美語訓練班第69課:走極端 冷幽默

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: 好滴! 今天，我們要帶你去看看美國的藥店，聊聊怎麼健身保持體型，學學怎麼表達走極端，還要告訴你怎麼說"冷幽默"!

B: Oh, dry humor? Its one of my many expertise!

A: Well, I think that's your only expertise! (Mike: ouch) 不過現在，咱們還是先來進入第一個單元，Learn a Word!

Learn A Word 1568 across the board

今天我們要學的詞是 across the board. Across is spelled a-c-r-o-s-s; board is spelled b-o-a-r-d, across the board. Across the board 指所有人，所有方面。最新調查顯示，The number of young adults living with their parents has risen across the board, no matter their age, race or geographic locations. 跟父母住在一起的年輕成年人全面增加，不論年齡，種族，也不論地理位置。美國房屋市場7月底公佈的數字顯示，Housing prices are up across the board from a month before. 跟一個月前的數字相比，房價普遍上漲。在福布斯雜誌公佈的最新大學排名中，普林斯頓名列第一。Princeton is doing really well across the board. 普林斯頓大學的各項表現都很出色。好的，今天我們學習的詞是 across the board, across the board, across the board...

A: 讓我也來造個句, 哦有了! Across the board, our listeners prefer my voice to yours.

B: 楊琳，I hope that's supposed to be dry humor because otherwise you are horribly out of touch with reality.

A: 哈哈，好了好了。咱們休戰，好吧? (笑) So, what did you do over the weekend?

B: Oh I took an artist friend out to dinner. She does paintings for business offices but the bad economy means that few businesses are spending money on art. So she's having some trouble making ends meet.

A: 哈? 藝術家阿?

B: Yeah, My friend says that life as an artists is hard because work.is either feast or famine.

A: 哦，藝術家的生活確實沒太多保障。不過既然你已經提到了feast and famine, 咱們就來聽聽這個習慣用語的用法吧!

Words and Idioms #982

現在播送美國習慣用語第 982講。我是楊琳。

M：我是Dan Markus.

最近我的小外甥特別高興。他今年剷雪賺了不少錢，正好可以用這些錢來買新的電子遊戲。今年下了不少雪，所以他也賺得很多。可去年冬天天氣就特別暖和，所以他一點活兒都沒有。在英語裏，我們可以用一個習慣用語來形容這種情形:

M: Feast or famine. Feast is spelled f-e-a-s-t, feast; and famine; f-a-m-i-n-e. Feast or famine.

Feast 是盛宴的意思，而 famine 是饑荒，feast or famine 意思就是走極端，要麼多得要命，要麼少得可憐。上面的例子裏，我外甥的工作要不就是多得數不過來，要不就是一點都沒有。 It's been either FEAST OR FAMINE。在下面的例子裏，我們來聽聽一個爵士樂手的經歷，你就能明白爲什麼藝術有時候只能當作一種愛好了。

M: "I love playing in a jazz band. But I can't rely on it for a full-time salary. During the spring and summer, we get hired a lot to play at weddings, outdoor concerts and festivals. Then, once the cooler temperatures set in, we don't get that many jobs at all. It's FEAST OR FAMINE."

這段話是說：我很愛在爵士樂隊裏演出。但是我不能靠這個來謀生。春夏兩個季節，我們經常去各種婚禮，室外演唱會和節日場合演出。可是一旦天氣開始變冷，我們的工作機會就沒那麼多了。忙的時候忙死，閒的時候閒死。]

這也讓我想起我的一個鄰居。她是個畫家，儘管大多數時候生活還行，可是有些時候手頭也會覺得緊。這是因爲經濟好的時候，人們有足夠的錢來享受生活，也會更多地投資藝術品。可是每當經濟不好的時候，人們可能什麼都不會買。For painters or musicians, it's either FEAST OR FAMINE. 對畫家或音樂家來說，就是這麼，活多的時候忙死，活少的時候閒死。好的，讓我們再來聽聽剛纔那段話:

M: "I love playing in a jazz band. But I can't reply on it for a full-time salary. During the spring and summer, we get hired a lot to play at weddings, outdoor concerts and festivals. Then, once the cooler temperatures set in, we don't get that many jobs at all. It's FEAST OR FAMINE."

對於美國人來說，夏天有很多旅遊勝地，其中一個是Cape Cod 鱈魚角。這是美國馬塞諸塞州的一個半島，由於氣候涼爽宜人，人們喜歡在夏天去那裏休閒度假。讓我們來聽聽旅遊記者是怎麼介紹的:

M: "Cape Cod is the eastern tip of Massachusetts. It's always been a popular destination for tourists in the summer who enjoy activities like going to the beach, fishing or whale watching. For providers of goods and services there, business used to be rather FEAST OR FAMINE. But people are now living in the area year-round. So business is much more constant."

這段話是說: 鱈魚角位於馬塞諸塞最東部。在夏天，這裏是一個旅遊勝地。人們喜歡去海灘，釣魚或者出海看鯨魚。對於在那裏買東西或是提供各種服務的人來說，過去生意不穩定，忙的時候特別忙，淡的時候特別淡。不過現在，很多人常年住在那裏，所以生意也就比較平衡穩定了。]

的確是這樣。很多以季節爲賣點的旅遊勝地，旅遊旺季生意就多，旅遊淡季生意就少。For a ski resort or a beach, business has always been FEAST OR FAMINE. 比如滑雪場或者海灘，生意就是時好時壞。我覺得，這些地方應該開發其他服務項目，設法常年吸引顧客。好的，讓我們再來聽聽剛纔那段話:

M: "Cape Cod is the eastern tip of Massachusetts. It's always been a popular destination for tourists in the summer who enjoy activities like going to the beach, fishing or whale watching. For providers of goods and services there, business used to be rather FEAST OR FAMINE. But people are now living in the area year-round. So business is much more constant."

今天我們學習的習慣用語是feast or famine, 意思是“極端化，時好時壞”。好的，這次[美國習慣用語]就到此結束，我是楊琳，我是Dan Markus。謝謝各位的收聽。

A : Feast and famine, 走極端。That seems to describe our situation pretty well. While I'm always super busy, you always seem to be doing nothing. 哎，沒辦法，能幹的人總是這麼忙呀!

B: Hey，after spending 5 years in America, you've finally learn how to do dry humor!!! We've Americanize you!

A: What? 纔沒有! 我可是取其精華，去其糟粕! I think dry humor is a very important part in American culture, people always appreciate if you have a good sense of humor.

B: Yep, actually one of the top things that American's look for in a significant other is a good sense of humor.

A: 對! 在下面的美語怎麼說裏，我們就要帶你去看看各種幽默笑話要怎麼說!

B: Let's listen!

How to say it in American English

Jessica 在北京學漢語，她的中國朋友要是遇到了不知道用美語怎麼說的詞，就會來請教她。今天是Luis要問的：冷幽默。

LZ: Jessica, you won't believe it! Last night, I met the funniest guy ever!

Jessica: No way! 他怎麼好玩兒了？Did he wear bunny ears?

LZ: 頭上戴着兔耳朵？這種是幼兒園級的搞笑，沒勁! 這人的特點是，每句話都特逗，可是自己從來不笑! 對了，這種冷幽默在美語裏要怎麼說呢？

Jessica: We call that dry humor. With dry humor, the emphasis is not on funny facial expressions or exaggerated body moves, rather, it's the joke itself that's really humorous.

LZ: 哦，dry humor, 不靠誇張的表情和動作，純粹靠笑話本身好笑。The guy I was talking about did have a dry sense of humor.

Jessica: I bet he kept a straight face while telling jokes that made everyone else laugh their pants off!

LZ: exactly! 別人都笑翻了，就他自己面無表情地繼續講。這人的冷幽默在party上特受人歡迎。以前大家爲了找樂子，頂多就是講幾個葷段子。哎？這“葷段子”又要怎麼說呢？

Jessica: We call them "off-color jokes." The most common off-color jokes are about sex, but they can also touch on violence, ethnic groups or other impolite topics.

LZ: 原來葷段子就是off-color jokes, 除了情色內容，還可以是別的有冒犯性的話題。

Jessica: Off-color jokes can be really offensive to those who aren't that close to you or don't share your sense of humor. So, use them carefully.

LZ: 沒錯，講葷段子得分對什麼人，不熟的朋友可別講! 啊，說了這麼多段子，幽默，我真是躍躍欲試!

Jessica: What? Give what a try?

LZ: 我本來就是個特有幽默感的人，我覺得我能成一單口相聲演員!

Jessica: A standup comedian? You?

LZ: 原來, Standup comedian 就是單口相聲演員，那行，I'll make standup comedian one of my career goals!

Jessica: Is this dry humor? 'Cos I didn't get it!

LZ: 今天我們學了，冷幽默是dry humor; 葷段子off-color jokes; 單口相聲演員是standup comedian.

A: Standup comedian! Oh my gosh, I L-O-V-E Russell Peters!

B: Russell Peters is pretty funny. I'm more of a 相聲 guy myself though

A: 哇，你這麼中國吶! 不過也是，我記得我小時候生病的時候，爸爸就給我放中央臺相聲，一樂我就好了!

B: Hahaha, yep, in English we have a saying: "laughter is the best medicine"! When you are really sick, you still need to go the doctor or get some medicine! In today's Go English, we will take you to an American drug store!

A: 對，在美國，醫院和藥店是分開的，我們趕快去聽聽看吧!

Health: Beginner

大家好！今天我們爲您播出“美語三級跳”節目“醫藥”單元的初級課程。

Helen 覺得不舒服，要去藥店買藥。Professor Bowman, “藥店”的英文我知道兩個，一個是drug store, 還有一個是pharmacy， p-h-a-r-m-a-c-y.

Professor: Yes, Winnie, they are both stores where you buy medicine. In this first section, Helen is talking to the pharmacist to get recommendations on what kind of medicine she should take.

Pharmacist: Hello. Can I help you?

Helen: Yes, I haven't been feeling well lately and need some medicine.

Pharmacist: I see. Do you have a prescription?

Helen: No, I just want some non-prescription medicine.

Professor: So Winnie, what kind of medicine does Helen want?

藥店的pharmacist - 藥劑師問Helen是不是要買 prescription medicine-- 處方藥，不過Helen說她只想買點 non-prescription medicine--非處方藥。

Professor: That's right. Prescription is spelled p-r-e-s-c-r-i-p-t-i-o-n, prescription. Sometimes people also call non-prescription medicine "over-the-counter" medicine.

哦，counter是櫃檯的意思，所以"over-the-counter" medicine，就是“直接從櫃檯抓的藥”，也就是不需要醫生開的非處方藥。

Professor: Now let's hear what's wrong with Helen.

Pharmacist: Before I can recommend some medicine, I need to know your symptoms.

Helen: My stomach has been hurting, and I have had a bad headache.

Pharmacist: Sure, I have a very good medicine for those symptoms.

Helen: I hope it works! I've really been feeling under the weather.

原來，Helen感覺胃疼，頭疼。 Professor, 我猜symptom就是“症狀”的意思吧？

Professor: Exactly! symptom is spelled s-y-m-p-t-o-m, symptom. Doctors will ask you to describe your symptoms so that they can diagnose what is wrong with you.

對，醫生要聽病人講了症狀之後，才能診斷。對了， professor, Helen還說 she is feeling "under the weather"，這是什麼意思？

Professor: That's just a common phrase to say that you are feeling sick. For example, I didn't go to work yesterday because I was feeling under the weather.

哦，under the weather就是“感覺身體不舒服”。真希望藥劑師能給Helen推薦一些有效的藥。

Pharmacist: Take this medicine once in the morning and once at night. You will feel much better.

Helen: OK, what is the dose?

Pharmacist: There are two pills per dose.

Helen: And are there any side effects?

Pharmacist: It may make you feel drowsy, so don't drive after taking it.

Professor, 什麼叫“dose”?

Professor: The dose, d-o-s-e, is the amount of medicine you should take.

MC: 哦，dose 就是服藥的劑量。藥劑師讓Helen早晚各吃一次藥，每次的量是 two pills--兩片兒。

Professor: Right. And did you hear what the side effects of this medicine are?

嗯，這個藥有side effects--副作用，那就是 Helen可能會覺得drowsy--睏倦，想睡覺。所以，藥劑師說，在吃了這些藥之後，不要隍7d車。

Pharmacist: Before I give this to you, I need to ask one last question. Do you have any allergies?

Helen: I'm not allergic to any medicine, although I have an allergy to peanuts.

Pharmacy: That isn't a problem. There aren't any peanuts in this medication.

Helen: Well thank you very much for your help. I will follow the directions.

Pharmacist: If you don't feel better, you should schedule a doctor's appointment to get a diagnosis.

Professor: So Winnie, did you hear what Helen is allergic to?

allergic就是指對什麼東西過敏，Helen說她對藥物並不過敏，不過，她對peanuts--花生，過敏。

Professor: Right. And what did the pharmacist tell Helen to do if her symptoms don't get better?

他說，如果吃了藥不見好，就要去看醫生。我總覺得，問問醫生的意見比較保險，醫生總比藥劑師強吧？

Professor: But don't you think this pharmacist sounds pretty good?

那就要看Helen吃了這些藥，效果如何嘍!

A: 原來，Helen感覺under the weather,身體不舒服，於是去藥店想買一些over the counter medicine, 非處方藥。 藥師向她推薦了一種藥，而這種藥有個輕微的side effect，副作用，就是容易疲倦，get drowsy.

B: Yep, a pharmacist's advice is pretty useful when you don't have time to see a doctor.

A:我也是這麼覺得，在美國要是生了病我可懶得去看醫生，還得預約，太麻煩了!

B: True true. the best thing you can do is to try and live a healthy lifestyle, that way you won't get sick easily.

A: Exactly! 少吃多運動! 不過吧，對我來說，我又不愛運動，又愛吃....

B: You really should come to the gym with me! If start now I might be able to help you work off those love handles before you 90.

A: 你說什麼 呢??，That had better have been dry humor! 好了好了，不說咱們了，在下面的business etiquette裏，三個公司高管要開會討論員工保健項目! 咱們一起去聽聽看!

禮節美語 - Fitness Program - part I

公司高管 Peter, Jason 和 Helen 開會討論員工保健項目。Peter 首先發言。

Peter: Well folks, we've come to the last item on our agenda: our corporate wellness program.

Jason: Yeah, I'm very interested to see where you're going to do with this. It's a very delicate issue.

P: Yes, it can be. But here's our general thinking: if employees are healthier the company benefits and makes more profit. Making more profit is good for everyone in the company.

會議最後一項議事日程是公司的保健項目。The last item on the agenda is the corporate wellness program。這是個 delicate issue 很棘手、很微妙的問題。Peter 解釋說，員工健康會增加公司的利潤，公司利潤的提高對大家都有好處。

P: Studies show that when employees are fit, there is less illness, a better attitude toward work, lower absenteeism and even better

relationships at work.

Helen: Ok...I get you. But I'm concerned about our company becoming a kind of "big brother." Is it really our job to tell our workers how to care for themselves?

有研究說，僱員健康的好處包括：少生病，工作態度改善，少請假，以及更爲融洽的同事關係。這裏的 absenteeism, a-b-s-e-n-t-e-e-i-s-m, 是缺席的意思。Helen 說，I get you. 我明白你的意思。但她擔心公司會成爲對員工指手劃腳的 big brother 過於專制的老大哥。

P: Well, let me explain the idea. The first part is on our side. We in management need to provide some kind of affordable exercise options. I've spoken to several of our designers who say they would definitely sign another year's contract if we could provide exercise options.

J: So part of the plan is an effort to retain talent?

P: Yep. And to that end we will be turning the basement level into a small workout center with a shower.

Peter 解釋說，公司要提供某種形式的健身項目，目的之一是 to retain talent. 留住人才。爲此，公司準備把地下室改造成帶淋浴的小型健身中心，a small workout center with a shower.

H: I like that. Then we could be flexible with what time we workout.

Come in early, stay late or even grab a workout during a lunch would be great.

P: It requires some investment on our part, but we really do believe it could boost productivity.

J: I'm on board for that!

這樣一來，大家健身的時間可以很機動，very flexible, 可以早來、可以晚走，也可以利用午飯時間，during lunch break. Jason 說，I'm on board for that. 我支持。

A: 公司高管們們在討論在辦公大樓裏修建一個健身中心，他們認爲勞役結合才能夠retain talents, 留住人才。Peter認爲應該build a small workout center with a shower, 建一個帶淋浴得小型健身中心，這樣讓員工們能夠保持健康，心情愉快，自然boost productivity, 提高生產力。

B: I think that's a great idea. I go to the gym in our building after work everyday. It's convenient and it definitely helps me to relax after a long day of work.

A: 可是我一跑步就覺得好累好無聊.....

B: That's the beauty of the gym. You don't necessarily need to run, there's a lot of weights and fitness machines you can use. I'm sure you can find something that you enjoy!

A: That's true! 好啦，咱們接着回到節目裏來，Peter提出了一個棘手的問題，咱們一起來看看高管們有什麼解決方案!

禮節美語 - Fitness Program - part II

公司高管 Peter, Jason 和 Helen 開會討論員工保健項目。大家都贊成把地下室改成健身中心。然而，Peter 提出了一個棘手的問題。

P: Now comes the sensitive part -- setting standards and setting penalties for non-compliance.

H: Oooh. That is tough.

P: Take smoking for example. Smoking tobacco is legal - of course - but our records show we pay roughly 25% more in medical costs for our employees who smoke. Is that fair to the other employees or to the company?

如果員工不按規定做，該怎麼辦，這個問題很敏感 sensitive。Take smoking for example. 比如說吸菸。Peter 說，公司爲吸菸員工支付的醫療費用比不吸菸的人多百分之25，這種情況對其它員工、對公司公平嗎？

H: That's an interesting point. A person's actions really do have a bigger effect than we think they do.

J: As they say: "No man is an island."

P: That's right. 's an even more delicate situation. What do we do with people who are seriously overweight or obese?

No man is an island 沒有人是孤島，意思是說你的行動一定會影響到別人。除了吸菸的員工外，還有一類員工也很讓人頭疼，那就是體重超重或是肥胖的人。overweight 是超重的意思，如果更嚴重的話，就變成了 obese, o-b-e-s-e, 肥胖。

J: me?

(Laughter)

H: You're not that bad, Jason!

J: Well, I'm certainly overweight. I've been carrying around an extra 20 pounds for years now.

P: Well, you're certainly not alone. Weight is a serious problem faced by many in this country. But again, our records show that obese people also cost a great deal more to insure and their medical conditions are much more expensive to deal with. We don't want to be callous, but it's affecting our bottom line.

J: Well, I'd personally love to lose some weight and the new gym might help.

Jason 承認自己體重超標。他說，I've been carrying around an extra 20 pounds for years now. 很多年來，我的體重一種超標20磅。Peter 說，you are certainly not alone. 意思是超重絕不是你一個人的問題。雖然我們不想不盡人情，we don't want to be callous, c-a-l-l-o-u-s, 意思是冷酷無情，但是這個問題已經影響到了公司的 bottom line. Bottom line 指的是公司的利潤底線。Jason 說，他個人其實很想減肥，新開的健身房說不定會對他有幫助。

A: You know what, I think I've been carrying an extra 5 pounds....怎麼辦? 怎麼辦?

B: Well, I mean, I could be your personal trainer.... for a minor fee

A: 你啊? 還是算了吧...