礼节美语109讲
David要去面试，他准备穿什么呢？我们一起听听他跟好朋友Peter的对话。
D: I`m going to get there early and make sure I have my best outfit all washed and ironed way ahead of time. If I wait for the last minute, I know I`ll panic!
P: Yeah, preparation is key. Remember to call the interviewer by their name. People like to hear their name spoken out loud. But don`t over-do it. Ok...so what are you planning on wearing next Tuesday?
D: Well, I want to look good, but I don`t want to look too stuffy. I was thinking about nice jeans and a sports coat.
David准备提前到达面试地点，早早把要穿的衣服洗好、熨好。 Way ahead of time意思是早早的。If I wait for the last minute, 如果等到最后一分钟的话，就会panic, 意思是感到慌乱。 Peter提醒David要称呼面试官的名字，但是don`t over-do it. 不要做得太过头。David说，他不想显得乏味，古板，too stuffy, 所以想穿牛仔裤和休闲西装上衣去面试。
P: Ummm...I`d recommend erring on the conservative side when it comes to clothes. I read somewhere that 55% of another person`s perception of you is based on how you look. I`d say go with a suit and tie.
D: 55% huh? Then I guess it`s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.
P: Yeah. I`d say a dark suit with a conservative tie.
Peter建议David选择相对正式的西装和领带。 To err on the conservative side, 意思是宁可保守一点，因为别人对你的印象有55%都是根据你的外表得出的。It`s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. 宁可穿得过于正式over-dressed，也不要穿得过于随便under-dressed。
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P: But the one main thing that I can`t stress enough is confidence. If you need a clarification on something, speak up and ask...but don`t turn into a blabbermouth.
D: Do you think I should tell him how terrible it is working at Shimomatsu Publishing? I bet he`d get a kick out of that!
Peter强调说，有什么问题尽管问，但不要喋喋不休don`t turn into a blabbermouth. Blabbermouth，是多嘴多舌的意思。David想告诉面试官自己对现在的工作不满意。I bet he`d get a kick out of that. 意思是我想他听了一定很高兴。
P: Actually, when I interview people, I hate it when they badmouth previous employers. I think it`s bad form and I also think "Is this what you`re going to do to me one day?"
D: Good point. Peter, you are a true friend and I value your input.
P: Call me right after the interview and tell me how it went, OK?
D: Absolutely.
Peter觉得，最好不要badmouth previous employers，说以前老板的坏话， badmouth是说别人坏话的意思，因为it`s bad form这是一种粗鲁的表现，form在这里是举止行为的意思。
流行美语第333课
开春了，李华和Larry正在商量种花种菜。今天我们要学两个常用语：apples to oranges和penny pincher.
LH: Larry, 终于等到春天了，你说，咱们该种点什么花呢？是玫瑰还是杜鹃？
LL: No way, those are too much work. Let`s plant a cactus so that we only have to water it once every couple weeks.
LH: 什么？就为省事，你居然要种仙人掌？这也太雷人了吧，那还不如一懒到底，堆几块石头，弄个日本枯山水花园算了。
LL: Oh come on, Lihua. A cactus garden is completely different from a rock garden. You`re comparing apples to oranges.
LH: Apples and oranges? 你不是说要种仙人掌吗？怎么又提到苹果和桔子呢？
LL: Actually, when you say that someone is comparing apples to oranges, it means he is trying to compare two very different things that aren`t the same at all.
LH: 哦，我明白了，to compare apples to oranges意思就是把两件完全不同的东西拿来相提并论。你是在说，仙人掌花园和日本枯山水花园压根儿就是两回事。
LL: Right. Or say your favorite actor is a movie comedian, and my favorite actor only performs in Shakespeare theatre. Comparing the two would be like comparing apples to oranges.
LH: 就是说，虽然俩人都是演员，可一个是演喜剧电影的，另一个是演莎氏比亚大戏的，两人没有可比性。
LL: Exactly!
LH: 可是Larry, 你别忘了，我今天早上把电话借给你用，所以你欠我一个人情，一定要听我的，种玫瑰，不种仙人掌。
LL: What? Borrowing your phone was just a small favor, but this garden is going to be a big project. You`re comparing apples to oranges.
LH: Larry, 你不是最喜欢草头娃娃吗？种花也是一样啊，浇水、上肥，乐在其中，你就当是在养宠物好了！
LL: Lihua, you`re comparing apples to oranges! Plants and pets are totally different things.
LH: 我承认，动物和植物确实有很大差别，可起码有一点是共同的。
LL: Really? What`s that?
LH：它们不会跟我吵嘴啊！
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LH: Larry, 要不这样吧，种什么，咱俩一人挑一半。怎么样？
LL: That sounds good. I`m going to plant some tomatoes, carrots and blueberries so that this summer I don`t have to buy expensive fruits and vegetables at the store.
LH: 对啊，我们可以种菜。没想到，你还挺会过日子的。
LL: Well you know, Lihua, in this bad economy we all have to be penny pinchers.
LH: Penny pinchers? 是什么意思啊？
LL: Penny-pinching is being very careful not to waste money. It means that you manage to each penny very carefully.
LH: 哦，penny-pinching就是精打细算，一分钱掰成两半花的意思。可是Larry, 这种说法是名词、动词还是形容词呢？
LL: It can be any of those. I could call someone a penny pincher. Or, for another example, I could say that Todd really had to pinch every penny after his boss lowered his salary.
LH: 那好，我举双手赞成你种菜。这样你就可以省下很多钱，带我去吃法国大餐了。
LL: Uh...actually, Lihua, that reminds me of another phrase. Penny wise, pound foolish.
LH: Penny wise, pound foolish? 这里所说的Pound是英镑吗？
LL: That`s right. Penny wise, pound foolish means that you are careful to save little bits of money, but then waste large amounts of money.
LH: 噢，就是说在小钱上精打细算，在大钱上大手大脚。小气鬼，你不会是转弯抹角地拒绝带我去吃法国大餐吧？
LL: Well, if I saved a little bit of money growing my own vegetables, but then wasted a lot more money on expensive dinner dates, I would be penny wise, pound foolish.
LH: 你不会觉得把钱花在女朋友身上是浪费吧？
LL: Uh ... I mean ... of course not! It`s just that I`m pinching every penny so that I can buy you a really great birthday present!
LH: 生日礼物？我猜，一定是浪漫的“仙人掌花园”。
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是apples to oranges, 意思是在风马牛不相及的两件事。另一个是penny pincher, 意思是精打细算的人。