Learn English Vocabulary Daily #20.2 — British English Podcast

Hello, and welcome to The English Like a Native Podcast.

您好，欢迎来到像母语一样的英语播客。

My name is Anna and you're listening to Week 20, Day 2 of Your English Five a Day.

我叫安娜，你正在听《每日五英语》第 20 周第 2 天。

This is the series that attempts to increase your active vocabulary by

该系列试图通过

deep-diving into five pieces every day of the week, from Monday to Friday.

每周一到周五的每天深入研究五篇文章来增加您的活跃词汇量。

Now, we're going to kick off today's list with an adjective

现在，我们将以一个形容词开始今天的清单

and it is tedious, tedious.

，它非常乏味，乏味。

We spell this T E D I O U S, tedious.

我们将其拼写为“乏味”、“乏味”。

Tedious.

乏味。

Basically, if something is tedious, then it's boring.

基本上，如果某件事很乏味，那么它就很无聊。

It's not fun in the slightest.

一点也不好玩。

As a self-employed business owner, there are many tedious

作为一名个体工商户，

things that I have to deal with.

我要处理的繁琐事情有很多。

As a mother, there are many tedious things that I have to deal with.

作为一个母亲，有很多繁琐的事情需要处理。

Things that I'd rather not do that are repetitive and boring and don't seem

我不愿意做的事情是重复的、无聊的，而且似乎没有

to provide much fun and entertainment.

提供太多的乐趣和娱乐。

Can you think of a tedious task or something that you find generally tedious

您能想到一项乏味的任务或您

in your work or your daily routine?

在工作或日常生活中普遍认为乏味的事情吗？

We often describe some people's conversations as tedious.

我们经常形容一些人的谈话很乏味。

So, you might say,

所以，你可能会说，

"I went to the office yesterday and all I could hear all day was

“我昨天去办公室，一整天都能听到

Rita and Julie gossiping behind me.

丽塔和朱莉在我身后闲聊。

It's so tedious.

这太乏味了。

All they ever do is gossip.

他们所做的就是八卦。

It's really tedious.

这真的很乏味。

It's really boring."

这真的很无聊。”

Okay, here's another example,

好吧，这是另一个例子，

My old job in office admin was so tedious, I did the same things day in, day out.

我以前在办公室管理的工作非常乏味，我日复一日地做同样的事情。

When they offered me the role of HR Manager, I jumped at it!"

当他们向我提供人力资源经理的职位时，我欣喜若狂！“

What was the most tedious job you ever did?

你做过的最乏味的工作是什么？

Maybe you're doing it.

也许你正在做。

Maybe you're doing it right now while listening to me.

也许你现在正在听我说话。

I think really my most tedious job was being a sign holder.

我认为我真的很开心 。” 最乏味的工作是担任标牌持有者。

So, my job was literally to stand outside in the middle of a crowded

所以，我的工作就是站在外面拥挤的区域中间，

area with a huge sign that was about eight, nine feet high.

举着一个大约八、九英尺高的巨大标牌。

So, I'm holding the post and the sign is up above my head.

所以，我坚守岗位，标牌是 它会 指向

And it would point towards a store and say,

一家商店并说：

"This store is closing down.

“这家商店要关门了。

80% off everything."

所有东西都 80% 折扣。”

Or something like that.

或者类似的东西。

It was a different sign every time I did the job but it was so tedious because I'd

每次我做这份工作时，都会有不同的标志，但这太乏味了，因为我必须

have to stand there for hours and hours, like six, seven, eight-hour shifts, just

站在那里几个小时又几个小时，比如六、七、八小时轮班，只是

standing and not talking to anybody.

站着，不和任何人说话。

And I wasn't allowed to listen to my iPod, because this was quite a long

而且我不被允许听我的 iPod，因为那是很久

time ago when we had iPods, and yeah, it was the most boring thing ever.

以前我们有 iPod 的事了，是的，这是有史以来最无聊的事情。

Okay, so that was very tedious.

好吧，那是非常 无聊的事情。 乏味。

Moving on to our next word, we have a verb, and it is renegotiate, renegotiate.

继续我们的下一个单词，我们有一个动词，它是 renegotiate，renegotiate。

We spell this R E N E G O T I A T E, renegotiate.

我们拼写这个 RENEG OTIATE，renegotiate。

To renegotiate something is to attempt to discuss an agreement

重新谈判某事就是尝试再次讨论一项协议，

again in the hopes of changing it.

希望能够改变它。

So, let's imagine we've agreed to exchange a property.

所以，让我们想象一下我们已经同意交换房产。

So, you're buying my house and we've agreed that you're

所以，你要买我的房子，我们同意你

going to buy my house for...

要买我的房子......

oh what's the average price of a property these days?

哦，现在房产的平均价格是多少？

Maybe £500,000 pounds.

也许是 500,000 英镑英镑。

So, half a million pounds.

所以，五十万英镑。

That's what we've agreed for my little house on the outskirts of London,

这就是我们在伦敦郊区为我的小房子商定的价格，

but you've discovered that actually the roof is quite old and may need

但你发现实际上屋顶很旧，可能需要

replacing in the next few years.

在未来几年内更换。

And so, you come to me and you say,

所以，你来找我说，

"Anna, I know I said I would pay £500,000 for your house, but the roof needs doing,

“安娜，我知道我说过我会花 50 万英镑买你的房子，但是屋顶需要修整，

and that's going to cost me about £10,000.

这将花费我大约 1 万英镑。

So, I'd like to renegotiate the deal because I want to reduce the price."

所以，我想重新谈判交易，因为我想降低价格。”

And so, we might discuss it a little bit back and forth, and I say,

因此，我们可能会来回讨论一下，然后我说，

"Okay, look, I'm not going to reduce it that much, but what I will do is leave

“好吧，听着，我不会减少那么多，但我要做的就是给

you with all the white goods, and the curtains, and the carpets, and you can

你留下所有的白色家电，以及窗帘、地毯，

even keep my nice settee if you want.

如果你愿意的话，你甚至可以保留我漂亮的长沙发。

I'll knock a couple of grand off the price but that's it."

我会降价几块钱，但仅此而已。”

And you say,

"Mmm, okay, well can you at least leave me your dining table because

你说：

“嗯，好吧，你至少可以把你的餐桌留给我吗，因为

I really like that as well."

我也很喜欢这样。”

I go,

"Oh, you drive a hard bargain.

我说：

“哦，你讨价还价得很厉害。

Okay fine."

好吧，好吧。”

So we renegotiate the deal.

所以我们重新谈判这笔交易。

Have you ever had to do any renegotiating for any reason?

您是否曾经因任何原因不得不进行重新谈判？

Okay, next on the list is a noun and it is alertness, alertness.

好的，列表中的下一个是一个名词，它是警觉，警觉。

Or you might say the T in the middle occasionally.

或者你偶尔会说中间的 T。

Alertness, alertness.

警觉，警觉。

But often you would drop that T.

但你常常会忘记那个 T。

So, let me spell it for you.

所以，让我为你拼写一下。

A L E R T N E S S.

警报 S.

And as you heard, I drop the T naturally.

正如你所听到的，我自然地放弃了 T。

I think most natives would — alertness, alertness.

我想大多数当地人都会——警觉，警觉。

So, alertness means to be ready.

所以，警觉意味着做好准备。

It's like a state of readiness for a particular situation.

这就像针对特定情况的准备状态。

It's like you're ready to act.

就好像你已经准备好采取行动一样。

You know something's coming and you're ready for it.

你知道有些事情即将发生，并且你已经做好了准备。

For example, if there is a football match between Manchester United and Manchester

例如，如果曼联和曼城之间有一场足球比赛

City, then the police and the organisers will be in a state of alertness.

，那么警察和组织者就会处于戒备状态。

They will be ready for conflict for crowd management for lots of rowdy

他们将为人群管理中的许多吵闹

behaviour because they understand the situation and they know what's going

行为做好冲突准备，因为他们了解情况并且知道会

to happen, so, they're ready for it.

发生什么，所以他们已经做好了准备。

They're in a state of alertness.

他们正处于戒备状态。

Here's an example sentence,

这里有一个例句，

It's Mike's addiction to coffee that we can thank for his

“这是迈克对咖啡的上瘾，我们可以感谢他

constant mental alertness."

始终如一的精神警觉性。”

Okay, so moving on we have an idiom.

好的，所以我们有一个习语。

This is a fun one.

这是一个有趣的习语。

To split hairs.

分裂头发。

To split hairs.

分裂头发。

We spell this split, S P L I T.

我们拼写这个分裂， SPLI T.

Hairs.

头发。

Like the hairs on your head.

就像你头上的头发。HAIR

H A I R S.

S.

Split hairs.

分裂头发。

To split hairs is to find teeny tiny differences or little teeny tiny problems

分裂头发是为了发现微小的差异或微小的问题

in order to have an argument about something or disagree on something.

，以便就某事争论或不同意某事。

So, let's go back to our scenario where you're buying my house and we've

所以，让我们回去到我们的场景，你要买我的房子，我们

renegotiated the price and we've got a new deal in place, but then at the point where

重新协商了价格，我们达成了新的协议，但在

we exchange, you take another look at the dining table, which you said you wanted.

我们交换的时候，你再看一眼餐桌，你说你然后

And you realise that there is a little stain, a tiny little watermark on

你发现 桌子顶部 有一点污渍、一个小水印

the top of the table and you say,

，你会说：

"Oh, this dining table is not as nice as I thought it was.

“哦，这张餐桌没有我想象的那么好。

It can't be worth very much.

它不可能值多少钱。

I want to renegotiate the price.

我想重新谈价格。

I want to knock another £500 off the price.

我想再降价 500 英镑。

And you should take this dining table with you."

你应该随身携带这张餐桌。”

And I'd say,

"Oh, come on.

我会说，

“哦，来吧。

It's a little stain.

这是一个小污点。

It doesn't impact the function of the table.

不影响桌子的功能。

Now you're just splitting hairs.

现在你只是吹毛求疵。

Now you're just being petty.

现在你只是小气而已。

You're creating problems that don't need to be created.

你正在制造一些不需要制造的问题。

It's petty.

这是小事。

It's silly."

这太愚蠢了。”

Okay, so, here's an example sentence,

好吧，这里有一个例句，

"I know we agreed on £250 for the car repairs, but I'm only asking for an

“我知道我们同意 250 英镑用于汽车修理，但我只要求

extra £20 on top to cover my extra time.

额外支付 20 英镑来支付我的额外时间。

Let's not split hairs about it!"

让我们不要为此争论不休！”

Okay, so next on the list, and last on today's list, is the

好吧，名单上的下一个，也是今天名单上的最后一个，是

adjective conceited, conceited.

形容词自负，自负。

We spell this C O N C E I T E D.

我们拼写这个 CONCEITE D。

Conceited.

自负。

If you are described as conceited, it's not a good thing.

如果你被描述为自负，那不是一件好事。

It means that you're vain or you are too proud of yourself.

这意味着你很虚荣，或者你太为自己感到骄傲。

So, being proud of yourself is important, but there's a limit.

所以，为自己感到骄傲很重要，但也有一个限度。

You can be overly proud of yourself.

你可以对自己过于骄傲。

You can think too much of yourself.

你可以把自己想得太多。

Okay, you can be too inward-looking, quite conceited.

好吧，你可以太内向了，相当自负。

Alright, here's an example sentence,

好吧，这是一个例句，

"I don't mean to sound conceited, but I am the best vocalist in the group.

“我并不是故意自负，但我是乐队里最好的歌手。

Maybe I should front the band from now on?"

也许从现在开始我应该在乐队的前面？”

So, do you know anyone who you would describe as conceited?

所以，你知道有谁会被你描述为自负吗？

Let's now recap as we've reached the end of our list.

现在让我们回顾一下，因为我们已经到达了我们的列表的末尾。

We started with an adjective, tedious, meaning boring, tedious.

我们从一个形容词开始，乏味，意思是无聊，乏味。

Then we moved on to the verb renegotiate, meaning that you try to

然后我们转向动词 renegotiate，意思是你尝试

discuss an agreement again with the hopes of changing it, renegotiate.

再次讨论一项协议，希望改变它，renegotiate。

Then we have the noun, alertness, alertness meaning

然后我们有名词，警觉，警觉，意思

that you are ready for action.

是你已经准备好采取行动。

You're awake and you understand the situation and you can act if needed.

你醒了，并且你了解情况，如果需要的话你可以采取行动。

Alertness.

警觉性。

And then we had the idiom split hairs.

然后我们有了成语 split hairs。

So, to find a cause for argument, to find tiny little

所以，寻找争论的理由，找到微小的

differences, tiny little issues.

差异，微小的问题。

To split hairs.

分裂头发。

And finally, the adjective conceited, to be vain and to

最后，形容词自负、虚荣、过于

be overly proud of yourself.

骄傲。

Alright, let's do this for pronunciation now.

好吧，现在我们就这样发音吧。

Please repeat after me.

请跟我重复一遍。

Tedious.

乏味。

Tedious.

乏味。

Renegotiate.

重新谈判。

Renegotiate.

重新谈判。

Alertness.

警觉。

Alertness.

警觉。

Split hairs.

头发分叉。

Split hairs.

头发分叉。

Conceited.

自负。

Conceited.

自负。

Very good.

非常好。

Let me test your memory.

让我测试一下你的记忆力。

Okay, so, if I am talking about how good I am all the time,

好吧，如果我一直在谈论自己有多优秀，

I just seem incredibly vain.

我看起来就显得非常自负。

What adjective could you use instead of vain to describe me?

你能用什么形容词来形容我而不是虚荣呢？

Conceited.

自负。

Conceited.

自负。

Very good.

非常好。

And if after a cup of coffee, I become ready, awake, and I'm ready to act,

如果喝了一杯咖啡后，我准备好了，醒了，我准备好采取行动，

because the coffee has kicked in and is working, and I understand what

因为咖啡已经开始发挥作用，我明白

I'm supposed to be doing, and what's likely to happen, and I'm ready.

我应该做什么，以及可能会发生什么，我准备好了。

What noun would we use to describe this state that I'm in?

我们该用什么名词来形容我现在所处的状态呢？

Alertness.

I'm in a state of alertness.

警觉。

我正处于警觉状态。

Absolutely.

绝对地。

And let's imagine that this state of alertness is really useful because

让我们想象一下，这种警觉状态确实很有用，因为

I have to attempt to discuss with you an agreement that we previously

我必须尝试与您讨论我们之前

made, but I want to change.

达成的协议，但我想改变。

What verb are we going to use here, wanting to change a

我们要在这里使用什么动词来改变

previously agreed agreement?

之前达成的协议？

Renegotiate.

重新谈判。

I want to renegotiate something with you and I know that it's

我想与你重新谈判一些事情，我知道

going to be boring talking about all the details of the contract.

谈论合同的所有细节会很无聊。

What adjective could I use instead of boring?

我可以用什么形容词来代替无聊？

Tedious.

乏味。

Yes, it will be tedious renegotiating this contract.

是的，重新谈判这份合同将会很乏味。

But I've had my coffee and I'm in a state of alertness, so, I'm ready to

但我已经喝过咖啡了，我正处于警觉状态，所以，我已经准备好

deal with this tedious renegotiation.

应对这个繁琐的重新谈判了。

What I don't want to happen is I don't want us to be finding tiny

我不想发生的是，我不想让我们发现微小的

differences and having petty arguments about something that is nothing.

差异，并为一些无关紧要的事情发生琐碎的争论。

What idiom could I use to describe this act of finding

我可以用什么成语来形容这种寻找 微小差异来争论的

tiny differences to argue about?

行为呢 ？

Split hairs.

头发分叉。

Yes, I don't want us to split hairs here.

是的，我不想让我们在这里吹毛求疵。

I want to renegotiate this tedious contract without splitting hairs.

我想不费吹灰之力地重新谈判这份乏味的合同。

I'm normally very good at it.

我通常很擅长。

You might call me conceited, but I'm normally very good at renegotiating

你可能会说我自负，但我通常很擅长在

tedious contracts without splitting hairs, especially once I've had a

不吹毛求疵的情况下重新谈判乏味的合同，尤其是当我喝完

coffee and I'm in a state of alertness.

咖啡并且处于警觉状态时。

I did that all off the cuff, all off the cuff.

我就是即兴做的，即兴做的。

Could you tell?

你能否告诉？

Okay, let's now bring everything together in a little story.

好吧，现在让我们把所有的东西都放在一个小故事里。

I once found myself in what can only be described as the most

我曾经发现自己陷入了

tedious negotiation of my life.

一生中最乏味的谈判。

The stakes were high, and I was determined to come out on top, but

赌注很高，我决心要取得胜利，但

little did I know what I was up against.

我不知道自己面临的是什么。

It was one of those situations where every detail mattered, and I had to

在这种情况下，每一个细节都很重要，我必须

maintain my alertness at all times, knowing full well that any lapse

时刻保持警惕，深知任何注意力不集中

in attention could cost me dearly.

都会让我付出高昂的代价。

The person I was negotiating with was, to put it mildly, conceited.

温和地说，与我谈判的那个人很自负。

They carried themselves with an air of superiority that made it clear

他们带着一种优越感，这表明

they thought they were doing me a favour just by sitting at the table.

他们认为只要坐在桌边，他们就是在帮我一个忙。

Every suggestion I made was met with resistance, and every compromise I offered

我提出的每一个建议都遭到了抵制，我提出的每一个妥协都

was dismissed without a second thought.

被不假思索地驳回了。

It was as if we were playing a game where the only acceptable outcome, for

就好像我们在玩一场游戏，对

them, was a sweeping victory, with no regard for what was fair or reasonable.

他们来说，唯一可接受的结果就是大获全胜，而不考虑公平或合理。

As the hours dragged on, it became evident that we were

随着时间的推移，我们明显陷入了

stuck in a loop of renegotiation.

重新谈判的循环之中。

Every time I thought we were close to an agreement, they would find

每当我认为我们即将达成协议时，他们就会找

some minor detail to split hairs over, dragging us back to square one.

一些小细节来争论，把我们拖回原点。

It was a masterclass in frustration, a test of patience like no other.

这是一次挫败感的大师班，是对耐心的一次前所未有的考验。

They scrutinised every word of the contract, questioning the meaning of terms

他们仔细审查了合同中的每一个字，质疑

I thought were universally understood, and demanding changes to clauses that

我认为普遍理解的术语的含义，并要求修改

were standard practice in any agreement.

任何协议中的标准做法条款。

Ugh, their tactics were clear: wear me down until I was too exhausted

呃，他们的策略很明确：让我疲惫不堪，直到我精疲力竭，无法

to fight for what I wanted, hoping I would eventually cave, just

争取我想要的东西，希望我最终屈服，只是

to bring an end to the ordeal.

为了结束这场磨难。

But I was not ready to give up that easily.

但我不准备轻易放弃。

My alertness to their strategies kept me one step ahead, allowing me to

我对他们策略的警惕使我领先一步，使我能够

counter their moves with precision and maintain my stance on the key

精确地反击他们的举动，并在

issues that mattered most to me.

对我来说最重要的关键问题上保持我的立场。

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached a point where the

经过看似永恒的时间，我们终于达成了

terms were acceptable to both parties.

双方都能接受条款的阶段。

It was a hard-fought battle, one that required every ounce of my

这是一场艰苦的战斗，需要我竭尽全力

patience and negotiation skills.

耐心和谈判技巧。

The experience taught me valuable lessons about persistence, the

这次经历让我学到了宝贵的教训：坚持、

importance of staying alert, and the necessity of standing firm in the face

保持警惕的重要性以及面对自负和无端傲慢时坚定立场的必要性

of conceit and unwarranted arrogance.

。

In the end, the satisfaction of having navigated such a

最后，完成如此具

challenging negotiation was immense.

有挑战性的谈判所带来的满足感是巨大的。

It was a reminder that, no matter how tedious or difficult a situation might

这提醒我们，无论情况看起来多么乏味或困难

seem, there's always a way through if you're willing to stand your ground

，如果您愿意坚持自己的立场

and negotiate with purpose and clarity.

并有目的地和清晰地进行谈判，那么总有办法解决。

And that brings us to the end of today's episode.

今天这一集就到此结束了。

If you found this useful, don't forget to give it a like, rating or review.

如果您发现这有用，请不要忘记给它点赞、评级或评论。

Remember to make sure you're following for daily episodes.

请记住确保您关注每日剧集。

And until next time, take very good care and goodbye.

直到下次，好好照顾并再见。