King跟同事Dan聊天,發(fā)現(xiàn)他心不在焉。King說,
King: The trip was pretty good except for the flat tire we got on the way home. I was going to change it myself but then...hey Dan, are you even listening to me? Dan?
Dan: Oh sorry, I spaced out there for a second.
K: Who were you looking at? Wait a second...you were looking at Julie!
D: All right, I confess! I'm busted. I have a big crush on Julie.
K: That's wonderful! Julie is a great woman, and you're a great guy! So have you asked her out yet?
D: No. I'm not really sure it's appropriate.
King正在給Dan講自己最近的一次旅行,他們回家路上車胎爆了。We got a flat tire. 正說得高興,King發(fā)現(xiàn)Dan根本沒在聽自己說話。Dan很不好意思,承認 I spaced out for a second. 我走神了。space out 是走神的意思,形容心不在焉,走神,還可以用daydream, 所以剛才那句話也可以說 I was daydreaming for a second. King發(fā)現(xiàn),Dan走神是在看女同事 Julie。 Dan只好承認說,I'm busted. I have a big crush on Julie. I'm busted,意思是我被抓住了,被發(fā)現(xiàn)了,暴露了。他說自己確實在偷偷喜歡Julie,但又不敢,ask her out,約她出去,不知道這樣做是否合適,appropriate。King說,
K: I think lots of people meet their "significant other" in the workplace. It's not like she's your boss...go ask her out!
D: I don't know...what if she says 'no'?
K: Have you ever heard the old expression: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained?" What if she says 'yes'?
D: I've always had a really hard time approaching women. I get tongue-tied and start sweating. I don't want to come across as too aggressive, but I also don't want to appear too passive...It's really hard to get it right!
King 說,很多人都是在工作場所遇到自己另一半的,significant other,是伴侶的意思,也可以說是自己的better half. Dan害怕被拒絕。King 告訴他說:Nothing ventured, nothing gained,不去冒險嘗試,就絕不會有收獲。Dan說自己在追女人方面特別不在行,I get tongue-tied and start sweating,我說話會結結巴巴,直冒冷汗。Dan還說,既不想顯得太主動,也不想顯得太被動,It's really hard to get it right,很難把握好分寸。King勸他說:
K: If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that you never lose by trying. You never know unless you try! Getting rejected isn't the end of the world!
D: But how do I make the initial approach? Should I try to come up with some clever or witty remarks?
K: There are a lot of guys out there who think they're Casanova, but in my experience, women don't go for cheesy pickup lines. I suggest being sweet, straightforward and sincere.
D: So what should I say?
King說,最糟糕也不過是被拒絕。Getting rejected isn't the end of the world! 被拒絕也并非世界末日,沒什么大不了的。Dan問,要不要come up with some clever or witty remark,想出一些俏皮話。King告訴他,約女人出去,直截了當些就好,很多男人都以為自己是 Casanova, 卡薩諾瓦是十八世紀的一個意大利探險家和作家,也是一個風流倜儻的情圣,在英語里是大眾情人的代名詞。King還說,其實,women don't go for cheesy pickup lines. cheesy is spelled c-h-e-e-s-y, cheesy,意思是俗氣的,肉麻的;pick up lines,是指男人跟女人搭訕時說的俏皮話。Dan會鼓起勇氣約Julie出去嗎?我們下次繼續(xù)聽。