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A: 大家好，欢迎收听美语训练班！我是杨琳！
B: 我是Kat！杨琳,今天我们教什么呢？
A: 今天，咱们要去找路, 去划船，要聊聊买新车还是二手车, 还要告诉大家怎么用美语说“挂羊头卖狗肉”。
B: 狗肉？Er... I have a dog. I don't want to...
A: 哈哈，别紧张，这只是个说法而已。
B: Okay. My dog will be happy to know that!
A: 让他放心吧！哈哈！好，节目一开始，咱们还是先来学个词儿！
Learn A Word #1356 set aside
今天我们要学的词是set aside. Set is spelled s-e-t; and aside, a-s-i-d-e, aside; set aside. Set aside有留出，拨出的意思。比如，He set aside $200 each week and put it in his rainy day fund. 他每周都留出200美元存起来，以备不时之需。I always set aside time to exercise no matter how busy I am. 不管多忙，我都要留出锻炼身体的时间。在美国运通信用卡公司的倡导下，Every November, one Saturday is set aside as Small Business Saturday, to encourage people to buy from small businesses. 每年11月都会有一个星期六是“小企业日”，鼓励消费者买小企业生产的产品。好的，今天我们学习的词是set aside, set aside, set aside.
A: I set aside time to go for a walk every day no matter how busy I am. 我不管多忙，每天都要出去散散步。
B: Good for you! I hope I could do that too, but I have so much work to do. I'm breaking my back to impress my boss.
A: 啊？为了给领导留下好印象，你只好把后背给扭了？
B: Stop teasing me, 杨林！You know what I meant by "breaking my back!"
A: 呵呵，我是知道，可是很多听众可能还不明白，所以咱们就来听听今天的美国习惯用语吧！
Words and idioms 946
Words and Idioms #946
女: 各位听众，现在播送<美国习惯用语>第 946讲。我是杨琳。
M: 我是 Douglas Johnson.
女: 昨天我接到我妹妹的电话。她告诉我，她男朋友这才第一个星期到咨询公司上班，就已经忙得见不到人了！她说这间公司把人女人当男人用，男人当牲口用，她男朋友每天都工作到晚上12点，还得把工作带回家，非常辛苦。这让我想到了一个习惯用语，那就是：
M：Break one's Back. Break is spelled b-r-e-a-k, and back; b-a-c-k. Break one's Back.
女: 我们知道，Break这个词本身是“打碎”的意思，而Break one's back,背都打碎了，引申的意思就是“非常辛苦地工作”。我妹妹的男朋友工作非常辛苦，Working as a consultant in this company will break your back. 在这间咨询公司上班非常辛苦。下面这个例句是一个儿子谈到他妈妈为子女所作的牺牲，让我们来听听看：
M: "Mom always wanted my sister and me to enjoy a better life than she had. That meant working two jobs for many years to afford what we needed. She BROKE HER BACK. But, as a result, I became a surgeon and my sister, a concert pianist. We would never have become so successful without our mother's great sacrifices. "
这段话是说：“妈妈一直希望我和妹妹能过上比她更好的生活。她多年来一直身兼两份工作来满足我们的所需。她一直非常辛苦。但是现在，我成了一名外科医生，而我妹妹成了一名钢琴演奏家。如果没有妈妈的牺牲，我们绝不可能取得这样的成功。”
女: 是啊。母亲为孩子的牺牲真的很让人感动。这也是美国很多第一代移民的处境。他们为了让子女享受到他们没有享受到的生活，一生都非常辛苦地工作。The parents of immigrant families are willing to BREAK THEIR BACKS in order to give their kids a better life. 移民家庭的父母非常辛苦地工作, 想让孩子过上更好的生活。 好，让我们再来听听上面那段话。
M: "Mom always wanted my sister and me to enjoy a better life than she had. That meant working two jobs for many years to afford what we needed. She BROKE HER BACK. But, as a result, I became a surgeon and my sister, a concert pianist. We would never have become so successful without our mother's great sacrifices. "
女: 上面我们谈到很多人辛勤工作，但是啊，也有恰恰相反的人。有些人，从来都不愿意付出一点努力。我们来听听下面这个例子：
M: "My neighbor across the street is one of the laziest people I know. Just about every day, he's out drinking beer on his front porch. Yet his house is falling apart and his yard is full of junk. It would take a lot of effort to get the place in good condition. Unfortunately, I can't imagine him ever BREAKING HIS BACK."
这段话是说：[住在对面的邻居是我见过的最懒的人。他每天在门口走廊上喝啤酒，可房子却是东倒西歪，院子里堆满了垃圾。要把那里清理干净得花好大功夫。不过，我可无法想象他会辛苦地去整理。]
女: 自己家的院子都不愿意收拾，可真够懒的！在这里，我们也可以用 neck, n-e-c-k 来代替，"BREAK ONE'S NECK" 一样也是辛苦工作的意思。I can't imagine him break his neck for anything! 我想没有什么能让他去辛勤工作。好，我们再来听听刚才那段话:
M: "My neighbor across the street is one of the laziest people I know. Just about every day, he's out drinking beer on his front porch. Yet his house is falling apart and his yard is full of junk. It would take a lot of effort to get the place in good condition. Unfortunately, I can't imagine him ever BREAKING HIS BACK."
各位听众，今天我们学习的习惯用语是Break one's Back，意思是“非常辛苦地工作”。好的，这次[美国习惯用语]就到此结束，我是杨琳，我是 Douglas Johnson。谢谢各位的收听。
