Listening and Reading Practice - "Stop Delaying, Eat the Frog" - (British English Podcast)

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

大家好，欢迎来到像母语一样的英语播客。 专为中级到

The podcast that's designed for intermediate to

高级英语学习者

advanced-level English learners.

设计的播客 。

My name is Anna and today I want to talk to you about something that's really,

我叫安娜，今天我想和你们谈论一些非常

really important: how to get unstuck.

非常重要的事情：如何摆脱困境。

Many years ago, I realised that I had a deep passion for piano.

许多年前，我意识到我对钢琴有着深厚的热情。

It just dawned on me one day, if something dawns on you,

有一天我突然意识到，如果你突然意识到了什么，

dawn like the sun rising, dawn.

黎明就像太阳升起一样，黎明。

If something dawns on you, then it means that you have a realisation.

如果你突然明白了什么，那就意味着你已经了悟。

And it dawned on me one day that all the music that I loved, my

有一天我突然意识到，我喜欢的所有音乐、我

favourite songs all had a very strong piano element to the music.

最喜欢的歌曲都带有很强的钢琴元素。

It was at that point that I decided I was going to gift myself a piano.

就在那时，我决定送自己一架钢琴。

So I saved up and I bought my very first electric piano.

所以我攒钱买了我的第一架电钢琴。

It was £150, which for me as a full-time student and working a

150英镑，对于我这个全日制学生和兼职工作的人来说

part-time job earning, I don't know, £3 an hour, £150 is a lot of money.

，我不知道，每小时3英镑，150英镑是很多钱。

And I was so thrilled with this piano.

我对这架钢琴感到非常兴奋。

I bought many books and I started trying to teach myself how to play.

我买了很多书，并开始尝试自学如何玩。

It's quite tricky with anything that, you know, it's a big skill,

任何需要大技能的事情都是相当棘手的，

like learning an instrument.

比如学习乐器。

You start off making a few gains and then it becomes quite hard and complicated.

你一开始取得了一些进展，然后就变得非常困难和复杂。

And very quickly you lose motivation because.

很快你就会失去动力，因为。

It's difficult and it takes a long time to make progress.

这很困难，需要很长时间才能取得进展。

So a few years went by and I decided actually now I'm going to find a teacher.

几年过去了，我决定现在要去找一位老师。

It's actually quite difficult to find a teacher to teach you piano as an adult.

作为一个成年人，要找到一个教你钢琴的老师实际上是相当困难的。

Many teachers believe that you can't learn piano as an adult and

很多老师认为成年人不能学钢琴，而

me being me, I disagreed completely.

我就是我，我完全不同意。

So I did find a couple of teachers who agreed to take me on and give me

所以我确实找到了几位老师，他们同意接受我并给我上

a few lessons, but I wasn't inspired.

一些课，但我没有受到启发。

And to be honest, at that time in my life as a young adult, I then

说实话，在我年轻的时候，我

had many other things going on and the skill was soon forgotten.

经历了很多其他事情，这项技能很快就被遗忘了。

The piano became dusty.

钢琴上沾满了灰尘。

I've bought many pianos since, I think I've bought about three or

从那以后我买了很多钢琴，我想我已经买了大约三到

four pianos and my piano now sits in the main room of the house.

四架钢琴，我的钢琴现在放在房子的主房间里。

I refuse to let it go into a backroom.

我拒绝让它进入密室。

It sits in the main room of the house, but it is always gathering dust.

它坐落在房子的主房间里，但总是积满灰尘。

It's always dusty.

总是布满灰尘。

It's very rare that I actually open up the piano and start tinkling

我很少真正打开钢琴并开始敲击

the keys, tinkling the ivories.

琴键，敲击象牙。

It has served me over the years.

多年来它一直为我服务。

I learned to play well enough to be a singing teacher and to accompany

我学会了弹得很好，可以成为一名歌唱老师，并

my students when teaching singing.

在教歌唱时为我的学生 伴奏 。

But for many years now, I'd say six or seven years, I've barely touched it.

但多年来，我想说六七年，我几乎没有碰过它。

I never got to a level where I could just sit down and play any song, pick

我从来没有达到过可以坐下来演奏任何歌曲，拿起

up a piece of sheet music and play.

一段乐谱并演奏的水平。

And the reason is me.

而原因就是我。

I'm the obstacle.

我就是障碍。

I would do that thing that many of us do of setting my own time delay, but

我会做我们很多人都会做的事情，设置自己的时间延迟，但这

one that is completely unspecific and therefore I'm not committed to it and we

是完全不具体的，因此我不会致力于它，我们

all do it with something that we don't feel is very pressing and important.

都会做一些我们认为不是非常紧迫和重要的事情。

We say,

我们说：

"I'll deal with that later.

“我稍后会处理这个问题。

I'll do it at some point next week.

我会在下周的某个时候做。

I'll deal with that another time."

我会在另一个时间处理这个问题。”

And all we're doing here is kicking the can down the road.

我们在这里所做的就是把罐子踢到路上。

To kick the can down the road is an expression that means to delay

To kick the can down the road 是一种表达方式，意思是推迟

dealing with a problem or an issue.

处理某个问题或问题。

So with this learning of a skill that I have a deep desire for, I

因此，通过学习一项我非常渴望的技能，我

want to learn the piano, but I don't want it so badly that I'm willing

想学钢琴，但我不想学得那么强烈，所以我愿意

to commit to getting it done.

致力于完成它。

I always say these days, I say,

这些天我总是说，

"When I'm older."

“当我老了的时候。”

Or,

"When I have more time."

或者，

“当我有更多时间的时候。”

Now, unless I make time, I'm never going to have more time.

现在，除非我腾出时间，否则我永远不会有更多的时间。

I'm quite a busy person.

我是一个很忙的人。

This is just my life.

这就是我的生活。

I always have so much on my plate, so much to deal with.

我总是有那么多事情要做，那么多事情要处理。

So saying I'll do it when I have more time is a bit wishy-washy.

所以说当我有更多时间时我会这样做有点软弱。

It's very non-committal and therefore it's likely that I will never be competent

这是非常不承诺的，因此我很可能永远无法胜任

on the piano because I'm not committing.

钢琴演奏，因为我不承诺。

Now, Albert Einstein, who is a very clever man, of course, said,

当然，阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦是一个非常聪明的人，他说：

"Nothing happens until something moves."

“除非有东西移动，否则什么都不会发生。”

"Nothing happens until something moves."

“在有东西移动之前什么都不会发生。”

What he meant is, nothing can be achieved, or nothing can progress,

他的意思是， 除非有人采取行动

unless someone takes action.

，否则什么都无法实现，什么也无法取得进展

So if you want something, if you're bored of hearing yourself saying,

。 所以，如果你想要什么，如果你厌倦了听到自己说：

"I wish I could..."

“我希望我能……”

If you're fed up with your situation and you long for a better situation,

如果你厌倦了自己的处境并渴望更好的处境，

then you have to remember that nothing happens until something moves.

那么你必须记住，什么也不会发生直到有东西移动。

You are in control.

你一切尽在掌握。

You have to take action to change that thing.

你必须采取行动来改变这一点。

Now, what is it in your life?

现在，你的生活中有什么？

I'm speaking directly to you.

我直接对你说话。

What is it that you keep putting off?

你一直拖延的是什么？

What are you delaying dealing with?

你在拖延什么？

It breaks my heart sometimes when I speak to my fluency students who come

有时，当我与参加我的流利课程的流利学生交谈时，我会感到心碎，

into my fluency programme, we have a one-to-one and I ask them about their

我们进行一对一的交谈，我询问他们

current situation and why they've decided to join the programme, and so

目前的状况以及他们为什么决定加入该计划，而且

many times students will say to me,

很多次学生会对我说：

"I'm living in the UK, and I've been living here for a very long time."

“我住在英国，而且我已经在这里住了很长时间了。”

In some cases, my students have lived in this country for years,

在某些情况下，我的学生在这个国家生活了多年，

always feeling stuck and isolated.

总是感到被困和孤立。

Feeling like they can't fit in because their English is

感觉他们无法融入，因为他们的英语不是

not where they want it to be.

他们想要的。

Feeling like they can't be themselves, they can't make friends.

感觉他们不能做自己，不能交朋友。

Some of my students are even stuck in jobs that they don't like, that they'd

我的一些学生甚至陷入了他们不喜欢的工作，

never choose to do if they had another option, but they feel like they can't

如果有其他选择，他们永远不会选择这样做，但他们觉得自己无法

start searching for a better job because their English isn't up to scratch.

开始寻找更好的工作，因为他们的英语水平不高达到标准。

That's what they think.

他们就是这么想的。

That's what they feel.

这就是他们的感受。

And yet, even though they're living in an English-speaking country surrounded by

然而，尽管他们生活在一个被英语包围的英语国家

the language, they're unable to progress.

，但他们却无法进步。

Now in most cases, if you're feeling stuck, you may be working towards

现在，在大多数情况下，如果您感到陷入困境，您可能正在努力

improving your English, but still not feeling like you're breaking

提高英语水平，但仍然感觉自己没有突破

through barriers, feeling like you're stuck at the level you've always

障碍，感觉自己陷入了一直以来 的水平

been, then you need to take action.

，那么您需要采取行动。

You need to make a change.

你需要做出改变。

And what does that look like?

那是什么样子的？

Because sometimes we just don't know where to go to find the guidance we

因为有时我们只是不知道去哪里寻找我们

need; with my piano playing I knew I had what we call conscious incompetence.

需要的指导；当我弹钢琴时，我知道我有我们所说的有意识的无能。

I was aware of what I was stuck on.

我知道我被困在什么上了。

I was aware of where my weaknesses were.

我知道自己的弱点在哪里。

I knew what I didn't know.

我知道我不知道的事情。

I knew that I needed help from someone who was much better than

我知道我需要比我优秀得多的人的帮助来

me to get me over this obstacle.

帮助我克服这个障碍。

Now, many of you, I'm sure, know where your weaknesses are.

现在，我相信你们中的许多人都知道自己的弱点在哪里。

You might realise that certain elements of your grammar fall down.

你可能会意识到你的语法中的某些元素失败了。

You maybe know that you aren't very good at English listening.

您可能知道自己的英语听力不太好。

Maybe you struggle to speak confidently.

也许你很难自信地说话。

Maybe the nerves take over every time you have to speak English.

也许每次你必须说英语时都会感到紧张。

Maybe you just want to work on your pronunciation or move to the next level.

也许您只是想提高发音或进入下一个级别。

You know what you need to learn, but sometimes we just don't

您知道需要学习什么，但有时我们只是不知道

know where to find the help.

在哪里可以找到帮助。

Now, of course, we are in a day and age where information is at our

当然，现在我们正处于信息触手可及的时代

fingertips, but still, there can be this sense of overwhelm, like

，但仍然可能会有一种不知所措的感觉，就像

walking into a huge library full of books from ceiling to floor.

走进一个巨大的图书馆，从天花板到地板都装满了书籍。

Books, books, books, books.

书，书，书，书。

But all you want is one very specific book.

但你想要的只是一本非常具体的书。

You know exactly what book you want, you just don't know where

你确切地知道你想要什么书，只是不知道

to find it among the sea of books.

在书海中去哪里找到它。

So what can we do?

那么我们能做什么呢？

In that case, you ask a librarian.

在这种情况下，你可以询问图书管理员。

You ask someone who knows how to guide you.

您询问知道如何指导您的人。

So in your case, it could be asking a friend or a colleague, someone whose

因此，就您而言，可能会询问朋友或同事，

English is — and I'm using English as an example — it might be another skill.

或者英语水平较高的人（我以英语为例），这可能是另一种技能。

I have many piano-playing friends.

我有很多弹钢琴的朋友。

So I may go to a pianist friend and say,

所以我可能会去找一位钢琴家朋友说：

"Hey, I'm really, really desperate to progress with my

“嘿，我真的非常非常渴望在

piano, but I'm a bit stuck.

钢琴方面取得进步，但我有点卡住了。

What do you suggest?

你有什么建议？

Do you know any good courses, any good teachers, any methods that I

你知道有什么好的课程吗？有什么好的老师吗？” ，我可以尝试什么方法

could try to get out of this rut?

来摆脱这个困境？

Because I'm stuck in this rut at the moment."

因为我现在陷入了这个困境。”

For you, it could be approaching a friend or a colleague who you know has

对于您来说，可能是与您知道

English as a second language but is at the level that you aspire to achieve.

英语为第二语言但达到您渴望达到的水平的朋友或同事联系。

Ask them,

"How did you do it?

问他们：

“你是怎么做到的？

Where did you go?

你去了哪里？

Who did you learn from?

你向谁学习？

What methods did you try?"

你尝试了哪些方法？”

And see if they can offer you some advice or inspiration.

看看他们是否能为您提供一些建议或灵感。

Now, I know that the thing you want to achieve is within you.

现在，我知道你想要实现的目标就在你的内心。

I know, because I've seen it so many times, the people who take

我知道，因为我已经见过很多次了，那些采取

action, the people who put their mind to it, achieve their goals.

行动、下定决心的人就会实现他们的目标。

I've seen people who I myself, I'm ashamed to say, I myself have doubted.

我见过一些我自己也怀疑过的人，我很惭愧地说，我自己也曾怀疑过这些人。

Now I'm not talking about the English language here, I'm

现在我不是在这里谈论英语，而是谈论

talking about other skills.

其他技能。

But I've had people come to me and say,

但有人来找我说：

"Anna, do you know what?

“安娜，你知道吗？

I'm going to do this with my life."

我要用我的一生来做这件事。”

And I've nodded, but in my head, thought,

我点了点头，但心里想，

"Mmm, that might be a bit tricky.

“嗯，这可能有点棘手。

I don't think you have what it takes to do that.

我不认为你有能力做到这一点。

I don't think you're talented enough.

我不认为你有足够的天赋。我不认为你有能力做到

I don't think you're skilled enough.

这一点 。” 我认为你不够熟练，

I don't think you are made to do that kind of work."

我不认为你适合做那种工作。”

And yet years later, I find out that they did do it.

然而多年后，我发现他们确实做到了。

And I am so happy that they have managed to achieve their goals.

我很高兴他们成功实现了目标。

And I'm just so comforted by the fact that what is seemingly impossible can

令我感到欣慰的是，

be possible if you apply yourself, if you have the right frame of mind and

如果你努力，如果你有正确的心态，

you take action and you turn up for yourself again and again and again.

你采取行动，那么看似不可能的事情就可以成为可能，并且一次又一次地为自己服务。

Now, it might be hard to believe, but in my position, doing what

现在，这可能很难相信，但在我的立场上，做

I'm doing, I find it hard.

我正在做的事情，我发现这很难。

There's so many barriers and obstacles that I've put in my own

我以自己的方式设置了很多障碍，

way that I've had to overcome.

我必须克服这些障碍。

Owning my own business, putting myself on YouTube as myself and not as a character

拥有自己的生意，把自己以我自己而非角色的身份出现在 YouTube 上

is, it's quite terrifying for me.

，这对我来说非常可怕。

Speaking to my students who many of them are incredible people, highly

与我的学生交谈时，他们中的许多人都是令人难以置信的人，高素质

qualified, very intelligent people.

且非常聪明的人。

I've got PhDs.

我有博士学位。

I have brain surgeons, engineers, TED talkers.

我有脑外科医生、工程师、TED 演讲者。

I have some amazing people in my community asking me for help.

我的社区中有一些很棒的人向我寻求帮助。

If you'd have told me this 20 years ago, I would have laughed and thought,

如果你在 20 年前告诉我这件事，我会笑着想，

"Oh, you're joking.

“哦，你在开玩笑。

I'll never do that.

我永远不会那样做。

Me on YouTube.

我在 YouTube 上。

No way.

不可能。

Me teaching these incredible people.

我教这些不可思议的人。

Absolutely not."

绝对不会。 ”

I had crippling anxiety.

我有严重的焦虑。

I had a terrible lack of self-belief and I didn't think I had anything

我非常缺乏自信，我认为我没有任何

of worth to give to the world.

价值可以奉献给这个世界。

But I overcame it because at every step, I reminded myself what my goals were, why

但我克服了它，因为在每一步，我都提醒自己我的目标是什么，为什么

I wanted to achieve what I have achieved and why I'm still working towards it.

我想实现我已经取得的成就，以及为什么我仍在努力实现它。

And every time I hit a barrier, something I find difficult, I just

每当我遇到障碍，遇到困难时，我

think the sooner I get this done, the sooner good things will happen.

就想我越早完成这件事，好事就会越早发生。

I call it eating the frog.

我称之为吃青蛙。

If you have a plate full of food in front of you and there's a big frog on your

如果你面前有一盘盛满食物的盘子，盘子里有一只大青蛙

plate and you have to eat the frog, but you ignore the frog and eat all the other

，你必须吃掉这只青蛙，但你忽略了这只青蛙，吃掉了

foods around it, the yummy carrots and the beautifully cooked broccoli, the potatoes,

它周围的所有其他食物，美味的胡萝卜和煮熟的西兰花，土豆，

you eat all that, you ignore the frog, but you know the frog is on your plate

你吃了所有这些，你忽略了青蛙，但你知道青蛙在你的盘子里

and at some point you have to eat it.

，在某个时候你必须吃它。

And once you eat that plate of food, then you get dessert.

一旦你吃完那盘食物，你就会得到甜点。

Mmm, dessert's going to be amazing.

嗯，甜点一定会很棒。

But you have to eat the frog.

但你必须吃掉青蛙。

Sometimes it's better to just eat the frog.

有时，直接吃青蛙会更好。

Stop ignoring it.

别再忽视它了。

Just do the hard thing.

只做困难的事情。

Do the hard thing.

做困难的事情。

One thing that helped me was to write down my goal.

对我有帮助的一件事就是写下我的目标。

Something that reminded me of exactly why I was working hard.

这让我想起了我努力工作的原因。

And I would stick that on my monitor so that I saw it every single day

我会把它贴在我的显示器上，这样我每天

when I sat down to my computer.

坐在电脑前就能看到它。

Maybe it's your children.

也许是你的孩子。

Maybe you want a better life, not just for you, but for your children.

也许你想要更好的生活，不仅是为了你自己，也为了你的孩子。

So have a picture of your kids sitting on your desk or somewhere where you'll

因此，在你的孩子坐在你的桌子上或你 每天 都会看到他们的地方放一张照片，

see them every single day with a little note saying, I'm doing this for them.

并附上一张小纸条，上面写着：我正在为他们做这件事。

And so then when you start to make excuses, when you try to avoid

因此，当您开始找借口时，当您试图避免

taking action, you can look at that reminder and remind yourself

采取行动时，您可以查看该提醒并提醒自己

why you have to eat the frog.

为什么必须吃掉青蛙。

Why you have to do the thing that's hard.

为什么你必须做那么困难的事情。

And I tell you what, when you start eating that frog, it's actually not so bad.

我告诉你，当你开始吃那只青蛙时，它实际上并没有那么糟糕。

I'm not advocating eating frogs.

我并不是提倡吃青蛙。

But once you start doing the difficult thing very quickly, it becomes easier and

但一旦你开始很快地做困难的事情，它就会变得越来越容易

easier and easier, and then you've cleared your plate, and along comes dessert.

，然后你就清理了盘子，甜点也随之而来。

So, get a really clear motivation in your mind, ask yourself

所以，在你的脑海中有一个非常清晰的动机，问问自己

why you want to learn English.

为什么想学英语。

Write it down, put it somewhere where you're going to see it every

把它写下来，放在你每天都会看到的地方

single day, and then make a plan.

，然后制定计划。

Stop delaying.

别再拖延了。

Decide exactly how and what it is you're going to do in order to progress.

准确地决定你要如何做以及做什么才能取得进步。

And then all you have to do is put one step in front of the other, get going.

然后你所要做的就是把一个步骤放在另一个前面，开始吧。

I would love to support you on your journey.

我很乐意在您的旅程中为您提供支持。

You are more than welcome to come and join in, in the ELAN Community.

非常欢迎您加入 ELAN 社区。

I've made it very easy now.

我现在已经很容易做到了。

In the past, it was a case of deciding which route was best for you within ELAN.

过去，在 ELAN 中，需要决定哪条路线最适合您。

Now there are just two options.

现在只有两个选择。

You can come in to practise joining the simple standard membership

您可以来练习加入简单的标准会员资格

where you can access live classes, speaking sessions, and bonus material

，在这里您可以访问现场课程、演讲课程和

for the podcasts to help with your listening and reading comprehension

播客的奖励材料，以帮助您提高听力和阅读理解能力

or you can join the Plus Membership.

，或者您也可以加入高级会员资格。

And the Plus Membership is all about levelling up, taking

Plus 会员的目的就是升级，参加

structured courses to get you to progress in your English language.

结构化课程，让您的英语水平取得进步。

This includes live lessons — weekly live lessons.

这包括现场课程——每周现场课程。

This includes help with your pronunciation, the pronunciation

这包括发音帮助、发音

course, the level courses (B1, B2, C1, C2), a business course.

课程、级别课程（B1、B2、C1、C2）、商务课程。

It includes a wealth of knowledge and resource.

它包含丰富的知识和资源。

All wrapped up in a social environment with support for you

一切都包含在社交环境中，并支持您

to access and use however you need.

根据需要进行访问和使用。

So if you want support, if you like the idea of having a community of

因此，如果您需要支持，如果您喜欢 与志同道合的学习者

like-minded learners to progress with, then come and join the conversation.

社区一起 进步，那么就来加入对话吧。

Come and join the club.

快来加入俱乐部吧。

I'll leave links to that down in the show notes.

我会在节目笔记中留下链接。

But if you don't join the club, there are many ways to improve your English

但是如果你不加入俱乐部，有很多方法可以

using resources available online, and I wish you the very, very best, but

利用网上提供的资源来提高你的英语，我祝你一切顺利，但是

please, please, please, please from today, make a plan and eat the frog.

请，请，请，请从今天开始，制定一个计划并吃掉青蛙。

That's all from me until next time.

这就是我的全部内容，直到下次。

Take very good care.

好好照顾。

And goodbye.

再见。