美國(guó)之音之流行美語(yǔ)Lesson 211 - head honcho / slam dunk
Larry和李華在一家咖啡店里聊天， Larry在告訴李華的辦公室里最近發(fā)生的事。李華今天會(huì)學(xué)到兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)：head honcho和slam dunk。
LL: So, Li Hua， yesterday the head honcho of the company I work for came into the office.
LH: 誰到你們的辦公室來？公司的head honcho？ head是頭腦， honcho是什么呀？
LL: A Head honcho is the person with the highest position in a company or organization. I think "honcho" actually comes from a Japanese word meaning leader.
LH: Head honcho就是一個(gè)公司，或一個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)的最高領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人。Honcho這個(gè)詞原來是來自日文， 意思是領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人。Honcho聽起來是像日文。聽起來，你好像挺高興看見你們公司的head honcho。
LL: Yes, indeed. I was very happy to meet the company president. I had never met the head honcho before.
LH: 你和他從來沒有見過面？ 難怪他來了你們都好像有點(diǎn)受寵若驚一樣。那這位高高在上的主管為什么會(huì)突然到你們辦公室去呢？
LL: Well, some of my co-workers have said that someone in our office is being considered for a promotion, but they don't know who. They think the head honcho came by to see the candidate for himself.
LH: 你的同事說他是來看看他們領(lǐng)導(dǎo)想提拔的那個(gè)人，可是提拔誰呢，你們又不知道。他要提拔的人他還不認(rèn)識(shí)呀？
LL: You know how head honchos are. He works in the company's main office across town, and he doesn't always personally meet everyone that is hired.
LH: 那倒也是，這個(gè)head honcho在公司總部上班，而總部又不在你們大樓里。說實(shí)話， 即使是在同一個(gè)辦公樓里，老板也不一定認(rèn)識(shí)所有的雇員呀。我們大學(xué)的校長(zhǎng)我也只是在大會(huì)上見過。
LL: But, Professor Jones is the head honcho of the East Asian Studies Department, and you know him.
LH: 是啊， 東亞研究系的瓊斯教授倒是和我很熟。 你們公司總裁是不是來看你的。他們想提拔的就是你吧？
LL: I don' t know, Li Hua. He did chat with me for a few minutes about my work. Maybe the head honcho IS thinking about me for the promotion.
LH: 他跟你聊了幾分鐘有關(guān)你工作的事？我看他很可能是想提拔你！Larry，你將來也許會(huì)成為一個(gè)head honcho!
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LL: I really don't think the promotion is a slam dunk, Li Hua.
LH: Slam dunk? Slam dunk不就是我們?cè)诖蚧@球的時(shí)候常說的灌籃嗎？
LL: That' s right. A slam dunk is a shot taken by a basketball player that can't be missed. The player is usually right by the hoop and is literally shoving it right in the basket.
LH: 灌籃得分應(yīng)當(dāng)是十拿九穩(wěn)。 人就在欄板下面， 一伸手就把球灌進(jìn)去了。Larry，我知道公司是否提拔你并不像灌籃那么十拿九穩(wěn)。可是Larry，你的確很出色呀！
LL: The company president DID talk to several other people in the office, so I have to say it is too early to think of the promotion as a slam dunk.
LH: 我看也是，我們不要過于樂觀， 畢竟跟公司總裁談話的不止你一個(gè)人。不過，什么時(shí)候才知道the head honcho看中的到底是誰呢？
LL: I don't think I will know. Say, what about you, Li Hua? I remember you applied for a fellowship for next year. I'd say for you that is a slam dunk!
LH: 我是申請(qǐng)了獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金， 可是現(xiàn)在還沒有消息呢。 對(duì)我來說， 這也不是十拿九穩(wěn)的， I don't think it is a slam dunk.
LL: How could it not be a slam dunk? You are honestly one of the hardest working students I know. I can't imagine any one else getting the fellowship.
LH: Thanks, Larry。 我是很努力， 可是用功的學(xué)生很多呀。 不過聽到你這么贊揚(yáng)我， 我還是很高興。
LL: Well, let's talk about something that is a slam dunk!
LH: 什么事情是slam dunk，一定會(huì)發(fā)生呢？
LL: I'd say it is a slam dunk that after we finish our coffee, you are going to go home and study.
LH: 喝完了咖啡，我就要回家去做作業(yè)了。這是肯定的，That is a real slam dunk, Larry.
今天李華學(xué)到了兩個(gè)常用語(yǔ)。一個(gè)是head honcho，意思是公司或組織的最高主管。還有一個(gè)是slam dunk，指的是很有把握，肯定會(huì)發(fā)生的事情。
