第21讲：潜规则用英语怎么说？
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 \
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 \ 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.
第22讲：扫兴用英语怎么说？
Donny在北京学汉语，他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教他。今天是Jimmy要问的：扫兴。
Donny: Jimmy, sorry I can't make it to your birthday party this weekend. 我明天要去香港。 Jimmy: That's okay, Donny. 说实话，我自己对这个生日派对也没什么兴趣。 Donny: Why? Last time we talked about it, you were really excited.
Jimmy: 还不是因为我女朋友老打击我! 她说，过生日意味着我又老了一岁，还说，我开party大吃大喝会变得更胖。唉，真扫兴!
Donny: Oh, no! Your girlfriend is such a wet blanket! All the bad things she said made you NOT look forward to the party.
Jimmy: wet blanket? w-e-t, wet, 是“潮湿”的意思，b-l-a-n-k-e-t, blanket, 是“毯子”。你说我女朋友是个湿糊糊的毯子？
Donny: Actually, a wet blanket 就是让别人扫兴的人或事。 Jimmy: 哦! a wet blanket 说话讨厌，专给别人的好心情泼冷水!
Donny: That's right. There is a similar phrase---party pooper. Pooper is spelled p-o-o-p-e-r. A party pooper is a person who refuses to go along with everyone else and join the fun.
Jimmy: 哦! Party pooper是在派对上扫大家兴的人! Donny, 要是我去一个party, 结果大家玩儿的游戏我都不参加，还老嚷着要回家，then I'm a party pooper，对不对？
Donny:标准的 party pooper! But Jimmy, in real life, you are by no means a party pooper, on the contrary, you're the life of the party!
Jimmy: The life of the party? 我是派对的生命？
Donny: 差不多! The life of the party is the most fun and exciting person at a party, you know, the person who makes the party fun for everyone else.
Jimmy: 哦，the life of the party 就是派对上的开心果! 有这种人在，气氛一定很high! 你别说，我还真是the life of the party! 哈哈!
Donny: Of course you are! So don't let your girlfriend ruin your spirits. Now, let's see what you've learned today!
Jimmy: 第一，让人扫兴的人或事是a wet blanket, 或者a party pooper； 第二，派对的灵魂人物，开心果, 是 the life of the part
第23讲：不速之客用英语怎么说？
Donny在北京学汉语，他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教他。今天是Jimmy要问的：不速之客。
Donny: Jimmy! How did your birthday party go last weekend?
Jimmy: 不错! 大家玩儿得很高兴! 可是，有些客人我根本不认识。这些不速之客，用美语怎么说？ Donny: Ah-ha! These guests are called party crashers! Crasher is spelled c-r-a-s-h-e-r.
Jimmy: 哦，聚会上的不速之客是party crasher. 现在想想，I got at least three party crashers. 客人太多，没注意，就让他们混进来了。
Donny: 没错! Party crashers usually target big parties. They blend into the party so they don't get kicked out. Jimmy: 可不，他们混进来之后就猛吃猛喝，不太说话。
Donny: 其实，Having a couple of freeloaders in your party was not that terrible. Jimmy: freeloader?
Donny: Yes. f-r-e-e-l-o-a-d-e-r, freeloader 白吃白喝的人。
Jimmy: freeloader就是蹭吃蹭喝的人。我生日party上那几个party crashers明显是冲着吃喝来的，他们就是典型的freeloaders!
Donny: 没错，Some party crashers come for the food and drinks, while others just want to meet new people. Jimmy: 还好我那天准备的酒足够多，虽然有些不速之客，大家还是能尽兴! Party结束后，几个朋友喝多了，还在我家睡了一晚上呢!
Donny: Jimmy, it's nice of you to let them crash for the night at your place. You're such a good host. Jimmy: 怎么又是 crash?
Donny: Here, the word \you: \
Jimmy: 哦，crash 就是暂住，那你说的\也就是“我能不能在你家沙发上凑合一晚上”。
Donny: That's right! Now let's see what you've learned today!
Jimmy: 第一，派对上的不速之客是party crasher 第二，白吃白喝的人是freeloader 第三，凑和睡一晚，可以说 crash here for the night.
第24讲：八卦用英语怎么说？
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：八卦。
JESSICA: 杨林，What are you planning on doing Friday night? YL: 星期五晚上我要和几个特别好的朋友聚会，都是女孩儿! JESSICA: Wow....A girls' night out! That's awesome!
YL: Girls' night out? 没错! 就是只有女孩参加的姐妹淘聚会! 我们打算在朋友家里吃饭、看片、唱歌，当然，最重要的就是--八卦! 对了，八卦怎么说？
JESSICA: 八卦就是gossip. It means a trivial chat among friends.
YL: 哦，聚会时的闲聊八卦就是 gossip. I enjoy gossiping with my friends. 我喜欢和朋友们瞎聊。 But, Jessica, 八卦这个词也有不好的意思，就是传流言蜚语，gossip 也有这种意思么？ JESSICA: Yes! Gossip can also mean spreading rumors.
YL: 哎! 这倒让我想到另外一个和八卦有关的词---八卦杂志，小报儿，怎么说？
JESSICA: Those are called tabloids. tabloid is spelled t-a-b-l-o-i-d, tabloid. In America, tabloids usually refer to media that follow celebrity scandals.
YL: 哦，tabloid 就是专门报道名人丑闻的八卦媒体。所以我可以说 tabloid magazines, 八卦杂志，也可以说 tabloid web site，八卦网站。 Jessica: 对。
YL: I see. So, what about the reporters who gather information for the tabloids---狗仔队! 怎么说？doggies? Jessica: (Chuckle) No! 狗仔队是paparazzi, p-a-p-a-r-a-z-z-i, paparazzi. It's in plural form.
YL: 那我可以说. The local paparazzi are following this movie star everywhere.当地的狗仔队四处跟踪这个电影明星。对么？
Jessica: 没错! Now let's see what you've learned today! YL: 第一，闲聊八卦，或者传流言蜚语，都可以用gossip 第二，八卦媒体是tabloid
第三，狗仔队，是复数名词 paparazzi!
25讲：真命天子用英语怎么说？
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：真命天子
YL: Jessica! 跟你说件事儿。 Jessica: Go ahead.
YL: 我不久前碰到高中时同桌的男生，和他聊得特投机! 我们一起看电影，吃饭，跳舞......太开心了! 我好象喜欢上他了!
Jessica: You mean you \love.
YL: 哦，crush 就是一时迷恋，动心。Jessica, I think I developed a major crush on him. Jessica: 杨林，你不是有男朋友么？
YL: 呃......我也为这事儿发愁呢，不知道谁是我的真命天子。 Jessica: 真命天子？那不是皇帝么？
YL: 哈哈，是皇帝没错。可一个女生的真命天子就是她真正的伴侣。这用英文怎么说呢？ Jessica: Oh, you're talking about \
YL: Mr. Right? right是“对，正确”，所以 Mr. Right 就是各方面都跟我特别合适的男人， 我的真命天子!
Jessica: Exactly! So who looks like your Mr. Right, your boyfriend or this high school classmate? YL: 我也不知道! 你说我该选择哪个呢？
Jessica: Well, I think you should choose the one who is your soul mate.
YL: soul mate? s-o-u-l, soul是灵魂的意思，mate 是伴侣，所以soul mate 就是灵魂伴侣喽？ Jessica: 没错! Your soul mate is the person with whom you have deep and natural love. It's very spiritual. YL: 和那人心有灵犀一点通，这感觉太美好了! Jessica: 好了，Let's see what you've learned today!
YL: 第一：对某人产生好感，to develop a crush on someone； 第二：女孩子的真命天子， Mr. Right; 第三：灵魂伴侣，soul mate。