美語訓練班第99課:戒菸的好辦法 得寸進尺
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，來告訴大家今天都要學什麼!
A: 好! 今天，我們要一起來聊聊戒菸有什麼好方法，看看不同工作場合的着裝要求，還要告訴你怎麼說得寸進尺!
B: I feel like the dress code in DC is just formal. I see suits everywhere...
A: 沒錯! 每天一上地鐵都一片黑壓壓! 好了西裝男, 咱們言歸正傳，先來進入第一個單元...
B: Learn a word!
Learn A Word 1719 hallmark
今天我們要學的詞是 hallmark. Hallmark is spelled h-a-l-l-m-a-r-k, hallmark. Hallmark 意思是特點，標誌。A strong defense has always been the hallmark for our team. 我們球隊最大的特點是防守能力強。Personalized customer service has been our hallmark for over 20 years. 貼心的顧客服務20多年來始終是我們的特色。Renewable technology development has been the hallmark for Steven Chu's tenure as the U.S. Secretary of Energy. 朱棣文在任美國能源部長期間，政策核心一直是可再生能源的開發。 好的，今天我們學習的詞是 hallmark, hallmark, hallmark...
A: 看看美國推廣可持續能源，我真羨慕! 這次回北京，每天都是霧霾天，想想小時候的藍天，真讓人沮喪!
B: Yeah, you should not develop your economy at the cost of the environment! It took London 40 years to fix its fog problem, I hope Beijing can fix it soon...
A: I don't know. It seems like we are pushing our luck. I really want the old Beijing blue sky and the fresh air, you don't even need air conditioning in the summer!
B: We'll keep our fingers crossed! But you just mention an idiom, push one's luck, let's check it out!
Words and Idioms 831 Push One's Luck
美國習慣用語第831講
我先生牙不好，但又特別不喜歡去看牙醫。前不久，他補過的一顆牙裏的填料掉了出來，我勸他趕緊去找牙醫修補，這不，一個月過去了，他還是沒給牙醫打電話預約。或許現在那顆牙並不疼，不過，誰都知道，這是遲早的事。這讓我想起了今天要學的習慣用語，叫
M: Push one's luck. Push is spelled p-u-s-h, and luck; l-u-c-k. Push-one's-luck.
大家都知道，動詞 push 是推的意思，Luck 是運氣。Push one's luck 這個習慣用語的意思就是，有點兒運氣就得寸進尺，貪心不足。就說我先生吧，牙裏的填料掉了，但是牙卻不疼，夠幸運的吧？但是他卻得寸進尺，不趕緊去找牙醫修補，這就叫 push his luck.
我早上開車，路上聽了一個關於汽車保養的節目。主持人唸了一封聽衆寄來的電子郵件，讓我們一起聽聽看。
M: "Every time I get my oil changed, the mechanic reminds me to bring the car back in another 3,000 miles. Now I see that I've driven almost 8,000 more miles and still haven't had any problem. Do you think I'm PUSHING MY LUCK? Or do I really need to get my car serviced again?"
這位聽衆在信中說：每次我去換機油，車鋪的人都提醒我，每開三千英里就要來換一次機油。可是現在我都開了八千英里了，車子還好好的，沒有出現任何問題。你覺得我這樣做是貪心不足嗎？我是不是真地需要把車隍7d到修車行去保養呢？
要讓我說，這個人絕對是在 push his luck。車子的定期保養是絕對不能放鬆的，車子跟人一樣，人要吃好睡好鍛鍊好才能長壽，車子也要定期檢查，保養才能長期給你服務，否則壞了，又要去修，更得不償失。好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
M: "Every time I get my oil changed, the mechanic reminds me to bring the car back in another 3,000 miles. Now I see that I've driven almost 8,000 more miles and still haven't had any problem. Do you think I'm PUSHING MY LUCK? Or do I really need to get my car serviced again?"
剛纔我們說到，車子要定期保養，如果本應三千英里換一次機油，結果開到八千英里還不去的話，就是在 push your luck。老實說，我也犯過類似的錯誤。那天我鞋的後跟掉了，我就自己粘了回去，打算堅持兩天，週末有時間拿去修。我得意洋洋地穿着去上班，結果上班的路上鞋跟又掉了下來，害我當衆出醜。我當時唯一的想法是，I shouldn't have pushed my luck. 在下面這個例子中，一羣登山愛好者要做出一項十分艱難的選擇。讓我們一起聽聽看。
M: "My friend and I had planned this climb for months. And there we were, almost to the top.
But the sun was going down on us. Did we want to try and hurry? We decided not to PUSH OUR LUCK and risk an accident. After all, the mountain could wait until morning."
其中一個人說：我跟朋友們策劃這次行動已經好幾個月了，眼看就要到山頂的時候，偏偏太陽下山了。我們要決定，是否繼續攀登，但是大家最後決定，還是不要挺而走險，可以等到早上，以免發生事故。
英語裏有一句常說的話，叫 better safe than sorry，意思是寧可加倍小心，也要比發生意外好。還好這些登山愛好者比較明智，沒有 push their luck, 否則發生意外，後悔就完了。好的，我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: "My friend and I had planned this climb for months. And there we were, almost to the top. But the sun was going down on us. Did we want to try and hurry? We decided not to PUSH OUR LUCK and risk an accident. After all, the mountain could wait until morning."
Push one's luck 這個習慣用語可以追溯到二十世紀，也有人說得更簡單，就叫 push it. 我可以說，我先生不趕緊去看牙醫，是在 push it. 我沒有及時去修鞋，也是在 push it. 看來，我們大家都有這種時候。
好的，這次美國習慣用語就到此結束了。
M: This has been Words and Idioms. Until next time.
我們下次節目再見。
A: Yeah, I always push my luck when it comes to dental problems...I will think it's just a small cavity that could be fixed in a heartbeat, but it always turns out to be a bigger problem.
B: Exactly. You need to fix any health problems as soon as possible, otherwise you don't know what's going to happen. You just got to nip it in the bud.
A: 沒錯，消滅在萌芽狀態。
B: Actually in today's business etiquette, we are going to talk about a thing that can affect your health, smoking. Let's get some tips about how to quit smoking!
禮節美語 BE-231 Quit Smoking I
Daisy在公司走廊上跟同事Johnny打招呼。
Daisy: Hey Johnny, good to see you! How have you been? I haven't seen you in almost a month.
Johnny: Eleven days, six hours, 21 minutes, and let me ty something seconds.
D: en what?
J: Eleven days since my last cigarette!
D: for you! High five!
Daisy將近一個月沒見到Johnny，Johnny在這期間把煙戒了，戒菸已經持續了 eleven days, six hours, 21 minutes, and twenty something seconds. 11天6小時21分鐘20幾秒。Daisy對Johnny表示讚揚，說 good for you! 有你的。這時候女同事Kathy湊了過來。
Kathy: Good afternoon. What are we celebrating?
D: Johnny here has been trying to quit cigarettes for years!
J: And today I'm almost 2 weeks into my program!
K: Wow, congratulations! I quit 10 years ago, but then again, I was never really a serious smoker.
D: Johnny here was a three-pack-a-day man!
K: You smoked three packs a day??! That's some hard-core smoking! must have been very difficult to quit.
J: Well, I've only been smoke-free for 11 days so I can't pat myself on the back too much. But yes, it has been really ably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.
Kathy說自己是十年前戒的煙，但戒菸前其實抽得也不是很多，I was never a serious smoker. 這一點跟 Johnny 比大不一樣，Johnny原來每天抽三盒，He was a three-pack-a-day man. 英文里根據抽菸的多少，可以分爲 social smoker 偶爾抽着玩的人；light smoker 煙癮不大的人；heavy smoker 煙癮很大的人，還有 chain smoker 一根接一根抽的人，Johnny顯然就是這種人，a hard-core smoker 鐵桿菸民。Johnny說，自己剛剛戒了11天，還不能 pat myself on the back 自滿。to pat oneself on the back 是自我表揚，自我鼓勵的意思。 Daisy說，
D: I quit cold turkey, and that was pretty darn hard.
J: Quitting smoking takes a lot of willpower, but these days a lot of help is available if you look for it.
K: My uncle tried hypnosis. A specialist tried to hypnotize him to give him the suggestion that he should stop smoking.
J: Did it work?
K: He quit for a few months, but then he fell back into his old habit.
D: A lot of my friends have tried nicotine patches. Nicotine is an addictive drug and when you quit using it, you get seriously grumpy. Sometimes a patch can help reduce nicotine cravings.
戒菸需要毅力，It takes a lot of willpower. Daisy說自己當年說不抽就不抽了，to quit something cold turkey. 意思是乾淨利落地戒掉某種習慣。Kathy說，她叔叔曾嘗試過hypnosis催眠，hypnosis is spelled h-y-p-n-o-s-i-s, hypnosis, 動詞是 hypnotize, h-y-p-n-o-t-i-z-e, 但是隻堅持了幾個月，就又fell back into his old habit 重新撿起了舊習慣。Daisy說，他很多朋友都用 nicotine patches 尼古丁貼片，減少身體對尼古丁的 cravings, cravings 指強烈願望，在這是指對尼古丁的癮頭。戒菸還有其他什麼好辦法呢？我們下次繼續聽。
A: Johnny是個鐵桿菸民，a hard-core smoker, 原來每天都要抽三包。Daisy說，她當年戒菸，說不抽就不抽了，quit smoking cold turkey。Johnny覺得戒菸確實很難，it takes a lot of willpower, 需要很大的毅力。
B:Yeah definitely. Once your body is addicted to nicotine, it's pretty hard to get it out of your system.
A: 我爺爺原來就是鐵桿菸民，不過啊我天天在他的煙上寫吸菸有害，現在呢，他每天抽三根，也算是戒菸成功一半了!
B: It's always a good thing to have support from family and friends. Daisy is advising Johnny to participate in a therapy group so he can get support from people just like him. Let's keep listening!
禮節美語 BE-232 Quit Smoking II
Daisy和Kathy聽說同事Johnny戒菸，很替他高興。Kathy問Johnny是怎麼戒的。
K: What's worked so far?
J: Well, for starters, I saw a doctor who specializes in helping people quit smoking. The doctor recommended a therapy group that meets twice a week.
D: So everyone in the group is trying to quit smoking?
J: were all in the same boat. We have a buddy we need help, we call each other.
K: That's really great!
J: Also, the doctor recommended getting some exercise so I started doing some cycling. I could barely make it down the street for the first couple of days, but now I'm riding as much as 10 kilometers!
原來，Johnny專門找了個醫生，指導他如何戒菸，醫生建議他加入一個 therapy group 治療小組，小組成員都是想戒菸的菸民，同病相憐，they were all in the same boat. in the same boat是一個很常用的短語，意思是處境相同。另外，醫生還建議Johnny鍛鍊身體，騎自行車。
D: When you quit smoking you also have to change your lifestyle. I had to stop drinking too much beer, because when I drank, it made me want to smoke. I started eating more fruits and vegetables and I cut down on red meat.
K: Yeah, that makes sense. Change your ge your t a new you!
J: So far the toughest time is when I'm hanging out with friends in clubs, bars or KTVs.
D: I guess you'll just have to chew a lot of gum.
J: doctor told me to keep my mouth and hands busy! Chew gum, drink water, whistle, draw, hold a try to distract my mind.
Daisy說，戒菸的一部分是要改變生活習慣，比如他自己，原來愛喝啤酒，一喝啤酒就自然而然地想抽菸，所以爲了戒菸他索性連酒也少喝了，開始多吃蔬菜水果，並且 cut down on red meat. 少吃紅肉。to cut down on something 是減少的意思，red meat 紅肉，包括豬肉，牛肉，羊肉等，跟 red meat 相對的是雞肉和魚肉等 white meat. Johnny說，最痛苦的時候是跟朋友到夜總會和酒吧那種地方去，周圍抽菸喝酒的人太多，誘惑太大，醫生曾建議他，不要讓自己的嘴和手閒着，嚼口香糖，喝水，吹口哨，或者乾脆手裏拿根筆，都行。
K: I applaud your efforts to quit! I'm sure you'll be much happier in the long run.
D: Yeah...a couple of years from now, you look back and wonder how you could've ever been a smoker!
J: I hope use it's been pretty tough.
D: Don't worry; there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
K: Keep up the good work!
J: Thanks, guys!
最後，Kathy 和Daisy都鼓勵Johnny一定要堅持，Daisy說，there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 隧道盡頭能看到光明，類似中文裏說的曙光就在前面。
A: 戒掉不好的習慣就靠毅力! 戒菸戒酒都是一樣。
B: Yep, the key is to be persistent. It applies to everything.
A: 萬事開頭難! 接下去就好了。Speaking of which, I think it's time that you should start working on your sweets addiction...
B: Meh, I also exercise everyday, people!
A: 哈! 算了，不跟你貧! 咱們現在再來學個詞兒!
Learn A Word 1720 dress code
今天我們要學的詞是 dress code. dress is spelled d-r-e-s-s, dress, code, c-o-d-e, code, dress code. Dress code 着裝要求。Under Iran's Islamic dress code, women are required to cover their entire body in public. 根據伊朗的伊斯蘭教着裝要求，婦女在公共場合必須把身體遮蓋得嚴嚴實實的。美國伊利諾伊州一個學生因爲身穿美國海軍陸戰隊T恤衫，T恤衫上畫着兩支槍的圖案，被學校指責違反着裝標準。The student's father asked the school district to reconsider its dress code after the incident. 事發後，學生父親要求學校所在學區重新考慮對學生的着裝要求。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 dress code, dress code, dress code...
A: Yeah, different work places have different dress codes. I'm so glad we don't have any!
B:Yeah....I mean, I still want to dress up for work though. I feel like when I'm dressed in business professional clothes I'm more productive. Dressing the part really makes a difference.
A: Yeah, that's true. If I'm wearing something casual, I feel like I should be outside exploring the city....
B: Haha, we will have plenty of opportunities for that this weekend! Now let's move on to our last segment of the day!
A: 來聽今天的美國習慣用語， Make a dent in!
Words and Idioms 832 Make a Dent in
美國習慣用語第 832講
第一次用信用卡的人，都會覺得，這簡直太方便了，身上不用帶現金，就能想買什麼就買什麼。可以別忘了，刷卡也是花錢，銀行帳戶裏要有足夠的存款，賬單來的時候纔不會陷入被動。我侄女就是，第一次有了自己的信用卡，興奮得忘乎所以，結果付不起賬單，欠了信用卡公司很多錢，只好節衣縮食，用了整整一年的時間，才慢慢還上。這讓我想起了今天要學的習慣用語，叫
M: Make a dent in. Dent is spelled d-e-n-t. Make-a-dent-in. Make a dent in.
名詞 dent 在中文裏是凹痕的意思。Make a dent in something 這個習慣用語的意思就是取得初步進展。從剛纔我侄女的信用卡的例子裏，我們就能看到，要還清信用卡債務，有多困難。It is very difficult to make a dent in credit card debt. 所以一定不能大意。
生病總是難免的，特別是冬天。大家可能都有過類似經歷，在家歇幾天病假，回去上班時，會發現很多工作都在等着自己處理。讓我們聽聽下面例子裏這個可憐人是怎麼說的。
M: "After being home with the flu for a week, I finally returned to the office. I can't believe how much I missed. I've already spent two days trying to catch up on the pile of paperwork on my desk. But I've barely MADE A DENT IN it. There's still a lot more I need to do."
這個人抱怨說：我因爲流感在家歇了一星期的病假，真沒想到短短一個星期，會積累下這麼多工作。我花了整整兩天的時間，處理桌子上堆積如山的文件，但是好象一點也不見少，還是有一大堆需要處理。
我特別理解他的感受。前不久我去墨西哥渡了一個星期的假，沒帶電腦。結果回來後，信箱裏積累了好幾百封電子郵件，我整整用了一個晚上的時間，才基本上處理完畢。好的，讓我們再來聽聽上面那段話。
M: "After being home with the flu for a week, I finally returned to the office. I can't believe how much I missed. I've already spent two days trying to catch up on the pile of paperwork on my desk. But I've barely MADE A DENT IN it. There's still a lot more I need to do."
每年聖誕節前夕，商店裏都會擁擠不堪，大家都要給親朋好友購買禮物。對於很多人來說，這是一件躲不過去的頭疼事兒，但是下面這個顧客好象卻很有成就感。讓我們一起聽聽這是爲什麼。
M: "I come from a large family, so I have many people to buy for at Christmas. I'm usually rushing around in stores until the last minute, but this year is different. I'm really MAKING A DENT in my shopping list. Now I only have to pick up a few more presents and then I'll be ready."
這個人說：我來自一個大家庭，聖誕節要給很多人買禮物。往年我都要等到最後一分鐘才匆忙跑到店裏去採購，但是今年不同，購物清單上的很多東西都已經買齊了。如今只剩下幾件東西，我就萬事大吉了。
真是好樣的，加油！
最近，我們那個社區突然出現了很多胡亂塗鴉，破壞公物的情況。雖然警察局增派警力，加強巡邏，但絲毫沒有改善。It hasn't made a dent in it. 好的，我們再聽一下上面的例句。
M: "I come from a large family, so I have many people to buy for at Christmas. I'm usually rushing around in stores until the last minute, but this year is different. I'm really MAKING A DENT in my shopping list. Now I only have to pick up a few more presents and then I'll be ready."
有些事情不能操之過急。比如說，我女兒唸書的那所學校裏，去年學生□c讀考試的成績普遍下降。校長決定使用一套新教材。整整花了一年的時間，The teachers finally made a dent in test scores. 老師們終於幫助學生提高了考覈的成績。
好的，這次美國習慣用語就到此結束了。雖然英語裏有成千上萬的習慣用語，但是日積月累，必能滴水穿石。I am sure you are making a dent in them.
M: This has been Words and Idioms. Until next time.
我們下次節目再見。
A: I think all that running has worked Mike! I see you are making a dent in losing your beer belly!
B: Why thank you 楊琳! When you are ready to make a dent in those love handles you are free to come with me!
A:.....好了同學們，這次節目時間就到這裏了。
B: Tune in next time for American English Mosaic!
A: See you next time!
