Hey Jeff, I am noticing that I am having trouble communicating effectively at my new job. I think it’s because I need to improve my English speaking skills. 嘿，Jeff，我发现我在新的工作中很难有效地与人沟通。我想这是因为我需要提高我的英语口语能力。 Why would you say that? 你为什么这么说？ Well, I think I need to improve my grammar and increase my vocabulary. I’ve noticed that I tend to stumble over my words and get tongue tied. I also I have trouble finding the right words to communicate and this causes my speech to sound choppy. 嗯~我想我需要提高我的语法和增加我的词汇量。我注意到我说话时老结巴，舌头也打结语无伦次的。也很难找到合适的词语来交流，这导致我的讲话听起来不连贯。 Studying grammar may be helpful but I think it’s better to focus on improving your fluency. It's OK if you make errors every now and then. But the important thing is whether you can get your point across. 学习语法可能会有帮助，但我认为最好集中精力提高你的表达流利度。即使偶尔犯错也没关系，但重要的是你能否让别人理解你的观点。 How can I improve my fluency? I heard speech shadowing news reports and podcasts may help improve my fluency. Do you think that is a good idea or would you recommend reading aloud in English? 我该如何提高我的口语流利度呢？我听说跟着新闻报道和播客跟读能有助于提高口语流利度。你觉得这是一个好主意吗，还是你会推荐我用英文大声朗读？ Well that may help some, but I think working on learning different phrases and finding opportunities to talk in English every day will be the best way to improve your fluency. The more you can immerse yourself in the language, the better. 这可能会有一些帮助，但我认为学习不同的短语，每天找机会用英语交流会是提高你口语流利度的最好方法。你越是沉浸在语言中就进步的越快。 How can I practice everyday if I don’t have anyone to practice with. 如果没有人和我一起练习，那我每天该如何练习呢？ You might be able to find an English chat group or just talk to yourself in English. When you’re doing things around the house or in the office, state aloud what you are doing in English. It’s awkward but it works. 也许你能找到一个英语聊天群，或用英语和自己自言自语。当你在家里或办公室做事时，也可以用英语大声说出来。这确实有点尴尬但很管用。 Grammar语法 Whether (or not) In today's dialogue, Jeff said to Kelly, " It's OK if you make errors every now and then. But the important thing is whether (or not) you can get your point across." Here "whether" has the same meaning as "if", and it is used to present two possibilities and/or to focus on an important decision that needs to be made. For example, "I'm not sure whether (or not) I should take this business English course." 在今天的对话中，Jeff对Kelly说:“如果你偶尔犯错误也没关系。但重要的是你能否让别人理解你的观点。”这里的“whether”和“if”意思相同，用来表示两种可能性和/或关注需要做出的重要决定。例如，“我不确定是否应该上这门商务英语课程。” Note that when using "whether", it is not necessary to add "or not". But when it is added, the placement is fairly flexible. 注意，当使用"whether"时，不需要加"or not"。但是当它被添加时，位置是相当灵活的。 Here are some more examples of how to use this grammar: 下面是更多使用这种语法的例子: 1. I'm debating whether or not I should study overseas. 我正在考虑是否应该出国留学。 2. For this position, it's fine if you don't have experience. The important thing is whether you're willing to learn. 对于这个职位，没有经验也没关系。重要的是你是否愿意学习。

Sally, you are never going to believe this. Karen got in touch with me the other day and said she wanted to apologize for what happened between us a few years ago. Sally, 你绝对不会相信。Karen前几天跟我联系，说她想为了几年前我们之间发生过的事向我道歉。 Really? How did you respond when that happened? 真的吗？那你是怎么回复她的？ I asked if we could meet for coffee and see if there is a way we can make amends. 我问她我们能不能见个面喝杯咖啡，看看有没有什么办法可以来弥补。 Wow, you are a much bigger person than I am. I would have a hard time not holding a grudge after the way she treated you, when you had that falling out. 哇，你可比我大度多了。在你们闹翻后她那样对你，我都很难不愤怒。 It was very hard for me but I can’t place the blame entirely on her. Both of us said things we regret. We both were under tremendous stress; I had just gotten laid off from work and she was going through a messy break up at the time. 这对我来说确实很难，但我也不能全怪她。我们都说了让自己后悔的话。当时我们都承受着巨大的压力;我刚刚失业，她也正经历着一场糟糕的分手。 I didn’t consider those factors before. I guess in hindsight sight, you both could have handled things better than you did. 我以前没有考虑过这些因素。我想事后来看，你们都可以把事情处理得更好。 Exactly. I wish I could go back in time and take back all my unkind words that I said to her too. 没错。我希望能回到过去，收回我对她说过的所有不友好的话。 So are you ready to move forward, start the healing process and finally make amends? 那么你准备好既往不咎，开始友谊愈合的过程并最终冰释前嫌吗？ Yes, I think we are both ready to let go of our resentment, let bygones be bygones. We have matured a lot since that time and it’s time let things go and to leave the past in the past. 是的，我想我们都准备好放下怨恨，就让过去的事过去吧。从那时起我们都已经成熟了很多，是时候把那些不愉快放下了。 Grammar语法 Wish vs Hope In today's talkshow let's learn about the difference between “wish” and “hope”. 在今天的节目中让我们来学习"wish"和"hope"这两个近义词有何区别。 1. I + wish + person (人) + noun (名词). This pattern is often used in cards to express a wish. For example, “I wish you a merry Christmas!” In this case, we cannot say, “I hope you a merry Christmas”. We should follow “hope” with a subject and verb, e.g., “I hope you have a merry Christmas”. 这种表达经常被出现在祝福的卡片中， 用来表达愿望。例如，“祝愿你有一个快乐的圣诞节”！在这种情况下，我们不能说：“I hope you a merry Christmas”。“希望”后面要加上主语和动词，例如，“I hope you have a merry Christmas”。 2. Hope is for possible situations. Hope 是针对可能发生的情况。 When something is possible, we use “hope”. For example, if your friend is sick, you could say, “I hope you get well soon”. Or, if your friend is going to an interview, you could say, “I hope you get the job.” 当某些事情是有可能的，我们可以用“hope”。例如，你的朋友病了，你可以说，“我希望你尽快好起来”。或者，如果你有朋友要去参加面试，你可以说，“我希望你能得到这份工作”。 3. Wish is for impossible or unlikely situations. Wish 则用于不可能或者可能性极小的事。 We use “wish” to express desires that we think or know will not come true. 我们用“wish”来表达对不会实现或实现可能性非常小的事情的愿望。 Here are some more examples of how to use “wish” and “hope”. 这里还有一些关于如何使用 wish 和 hope 的例子。 1. I hope you come to the party. Everyone will be there! 希望你能来派对，大家都会来的！ 2. I wish I could go to the movie with you guys, but I have to work! 我真希望能跟你们一起去看电影，但是我得工作！

Sam, what do you think about me going back to the grind? I’m not sure if I want to go back to my same line of work. I’m thinking about exploring other career opportunities now since our son has grown. Sam，你觉得我回归工作怎么样？我不确定我是否想回到我的老本行。因为我们的儿子已经长大了，我正在考虑寻找其他的职业机会。 You know I will always support you no matter what you choose to do. 你知道的，无论你选择做什么我都会一直支持你。 Thank you honey. I don’t regret taking some time off after our son was born but I think I’m ready to take the next step in my professional career now. 谢谢你亲爱的。我并不后悔在我们的儿子出生后我休息了一段时间，但我想我已经准备好在我的职业生涯中迈出下一步了。 I love that you are a go-getter. What kind of job are you thinking about pursuing? Are you thinking about going back to your previous job or do you want to try something entirely different? 我喜欢你积极进取的性格。你想从事什么样的工作？是想回到以前的工作岗位，还是想尝试完全不同的工作？ As much as I loved working there, I don't think I can take the intensity anymore. I think I want to look for a part-time job that is not too far from him. 尽管我很喜欢在之前的公司工作，但我觉得我再也受不了那种强度了。我想找一份离我们儿子不太远的兼职。 Do you think there are part time job opportunities available in your line of work? 你觉得你的工作行业有兼职工作的机会吗？ I’m not really sure what’s out there at the moment. Well it’s been years since I’ve been part of the workforce. I will need to update my resume and brush up on my skills a bit. 我不确定现在是什么样的情形。我已经不工作很多年了。我需要更新我的简历，提高我的技能。 Well I think that plan sounds ideal. You are an incredible woman and I know you will be an amazing working mother! 我觉得这个计划听起来很理想。你是一个很棒的女人，我知道你也会是一个了不起的职场妈妈！ Grammar语法 "As much as" In today's dialogue, Kelly said, "As much as I loved working [at my previous company], I don't think I can take the intensity anymore. In this pattern: "as much as" means "even though" and it can be used to introduce a contrasting statement. For example, "As much as I loved living in New York, it was really expensive!" 在今天的对话中，Kelly说:“尽管我很喜欢(在以前的公司)工作，但我觉得我再也承受不了这种强度了。在这个句型中:“as much as”的意思是“尽管”，它可以用来引入对比句。例如，“尽管我很喜欢住在纽约，但那里真的很贵!” Of course, we could have also said "even though" here as well, but "as much as" is more emphatic, emphasizes emotions more, and tends to be more positive sounding. 当然，我们也可以在这里用“even though”，但是“as much as”更强调语气，更强调情绪，听起来也更积极。 Here are some more examples of how you can use this phrase: 下面是一些如何使用这个短语的例子: 1. As much as I enjoyed the movie, I did feel like it was a bit too long. 虽然我很喜欢这部电影，但我确实觉得它有点太长了。 2. As much as I'd love to stay longer, I have to leave early to catch my flight. 虽然我很想多待一会儿，但我得早点走赶飞机。 BackGround Music：Relaxing light Artists：pixabay [图片]

Hey honey, I’m arriving in less than three weeks. 亲爱的，我还有不到三周就要来了。 I know, I’ve been counting the days. Could I ask a favor from you? Would you be able to pick up some gifts and souvenirs for some of my family and friends? I know they would love to receive a gift from your home country! 我知道。我一直在数日子。我能请你帮个忙吗？你能给我的家人和朋友带些礼物和纪念品吗？ Oh, honey, we have already gone over this, I can’t lug a bunch of useless trinkets in my luggage. I just don’t have the space nor the arm strength. 哦，亲爱的，我们已经讨论过这个了，我不能把一堆没用的小玩意放在我的行李箱里。因为我没有足够的空间和臂力。 Oh, please, could you bring back just a little something. It’s not so much about the items, it’s the thoughtful gesture that will make an impression. 哦，拜托了，你能带点什么回来了吗？礼物本身并不重要，重要的是你考虑周到的举动会给人留下深刻印象。 The souvenirs will put my bags overweight. Then I will not only have to pay overweight fees but I will get held up in customs. 纪念品会让我的行李超重。那我不仅要付超重的费用，而且我还会在海关被耽搁。 I’m sorry I keep insisting it’s just that there have been some comments about you being a penny pincher. I know you are not a stingy person, I want them to see that too. 很抱歉我一直在要求这个。只是有些人说你是个吝啬鬼。我知道你不是一个小气的人，我希望他们也能看到这一点。 What?! They think I’m stingy and close-fisted ?! 你说什么？！他们觉得我小气又吝啬？！ They will not think that if you bring back some souvenirs! 如果你带一些纪念品回来的话，他们就不会这么认为了。 Grammar语法 Using present tenses to refer to future plans At the beginning of our dialogue, an excited Jake tells Coco: "I'm arriving in less than three weeks!". Expressions like this sometimes confuse English students, because they don't know that we can use the present tense to refer to something that will happen in the future. 在我们的对话开始时，Jake兴奋地告诉Coco:“我还有不到两周的时间就要来了！”这样的表达有时会让学英语的学生感到困惑，因为他们不清楚我们可以用现在时态来表示将来会发生的事情。 Like Jake, we often use the present continuous to express the future. But we can also use the present simple. He could also have said "I arrive in less than three weeks". 像Jake一样，我们经常用现在进行时来表达将来。但是我们也可以用一般现在时。他也可以说“我不到三周就到了”。 For examples: 1: We're flying back next Firday. 我们下星期五飞回来。 2: Are you seeing your brother while you're at home? 你在家的时候会去看你弟弟吗？

Well, hello again ! We keep crossing paths, don't we? 哦，又见到你了！我们总是遇到，对吗？ I know right? I swear I’m not stalking you. Since we keep running into each other, I might as well introduce myself, I’m Sherry. 我知道。但我发誓我没有在跟踪你。既然我们经常碰到，我就来做个自我介绍吧，我叫Sherry. Nice to officially meet you Sherry, I'm Jake. 很高兴认识你，Sherry. 我叫Jake。 Oh, it’s so nice to have a name to go with the face. I am embarrassed to admit but I was identifying you as nice mustache man before. 哦，这真是太好了，终于把名字和脸对上了。我得很不好意思的承认，我之前都叫你"友好的胡子男士"。 How ironic ! I was calling you girl with the red glasses. So, what are your tasks here in the office building? 太有趣了！我之前叫你"红眼镜女孩儿"。你在这栋楼里做什么呢？ I work in the marketing and sales department. What is your job description? 我在市场营销部门工作。你的工作是什么？ I’m an IT technician. So you work in marketing? Usually the marketing department leaves by 6pm. However I keep running into your after that. It seems like you have been working a lot of overtime lately. 我是一名IT技术人员。你是做市场营销的？通常市场部下午6点下班。但我一直在下班后都遇到你，你最近好像经常加班。 Yes, IT has you working long hours too doesn’t it? That must be why we keep running into each other. 是的。IT技术部门工作时间也很长，是吗？这就是为什么我们总是遇到对方。 Speaking about work I better get back at it. It was nice meeting you! I’ll see you around. 说到工作我得回去工作了。很高兴认识你！回头见。 Likewise. 我也是。 Grammar语法 negative question tags In our dialogue today, we see a few examples of question tags. A question tag is a short phrase added to the end of a statement to turn it into a question or to seek confirmation from the listener. It's a way of checking if the speaker's assumption or statement is accurate and inviting a response. 在今天的对话中，我们会看到一些反义疑问句的例子。反义疑问句是加在陈述句后面的一个短句，用来把陈述句变成问句，或者寻求听者的确认。这是一种检查说话人的假设或陈述是否准确并征求回应的方法。 Question tags are made up of auxiliary verbs and pronouns, like "don't we" in the opening line of our dialogue. However, other auxiliary verbs can be used, depending on the original sentence. For example, "You are French, aren't you?" uses a "be" verb instead of "do". 反义疑问句是由助动词和代词组成的，比如我们对话开头的一句“我们不要”。但是，根据原句的不同，也可以使用其他助动词。例如，“你是法国人，不是吗?”用的是be动词而不是do。 Also, very importantly, the tag is negative because the sentence is positive. If the sentence was negative, then the tag would be positive. For example: "It's not expensive, is it?" 另外，很重要的一点是，这个反义疑问句是否定的，因为原句是肯定的。如果原句是否定的，那么疑问句就是肯定的。例如:“它不贵，是吗?” For examples: 1. You have good news, don't you? 你有好消息，是吗？ 2. This has been really enjoyable, hasn't it? 这真的很愉快，不是吗？

Achoo！ 哈啾！ Wow! That sneeze was a doozy! It sounds like you’re not feeling too well. Can I help you find anything today? 哇哦！那可真是个大喷嚏。听起来你不太舒服。我能帮你找点什么吗？ Yes please. My allergies have been acting up again and I might even be coming down with a little cold. Could you point me in the direction the cold and allergy medication? 好的。我的过敏症又犯了，甚至可能有点感冒。你能告诉我感冒药和过敏药在哪里吗？ Absolutely, here are a few over the counter allergy medications right here. What strength are you looking for? 没问题，这里有一些非处方过敏药。你在找哪种药力的呢？ I feel like I’m dying. Give me the extra strength stuff please. I feel miserable. 我感觉我快难受死了。请给我药力特别强的。我太难受了。 Here you are. You mentioned you have some head cold symptoms as well? Are you looking for some pills to take or are you looking for an over the counter cough syrup? 给你。你提到你也有一些感冒的症状？你是在找药片还是非处方的止咳糖浆？ Oh actually, the cough syrup is for my son. He is fighting a head cold at the moment . Does this syrup help fight headaches too? 哦，事实上，咳嗽糖浆是给我儿子的。他现在正和感冒作斗争呢。这种糖浆也有助于治疗头疼吗？ It should, so he won't need to take any painkillers. Will that be all? 应该有效，这样他就不用吃止痛药了。就这些吗？ Great! Thank you. Achoo! Oh bother. One more question … could you point me in the direction of the tissue boxes? 太好了！谢谢你。哈啾！哦，真讨厌。还有一个问题...你能告诉我纸巾盒在哪里吗？ Grammar语法 "Should" to express that something is likely. I get lots of questions about "should" because it has so many different meanings. For example, it can be used to express a suggestion, like "You should go home and rest" or "maybe you should go to the doctor". But, it can also be used to express that something is likely. And that's how it's used in today's dialogue. When the customer asks the employee if the cough syrup will work for his son's headaches, the employee says, "it should". In other words, she thinks that it will likely work, but she's totally sure. 我收到了很多有关“应该”这个单词的问题，因为它有很多不同的含义。例如，可以用should来表达建议，如“你应该回家休息”或“也许你应该去看医生”。但是，它也可以用来表达某事很可能，这就是在今天对话中的用法。当顾客问店员这种止咳糖浆对他儿子的头痛是否有效时，店员说：“应该有效。”换句话说，她认为可能会起作用，而且是她比较确定的可能性。 As a result, you'll often hear "should" when people are making a guess or expressing an expectation. For example, your doctor might say, "If you take this medicine, you should feel better in a few days." Or, "Use this ice pack. It should help with the pain." 因此，当人们猜测或表达期望时，你会经常听到“should”。例如，你的医生可能会说：“如果你吃了这种药，几天后你就会感觉好多了。”或者，“用这个冰袋，应该能缓解疼痛。”

You are never going to believe this! Someone took my lunch delivery! 你绝对不会相信！有人拿走了我的午餐外卖！ How could that happen? Usually the delivery person calls you when they arrive. 怎么会发生这样的事情？通常情况下，外卖员到了都会给你打电话的。 The delivery person rang my phone but I didn't notice because I was in a meeting. When I called the restaurant they sent me a picture of where my order was left down stairs. I ran down to get it but it wasn't there. 外卖员给我打了电话，但我没注意到因为我正在开会。当我打电话给餐厅询问时，他们给我发了一张我点的外卖放在楼下的图片。我下去拿时，外卖已经不在了。 Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. This is why I don't select the contactless delivery option when I order take out. I prefer the delivery person to hand my order to me directly that way there are no mishaps. 噢，很遗憾听到这个。这就是为什么我定外卖时不选择非接触式送餐。我更喜欢送货员直接把外卖交到我手上，这样就不会有任何麻烦了。 I can't believe the lack of integrity people have these days. Why couldn't you pay a measly $10 for your own lunch you good for nothing thief!? 真不敢相信现在有人这么不讲诚信。为什么不自己花10美元买一顿午餐呢，真是个一无是处的小偷！？ Well, maybe it was a mistake. Did you ever think that someone in the building grabbed your lunch by accident confusing it with their own order? As you know most people in the office order delivery at lunch time. 好吧，也没准这是个误会。你有没有想过大楼里的某个人不小心把你的午餐和他们自己定的弄混了？你知道的，办公室里的大多数人都在午餐时间定外卖。 I don't think about that. That makes me feel a little better but I still wish we had a receptionist down stairs or our own delivery lockers, so this kind of thing wouldn't happen. 我没想过这个。这让我感觉好点了，但我还是希望公司楼下能有一个接待员，或是我们自己的储物柜。那这样的事情就不会发生了。 Yeah, wouldn't that be great! 是呀，那就再好不过了！ Grammar语法 The suffix "-less" In today's dialogue, we learn that Mina never chooses "contactless delivery". In other words, she wants the delivery person to hand the food directly to her. The suffix "-less" means "without" and it can be placed at the end of nouns to make adjectives. 在今天的对话中，我们了解到Mina从来没有选择过“非接触式送餐”。换句话说，她希望送餐员直接把食物递给她。后缀“-less”表示“无、不”，它可以放在名词的末尾构成形容词。 As you can see, it's a pretty easy-to-use grammar point and a great way to make your language a little more varied and complex. Here are some more examples of adjectives that you can make with this suffix. 正如你所看到的，这是一个非常容易使用的语法点，也是一个让你的语言更加多样化和复杂的好方法。这里有一些形容词的例子，你可以用这个后缀： Useless: 无用的 Thoughtless: 欠考虑的 Wireless: 无线的 His thoughtless actions hurt her. 他轻率的行为伤害了她。 I want to buy some wireless headphones for when I work out at the gym. 我想买无线耳机，在健身房锻炼的时候用。 My parents think that studying history is useless. They want me to be a doctor. 我父母认为学习历史是没用的，他们想让我成为一名医生。

Hey Keith, are we still on for Friday? 嘿Keith，我们周五还一起吗？ Oh, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Unfortunately, I double booked myself on Friday, so I'm not going to be able to meet you like we planned, sorry. 噢，我一直想和你谈谈这件事。很遗憾，我周五定出去了，所以我不能像计划的那样和你见面了，抱歉。 Don't sweat it! When are you available next? 别担心！你下次有空是什么时候？ My schedule is booked all next week. Would the following Friday work for you? 我下周的日程都排满了。你下下个周五方便吗？ Oh, the following Friday I have some things to attend to but I might be able to reschedule them. 噢，下下个周五我有些事情要处理，但我可以重新安排时间。 Oh, I don't want to cause you any inconveniences. What about Wednesday? Could you fit us in sometime in the afternoon? 噢，我不想给你造成任何不便。周三怎么样？你能在周三下午给我们安排个时间吗？ Yes, Wednesday afternoon is perfect! Let me pencil you in! 好的，周三下午没问题！让我记录下来！ Thanks again and I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. I will make a note in my calendar too and I will keep you posted if anything changes. 再次感谢，我很抱歉给你带来的不便。我也会在我的日历上做一个笔记提醒，如果有什么变化我就告诉你。 Fantastic! Until Wednesday! 太棒了！周三见！ Grammar语法 "Next" as an adverb We all know that "next" can be an adjective. For example, "next week", "next month", "next year", and "next time" are all very common collocations. in today's talkshow, however, "next" is an adverb. We can see this in the line "when are you available next?" This can be used in declarative sentences, like "I'm not sure what I should do next". But, often we will see this pattern in questions. For example, "What should I do next?" 我们都知道“next”可以是形容词，例如，“next week”、“next month”、“next year”和“next time”都是非常常见的搭配。然而，在我们今天的节目中，“next”是一个副词，我们可以在“你什么时候有空？”这句话中看到这一点。这可以用在陈述句中，比如“我不确定下一步该做什么”，但是，我们经常会在问句中看到这种表达，例如，“接下来我该做什么？” Now, some of you might be wondering: can we use "next" as an adverb before the adjective "next"? Like "next next week"? This is not proper English, and it's not common either, so it's best to avoid it and say, "the week after next week" or "in two weeks". 现在有些人可能会想：我们能把副词的“next”用在形容词的“next”之前吗？比如中文里的下下周是“next next week”吗？这不是正统的英语，也不常见，所以最好避免，“下下周”你可以说“the week after next week”或“in two weeks”。 Here are some more examples of how you can use "next" as an adverb. 下面是一些关于如何将“next”用作副词的例子： I'm so happy we came to Paris. Where should we go next? 我很高兴我们来巴黎了。我们下一站该去哪里？ He has been asking everyone for money. He will probably ask you next! 他一直向每个人要钱。下一个他可能会问你！

Jackie, I've decided I want to change my English name. Jackie，我决定了我想改我的英文名。 Why? I thought you picked the name Earl for a reason. 为什么？我以为你取Earl这个名字是有原因的。 I thought Earl was original and unique but more than one person has told me that my English name sounds dated or it makes me sound like a stuffy old butler. 我觉得Earl这个名字很独特。但不止一个人说过我的英文名听起来很过时，像一个古板的老管家。 Well it does a little, but if you like that name who cares what others think. 好吧，是有点，但如果你喜欢这个名字谁在乎别人怎么想。 I care! I want a young hip name. Maybe something like Jake? 我在乎！我想要一个年轻时髦的名字。比如像Jake这样的。 Jake is great but it’s a very common name. For example I can think of 7 guys I know named Jake right now. 4 of them work at my office and everyone always mixes them up. Jake这个名字是不错但也很常见。比如我现在就能想出7个叫Jake的人，其中四个在我的办公室工作，大家常把他们弄混。 Hmm, maybe I should go with something more symbolic and original. One of the characters in my name means Wise. Maybe I could be called Wise? 嗯，也许我应该用一些更有象征意义和新颖的名字。我的名字中有一个字的意思是“充满智慧的”，也许我可以被叫做Wise？ Mm…that doesn’t translate well into English. What about a name that works for either gender. Jesse and Jody are some great unisex name options. 嗯...这个词翻译成英文名感觉怪怪的。取一个男女都适用的名字怎么样？Jesse和Jody都是很棒的中性名字。 Those are nice but I don’t feel like a Jesse or a Jody . I don’t think that kind of name suits me. Who knew picking a name would be so hard. 是很好，但我感觉自己不像Jesse或Jody。我觉得这种名字不适合我。谁知道取个名字会这么难。 I’ve got it! What about the name Zeak? It’s cool and hip and it means clever-minded which is close to what your name means in Chinese! 我想到了！Zeak这个名字呢又酷又潮，它的意思是充满智慧的头脑，这很接近你的名字在中文里的意思。 Aw. That's it. Thanks, Jackie. 啊。就它了。谢谢你，Jackie。 Grammar语法 Like/hate being called Today's grammar point is about expressing your feelings about your name or nickname. For example, a person could say, "I like being called Mark." Or "I hate being called Mr. Roberts. It makes me feel old!" But why are we using "being" here? Well, let's take a look at the grammar. There are a few different things happening here. 今天语法点是关于表达你对自己名字或昵称的感受。例如，一个人可以说：“我喜欢别人叫我Mark”或者“我讨厌别人叫我Roberts先生，这让我觉得自己老了！”但是我们为什么要用“being”呢？让我们来看看语法，这里有些不一样的因素。 1. I like/hate + doing something. 我喜欢/讨厌做某事。 Words like "hate" and "like" are often followed by "verb-ing". "I like calling my cat my little fur baby!" Can we say, "I like to call my cat my little fur baby"? Yes. What about "I hate to call my cat my little fur baby"? This is a little more awkward. "Hate" is more often followed by a verb-ing. 像“hate”和“like”这样的词通常后面跟动词ing形式。“I like calling my cat my little fur baby 我喜欢叫我的猫毛绒宝贝”那我们可以说“I like to call my cat my little fur baby 我喜欢叫我的猫毛绒宝贝”吗？是的。那“I hate to call my cat my little fur baby 我讨厌叫我的猫毛绒宝贝”呢？这不太行，因为“Hate”后面经常跟一个动词ing形式。 2. We are using the passive voice: be called + name (+ by someone) 我们用被动语态：被叫 + 名字（被某人叫） Active sentence: She hates calling me Mr. Roberts. She always calls me Mark. 主动句：她讨厌叫我Roberts先生，她总是叫我Mark。 Passive sentence: I hate being called Mr. Roberts (by my coworkers). I like being called Mike. 被动句：我讨厌（同事）叫我Roberts先生，我喜欢别人叫我Mike。 After "hate", the pattern "be called" changes to "being called". 在“hate”之后，“be called”句型变成“being called”句型。

He Jackie, is it just me or do the mosquitoes seem to be worse this autumn? 嘿，Jackie，是我的错觉还是今年秋天蚊子更多了？ It’s not in your head. They are way worse this autumn, so much so that I can’t enjoy my autumn walks like I did last year. They are ruining my evenings. 我也这样想。这个秋天蚊子更多了，以至于我都不能像去年那样享受我的散步了。它们毁了我的夜晚。 I feel the same way. Isn’t it the worst when you get one trapped in your room and it buzzes around your head all night long? It is so annoying! 我也有同感。当你把一只蚊子困在房间里的时候，它整晚都在你头上嗡嗡叫，是不是很崩溃？真是太烦人了！ And their bites! They itch like crazy and I can't stop scratching! 还有被叮咬的包！痒的要命，我一直不停的挠！ I can relate. I’ve tried everything to ward off mosquitoes, repellent patches, bug spray and candles but none of them seem to be a hundred percent effective. In the end I always end up with a bug bite. 我能体会。我已经试了所有的方法来驱赶蚊子，驱蚊贴，蚊虫喷雾，蜡烛，但没有一个是百分之百有效的。最后我还是会被蚊子咬到。 Well that bites! Why can’t we just wipe mosquitoes out of existence? Are they really that necessary? 真难受！为什么我们不能干脆把蚊子都消灭掉？它们真的有存在的必要吗？ I guess we will have to find other ways to avoid them and stay indoors this fall. 我想我们要找其他的方法来躲避蚊子了，这个秋天最好都呆在室内。 I guess you are right . Oh no! Do you hear that? One got in side the house! Buzz off you blood hungry pest! 我想你是对的！哦，不！你听到了吗？有只蚊子在房子里。走开，你这嗜血的害虫！ Grammar语法 Verb + like crazy In today's dialogue, Jackie said that his mosquito bites "itch like crazy". This is a very common expression people use in the summer, but what does "like crazy" mean here? 在今天的对话中，Jackie说他被蚊子叮得“痒得要命”，这是人们在夏天非常常用的表达，但是“like crazy”在这里是什么意思呢？ Basically, to "itch like crazy" means to itch intensely or excessively. It is used to emphasize the severity or intensity of the itching sensation. Essentially, it conveys the idea that the itching is very strong or extreme. But we are not limited to itching here. We can use this pattern with so many different verbs. For example, "laugh like crazy", "run like crazy", "spend like crazy", etc. 基本上，“itch like crazy”是指强烈或过度地痒，用来强调痒感的严重性或强度。从本质上讲，这个表达传达了痒非常强烈或极端的概念，但我们并不局限于“痒”，我们可以用这个句型搭配很多不同的动词，例如“笑疯了”、“疯狂地跑”、“疯狂地花钱”等等。 For examples: She needs to work like crazy to finish all of her projects on time. 她必须拼命工作才能按时完成所有的项目。 My shoulder has been hurting like crazy for days. 我的肩膀疼了好几天了。

Hi, Sally, is retirement treating you well? 嗨，Sally，退休后的生活怎么样？ Oh yes, I have been loving retired life. I picked up some new hobbies. I've been learning how to sew and play the piano. 哦，是的。我很爱我的退休生活。我还培养了一些新的爱好。我一直在学习缝纫和弹钢琴。 That's so nice that you are finally pursuing your interest and living your dreams! I am considering the idea of hanging up my boots pretty soon too. 太好了，你终于开始追求自己的兴趣爱好，实现自己的梦想了。我也在考虑尽快退休的事了。 Really, Janice? You? You've always been such a workaholic! 真的吗，Janice？你? 你可一直都是个工作狂呀！ I know I've been a workhorse my whole life but I'm no spring chicken anymore, and my husband isn't getting any younger. We would love to take advantage of our good health while we still can, start traveling and spend some time playing golf. 我知道我一直都在努力工作，但我不再年轻了，我的丈夫也是。所以我们想在我们身体还健康的时候开始旅行，并花一些时间打打高尔夫球。 Well if you do decide to retire you should be aware of the adjustment period. It will take some time to settle down. You may feel a little antsy at first and not know what to do with yourself. 好吧，如果你决定要退休那要注意一下调整期。你需要一段时间才能适应。刚开始你可能会坐立不安，不知道要做点什么？ That makes sense. My job has made up such a big part of my life and identity so I know it will be a transition for me. As you said I am a workaholic and old habits die hard. I know it will take me time to settle down. 有道理。我的工作确实占据了我生活的很大一部分，并且也是我身份的重要组成部分。这对我来说会是一个过渡期。就像你说的，我是个工作狂，旧习难改呀。我知道我需要时间来适应。 Well I’m proud of you for finally deciding to take the leap. You deserve the chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor after all these years! 我为你最终决定迈出这一步而感到骄傲。这么多年了，你也是时候享受你的劳动成果了。 Grammar point: No [noun] construction In our dialogue today we see the phrase "I'm no spring chicken anymore." Often when an English student encounters a phrase like this, they wonder what the difference is between saying "I'm no [noun]" and "I'm not a [noun]." 在今天的对话中，我们看到“I'm no spring chicken anymore”这个短语。通常当英语学生遇到这样的短语时，会想知道“I'm no[名词]”和“I'm not a[名词]”有什么区别。 The standard construction "I'm not a [noun]" is typically used for straightforward statements of fact. By saying "I'm not a spring chicken", the speaker is stating that they are literally not a chicken. Similarly, if you say "I'm not a doctor", you are simply saying that you are literally not a doctor. 标准句式“I’m not a[名词]”通常用于直接陈述事实。通过说“I'm not a spring chicken”，说话人是在说他们真的不是年轻人。同样，如果你说“I'm not a doctor”，你只是在说你真的不是一个医生。 The alternate construction "I'm no + noun" is often employed for emphasis, humor, or to convey a stronger negation. Often a phrase like this will be followed by a "but". 另一结构“I'm no +名词”通常用于强调、幽默或表达更强烈的否定。通常这样的短语后面会有一个“但是”。 For examples: I'm no chef, but I can definitely whip up a mean bowl of cereal. 我不是厨师，但我绝对能做一碗好吃的麦片粥。 I'm no magician, but I can make a full bag of chips disappear. 我不是魔术师，但我能让一整袋薯片消失。

Hey Fred, I just wanted to make sure you remember that the deadline for our project is this Friday. 嘿Fred, 我只是想确认你记得我们项目的截止日期是这个星期五。 This Friday?! Thanks for reminding me! I thought it was next Friday. 这周五吗？谢谢你提醒我！我以为是下周五。 Oh no! Are you going to be able to make the deadline? 噢，不是！你能赶上最后期限吗？ Yes, I should be able to. There have been so many projects and deadlines I’m having a little trouble keeping track of them all. 是的，我应该可以。有太多的项目和截止日期，我很难把它们都记住。 I understand! Nonetheless keep focused and on top of things. We don’t want any projects slipping through the cracks. 我理解！尽管如此，你还是要保持专注随时了解项目情况。我们不希望任何项目被遗漏。 You’ve got it boss! I will start working on the final draft today。You have nothing to worry about! 没问题老板！我今天就要开始处理最终稿了。您无需担心。 Excellent, I know you are not one to leave things till the last minute. I know you always start working on things well in advance. 太好了，我知道你不是那种把事情留到最后一分钟的人。而且你总是提前就开始工作。 Absolutely! Thanks for the vote of confidence! 那当然！谢谢您的信任！ It sounds like you have everything under control, Fred. If you have any further questions about the project or tasks you know where to find me! 听起来一切都在你的掌控之中，Fred。如果你对项目或任务有任何进一步的问题，你知道在哪里可以找到我。 Grammar point 语法 Going to be able to "Going to + verb" is a very useful grammar pattern that is often used to express predictions about the future. For instance, A: "Do you think it's going to rain today?" B: "Yes! I definitely think it's going to rain." “Going to +动词”是一个非常有用的语法结构，通常用于表达对未来的预测。例如，A:“你觉得今天会下雨吗？”B:“是的！我觉得肯定会下雨。” However, in today's dialogue, I combined this pattern with the set phrase "be able to": "Are you going to be able to make the deadline?" This pattern is softer and more indirect than asking "can you + do something?" It's also more friendly and less formal than saying "will you be able to + do something?" As a result, it's often used with friends or when asking questions at work. For instance, "Are you going to be able to write the report and make the presentation by Wednesday? If not, please let me know!" 然而，在今天的对话中，我把这个结构和固定短语“be able to”结合了起来:“Are you going be able to make the deadline?”这个句型比问“can you + do something?”更委婉、不会显得那么直接。它也比说“will you be able to + do something?”更友好、更随和一些。因此，这个表达经常用于与朋友交谈或在工作中问问题。例如，“你能在周三之前写好报告并做一下宣讲吗？如果来不及，请告诉我!” For examples: 1. Are they going to be able to make it to the meeting? 他们能赶得上开会吗？ 2. Is she going to be able to pass the exam without studying? 她不学习就能通过考试吗？

Hi, Sarah, I've been hearing a rumor going around that vegetarians tend to be more depressed than people who eat meat. I want to ask you if this is true since you are a vegetarian. 嗨，Sarah，我听到一个谣言，说素食主义者往往比吃肉的人更容易抑郁。所以我想问你这是真的吗，因为你就是素食主义者嘛。 What? That's just a bunch of baloney. 什么？那只是胡说八道。 Are you sure? I heard that scientists did a study and that they found a correlation between depression and vegetarianism. 你确定吗？我听说科学家们做了一项研究，他们发现了抑郁症和素食饮食之间有关联。 Well you know that finding a correlation is not the same as finding the causation. That study is not conclusive by any means. 你要知道找到相关性和找到因果关系是不一样的。这项研究并没有多大说服力。 I guess that's technically true, but you have to agree that vegetarians do tend to deprive themselves of certain food groups which contain phytonutrients, fatty acids and even omega-3s. 我想你是对的，但你也得承认素食主义者确实倾向于拒绝食用某些含有植物营养素，脂肪酸甚至欧米伽-3脂肪酸的食物。 There are so many plant-based omega-3 options out there. I'm sure you would agree a lack of one form of nutrient is not the sole factor in causing depression. 有很多植物来源的欧米伽-3脂肪酸可供选择。我相信你会同意，缺乏某种营养并不是导致抑郁症的唯一因素。 I guess you have a point, but if someone told me that my only protein option was tofu I think I would become depressed. 我想你说得有道理，但如果有人告诉我我唯一的蛋白质选择是豆腐，我想我会变得很沮丧。 What are you talking about you have never eaten tofu. Don't knock it until you try it. Plus, tofu is not a vegetarians only food option. There are so many foods to choose from out there that help to boost your mood like chocolate and avocados to name a few. 先别下定论你都没吃过豆腐。没吃过就先别嫌弃。而且，豆腐并不是素食主义者的唯一选择，有很多食物可供选择并有助于提高你的情绪，比如巧克力和鳄梨等等。 Okay, fair enough. Maybe this carnivore should try going veggie. 好吧，有道理。也许我这个肉食者应该试试吃素。 Grammar point 语法 Idioms with baloney aloney is a common sandwich meat in the United States, but the word "baloney" also means nonsense, foolishness, or something that is untrue or fabricated. When someone says "That's a load of baloney" or "Don't feed me baloney," they are expressing doubt or disbelief about what they are hearing. Similarly, if someone accuses another person of being a "baloney artist" or calls "baloney" on a claim, they are suggesting that the person is lying or exaggerating. Baloney在美国是一种常见的三明治肉，但“Baloney”这个词也有胡说八道、愚蠢或不真实或捏造的东西的意思。当有人说“That's a load of baloney”或“Don't feed me baloney”时，他们是在表达对他们所听到的东西的怀疑或不信任。类似地，如果有人指责另一个人是“baloney artist”，或者用“baloney”形容某人的言辞，他们是在暗示这个人在说谎或夸大事实。 For examples: 1. I can't stand the phony-baloney attitude of some people who pretend to be something they're not. 我不能忍受一些人装模作样的虚假姿态。 2. Can you believe this? What a load of baloney! 你相信这个事吗？完全是胡说八道！

Hello, I booked a flight to Paris and I need to reschedule my flight. My references number is ZYX324. 你好，我定了去巴黎的机票，但我需要改签我的航班。我的订单号是ZYX324。 Not a problem, ma'am, which day would you like to reschedule your flight to? 没问题，女士，您想把航班改到哪一天呢？ Do you have any flights available for the 18th of May? 你们有5月18日的航班吗？ I'm sorry ma'am, it looks like we have no available flights that day except for one red-eye flight. 抱歉，女士，看起来除了一个红眼航班外，那天我们没有其他的航班了。 Okay, I guess I don't have a choice then. Will there be any extra charges? 好吧，我想我别无选择了。会有额外的费用吗？ Yes, ma'am, you will need to pay a rescheduling fee of $45 dollars and the red-eye flight has an additional charge of $85 dollars. 是的，女士，您需要支付45美元的改期费，红眼航班的额外费用是85美元。 Ok. I accept the charge. Please go ahead and book the flight. 好的。我接受额外的费用。请帮我改签吧。 Ok, you are all set. I have booked your flight and I have sent an email with your confirmation number to your email address. Can I help you with anything else? 好了，已经帮您改签好了，并发邮件和您确认了。您还有别的事情需要帮助吗？ No, that should be all. Thank you. 就这些了。谢谢。 Grammar语法 Except "Except" is a word that we use to show that something is not included in a list or a group. It is often used to indicate that one thing is different from or does not follow a pattern of others. Except这个词我们用来表示某物不在列表或组中。它通常用来表示一件事物不同于其他事物或不遵循其他事物的模式。 For example, imagine that you are making a list of fruits that you like: apples, bananas, and oranges. If someone asks you, "Do you like all fruits?" you could answer, "I like most fruits, except for durian." 例如，想象你正在列一张你喜欢的水果清单:苹果、香蕉和橙子。如果有人问你:“你喜欢所有的水果吗?”你可以回答:“我喜欢大多数水果，除了榴莲。” In today's program you probably noticed that we used "except for". When used to exclude something or someone from a group, "except" and "except for" are both fine. 在今天的节目中，你可能注意到我用了"except for"。当用来把某物或某人从一组中排除出去时，"except"和"except for"都可以。 However, when except is used as a conjunction, as in the phrase "The two brothers are a lot alike, except that Bob is much taller", "except for" should not be used. 然而，当except用作连词时，例如在短语“The two brothers are a lot alike, except that Bob is much taller”中，就不应该用except for。

We haven't traveled overseas in ages! Do you think we can plan a trip to somewhere this year? 我们好久没出国旅行了！你觉得我们今年可以计划去哪儿旅行一下吗？ Absolutely! I was thinking about traveling somewhere in Asia. What do you think about a trip to Japan? 当然了！我在考虑去亚洲的某个地方旅行。你觉得去日本怎么样？ Japan is great but I've been there, done that. I would like to visit somewhere I've never been before. 日本是很棒，但都去过了不想去了。我想去一个从没去过的地方。 Ok. Let me think. If I remember correctly, you've always wanted to travel to Europe. Should we plan a trip there this summer? 好吧。让我想想。如果我没记错的话，你一直想去欧洲旅行。那今年夏天我们计划去哪儿旅行怎么样？ Europe sounds amazing. I heard the food is to die for, along with the scenery and landscapes. I also heard the shopping is unbeatable. 欧洲听起来很棒。我听说那里的食物很美味，风景也很迷人。而且我还听说那里的购物更是没得比。 After so many years I think we deserve to treat ourselves to a proper vacation, don't you think? 这么多年过去了，我想我们应该好好享受一次假期了，你说呢？ I feel the same way. This is going to be the best trip ever! 我也有同感。这将是有史以来最棒的旅行！ Grammar point： Ever Today's grammar point is about one of the most useful words ever! This word "ever" is an adverb and it can emphasize a statement. It can have several different meanings, but in today's dialogue, it means "of all time" or "in my life." 今天的语法重点是关于有史以来最有用的单词之一！ever这个词是副词，可以强调一个陈述句。它可能有几种不同的意思，但在今天的对话中，它的意思是“一直以来”或“在我的生活中”。 For example, if you go to a really, really good restaurant. You could say, "It's the best restaurant ever!" Or, "This restaurant is the best ever!" 例如，如果你去一家非常非常好的餐厅。你可以说:“这是有史以来最好的餐厅！”或者，“这家餐厅是有史以来最好的！” Here are some more examples of this grammar point. 这里还有一些关于这个语法点的例子。 1. It was the longest flight ever! 这是有史以来最长的飞行！ 2. The hotels are so expensive in this city. This is going to be the most expensive trip ever. 这个城市的酒店太贵了，这将是有史以来最昂贵的一次旅行。 3. The food at this restaurant is the best ever! Let's come back again next week! 这家餐厅的食物是有史以来最好的！我们下周再来吧！