翻译辩误之－抛砖和拍砖
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
19楼上有人把自己翻译的一段话发上来抛砖引玉。对方确实抛了一块砖，但是我也不敢说我就抛过去一块玉，这样说会被人耻笑，所以也只能拍一块砖过去。
以下是抛砖哥的原文：
采取纠正和预防措施是否按规定程序进行。
whether it has been executed according to the required management on the procession of the product packing and delivering
生产现场的安全设施，工序布局等是否有安全隐患，是否满足有关规定要求。
Moon and Run
The Idiot’s Guide To Highway Mooning
Back From Ensiferum’s Shanghai Gig
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
We went to Ensiferum’s Shanghai live last night. Ensiferum’s a Finnish melodic death me<fix>tal band. they are regarded as one of the three finest me<fix>tal bands in Finland. There were a long long line when i got to there. my friend took a u-turn in order to find a parking space…we didn’t find one, so he could only park his car under the railroad. a lot of people are waiting outside the bar. i got a bad feeling that those people were gonna ruin the night.
i found the place was crammed with fans when we got in. we were packed like sardines there. when the show began, we tried to bounce around and do headbanging as we did before…but every time when we tried to jump off the ground, we were dragged down by other sardines…damn…we really wanted to blow off steam…and vent our depression. my friend river almost got suffocated there…some dudes started yelling: turn off the fucking air conditioner!!!!there were like 10 people in one squre meter!!!! i sweated a lot and wanted to get a beer at the bar.but i totally got stuck in the "people-mountain-people-sea"….
i’ve got to say the band was really good. .but the sponsor 育音堂 just wanted to make money by selling as many tickets as they could….they didn’t even think about us. they stole the moshing part of the show. a moshingless me<fix>tal concert is not really a me<fix>tal concert. now i know how mercenary motive ruins the art.
Better Off Ted 学习笔记（一）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
I’m not sure what is causing the problem, but I’m determined to get to the bottom of it.
英语表达方式纷繁复杂，我认为所有的在中国长大的人讲英语都不可避免地在表达方式本身和口音上或多或少带有中式英语的痕迹，但是我们的中式英语表达就像是一杯盐水，而我们平时的积累和运用就是无尽的清水，平时的积累和运用越多，中式英语这杯盐水的浓度就越淡，我们也就讲得越地道。
初学者必须记住并深刻理解一句句的地道表达方式并尝试将其用于自己的英语表达当中。
英语教学方法论之—旁敲侧击
一开始一个男生说
I will create a schedule to arrange my dates properly. And no one of them gets to get a hold of the schedule. I will save it very safely.
我需要做个schedule来合理安排约会。而且要妥善保存这张schedule，以免被她们看到。这个男生能一开始就不假思索提出这个措施，可见是有切实的管理经验的。专业人士的idea一下子把讨论提高到了专业层面，为下面的讨论开了个好头。发现其他学生接下来提出的措施也都很实用。
Firstly, in order to manage multiple boyfriends, I need to get multiple SIM cards.
Ever time when I’m with one of them, I will turn off my cellphone.
I will pick up boyfriends from different social circles. I’m more likely to get caught if they happen to have some mutual friends.
不要在同一个圈子里面找男朋友。要是他们刚好认识同一个人，那就很可能被发现了。It’s very important to separate by distance. I won’t get too many girlfriends in Hangzhou. that would be too risky. I will take the opportunity to get a girlfriend when I go to another city for business. It’s like setting up franchises.
I will save their names on my cell phone by animal’s names.
The girl who fails to get a good performance evaluation by the end of each year will be dumped. What’s the word again? Yeah…she will be eliminated.
No one of them gets to give me a love bite.
I will give my friends the necessary training. I mean…they should learn to cover for me. So I can maximize the chance of getting caught.
Well. I’ve heard a lot sad stories about girlfriends getting to know each other on the Qzones or those social networking websites. So limiting their access to my qzone, renren.com pages will be done first thing. I will just close my spaces if they file complaints against the authorization thing. If I’ve got the time and patience, I will try to get multiple accounts and specialize the contents on each space for different boyfriends. Sometimes customization ensures customer satisfaction. But if I spend too much time and energy on that, I wouldn’t have the time to set up more franchises.
I might end up in some real awkward situations. So it’s crucial to think of some excuses in advance.. I’m willing to pay for some seminars to improve my lying techniques.
看Better Off Ted学职场英语×（2）
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Ted: Okay, everybody’s here.
人到齐啦。
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Since everybody’s here, let’s get started/let call this meeting to order.
Call a meeting to order 是在与会人员到齐后要做的事情，也就是开始开会了。比较正式。
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Linda: Okay! Everybody’s here.
好的！人到齐啦。
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Ted: I know you’re co-leading this, but that doesn’t mean just repeating what I say.
我知道我们共同主持会议，但这不意味着只需重复我的话就可以了。
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Lead the meeting=run/preside over the meeting=主持会议
Co-lead the meeting也就是共同主持会议了。
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Linda: Maybe you’re repeating what I say just before I get a chance to say it.
或许是你抢在我开口之前重复我要说的话。
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Ted: Okay, Linda. Why don’t you take the meeting?
好吧，Linda。请开始主持会议吧。
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Why don’t you do sth是在建议/邀请/要求别人的时候用的。 不过我们中国人很少会用 “为什么你不搬张椅子坐下呢？”这样的方式来讲话，通常我们都直接说“请”了。
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Linda: All right, I will. Ted, bring us up to speed.
好的。我会的。Ted。先给我们介绍下目前的情况吧。
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Bring up to speed： If you bring someone up to speed, you tell them all the necessary information they need about something.
中文的意思差不多是：介绍一下目前的情况，我们现在项目的进展等。
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Ted: All right. First of all, let’s talk about a timeline.
好的。首先，我们讨论下项目的进度安排。
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Timeline 是时间表，日程安排，时间安排的意思。
比如你做一个market research proposal（市场调查方案）就会放上timeline，把你们的events罗列在上面。
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Linda: Timeline, people.
进度安排，大家。
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Ted: Because some of us who have never run a project before may not realize it can take years to go from an idea to a workable prototype. Am I right, fellas?
我们中间有些人从来没负责过什么项目，他们可能还不知道没个好几年是无法将一个创意变成可投入生产的样品的。我说得没错吧，兄弟们？
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Run是管理，照料的意思
Run a meeting/project/house/business/company., etc
To go from an idea to a workable prototype
Prototype指的是公司开发出来的产品雏形，样品，而一个workable prototype就是那种最终样品了，可以投入量产，拿来卖后就成了商品了。
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Lem and Phil: Absolutely.
所言即是！
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Ted: See?
看到了吧？
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Phil: But in this case, the concept was so elegantly simple that we banged one out this morning.
不过我们这次情况不同，这个概念实在是太简单巧妙了，我们早上就整出了一个。
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Elegant：describes an idea, plan or solution that is clever but simple, and therefore attractive
用来形容想法，计划或者解决方法很巧妙，但是很简单而且招人喜欢。
学习的一个建议：我们在看电视剧的时候，要捧着本字典，耐心地去寻找和电视剧的context能对应上的释义，不要盲目地拿自己脑子里面有的意思去硬套。
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Linda: Interesting. So then I would be safe to say… ha.
有意思。那么我是不是可以说。。。哈！
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Be safe to say: 那就说可以认为，xxxx说是没问题的，我们可以这样认为/说，我们可以大胆地相信，我们可以很有把握地说。。。
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Ted: Please. Your bulb smells like Pumpkin
pie. Mine would have slowed
climate change.
But I guess when the ice caps melt, we will need something that smells good to cover up the stench of all the dead polar bears.
得了吧你。你的灯泡一股南瓜饼的味道。我的可以减缓气候变化。
不过我想等冰冠消融的时候，我们是需要一些好闻的东西去遮盖北极熊尸体腐烂所散发出来的恶臭。
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Stench？还记得stink的意思么？
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Linda: Boys, how long would it take to develop new technology, so that Ted can go screw himself?
专家们，开发一个能让Ted哪凉快滚哪
去的新技术要多久呢？
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Go screw/fuck yourself= go to hell, suck my ass， bite me=去死吧你。
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Phil: Mm, we’re not prepared to address…
呃，我们还没打算去解决。。。
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Be prepared to do和be ready to do的意思有相同的时候，不过也有很大的差别。比如在这里，就不能说we’re not ready to address,
因为be prepared to在这里的意思是be intended, be planning to do=打算，有。。意图/意向，而be ready to是说做好了准备工作，或者说技术/人员/资金等都齐备了，时机也成熟了，我们可以大干一场了。
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Lem: Don’t talk. This isn’t about us.
别瞎掺和。这事和我们不搞的。
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This isn’t about us=此时与我们无关，和我们不搞的；
Leave me out of it =别把我扯进来=don’t engage me=I’m not gonna be part of it
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看思科九年学职场英语（2）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
那时的思科，每个新进公司的员工都会被安排一个Mentor，其实也就是师傅的意思，传帮带。但与此同时，每个员工进公司的时候都被明确地告知Total Ownership这个词，意思是所有的事情原则上都是自己对自己负责，别人没有任何义务帮你。这样一来，Mentor能够起的作用就因人而异了：愿意的，多教教你；不愿意的，指给你几个网站让你自己去折腾然后就不闻不问了。碰到这种情况，你也没什么可抱怨的。 我挺幸运，有一个不错的Mentor。
献给我的学生们–看思科九年学职场英语
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
例句：Let’s bring Rob on board for the Saudi deal - he’s the expert.
No-go or Go-ahead?
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
如何为成年人设计一堂有效并有趣的英文课
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
How are you going to employ the waiters?职场双语对话之-银行篇
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
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Girl: We have an elderly woman asking for anextension on her of mortgage payment. She’s on a fixed income, and she’s had some
medical problems. There’s gotta be something we can do to help her.
外边有个老太太想要申请延期还月供。她没多少收入的，健康状况也不是很好。总有什么办法可以帮帮她的吧
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Ask for=request for 要求/请求/申请
Medical problems=health problems=身体有毛病，不是很健康。
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Man: Well, apparently, we’ve already granted her
two extensions
呃，不过我们好像已经给她延了两次了。
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Apparently= used when the real situation is different from what you thought it was。
在这里表示转折，意思是“其实不是那样的，而是这样的”
有点像in fact. 所以这里不应该翻译成显而易见的，因为这样的话语气就很怪，相反，这里的语气婉转地转折，用于陈述我们已经让她两次延期支付房贷的事实。
Grant是同意给予，发放，准许，批准等以，通常和access, application,allowance license, leave, permit, permission, warrant, Visa等单词搭配。
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Man: And, you know, on this type of foreclosure, we seize the trapped equity and the bank makes a sizable amount in fees.
还有，碰上此类需要取消赎回权的情况，我们没收其无法带走的资产，银行也可以借此大赚一笔。
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Trapped equity在这里应该是指应由银行没收的资产，具体如何翻译还真没搞明白。
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Girl Girl: We would have to throw her out of her house.
那样我们就不得不把她从房子里面赶出去。
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Man: It’s a tough decision. Your call.
我们也是不得已呀。你决定。
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It’s a tough decision
我们经常还会用到it’s a hard/difficult choice. 意思是这是个很艰难的，很难下的，让人左右为难的决定。当这里银行经理说出这句话，意思已经很清楚了，我们不能批准第三次月供延期支付，因为我们是不得已的，不过决定还是你来下。
Your call: it’s up to you to decide. 你定，你看着办，主意你来定。
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“派系斗争”怎么说
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
4.“派系斗争”怎么说
今天上课的讨论话题是做销售人员的优缺点
有人说销售部派系斗争很严重，并向一个做销售的学生求证，那位学生说是的，然后问我“派系斗争”怎么说。我说我不会。
后来去查了下，原来是factional strife。
Factional
[uncountable] formal disagreements and arguments between different groups within an organization
jealousy and faction
ￚfactional adjective factional conflict; factional strife
可以说I can’t stand the factional strife in sales department. They fight too much.
不过不知道有没有更常见更口语化的说法，请赐教。
5. 做销售的都很爱说服人，很强势，不说服你誓不罢休怎么说？
一个学生谈自己公司的销售，认为这些人往往是不说服别人誓不罢休，如果你不能接受他们的观点，他们会不厌其烦的继续尝试说服你。不过这个是做销售的特性。又把我难倒了，爱说服别人的，在观点表达上很强势的，应该怎么说？我觉得manipulative, control freak，persuasive, 都不大对。接连被难倒，只能立马去问室友，室友说了个overbearing，表示很强势，刚才查了下字典，发现意思是
forcing others to do what one wants (without caring about their feelings); domineering 专横的; 跋扈的; 横行霸道的: an overbearing manner 专横的态度. > overbearingly adv: overbearingly proud 盛气凌人.
也不对。 后来琢磨了下，pushy还比较好。Pushy经常用来形容销售人员令人厌烦地不断出击，力图说服你购买他们的产品或者服务。
behaving in an unpleasant way by trying too much to get something or to make someone do something:
a pushy salesman
那么这里用来形容他们锲而不舍地向说服你同意他们的观点还是有点靠谱的。
另外一个词argumentative 爱争论的，应该也能从某种程度上表现这一点。
还有另外一个词，叫opinionated。
If you describe someone as opinionated, you mean that they have very strong opinions and refuse to accept that they may be wrong.
Sue is the extrovert in the family; opinionated, talkative and passionate about politics.
不过如果要表达那个意思，可以说成Sales people always have strong ideas/opinions about things. They won’t give up until you are convinced. They are very pushy and argumentative.
Tomorrow or For Tomorrow? 差之毫厘 谬以千里
AWOL
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
为什么你的英文不地道—分享一个学习英文的好习惯和好技巧
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
I’m so gonna File a Complaint against the Scumbag from Jiuzhou Driving School
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
在设计一个单元的课程，关于生活/工作/出差中碰到的各类问题，麻烦，糟糕的服务，差劲的产品等等。比如打印机坏了，电脑中病毒了，助手老是在做文书的时候犯错误，旅馆空调怀了而且前台态度很差，在餐厅等了很久还没上菜，约好的客户无故迟到2个小时，室友从来不帮忙整理客厅，后面的混蛋强行超你车等等等等。
碰巧最近被丁桥一个叫九洲驾校的无良驾校弄得很不爽，所以写了这篇文章。
人都喜欢谈论自己或者自己擅长和熟悉的事情，学生也是人，所以要让学生谈论他们知道的事情，大部分学生是女人，女人除了有人的这个通性之外，还拥有特别喜欢抱怨的特性，所以要让她们谈论让她们不爽的事情。希望这堂课能利用女人的这个特性，促使女人们多开开玉口，让女人们在课堂上做一次怨妇。
如果你最近碰上了什么倒霉事，做了冤大头，也可以把你的故事用英语写出来。
科学研究证明， 适当抱怨，有益身心。
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I dropped my driving lessons on Monday. The driving school’s name is 九洲驾校，and it’s located in Dingqiao. My ex-colleague introduced me the driving school when we were having seafood last time. I was a bit drunk, and asked him to recommend a driving school to me. He gave mｅ the cellphone number of his friend who was running a driving school.
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The next day, a driving instructor Li from the school came to give me some documents, and a couple of days later we went to xxxxxxx , where I got a physical （health check） and registered. I found out on Monday that the registration fee was just around 1000. That means Li took me 500 RMB as deposit without telling me about it.
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He drove to pick me up in his car the first day I went to their lesson. We finished at around 5PM. “Rednecks are rednecks”. All the instructors there kept yelling at us all day.
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I took it for granted that he would give me a ride home after we hit the road, but he asked me to get off and take a bus home 5 minutes later. I was really unhappy with his arrangement and attitude. He should’ve told me earlier about this.
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Like a week later, I fixed an appointment with him, and managed to get up early in the next morning, but didn’t show up or call me. I tried to call him for a couple of times but nobody answered until 3 hours later. He told me over the phone that he overslept cause he had a terrible hangover.
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Around 3 weeks later, I got up at 7 am for my third appointment with him and waited there in my bed for like 2 hours before I got his phone call:
“I’m sorry, but I can’t make it there to your place before 10. I overslept. ”
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I was really pissed off, but I didn’t say a word. I thought he was still forgivable. But I had a change of mind late in the afternoon, and decided to drop my driving lessons there. So I called him and he accepted my deregistration right away like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.
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I called to confirm our deregistration appointment this morning when I was at the bus stop, but he told me I needed to get the stamped approval from another driving school before they accepted my deregistration. I called another driving instructor to find out that wouldn’t be necessary at all. Li just wanted to give me some hard time. I called him again and insisted on keeping the appointment as scheduled.
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It was 11 when I got there. That means I spent like 70 minutes on the bus!! He was really rude when we were going through the transfer formalities and said he was doing me a favor by refunding me 250 RMB, and he already had enough students, and I was too blame for it…shit like that… how shameless was that?!
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I’m so gonna file a complaint against him, but the thing is, he still holds my card for the simulation test. He was supposed to give it to me right after my registration or at least return it to me on Monday morning.
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What did I do to deserve that? I don’t know? How many scumbags am I supposed to meet in 2009?
BTW, my boxing instructor also sucks major ass.
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通过对话学习以Pose为词根的高频单词
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
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A: Can you give me a hand with my budget proposal?
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Proposal=put forth/forward
The sales department put forward a proposal last week, but the manager didn’t approve it.
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B: I’d love to, but I’m composing an email.
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Compose=put (words) together=写邮件，写报告，谱曲
记得初中的时候就学到这个单词composition=作文
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A: I thought you finished your proposal last week.
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B: I put forward (presented) the proposal to the sales director on Monday, but he was opposed of it. What are you up to exactly?
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Oppose=place on the other side=反对，
见opposite帮助理解，强化记忆
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A: Well, I’m writing Vincent to tell him the Customs will still impose duties even if we declare our goods to be gifts.
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Impose=put into=把东西放在（篮子）里以增加其负担=征税/强制/限制/强加
Hangzhou Government imposed smoking ban in public places last month. Damn!
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B: We are not gonna get away with it. The customs will impose penalties and expose us on the internet
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Expose=to put out=暴露，曝光，揭发
Ex-这个前缀，参见External=外面的，外表的，外部的，
I was so pissed off when he let me go that I decided to expose him online. （见Unit 20）
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A: Yeah, better not play game with them.
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B: I’m finished. Now let me take a look at your proposal and see what I can do.
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A: That would be fantastic. I’ll give you a ride home in return.
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B: You’ve got a deal! By the way, before we get started, how’s your apartment hunting going?
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A: I made a deposit of 100,000 yuan on an apartment.
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Deposit=put down=押金，定金
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B: That’s a big amount of money. You’ll lose the money if you have a change of mind.
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A: As the housing price has been rocketing this year, I just fear the apartment owner will break the agreement. With that amount of deposit, he just can’t afford not to sell me the apartment.
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B: Where did you get all the money? I thought you didn’t have much disposable money. Did you rob a bank or something?
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Dispose= put apart= put in order=arrange= 安排，布置，处理，可供处置的，可供支配的
在credit card一课中我们学习了disposable income=spare money=可支配收入，闲钱。
I’ll put my spare money in the stock market.
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A: Nay, my parents gave me the money.
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B; it must feel horrible to be a Neet.
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NEET:「Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training」
说中国的很多年轻人啃老是不公平的。
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A: Like you are in a position to comment. That’s so not fair. Not that we want to be a burden of the family, we young people just have no choice.
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Like you are in a position to comment=你也比我好不了多少。
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B: I just think you should apply for the position of sales director.
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Position=定位，位置，职位
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A: Yeah, after we finish this damn proposal.
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再推荐一部学习商务英语的美剧 Better Off Ted
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
记得之前推荐过Hotel Babylon和Mad Men，为大家提高交流性的工作英语。 最近又下了几集Shark Tank（创智赢家），难度比较大，但是用来学习商务口语简直是太完美了！
Shark Tank is a reality show where entrepreneurs make presentations in front of 5 “sharks”. Sharks here mean investors. Sharks will invest in their companies in exchange of certain percent of their company stake if they are convinced their businesses are profitable.
我大概花了2个小时听写第一集第8集的一段对话，太难了，讲得实在太快，不过硬着头皮听写完后再听那段对话就觉得很简单了。大家不妨也下下来做做听力练习。 一个月能听写并掌握一集，肯定会每天都有进步。
Make A Presentation to Raise Money
DJS: Hello, My name is D.J. Stephen, and this is Sean Conway. Our company is Notehall, we are here asking for a 90K dollars in exchange of 10% of our company (seeking 90k for a 10% stake)
Sean: Notehall’s a website that allows college students to buy and sell class notes and study guides in each the college courses. So, Kevin, Let’s see a huge exam coming upso you naturally are gonna create a study guide to prepare for that exam. You’re gonna load it on Notehall. At the same time, Robert, you have been distracted by a cute blonde girl in class.
Robert: Since I’ve been married for 20 years, that would never happened
Kevin: But he has been stealing my notes for years.
Sean: But you’re gonna go on and Download Kevin’s notes and pay a few dollars doing this. And Kevin could earn a commission on- on the transaction. It’s that simple.
DJS: We launched it at University of Arizona and within 8 months. Our website was being used by 40% students on campus . we pilot launched at Arizona State University and Kansas University and we saw relatively great traffic with basically zero advertising costs. we are planning on launching at 24 universities this upcoming fall. And with your help, and we feel we can go nationwide in just a short period of time making notehall the next dorm room name on the web today
Robert: Is it legal?
Sean: What we are doing is pretty much giving the students a better understanding of the actual course We are teaching those students how to take notes.
Barbara: How do you know the notes are good? Do you get—Kind of get the chance to take a little peek and review before you sign up
Sean: There is actually a preview that’s automatically generated and it shows 30% of the notes
Barbara: what if it’s wrong information
DJS: we offer a 100% money-back guarantee if students aren’t satisfied with the content they buy .
Barbara: That’s better,
DJS: we refund about 25 out of over 5,700 documents that have been uploaded…
Daymond: But a quick question. I want to know… How much have you guys sold in one year
Sean: So we had 5,900 credit card transaction in 8 month, and we have 30K sheer revenue.
Kevin: What’s the price of a typical note downloaded?
So the actual transaction price, our average transaction price is around 4 dollars 90 cents.
Robert: You get a cut of the fee I’m paying?
Sean: So on average, Notehall will withhold 60% of the actual transaction and the Notetaker will earn 40%
Kevin: This is a great idea, and like other great ideas on the internet, they get copied right away. Tell me about your competition.
DJS: we do have other pla<fix>yers in the space, and no one has gained traction yet. That– when I say we saw relatively great traffic in K.U. and S.U. it’s because we gain 1,500 new students
in 6 weeks time. Some of the leading competitors in the space have been there and they don’t have hundreds students.
Barbara: Why they were different. Why weren’t they able to get as many people?
DJS: We’ve discovered a way to get content creators efficiently and effectively, and that’s the lifeblood. Our competitors are just focused on trying to get as many users as they can, and no one’s uploading any valuable content. And if they don’t get the valuable content, students are not gonna continue, you’re not gonna grow virally like we’ve seen so far at K.U. and A.S.U.
访谈式英语教学的实践和体会
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
每次招到中级别的新生，都会给该生生上一堂很exclusive的访谈课。课前让学生写一份英文的personal profile 和job description, 还有其他有关该生工作和单位的材料，备课的时候根据这些材料设计 interview questions, 到了上课的时候就是不停发问，并让其他学生参与发问。如果课前准备30个问题，那么上课的时候可以根据学生的回答再问30个问题并做一些评论。这样可以让学生不停开口讲2个小时。
大部分新生在回答问题的时候都是磕磕绊绊，步履蹒跚的。所以这个时候就要对他们进行即使的纠正和帮助，让他们能够把话讲下去。而另外的学生也会参与发问，不至于打哈欠。
这样做的好处在于
1.这样的访谈是对学生语言环境的仿真模拟，学生在做实际的交流，问答的内容可以帮助他们以后用英文做presentation，写邮件，和外国客户交谈。比起单纯的阅读或对现成对话的练习，自己在老师的提示和纠正下下组织语言说一遍所达到的效果要好很多倍，因为学生是在真正用英语表达。学的东西派得上用场，话能讲得出口，才能交流。
2.如果可以调动其他学生的参与，这种方式可以让课堂很活跃。3个小时的课程几乎全是对话还有老师的纠正。（当然老师会经常卡壳，因为太多话了）。学生如果能在课堂上积极摘录白板上的笔记，并在课后将部分对话整理成笔记，就可以把一堂课海量的对话内容作为再次练习的素材，而且这个素材讲的就是自己同学的事，特别容易记住。
3.每个人都喜欢谈论自己，更会在谈论自己熟悉和擅长的事情时津津乐道。而且事后都会发现自己其实硬着头皮也是会讲点英语的。虽然一开始觉得很吃力，但是久了之后就容易帮助学生逐渐建立自己的语言体系。很多人表达能力欠缺，单词量少也只是原因之一，更重要的在于语言组织能力不足，也缺乏对于单词，词组和句型的实际运用。很多句型其实都差不多的。重复多了，而且被纠正多了，就会慢慢开始用正确的方式去组织语言，话也就慢慢讲得顺了。这个时候再积累更多的单词填进去，讲出来的话也显得没那么别扭，开始“通情达理”了。
4.很多学生看再多文档，学习再多对话，还是会讲出别扭的中式英文，而且经常感到难以启齿，因为大凡是需要老师的学生，都是对于英语这门外语不够敏感的，他们缺乏在自学中自动纠错提高的能力。如果阅读/听力/对话练习等消极的学习方式占据了太多的课堂时间，学生还是难以有质的提高，而访谈式的教学可以让学生不停使用英语，并犯尽可能多的错误，从而让老师有机会能够在交流的过程当中直接指出错误并作出纠正。这样做，再迟钝的学生也容易留下印象。英语教学应该告别被动学习，被动表达，而应该被逼着并硬着头皮主动表达。
5. 长达两个小时的问答过程中，很容易重复相同或者类似的语料，更能帮助学生记忆。
下面是上次访谈的前十分钟录音记录。部分对话整理过，并修改和抹去了部分敏感内容。
Vincent: We know you are a sales manager, right? Suppose you are making a sale presentation in front of your foreign client now, how would you do the “company profile”?
New student:
Costa is a xxx in networking and communication devices industry. Its annual revenue totaled xxx billion in 2008. We have achieved an 30% yearly growth over the past five years. Our mission is to change the way people study, work and recreate with Costa’s networking and communication solutions.
Vincent: Wow. I’m impressed. Obviously Costa has been doing very well these years. Well, could you tell me some very interesting facts about Costa?
New Student:Can you repeat that?
Vincent: Well, tell me some very interesting things about Costa.
New Student:Costa offers very decent salaries to its employees…uh…uh…
Vincent:…uh…uh… well, it’s enviable , but not a bit interesting … do i need to repeat my questions again?
New Student [totally ignores me]:My colleague bought an apartment with Costa’s credit card five years ago.
Vincent: Are you saying Costa’s credit card has a very high credit line?
New Student:Exactly!
Vincent: What was the credit line?
New Student:About 5 million RMB, he could buy like 10 houses with that credit card, but it was cancelled 3 years ago. I have to use my own credit card now.
Vincent: You should’ve joined Costa earlier,and bought 10 apartments. That would make your filthy rich now. But I suppose there must still be some benefits of being one of Costa’s employees. What if you want to take out a mortgage from the bank now, how much are they likely to offer?
New Student:I’ll need to provide my payslip ( not salary list) . and after checking my payslip, they will offer 50,000 monthly loan to me,
Vincent: that’s a huge amount of money. Another question, where is Costa headquartered?
New Student:xxxxx, xxxxx. There are 5,000 employees in China, and about 2,000 of them will fly to XXXXX for the annual sales meeting.
Vincent: Did you ever get a chance to speak at the meeting?
New Student:Never.
Vincent:You are pathetic.What if you were the top salesman in GCR?
New Student:Definitely. And He (I) will also be interviewed by CEO XXXX XXXXX.
Vincent: Wow…that’s cool. I guess they will hit the strip club afterwards?
New Student:Haha…I don’t know. I never got the chance to find out.
网上有很多可供讨论的ESL Conversational Questions,但是很多都显得太学生太学术气，比如“你认为我们的税务系统存在什么问题？” 感觉像是大学里面只有尖子生才会开口说的话题。比如在一个网站上看到几个关于代沟的问题：
什么是代沟？
你是如何克服代沟的？
你觉得有可能克服代沟么？
很多人认为女人可以嫁给老自己很多的男人，但是男人不可以娶老他们很多的女人。你怎么看？
要是你的父亲比你母亲老了一倍，你会怎么想？
你觉得你的代沟斗争和你父亲那一辈人的代沟斗争有什么不同？
这样的问题，设计到社会／伦理／道德等，普通学生用英语压根就不知道怎么说，也会觉得索然无味。如果无法设计出有趣的问题，就要设计他们不假思索就可以回答的问题。比如
你们公司卖什么产品。
客户是谁？
你们是如何招募合作伙伴的？
能给回扣么？为什么不能？
为什么您们公司不喜欢雇佣没怀孕过的年轻女性？
你的信用卡额度是多少？
每个月要还所少还贷？
你和男朋友经常因为什么而争吵？
甩掉前男友的时候你给了什么理由？
这个方式的坏处在于
1. 老师挖空心思拷问学生，并冒着被学生考倒的危险（这个时候觉得很失败），学生而要经常苦思冥想，一刻不得消停。双方都觉得很用脑过度很崩溃。
2.由于谈话具体内容是未知的，全靠老师课堂的把握，所以课堂效果不够稳定。如果老师当时没有状态或者课堂功课没做好，上课的效果就会大打折扣。
3.其他学生如果生活/社会/工作经验不足，会难以参与到对话中来。
总而言之，要设计问题和情景，让学生不断开口，讲自己的故事和选择，而且保证谈话的内容是派得上用场的。
堂问答实录–如何鉴别网络诈骗
实用词汇、短语、句子（4）
Run a red light. 闯红灯
Don’t crap where one eats 兔子不吃窝边草
Put in for (apply for) a transfer 申请调动工作
Have a Secret relationship 地下情
Probie 试用人员
Be adaptable to changes. 随机应变 能够适应变化
Has peanut allergy 对花生过敏
Follow procedures 按程序走，按部就班，按章办事
Conduct an interview 进行询问，采访、面试
Run a test 做测试
Killed on the job 因公殉职
实用词汇、短语、句子（3）
我外婆也能把你喝趴下
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By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com 刚才在19楼一口外语，看到一个帖子里有人问这句话该怎么说。 如果很鄙视的说对方： 你真是个小酒量！ 我杜撰了几个。 1)你根本不能喝嘛。 2)就这点酒量呀？ 3)你这也太烂了点吧。 4)我外婆也能把你喝趴下。 5)你也太可悲了。 6)别这么和自己过不去呀 7)太自不量力了吧。 9)你实在太丢人现眼。 10)这下傻眼了吧。（叫你别逞能你不听！） 11)认孙子吧。 12)别死撑着了。 |
狗比男人好的55个理由
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
平时上了太多的商务英语，所以前几天改变胃口，上了一堂狗课。名为论狗，其为谈饮食风月男女。其中有25分钟，用来谈论“狗为什么比男人好”。因为如果就讲怎么买狗，怎么养狗，狗的习性、品种等，估计很多人会没有任何想法。但是所有的女生都知道为什么狗比男人要好。他们可以不停地比较，并告诉你她们的想法。一个学生还告诉过母狗一年只来两次例假，我只能职业病般地故意将其听成半年。很庆幸他们还记得来例假怎么说，因为之前让他们编过翘班的理由。当时上课是分男女两队辩论的，男的1个，女人4个，那个男生竟然不落下风。认为养狗就没有丈母娘，所以很好。这个理由一出，女生就被集体打败了。
现在把学生和我的理由大致翻译成中文，整理如下。大家还可以各抒己见，明天把“狗为什么比女人好”的几十个理由整理后再放上来。（我自己可不觉得狗比女人好，狗会天天掉毛，又不会使用马桶，还不能给我洗衣做饭）
Dogs never smoke or drink under the table.你不想错过的9部美剧
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
Put Money In Bank
昨晚看South Park第13季第03集，讲得是次贷危导致美国的金融体系崩溃，Stan在一个在银行存了100快钱立马打了水漂。 翻译了一开始的一段很让人崩溃的对话，很搞笑也很实用，供大家学习。感兴趣的可以去www.verycd.com下载
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Stan
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Do I really have to do this, dad?
爸，我非得这么做么？
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Dad:
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Stan, now more than ever you need to understand the importance of saving money. Stan。
现在的你比以往任何时候更需要理解存钱的重要性。
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Stan
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But grandma said I could use the money to buy whatever I want.
可是外婆（奶奶）说我可以用这笔钱买任何东西。
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Bank Clerk
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Okay, next, please.
好的。下一位。
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Dad
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Go on, Stanley.
去吧，Stanley.
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Bank Clerk
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How can I help you, young man?
您要办理什么业务（有什么能为您效劳的），年轻人？
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Stan
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I got $100 check from my grandma. And my dad said I need to put it in the bank so it can
grow over the years.
我外婆给了我一张100美元的支票。我爸要我把
它存进银行赚利息。
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Bank Clerk
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Well, that’s fantastic. A really smart decision, young man. We can put that check in a money market mutual fund. Then we’ll reinvest the earnings into foreign currency accounts which compounds interest and it’s gone!
嗯，非常好！很明智的决定呀，年轻人。我们可以把你的支票投资货币市场基金。然后我们会把收益再投进四个利滚利的外币账户，然后就..没了
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Stan
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Uhh, what?
呃…虾米？
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Bank Clerk
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It’s gone. It’s all gone.
没了。都没了。
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Stan
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What’s all gone?
什么都没了?
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Bank Clerk
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The money in your account. It didn’t do too well. It’s gone.
你账户里的钱. 表现得不是太好。没了。
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Stan
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What do you mean? I have $100.
你什么意思呀？我有一百元呀!
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Bank Clerk
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Not anymore, you don’t. Poof!
你现在没钱了。呼！
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Stan
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Well, what can I do to get back my –
那，我怎么样才能拿回我的。。。
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Bank Clerk
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I’m sorry, sir, but this line is for bank members only.
不好意思，先生，这个柜台是本银行客户专用的。
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Stan
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I just opened an account!
我刚开户呀！
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Bank Clerk
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Do you have any money invested with this bank?
你有钱投资在本银行么？
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Stan
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No, you just lost it all.
没有，都被你刚才赔光了。
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Bank Clerk
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Then please stand aside for people who actually have money with us.
那么就请你把位子让给我们真正的客户。
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Bank
Clerk
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Next, please. Hello, Mrs. Farnickle. How are you today? Making a deposit, are we? Great. We can just put that into your retirement at and make it go to work for you and it’s gone.
下一位。你好。Farnicle太太。办存款是吧？好的。我们可以帮您把钱存进退休金账户赚利息，然后就…没了。。。
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Mrs
Farnickle
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What?
什么？
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Bank Clerk
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Sorry, yeah. That’s gone. Please step aside for people who actually have money with the bank. Next, please.
很抱歉，是的。没了。现在请您让一下，其他有钱的人还要办理业务呢。下一位。
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Stan
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Dad!
爸！
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Dad:
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Hey, I’m trying to teach my son about the importance of savings. You already lost his money?
嘿，我想教儿子储蓄的重要性。你已经把他的钱都搞没了？ |
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Bank Clerk
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Oh, Mr.Marsh! Don’t worry. We can just transfer money from your account and into a portfolio with your son’s — and it’s gone! This line is for people who have money with the bank only。Please step aside.
哦，March先生！别着急。我们只要把您帐户里的钱转到您儿子的投资组合里—然后就没了。本柜台只对有钱投银行的人开放，请你让一下。
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lol My Ass
I can’t stand people who overuse the online shorthand" lol", lol. especially when it’s totally unnecessary to use it. lol. It can get very annoying when people misplace "lol" everwhere. lol. some people might think they are sorta hip when using "lol" "lmao" or shit like that. lol. is that really the case? lol. what’s wrong with those people? lol. they can just lol my ass!lol. a lot of people are actually faking it when they use "lol", or they are just utterly clueless about how affected and stupid they sound. lol. i seldom see a really wise and sophisicated person use "lol". "haha" or "xD" sound a lot less affected.lol。
Can you give me your two cents? lol.
很受不了有些人滥用网络缩写词lol。lol。尤其在更本没必要用它的时候。他们总是在不该使用lol的地方使用lol，有时候看了真烦人。lol。可能有些人觉得用“lol" " lmao”还有其他一些网络陈腔滥调会让他们听起来很潮。lol。真是这样的么？这些人都是怎么了？lol。有时候我真想说：lol你个头。 lol。 很多人在使用lol的时候完全是装出来的，或者他们根本就不知道他们听起来有多么矫揉造作多么愚蠢。lol。 我极少见到一个真的很成熟智慧的人用lol。haha或者xD听来来自然多了。
你是怎么看的呢？
看Hotel Babylon复习课堂英语（1）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
第三方公司演示现场-问答部分（中英文对照）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
发一个最近上课的备课稿。FYI Only。
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Our company hired an outside firm to set up a computer system to help us keep track of the progress on major projects. The company gave us a presentation on how the new system worked. Afterwards, the employees got a chance to ask questions.
我们公司请了家第三方公司替我们安装一套电脑系统，用于跟踪大型项目的进度。那家公司给我们做了一个如何操作系统方面的演示后，开始接受我们的提问。
（注：老Ben告诉我IT没有外部公司这种说法，叫“第三方公司”或者“外包公司”。）
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1. outside firm/company
a lot of professionals work in a firm, a lawyer firm, an accounting firm, auditing firm, broking firm, but your don’t really say you work for a trading firm or a manufacturing firm, or a travel/advertising firm.
Ask: when and why would your company hire an outside company or employees?
1) to pay less salary, benefits ( the employees can enjoy life, outside employees do the job)
2) no need to spend a lot in training inexperienced employees.
3) when you don’t have the knowledge and experience to do something.
4) I have to hire the third party to do the accounting and auditing. It’s illegal to conduct the auditing by ourselves.
5) we outsource some low value-added and les profitable works to the outside companies.
6) our company will just take care of the branding, marketing. We don’t do them manufacturing.
7) our company is not legally allowed to hire expatriates. We need to use the outside employment
we need their support to complete the project? 9) I’m a construction project manager. I can support workers for a whole year when they only work for like 2 months a year. I choose to hire the outside teams and companies to do some workds.
2. keep track of 跟踪、记录、注意动向和进展。
I’ve got a ex-colleague. He keeps track of everything, especially his spending. He records everything he’s bought on an excel file. He even folds his underwear very carefully.
3. how the new system worked=how to make use of and operate the system.
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Cecelia: So, in a nutshell, those are the features of the new system. Any questions?
那么，简而言之，刚才介绍的就是这套新系统的功能。有什么问题么？
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1. in a nutshell=You can use in a nutshell to indicate that you are saying something in a very brief way, using few words.
In a nutshell, don’t buy apartments before spring festival.
2. features=This one has a lot of good features. It’s got a camera phone , a video recorder, instant messaging, and you can download music or ring tones.
This camera’s got way too many features. Somebody tell me how to use it.
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Yuri: Yes, I have a question. From your description, it sounds like the new system may be difficult to use. Can you speak to that?
我有一个问题。根据你的介绍，好像这套新系统可能比较难用（操作）。你能和我们说（解释）一下么？
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1. from your description= as I learnt from your presentation, or introduction=according to your…
2. be difficult to do. Not “to be done”
he is hard to please.
The car is too expensive to maintain.
This girl is hard to get.
3. speak to=to talk about/answer the questions to a particular topic=can you explain.
Used when asking a questions or when someone is making a presentation.
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Cecelia: I understand your concern, but actually, the system is very simple to use. I mentioned a lot of features that the system has, but the typical employee won’t be using more than two or three on a daily basis. Yes, you had a question?
我明白你的顾虑，可实际上，这套系统的操作是很简单的。我刚才介绍了系统的很多功能，但是一般员工每天就只有用个2，3种功能。那位，您有问题？
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1. I understand your concern=worry= I know what are you worried/saying, but… you are wrong…
Thank for the concern=谢谢你的关心/关注。
2. mention=talk about something briefly.
3. typical 不可翻译为“典型的、特别的”，而应该理解为“普通的，一般的”。
A typical white-collar workd 9-to-5.
A typical footballers works out for 3 hours a day.
4. on a daily basis=every day.
I send alimony to my ex-wife on a monthly basis.
I have a meeting with the contractor on a weekly basis.
I check my email on a daily basis, and respond to questions quickly.
Be sure to keep track of the progress on a timely basis.
I got paid on an hourly basis.
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Alessandro: Yeah, my biggest concern is that all of the employees in the company will have access to the system. How does this affect my projects that have sensitive information?
是的。我最担心到时候公司什么（所有）员工都可以任意进入系统。我的一些项目信息是比较机密的，怕到时候会出问题（会影响到项目进展）。
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1） my biggest concern=what worries me the most is…
l my biggest concern is that an increasing number of students will miss class.
l My biggest concern is whether the supplier can meat the deadline.
l My biggest concern is whether we will achieve the monthly sales target.
l My biggest concern is whether I can afford to pay off the balance/pay the mortgage/maintain the car.
Ask: what’s your biggest concern at the moment?
2) will there be any changes, differences, influences on the project if…problem with the…
3) sensitive information=secret information, information that those employees are not supposed to know.
Sensitive topics are something you are not supposed to talk about under certain circumstances.
Don’t say anything about housing price in front of him. He is very sensitive about it.
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Cecelia: That’s a good question. One of the key features of the program is that it allows the project manager to limit access for any of his or her projects. Now, if there are no other questions, thank you all for coming and we look forward to working with you in the future.
（这位女士问题）问得很有水平。该程序的一大功能就在于它可以允许项目经理对其负责的任何项目设置使用权限(访问限制)。如果大家没有其他问题的话，我想（再次）感谢大家的支持和参与，并希望以后能与您合作愉快。
（注：由于最后一句话不太符合中国人说话的方式，所以翻译时动了很大手脚）
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１） You use it to encourage and compliment the askers, because it’s an important or difficult question, or when you have to disagree with them. sometimes you use it to make some time for yourself to think of an answer.
When you ask: how do you say 登山杖in English. I would say: it’s a good question. It’s spelled ALPEN…I think there is an S following N…I need to look it up in the dictionary…
We have an access authorization policy to control/limit the access.
Ask: does you company have any limit on the employees’ access to internet and data?
Did you have a colleague who got caught copying company documents? What happened to him or her?
Can you copy or send company documents at will?
Did you ever copy your previous employer’s customer list?
2） thank you for coming
you can also say” thank you for your time”,
after an job interview, an sales appointment, a consultation, etc.
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Vincent Pickes Holes–翻译辨误（2）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
前几天推荐了一本书“商务英语情景口语100主题”，但是警告了大家翻译超烂。现在开始剥剥 这个不称职的翻译的皮吧。 主要问题还是翻译强太重，句子有逻辑问题，没有全面考虑各种可能性，而是先入为主地下结论。
第48也的第一个句子：
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A: I hear you’re being sent to Madrid for the annual conference. Is that right? |
原翻译：我听说你要被派去马德里参加年会，是吗？ |
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B: yes, it will be my first trip overseas. Actually, it’s going to be my first time leaving the country. |
原翻译：是的，这是我第一次出国旅行。实际上也是我第一次离开这个国家。 |
第二个句子的翻译存在逻辑上的问题。如果my first trip overseas可以翻译成“我第一次出国旅行”，那么和第二句翻译“实际上也是我第一次离开这个国家”在逻辑上就说不通了。一个人出国（go on a trip overseas）可以是留学，可以是参加婚礼，可以是看望朋友，可以是公派考察，可以是出差（开会、拜访客户，参加展会等），都是属于trip的范畴，但是我们不可以将trip统一翻译成“旅行”。 这里能根据上下文，推断出A说的trip 其实是business trip(“出差”)，并翻译成“我第一次到海外出差”，才可以和 “my first time leaving the country”构成符合逻辑的一句话,说明这不仅是我第一次到国外出差（不是出于其他目的），也是我第一次出国。 而译者将trip笼统地翻译成旅行，不仅不达意（人家是开年会，明显不是我们中文所说的旅行么），而且造成后面那句话成了废话。
所以这个句子应该翻译成“是呀。这是我第一次到国外出差，而且这也是我第一次出国呢”。
可以很清楚地表明：我以前任何出国经历都没有。
而原翻译带了明显的翻译腔，基本上是对句子逐字逐句的翻译。
第一句的“我听说。。。”里的“我”其实都可以去掉，要知道我们说话是经常没有“主语”的。更自然的翻法应该是“听说公司要派你去马德里参加年度年会呀？是真的吗？”
而作者在第二段对话中把“it’s nice to see some improvement for a change”翻译成”看到有些起色，真是很高兴”又漏掉了应该有的主语“我”，因为这个英文是用形式主语it引导的，没有出现“i”，但并不表示我们中文中就不出现。而且在这里她又犯了逻辑问题，先入为主地认为“make some improvement”就是 “有起色”。“有起色”是和业绩很糟糕或者很差强人意相对的，这里说话的人只是说“东京分公司的业绩比上个季度好”而且这里也不能翻译成“看到公司业绩蒸蒸日上，我心里觉得很高兴。” 因为从for a change, 我们可以推断东京分公司的前几个季度的业绩没有增长，甚至可能是没有完成销售指标，表现得不大好，而蒸蒸日上给人的感觉起码是这种上升到势头有了一段时间了。有鉴于此，只能翻译成“看到他们业绩做上去了，我心里很为他们高兴”。
19楼上的几句翻译(2)
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
post starter说这三句是超难的翻译，好可爱。都是明媒正娶的短语，何难之有呀。让我不禁想起一些培训机构专门让口语老师在上面讲习语和短语忽悠学生的事实。学生的愚昧之处在于老师只是课前准备了这些不能从字面上理解的短语，他们就觉得老师很令人敬畏，学费交得就很值了。殊不知这些东西学来是一点用没有的。老师在交流中都不一定会用。
第二句 He is an odd fish ,when we are joking ,he flies off the handle。
第三句 Green can be counted on. He eats no fish and plays the games
19楼上的几句翻译
第一句：岂有此理
this is outrageous.
this is way over the top.
this is ridiculous.
第二句： 不要嫁祸于人
Don’t try to frame people. (不可以用put blame on others)
You don’t imput it on others.
Don’t pin it on others.
第三句： 趣味横生
It’s a lot of fun.
loads/tons of fun
full of wit
breezy
翻译辨误（1）
Hotel Babylon-提高交流性工作英语的最佳电视剧
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
前天为了给在酒店工作的Bernice同学上关于酒店英语的互动课程，特地在www.verycd.com上下载了这部片，看了一集后在想：我x，有这么合适的电视剧，还要老师干嘛呀？这部电视剧的故事发生在伦敦的一家五星级酒店Hotel Babylon，看了两集后认为它就是你最需要看到一部电视剧，如果你看电视剧是为了学习你想派上用场的英语，那么就看这一部吧！！不论你是在外资酒店工作，还是在其他外企，还是在贸易公司，如果把这部片子的表达方式都弄得滚瓜烂熟，完全可以轻松应付大部分职场上和商务上的很多沟通。
优点如下：
１.你需要的表达方式高度浓缩
酒店就是职场，而这部电视剧大部分的情节发生在这个职场。不论是在什么单位或者场合，基本的沟通方式都不会相差太多。而这部片子有你需要的最基本的应付职场和商务还有生活中的基本的表达方式，而这种你最需要的表达方式高度浓缩在一集集的剧情里。才看了一集多，就出现了酒店入住，开会，同事之间闲聊，面试，突发问题解决，带客人参观房间，领导训，布置工作任务，处理客户投诉等等等等情景。感觉就象个教学片呀。比你去研究越狱，绝望主妇里的那些没用的英语效率要高得多！！！！给你的建议是，去选取自己觉得有用的对话强化练习。不要学一些比较偏门的表达方式。
２.教你如何沟通
英语好的人，不一定懂沟通。而这部片子里的人在服务行业工作，每天面对形形色色的人，他们的沟通技能很重要，因为大部分人都要和客户／客人打交道。从这部电视剧你不仅快速学到很多表达方式，还无形中知道了如何应对不同的人。应该说，能在Hotel Babylon工作的人，都是行业的佼佼者，而你会看到他们是如何成功的，如何处理同事和上下级之间的关系。酒店是一个复杂，甚至有点黑暗的地方，你从中学到的职场之道，礼仪，为人和阅人之道也会让你的职业生涯从中受益。
3.很新鲜很好看
如果你看腻了那些情景喜剧，有关破案的，悬疑的，科幻的美剧，现在可以换换胃口了。Hotel Babylon很新鲜很有趣也很有“教育意义”。
缺点在于难度相对有点大，部分台词太文绉绉，句子太复杂，有些对话看字幕都不明白，还得查字典。所以我对那些声称自己能听懂英文影视剧95%以上台词的人很是膜拜，估计这些人如果是光是读台词都不能看懂这么大的比例，但是什么东西只要拿来听都能听的懂。就像有些人写东西都写不顺，但是一拿来说话就能神奇地说对了一样。
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Charlie: It’s just like flushing a toilet on an aeroplane. Vacuum drainage system. Good for the guests, good for the environment. Ah, this very powerful shower can comfortably accommodate two to three people if that’s your thing.
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First, I’d like you to meet Charlie. He is currently the head receptionist of Hotel Babylon.
At the moment, he is presenting the suite to a very demanding guest Nina.
1.toilet
Flush the toilet：冲马桶
Unclog the toilet: 疏通马桶
2. vacuum drainage system 真空排污系统
3． Unclog
You can unclog/unblock the toilet, sink or bathtub drain
4. shower: 淋浴室
Ss translate the following sentences:
我去洗个澡，马上回来。
I’m going to take a shower. Be right back.
他现在在洗澡。要不要让他给你？
He’s in the shower at the moment. Would you like him to call you back?
5.accomodate, accommodation.
l This hotel can accommodate up to 600 guest.
l The meeting room is not big enough to accommodate 50 people. Perhaps we should move to the canteen instead.
l Accommodation=Room and board: 食宿、膳宿
l I claimed my travel accommodation expenses last month, but I couldn’t claim my cell phone expense.
６. if it’s your thing: if you like ( to have a group shower), if having a group shower is what you like to do.
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Nina: What do you care what my thing is?
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我喜欢什么关你什么事呀？
你管我喜欢干什么呀？
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Charlie: Your thing is none of my business, madam.
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您喜欢什么与我无关，夫人。
It’s one of your business.
Mind you own business.
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Nina: Are you flirting with me?
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你在和我调情么？
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Charlie: No, Miss Bailey, I’m trying to suggest…
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您误会了，Bailey 小姐，我是想说。。。
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1. insinuate
If you say that someone insinuates that something bad is the case, you mean that they say it in an indirect way.
2. show up 出现，到，来
You didn’t show up at the meeting.
I waited at the airport for 2 hours, but our customer didn’t show up. I guessed his flight was delayed., but it turned out that was not the case.
3. a bar of soap . 一块肥皂
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Rebecca: Morning, my apologies for not meeting you at reception. Rebecca Mitchell, General Manager.
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Rebecca is the General Manager of Hotel Babylon, Rebecca is in her mid-thirties
my apologies for=I’m apologizing for=please accept my apology for…
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Nina: Nina Bailey. I’m looking after the band through their European leg of the tour.
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Leg: A leg of a long journey is one part of it, usually between two points where you stop.
摇滚乐队的巡演叫gig，某一站式leg，比如 European Leg 欧洲站。
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Rebecca: I hope that my head receptionist has shown you around one of the best suites in our hotel.
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1. head
adj: he is the sales department head.
Noun: he is the head of marketing department.
Verb: he headed the technical department.
3. show someone around=tour someone around, so he or she could look around the place.
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Nina: Right down to flushing the john.
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这里的right的意思是：all the way; completely 从头到尾; 彻底地; 完全地: Go right to the end of the road. 一直走到这条路的尽头.
所以这个句子的意思是；一直看到（介绍到）如何冲厕所。
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Rebecca: Then I trust that everything’s to your satisfaction?
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2. satisfy, satisfication;
you are satisfied with= xx is to your satisfaction.
What are you interested more? Job satisfaction or earning more money?
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Nina: Yes, thank you.
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Rebecca: The temperature? The layout?
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温度，布局（都还满意吧？）
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Nina: It’s all okay.
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Rebecca: The view? The curtains?
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Charlie: We have the same style of curtains but in blue, if that would be more calming.
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（如果你需要的话）我们还有同样款式的窗帘，不过是蓝色的，眼睛看起来更舒服。
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Nina: I don’t want you to change anything.
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Rebecca: Very well, madam. If you do need us for anything at all…
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Need someone for/ to do anything.
At all=in any way/respect
如果您有任何需要的话，请尽管吩咐。
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Nina: Oh, actually, there was something.
Rebecca: Madam?
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Nina: Maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough, but I can’t remember seeing a welcome basket.
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Remember doing something:记得做过某事
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Rebecca: Welcome basket?
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Bernice, how do you say “welcome basket” in Chinese? What guests will be give a welcome basket? Why would the hotel offers welcome baskets? What are usually included?
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Nina: Fruit, pâté, olives.The Burlington were kind enough to provide one free of charge.
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1.Pâté: 肉酱; 鱼酱,用来涂抹在面包上
2.Be kind enough to do:这里不是指“好心”，而是“好客”
3. free of charge=for free=to provide a free…
Buy one and get one free
One-for-two coupon.
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幼儿园园长在盯着我
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
提高英语交流能力的问答型互动课堂
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
下面是设计好的英文问题翻译，拿来学习下也不错。
Food
Transportation
Education
Clothing
Others
以上几项，哪三项是你家的最大开支
我真不知道你到底中了什么邪
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.
例句：What has got into you today? Why are you behaving like this?
George Harrison
Bob Marley
Jimi Hendrix
Jim Morrison
Kurt Cobain
Aaliyah
Tupac Shakur
Notorious B.I.G.
John Denver
Michael Jackson
Marvin Gaye
Lisa Left Eye Lopes
Elvis Presley
Ritchie Valens
Buddy Holly
We Can Just Fedex Him Somewhere–专有名词用作动词和副词
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
这句话来自South Park，一群gothic kids绑架了一个伪gothic kid在后备箱（trunk），打算让后者永远消失。
Fedex 是联邦快递，也是商标名称，这里用作动词，表示用Fedex公司的快递服务运送某样东西。名词或者名称用作动词可以使得句子更简洁明了，面却了send him by Fedex 这样累赘的说法。
以前在公司写英文邮件的时候就用过Please DHL the spare parts tomorrow.
你还可以将UPS也用作动词来使用。
当然，除了用作动词，Fedex, DHL, UPS 还可以扮演副词的角色，比如ESLPOD的一个例句：
I’ll send it UPS or FedEx using their ground service.
还有一个例句：
but just send it regular mail through the post office.
不过只需要通过邮局的平邮包裹发送就可以了。
这里的regular mail（平邮）也起到了副词的作用（通过平邮发货、寄送）。
看How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be学英文（二）
By Vincent from www.englishvincent.com
继续和英语基础一般般的朋友读这本书。英语好的别笑. 这段话可以帮你记住一些简单而重要的单词，不过要记住学了之后第二天再复习一下，并用用。
In fact, most of us have been conditioned to blame soemthing outside of ourselves for the parts of our life we don’t like. We blame our parents, our bosses, our friends, the media, our coworkers, our clients, our spouse, the weather, the economy. our astrological chart, our lack of moeny,-anyone or anything we can pin the blame on.
1) be conditioned to
conditioned=accustomed; inured.,所以这个词组的意思是“习惯于”。
2） for the parts of our life we don’t like.
we don’t like 用来做our life 的定语，放在后面。
3） our friends, the media, our coworkers, our clients, our spouse, the weather, the economy. our astrological chart, our lack of moeny。
有不会的单词么？查字典吧。不会的单词，记在本子上，摘一个实用的例句配合记忆。第二天拿来复习，还不会的第三天拿来再复习。 硬生生记住几个单词的好处在于要用到的时候可以硬生生地喷出来。别不好意思，烂英文很管用。
4） pin the blame on
pin the blame on= put the blame on=blame it on。
blame是责怪、指责、归咎等意。
剑桥学习词典有几个例句：
Health officials put the blame for the disease on (= state that the reason for the disease is) poor housing conditions.
If anything goes wrong, I’ll take the blame (= I will state that it is my fault).
They tried to pin (= put) the blame for the killing on an innocent army officer.
拿本词典，并大声朗读出来！英文有没有比上次进步一点点？ 读都读不出来的，去www.eslpod.com跟着读几段对话吧。