習慣用語:pull one's own weight(音頻文字)ZT
http://www.voachinese.com/content/wi-pull-ones-own-weight/2544766.html
http://av.voanews.com/clips/VCH/2014/12/03/8dede6d7-ad1d-4902-8705-1fd98d2b4e2c_hq.mp3?download=1
我最喜歡參加的誌願活動就是翻修房子,為低收入的人提供住處。親手讓一棟破破爛爛的老房子煥然一新,會有一種難以言表的成就感,不過,這份工作也很辛苦,每個誌願者都不能偷懶。
我們今天要學的習慣用詞就與此有關,叫:pull one's weight. Pull, 是拉的意思;Weight 是體重。pull one's weight, 意思是完成自己那份工作。就象我剛才說的,整修房子工作艱巨,每個誌願者都要pull his own weight齊心協力,才能順利完成工作。
現在的美國社會,男人主外賺錢,女人主內持家已經不再是慣例。讓我們聽聽下麵這個例子裏家庭成員的分工。
例句-1:For the last two years, I've been a stay-at-home dad while my wife has continued her law practice. Anyone who thinks I'm not doing my share of work is wrong. In addition to taking care of our two kids, I'm busy grocery shopping, running errands, doing the laundry, cleaning the house and maintaining the yard. I'm definitely pulling my own weight.
這個人說:過去兩年,我太太繼續在律師事務所上班,而我卻待在家裏。不過,如果有人覺得我沒有盡到自己那一份家庭義務的話,那可是冤枉了我。除了要照顧兩個小孩外,我每天還忙著買菜、處理雜事、洗衣服、打掃房間、收拾院子。我絕對盡了自己的那一份義務。
有趣的是,這種家庭分工模式如今在美國已經越來越普遍。我個人覺得這樣很好,讓男人們也有機會去體會一下女人持家的辛苦。Women have been pulling their own weight for centuries.
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在下麵這個例子裏,Carla工作非常努力。讓我們一起聽聽老板對她的評價。
例句-2:Don't underestimate Carla. She may have a lot less experience than other employees. But she contributes just as much as anyone on our team. There's no doubt in my mind that she pulls her weight around this office.
他說:千萬不要低估Carla. 也許她沒有別的員工那麽豐富的經驗,但是她的貢獻跟組裏其它成員一樣多。我絲毫也不懷疑,她盡了自己的那份力量。
我老公那兒剛剛開除了一個新員工。從簡曆上看,此人非常優秀,但是沒用幾個月的時間,老板就發現,他非常懶惰。He didn't pull his own weight. 在英語裏,專門有個詞,用來指工作特別懶的人,叫slacker。
Pull one's weight, 這個習慣用語最早是從劃船來的。大家都知道,劃船的時候大家要齊心協力,每個人都要出力,船才會前進。我們今天學習了Pull one's weight, 接下來就靠大家自己去練習了。You have to pull your own weight..