原标题：Test the water 试探，摸底
测试水Li
大家好。欢迎收听BBC英语教学节目《地道英语》。今天我的搭档是Neil.
Neil
Hello everyone.
Li
Neil, you're looking very happy today, what are you up to?
Neil
I'm quite excited about my website: greatmindsshakehands.com. I've been designing it for months and it's nearly completed.
Li
真的？我不知道你还会设计网页呢。Wow, I like the sound of it. I didn't know you could design websites, Neil.
Neil
Well, it's for fun really. My website will be a public site where people can share ideas, you know like-minded people. I want to launch it next week but first I must test the water.
Li
Test the water？ 你要测试水？难道你的网页还需要水吗？ Does your website depend on water? I'm very confused!
Neil
No Li, to test the water means to test the idea, try it out and see if it works.
Li
Oh I see. 'Test the water' 就是探测，摸底，看看别人有什么反应。
Neil
That's right. 'Test the water' is the phrase for Authentic Real English today. Let's hear some examples of how people use it.
Examples
Woman A: Have you started on your new book?
Woman B: Yes, I've written three chapters and I've sent it to the publishers to test the water.
Woman A: Oh, what perfume are you wearing? It's lovely.
Woman B: Oh thanks. It's just a sample a company sent me. They're testing the water to see if people like it.
Woman A: How is your Shakespeare project going?
Woman B: It's early days; we're still testing the water.
Woman A: Well, good luck with it.
Woman B: Thanks.
Li
So Neil, how much testing have you done, have you got good feedback? 摸底的结果如何？
Neil
Well, my wife loves it, but most other people say they don't understand how to use it.
Li
It sounds like it's not user-friendly.
Neil
You're right. I think, I need to make a few changes and then I'll test the water again.
Li
如果需要我也可以充当你的摸底对象哦。I'm happy to be your guinea pig when you're ready.
Neil
A 'guinea pig', I think that's an expression for another programme. For now, it's goodbye from both of us.
Li
Goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye.
BBC英语教学
