A: 美语训练班开始上课啦! 我是王怡茹。
B: And I’m Donny. 怡茹, 介绍一下今天学什么吧!
A: Sure! 今天这节课，我们要谈谈潜规则, 练练划艇, 看能不能找到一个靠谱的室友，还要告诉大家怎么用英文表示“掏心掏肺”。
B: Yiru, I know what you’re gonna say next–咱们先花一分钟，学一个词!
Learn A Word: courageous
今天我们要学的词是 courageous. Courageous有勇气的。The candidate made a courageous stand on the sensitive issue. 这位候选人在这个敏感问题上勇敢地表明了立场。He demonstrated traits of a courageous leader. 他表现出了勇敢的领导人所带有的特征。美国国防部长盖茨说，President Obama’s decision to give the go-ahead on a raid against Osama Bin Laden was one of the most courageous calls he has ever seen a President make. 盖茨说，美国总统奥巴马下令突袭本拉登是他所见过的总统做出的最果敢的决策之一。好的，今天我们学习的词是 courageous.
A: 又学了一个词! Courageous –勇敢的。对了Donny, 刚才有句话说，总统决定 give the go-ahead 什么什么，你给讲讲这个 go-ahead.
B: go-ahead就是把 go 和 ahead 放在一起变成一个词，It means a signal to proceed.
A: 哦，go-ahead，名词，是“批准，开绿灯”的意思。 比如，我可以说，My boss gave me the go-ahead to start the project. 老板批准我开始操作这个项目。
B: That’s right. 怡茹, Now I give you the go-ahead to move on to the next program.
A：啊？你批准我进入下一个节目？我才不需要你批准呢! 言归正传，咱们来听一集“美国习惯用语”。
Words and Idioms: Bare one’s soul
现在播送<美国习惯用语>第 933讲。我是晓北。
我是 Douglas Johnson.
前几天我参加大学同学的聚会。大家多喝了几杯之后，一个同学开始拉着我的手诉说她这些年来感情上的不如意。其实我和她在大学时并不怎么熟，现在她对着我，眼泪汪汪地讲述自己几次失恋的故事，让我颇为同情，同时也让我想到一个习惯用语：
Bare one’s soul. Bare is spelled b-a-r-e, and soul; s-o-u-l. Bare one’s soul.
Bare one’s soul 的意思是向别人掏心掏肺，展露自己的内心世界。我的这位大学同学， She bared her soul to me. 对我敞开了心扉，告诉我藏在她内心深处的事情。作为老同学，我衷心祝福她的情路能出现转机。不过，看她一杯接一杯喝酒，我倒有点担心她酗酒成瘾，如果真是那样，她就需要到下面这段话所提到的戒酒会寻求帮助了，我们一起来看看：
“The men and women at Alcoholics Anonymous have one goal in common: to stop drinking. When we meet, some of us talk about how our drinking has damaged our personal and professional lives. At first, it was hard for me to BARE MY SOUL. But, by sharing my pain as well as my strength and hope with others, I was able to stay sober and help others to recover.”
这段话是说：在戒酒互助组织“戒酒无名会”里，人们有共同的目标，那就是停止喝酒。在我们大家开会的时候，一些人会谈到酗酒怎样毁了自己的生活和事业。开始时，我很难向别人敞开心扉。可后来，通过向别人讲述我的痛苦、力量和希望，我做到了滴酒不沾，还能帮助其他人戒酒。
戒酒无名会的缩写是AA，这是一个匿名制的，是酗酒者帮助酗酒者的互戒会。在全世界近140个国家设有分部。AA的成功也受到模仿，人们成立类似的组织，通过互助的方式减肥、戒烟、抗癌等等。
我们一般都会对熟人敞开心灵，而对陌生人，您会愿意讲述自己的人生故事和最深层的感情么？咱们来看看下面这段话：
” ‘Taxicab Confessions’ is a popular late night TV show. It features taxi drivers secretly recording interviews with passengers who are being driven around New York City and Las Vegas. Some of these people don’t mind BARING THEIR SOULS. They like talking about their extreme tragedies and triumphs.”
这段话意思是：“的哥表白”是一档受欢迎的深夜电视节目。在节目中，纽约和拉斯维加斯的出租车司机们和车上的乘客聊天，并偷偷地录下谈话内容。有些乘客一点不在意对陌生人掏心掏肺，特别愿意告诉别人自己生活里的大悲大喜之事。
其实，这个节目并不是完全走偷拍路线，在乘客下车前，司机会告诉他们他们说的话已经被录像，乘客可以自己决定是否允许电视台播放。看来，有很多人并不在乎和全国电视观众掏心窝子!
今天我们学习的习惯用语是bare one’s soul，意思是“向别人敞开心扉，掏心掏肺”。这次[美国习惯用语]就到此结束，我是晓北，我是 Douglas Johnson。
A: To bare one’s soul，掏心掏肺，敞开心扉。
B: 怡茹, When was the last time you bared your soul to someone?
A: 我最后一次向别人敞开心灵之窗…应该是…两个小时前吧! 我给我妹打电话，聊心事。Donny，你要是愿意我也下班后和你好好聊聊!
B: Ah?! I really appreciate it. 但还是不用了吧。不说我了。怡茹, I remember last time we listened to a girl’s story about competing in a talent show. Any updates on the result?
A: 哦，你说的是阳光女生的海选吧。 赶快来听“美语怎么说”就知道比赛进展喽!
Jessica在北京学汉语，她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教她。今天是杨林要问的：潜规则。
YL: Jessica! 上次我给你的签名照呢？快还给我!
Jessica: Why? 你不是参加“阳光女生”的比赛，要当super star了么？
YL: 别提了! I got eliminated!
Jessica: 被刷下来了？!
YL: 是啊。虽然过了第一轮海选，可第二轮一上来就被刷了! 哼! 这里面肯定有潜规则! 对了，潜规则美语怎么说啊？
Jessica: Well, if you suspect the competition has some secret, back-door deals, you can say there are some “unspoken rules”.
YL: 哦，unspoken, u-n-s-p-o-k-e-n, unspoken就是“没有明说的”，rules规则；unspoken rules就是“潜规则”喽!
Jessica: That’s right! So, you think you were cut because the selection process wasn’t fair and open, like the competition is following some unspoken rules. Right?
YL: 没错! 我看，获胜者可能是内定的！
Jessica: If that’s true, then the whole competition is rigged!
YL: rigged?
Jessica: Yes! r-i-g-g-e-d, rigged 就是内定. It means the outcome has been predetermined by the producers.
YL: 哦，比赛结果被“内定”就是 rigged! 那还比个什么劲儿啊!
Jessica: I agree. Rigged competitions aren’t worth attending, because someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
YL: 等会儿，你说 someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes，“从后面拉线”，就是有人幕后操纵的意思，对不对？
Jessica: Exactly! So tell me what you’ve learned today!
YL: 第一“潜规则”在美语里叫 “unspoken rules”;
第二，说比赛结果内定，可以说 rigged；
第三，幕后操纵，叫 pull the strings from behind the scenes.
这次的美语怎么说就到这里。如果你也有不会说的词，请写信给 Jessica, 电邮请寄meiyu@voanews.com
A：惨啊惨啊，遭遇潜规则，被刷下去了。
B：这种选秀竞争太激烈，要出名哪有那么容易!
A: 更糟糕的是，The competition was rigged. 比赛被内定了! 真气人!
B：Calm down, 怡茹. Let’s listen to the next program–GoEnglish，美语三级跳。
Winnie: 大家好！今天为您播出“美语三级跳”节目“找房”单元的高级课程。
Professor: Jeff just rented an apartment, and today he is meeting Steve to see if they would get along as roommates.
Winnie: 找个合得来的室友太重要了。
Professor: In this section, listen for the word “compatible,” meaning “similar” or “suitable.”
Jeff: Hi Steve, it’s nice to meet you. I hear that you’re looking for an apartment, and I just rented a two-bedroom downtown. I’m looking for a compatible roommate.
Steve: Great, I’m looking for a place right in that area. Your apartment sounds ideal.
Jeff: Alright. So tell me, how would you describe yourself?
Steve: I’m pretty social and outgoing, and I like making new friends. But I’m not a party animal, and I like to keep the apartment clean.
Jeff: I’m like that too. I like to invite friends over sometimes, but I don’t want to have lots of crazy parties at the apartment.
Winnie: 他们俩人听起来挺投机。不过，Professor Bowman, Steve说自己不是”party animal”是什么意思？
Professor: A “party animal” is someone who loves to go out to crazy parties all the time.
Winnie: 哦，party animal 就是一天到晚参加疯狂派对的人。Steve 说自己outgoing“外向”，social“爱交朋友”，但没到每天开派对的地步。
Professor:Winnie, in the next section, listen for the word “laid-back.”
Jeff: You know, I’m a pretty laid-back person. I don’t like to have lots of arguments or worry about lots of things. For example, I like to keep the apartment clean too, but if it gets a little dirty once in a while, that’s not a big deal.
Steve: I totally agree. I really like my lifestyle to be drama-free, and I don’t want to argue about cleaning the apartment. My last roommate was a drama queen. Every time I forgot to take my shoes off, she got really mad and made a big deal out of it.
Jeff: Yeah, I really don’t want a lot of drama in the apartment. It’s important that we don’t get on each other’s nerves.
Steve: That’s right. We should try to be laid back and not do lots of things to bother one another.
Winnie: Professor, Jeff 说自己 laid-back，就是性格随和吧?
Professor: That’s right!
Winnie: 那Steve和Jeff说了好多什么drama、“drama queen”的，这都是什么意思啊？
Professor: “Drama” is a short form of the word “dramatic.” If someone is always taking small problems and acting as if they are a really big deal, you can say he “creates a lot of drama.”
Winnie: 噢，drama是“是非”的意思，爱没事找事的家伙就是”drama queen.”
Professor: Exactly. If you lived with a drama queen, he or she would probably “get on your nerves,” meaning “bother you a lot.” Well, Winnie, in this next section, listen for the word “pet peeve,” meaning “a small problem that really bothers you.”
Jeff: Well I’m glad you’re laid back like me. But tell me, do you have any pet-peeves?
Steve: Actually, yes. I really hate living with mooches. They always eat all of your food and ask you to pay for everything.
Jeff: I know! Mooches really get on my nerves. My last roommate was a big mooch. Every time we went out to a restaurant, when the bill came he would always say he didn’t have any money and ask me to lend him some. And he never paid me back!
Steve: I really think it’s important for each roommate to pull his weight around the house. It’s really unfair if only one of the roommates is doing all the work.
Jeff: Exactly. We each need to pull our weight by cleaning the dishes, taking out the garbage and paying the bills. I think we would be good roommates. Do you want to move in?
Steve: Sounds great!
Winnie: 哈，pet peeve就是最让受不了的事。我也受不了mooches, 这些小气鬼！对了，他们还说有些室友don’t pull their weight，这是什么意思？
Professor: People who don’t pull their weight are those who don’t do their share in a common task. If you had a roommate who doesn’t pull his weight around the house, you would have to do all the housework.
Winnie: Steve和Jeff性格简直就是一个模子里刻出来的，一定能成为好室友。
A: Donny, 我怎么觉得，找个室友也跟选秀比赛似的，还得去面谈!
B: That’s true, but at least this selecting process is not rigged.
A: 哈哈，那倒是。看来，Jeff 找到了一个和自己compatible，谈得来的室友，他这个人 outgoing 性格外向，laid-back 为人随和，既不是drama queen 没事找事的人，也不是mooch 贪便宜的小气鬼。
B: Actually, I don’t blame Jeff for being a little picky when it comes to finding the perfect roommate. A terrible roommate, just like a terrible co-worker, can make your life miserable.
A: 说得对! 糟糕的室友就像讨厌的同事，会让你烦恼不已。说到同事之间的相处，咱们来听听“礼节美语”，了解一下 office power struggles, 办公室里的权力斗争。
礼节美语–Power Struggles 第一部分
David在走廊上遇到同事Sandra，Sandra看上去很生气。
David: Hey Sandra, what’s wrong? You look furious!
Sandra: I’ve had it with Tim! I think I’m going to quit!
D: But Sandra…you love your job! You spent months trying to get this position. It’s perfect for you!
S: Yeah…I know. But I’m sick and tired of all the office power struggles!
D: What kind of power struggles are you talking about?
David看见同事 Sandra怒气冲冲的– you look furious, 问她出了什么事。Sandra 说受够了 Tim，I’ve had it with Tim. 表达受够了某人某事可以说 have had it with someone or something. 比如 I’ve had it with Jackie. She won’t stop complaining. 意思是我真受不了Jackie，她老是抱怨个没完没了。Sandra说，I’m sick and tired of all the office power struggles. to be sick and tired of something是受够了的另外一种表达方式。原来，Sandra是对办公室的争权夺利感到厌倦。她说的 Tim 是个什么样的人呢？
S: Basically, I think Tim is threatened by me. I’m doing a better job than he is so he’s trying to sabotage my career!
D: So he talks about you behind your back?
S: Yes. He’s all nice and friendly to my face. But the second I turn around he stabs me in the back!
D: You know I had a worker like that once. She was always taking credit for my ideas.
Sandra觉得，自己比Tim能力强，对Tim构成威胁，所以他才会故意给自己找麻烦，sabotage is spelled s-a-b-o-t-a-g-e, sabotage, sabotage是故意破坏的意思。David问，so he talks about you behind your back? to talk about someone behind someone’s back背后说某人坏话。Sandra说，他当着我的面很友善，我一转身离开，他就背后捅我一刀，He stabs me in the back. David颇有同感，说自己也遇到过这种人，以前就有个女同事总把David想出的好主意说成是自己的，She was always taking credit for my ideas. to take credit for something 意思是把某种成绩归功于自己。
D: After a while I learned to document my work very clearly so the boss knew 100% that this was my work.
S: That’s a good idea. I should keep a better record of my correspondence with the clients so if necessary I can prove it was my effort.
D: My co-worker had a whole bunch of bad office habits. She liked to name-drop…we would be in a meeting and she would say, “yesterday I was chatting with Tom.” She meant Tom Solomon…our CEO.
David 又说，自己那个讨厌的同事有很多坏毛病，其中之一就是 name-drop, name-drop意思是提起名人，以便提高自己的身价，喜欢这样做的人就是 name-dropper.
A: 好家伙! 又是sabotage–搞破坏，又是stab me in the back–背后下黑手， 还要take credit for other people’s work冒领别人的功劳! 这办公室里真是险恶啊!
B: 要不怎么说，有人的地方就有江湖。
A: Okay, Donny, you’re getting philosophical. 咱们还是轻松一下，去划个船，散散心吧!
American Sports English: Crew
Y: Hi, this is Yang Chen.
P: And I’m Patrick. So, today Yang Chen we are going to be introducing everyone to the sport called crew. C-R-E-W.
Y: That’s right. Crew也叫 rowing，就是划艇运动。
P: Crew or rowing is a sport with an ancient history, but the first races took place in England.
Y: 最早的Crew比赛始于英国，在牛津这些英国大学非常流行。不过划艇运动也是美国大学校园历史最悠久的一项体育活动。
P: Crew involves teams of 2, 4 or 8 rowers in a row boat called a shell.
Y: 划艇用的船叫做shell。这是一项集体运动，有两人，也有四人或八人一组的。
P: A shell can be very long. A shell for a team of eight rowers is about 60 feet long!
Y: Whoa, 60 feet，那就等于是18米多！
P: To row a boat that long requires a lot of upper body strength and endurance.
Y: Upper body strength 上半身要有力气，尤其是臂力。Look at my muscles, Patrick.
P: Very impressive. I think you should take up the sport of crew or rowing and maybe someday you can participate in the Olympic games.
Y: Nah. 我虽然有 Upper body strength，但是endurance耐力不够。Hmm，I could use some exercise.
P: What do you say we head to the gym and do some serious rowing?
Y: Let’s go!
A: Donny, 咱们下班后可以一起去gym, 练划艇! 加强Upper body strength!
B: Sounds like a plan! I’m in!
A: 太好了! 好，今天的节目就到这里。节目的撰稿人是晓北，编辑是蔚然。同学们，我们下次的美语训练班再见!
B: Bye!