BBC英语：Get the short straw干最苦的差事

BBC英语教学

　　地道英语

　　Get the short straw 干最苦的差事

　　内容简介

　　有时候，人们在特定的情况下因抓到最短的 “稻草” 而不得不接受做苦差事的命运。本集节目介绍一个能描述这种情况的地道英语表达。

　　文字稿

　　Feifei

　　大家好，这里是 BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》节目。我是冯菲菲。

　　Rob

　　And hello， I’m Rob。

　　Feifei

　　Rob， it’s very kind of you to bring me to this cafe and to buy me a milkshake。 我特别喜欢 milkshakes 奶昔。

　　Rob

　　Err， did I say I was paying？ Anyway， I wanted to talk to you about work…

　　Feifei

　　…。mmm， strawberry， my favourite。

　　Rob

　　Errr， yes， mine too。 But back to talking about work – you know we’re moving the desks around…

　　Feifei

　　Why do milkshakes taste so good？ Oh， look， I’ve finished mine。

　　Rob

　　Yes… as I was trying to say， it looks like you’ve got the short straw。

　　Feifei

　　Oh， that’s why I’ve drunk my milkshake quicker than you – I had a short straw！

　　Rob

　　No， Feifei。 Forget the milkshake。 If you get the short straw， it means you’re the person in a group who gets the most unpleasant outcome in a situation。

　　Feifei

　　表达 “get the short straw” 的意思是在一组人当中，抽中了下下签，“不得不做最无趣的事情，干最苦的差事”。And why have I got the short straw？

　　Rob

　　Well， I’m afraid they’re moving your desk to just outside the toilet！

　　Feifei

　　We’ll see about that！ Let’s hear some examples of other people who’ve got the short straw。

　　Examples

　　Looks like I’ve got the short straw – I’m doing the late shift while everyone else goes to the pub！

　　Oh， dear， Tom’s got do the washing up after our dinner party。 Ha！ Looks like he’s got the short straw。

　　We were given free tickets to the theatre， but I got the short straw because my seat was right at the back and I couldn’t see a thing！

　　Feifei

　　这里是 BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》节目。我们正在一起学习如何使用地道表达 “get/draw the short straw”，这个表达形容一个人因被选中而不得不干最困难的、最苦的差事。And Rob， you’re saying I’ve got the short straw in the office reshuffle？

　　Rob

　　Yes。 That’s why I thought I’d take you for a milkshake as a way of making you feel better about it。

　　Feifei

　　You mean as a way of saying sorry more like。 I’ve seen the new office plan and you were supposed to sit by the toilet but you changed the name to mine – what a cheek！

　　Rob

　　Well…errr… How about if I do pay for your milkshake？

　　Feifei

　　Maybe， if you buy me anothermilkshake。

　　Rob

　　Oh， OK， then… remind me what flavour？

　　Feifei

　　Strawberry – with two long straws。