VOA流行美语 Unit 183:learn the ropes和put a lid on
李华开始在图书馆打工,但是她告诉Larry她担心自己不能胜任这份工作。今天李华会学到两个常用语:learn the ropes和put a lid on it。
LH: 我实在搞不清楚怎么用图书馆的电脑系统。我好怕我会做错什么事情。
LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. You'll figure it out. It takes a little while to learn the ropes at a new job.
LH: Larry, 你在说什么啊?To learn the ropes? 我是在图书馆工作,又不是在体育馆里呢。我干吗要学习拉绳索。再说,图书馆里也没有绳索啊?
LL: No (laughing). "To learn the ropes" is an expression. It means to learn how to do something, especially something related to work.
LH: 噢,to learn the ropes就是学会怎么做某件事,特别是指跟工作有关的事。这个用法好奇怪噢。你知道这个常用语是怎么来的吗?
LL: The expression is related to sailing. When sailors first started working on a boat, they had to learn which ropes were attached to which sails.
LH: 原来这是从航海而来。没错,这水手一开始学必须学会哪条绳索是控制哪个风帆的。我也希望我能赶快学会图书馆的一套工作,不然我可能要被开除了!
LL: Don't worry, Li Hua. Everyone needs some time to learn the ropes at a new job. I'm sure your boss knows that.
LH: 对,每个人到一个新的工作岗位都需要时间才能熟悉自己的工作。可是我真想表现好一些,不让我老板失望。
LL: I'm sure you won't. When I started my most recent job, it took me about three weeks to learn the ropes.
LH: 你花了三个星期才学会你现在的工作啊?那你在那三个星期里有没有犯错呢?
LL: Of course, but no one minded because they knew that I was still learning the ropes.
LH: 你的同事真好。他们知道你是新人,所以你犯错,他们都很包容。那如果你现在还犯错,他们会怎么样?
LL: I don't have that excuse anymore, but my boss is still relatively understanding. He knows that everyone makes mistakes from time to time.
LH: 你现在再犯错误就没有借口了。可是,你的老板真好,很能理解工作人员。我希望我的老板也能如此。不过,谢谢你的安慰,Larry!
******
LH: 今天有个人来图书馆拿他订的书,可是书还没到。他对我好凶噢。我吓的都不知道该怎么办才好。
LL: I would have told him to put a lid on it. After all, it's not your fault.
LH: Put a lid on it? Lid那不是盖子的意思吗?我要他盖盖子做什么?
LL: Telling someone to "put a lid on it" is the same as telling him or her to shut up.
LH: 什么!Put a lid on it就是叫人闭嘴?我可不能那样做,那是很不礼貌的!
LL: Well, it sounds as though he was being really rude to you.
LH: 他虽然对我没礼貌,但我可不能学他那样。我是在那儿工作的,我可不能叫他闭嘴。
LL: Yeah, you're probably right. It wouldn't be very professional to tell the guy to put a lid on it.
LH: 我啊,只希望那个家伙再也别来图书馆了!
LL: If he does, you can give me a call and I'll come over and tell him to put a lid on it myself.
LH: 你别担心我啦。那个人要是再来找麻烦,我就直接找我的老板去和他谈喽!
LL: That's a good idea.
今天李华学到两个常用语。一个是learn the ropes,就是学习,掌握诀窍的意思,通常是指工作方面的事。另一个常用语是put a lid on it,这是叫人闭嘴的意思。
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