dunk? You are honestly one of the hardest working students I know. I can't imagine any one else getting the fellowship.

LH: Thanks, Larry。 我是很努力， 可是用功的學生很多呀。 不過聽到你這麼讚揚我， 我還是很高興。

LL: Well, let's talk about something that is a slam dunk!

LH: 什麼事情是slam dunk，一定會發生呢？

LL: I'd say it is a slam dunk that after we finish our coffee, you are going to go home and study.

LH: 喝完了咖啡，我就要回家去做作業了。這是肯定的，That is a real slam dunk, Larry.

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是head honcho，意思是公司或組織的最高主管。還有一個是slam dunk，指的是很有把握，肯定會發生的事情。