地道英語:掙不了幾個小錢兒
Work for Peanuts
掙不了幾個小錢兒
Li: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English, Im Li. And here with me is Neil. Hi Neil!
Neil: Hi Li! Before we start the programme Ive got some good news for you.
Li: Yes?
Neil: Ive just fixed your bike tyres as I promised!
Li: Oh Great! I am so happy, Neil! 你終于把我的自行車修好了!你知道,我每天上下班就靠這自行車了。I ride it when I come into work and when I go home. 上個星期我把車拿到修車店,可是他們竟沒有修好。But now thanks to you I can use it again!
Neil: I am glad to have been of service but Well, you know, you told me youd pay me for the work Well, now would be a good time because I am a bit short of cash at the moment, actually.
Li: Oh, you want to receive some payment as I promised you? 我的確說過要回報你! Thats fair. Here you are!
Neil: What are these?
Li: Your payment, Neil.
Neil: Peanuts?!
Li: Yes, Neil, 花生。 You keep saying that there are people who work for peanuts! 你不總是說,很多人都在為掙花生而工作嗎?這不,我給了你一大把花生還不行?
Neil: Yes I have said that on occasions but its got nothing to do with food! To work for peanuts is an expression in English that means to work for a very small payment.
Li: Now you tell me, Neil! 這么說 work for peanuts的意思是辛苦工作, 但是掙不到大錢。 Is that what you mean?
Neil: Yes. Think. A peanut is something very small and cheap.
Woman: My cousin is a catwalk model and she travels all over the world! But before she became famous she used to work for peanuts! She could hardly buy a lipstick.
Man: I am going to ask for a pay rise. I am tired of working for peanuts!
Li: Oh, I am sorry, Neil, when you said that some people work for peanuts 我以為你特別想要花生作為回報呢!
Neil: Thats okay, Li. But now that you know I dont work for peanutswill you give me some money?
Li: Oh yes, of course. As soon as we finish the programme Ill pay you with cash. 我的錢包在辦公室的抽屜里,等回去我就把錢給你。 So now give me back my peanuts.
Neil: (sound of chewing)
Li: Neil, the peanuts! 那你還給我花生吧! 我從早上到現在還沒吃東西呢,餓死了, I am hungry.
Neil: (speak while still chewing) But I am hungry too and these peanuts taste great!
Li: I know they do. I bought them in the new grocery shop around the corner. 那個食品店特好。
Neil: Dont worry, Li. As soon as you pay me we can go down there and Ill buy you some more of these delicious peanuts.
Li: Okay. I dont work for peanuts either but I am glad to eat some. 我特喜歡吃花生! Lets go then.
Neil: (sound of monkey) I want some peanuts! (sound of monkey)
Li: So do I, Neil, but why are you making this odd, funny noise? 你聽上去像個猴子!
Neil: Well, you know what they say: if you pay peanuts you get monkeys!
Li: Okay, I got the message. 你給的是花生就只能招到猴子,這同漢語中的微薪養蠢材 類似。 Lets go. Bye!
Neil: (sound of monkey)
Work for Peanuts
掙不了幾個小錢兒
Li: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English, Im Li. And here with me is Neil. Hi Neil!
Neil: Hi Li! Before we start the programme Ive got some good news for you.
Li: Yes?
Neil: Ive just fixed your bike tyres as I promised!
Li: Oh Great! I am so happy, Neil! 你終于把我的自行車修好了!你知道,我每天上下班就靠這自行車了。I ride it when I come into work and when I go home. 上個星期我把車拿到修車店,可是他們竟沒有修好。But now thanks to you I can use it again!
Neil: I am glad to have been of service but Well, you know, you told me youd pay me for the work Well, now would be a good time because I am a bit short of cash at the moment, actually.
Li: Oh, you want to receive some payment as I promised you? 我的確說過要回報你! Thats fair. Here you are!
Neil: What are these?
Li: Your payment, Neil.
Neil: Peanuts?!
Li: Yes, Neil, 花生。 You keep saying that there are people who work for peanuts! 你不總是說,很多人都在為掙花生而工作嗎?這不,我給了你一大把花生還不行?
Neil: Yes I have said that on occasions but its got nothing to do with food! To work for peanuts is an expression in English that means to work for a very small payment.
Li: Now you tell me, Neil! 這么說 work for peanuts的意思是辛苦工作, 但是掙不到大錢。 Is that what you mean?
Neil: Yes. Think. A peanut is something very small and cheap.
Woman: My cousin is a catwalk model and she travels all over the world! But before she became famous she used to work for peanuts! She could hardly buy a lipstick.
Man: I am going to ask for a pay rise. I am tired of working for peanuts!
Li: Oh, I am sorry, Neil, when you said that some people work for peanuts 我以為你特別想要花生作為回報呢!
Neil: Thats okay, Li. But now that you know I dont work for peanutswill you give me some money?
Li: Oh yes, of course. As soon as we finish the programme Ill pay you with cash. 我的錢包在辦公室的抽屜里,等回去我就把錢給你。 So now give me back my peanuts.
Neil: (sound of chewing)
Li: Neil, the peanuts! 那你還給我花生吧! 我從早上到現在還沒吃東西呢,餓死了, I am hungry.
Neil: (speak while still chewing) But I am hungry too and these peanuts taste great!
Li: I know they do. I bought them in the new grocery shop around the corner. 那個食品店特好。
Neil: Dont worry, Li. As soon as you pay me we can go down there and Ill buy you some more of these delicious peanuts.
Li: Okay. I dont work for peanuts either but I am glad to eat some. 我特喜歡吃花生! Lets go then.
Neil: (sound of monkey) I want some peanuts! (sound of monkey)
Li: So do I, Neil, but why are you making this odd, funny noise? 你聽上去像個猴子!
Neil: Well, you know what they say: if you pay peanuts you get monkeys!
Li: Okay, I got the message. 你給的是花生就只能招到猴子,這同漢語中的微薪養蠢材 類似。 Lets go. Bye!
Neil: (sound of monkey)