The english we speak(BBC教學)第343期:No picnic 並非易事

On a warm summer's day, there's nothing better than taking a picnic to the park. But when can a picnic be no picnic? When Rob makes it! Find out what we mean when he serves up an authentic English phrase in this programme.

在溫暖的夏日，沒有什麼事情比去公園野餐更愜意了。但是什麼時候野餐並非易事？答案是羅布準備野餐的時候！羅布在本期節目中使用了一個地道英語短語，請收聽節目並瞭解這個短語的意思。

Rob: Hello, I'm Rob...

羅布：大家好，我是羅布。

Feifei: I'm Feifei and this is The English We Speak.

菲菲：我是菲菲，歡迎收聽地道英語節目。

Rob: today we're outdoors, in the park, having a picnic.

羅布：今天我們來到了室外，我們要在公園裏野餐。

Feifei: Yes, a picnic – it's very nice, thanks for preparing it Rob.

菲菲：對，野餐，非常好，羅布，謝謝你的準備。

Rob: Oh no problem... Well actually, it was a problem...

羅布：哦，不客氣。實際上，有個問題。

Feifei: Oh, I thought preparing a picnic would be easy.

菲菲：哦，我以爲準備野餐很容易呢。

Rob: No. First I had to find some money to buy some food, then I had to walk to the supermarket because my car isn't working, then I had to prepare the food, then I had to go to work... and then I had to...

羅布：不容易。首先，我要找一些錢來買食物，然後我得走去超市，因爲我的車壞了，之後我還要準備食物，然後我還得上班……我還要……

Feifei: Oh I get it, it was an effort.

菲菲：哦，我懂了，這是件費力的事。

Rob: What I'm saying is it was no picnic!

羅布：我的意思是這並非易事！

Feifei: Huh? It is Rob, look, sandwiches, crisps, salad, strawberries...

菲菲：什麼？羅布，這是野餐啊，你看，有三明治、薯片、沙拉、草莓……

Rob: That's a picnic but making it was 'no picnic' – I mean there was nothing easy or pleasant about it.

羅布：這的確是野餐，但是準備野餐可“並非易事”，我的意思是準備野餐不是一件容易或者愉快的事。

Feifei: I get it! Let's hear some more examples of situations that are 'no picnic'...

菲菲：我明白了！我們來聽有關這個短語的更多例句。

Examples

例句

Having no job and trying to pay the bills is no picnic.

沒工作還要付賬單可不是一件易事。

It's no picnic going on a camping holiday with the kids – they moan all the time!

和孩子們一起去野營度假可不是一件輕鬆的事，他們一直在抱怨！

Living on the fifth floor without a lift is no picnic; I have to carry everything up the stairs.

住在五樓還沒有電梯可不是件易事；我不得不搬着所有東西爬樓梯。

Feifei: So when you say something is 'no picnic' you mean it's a difficult or unpleasant situation. Well Rob, it may have been difficult to prepare but it was worth the effort – the food is delicious.

菲菲：當你說某事“並非易事”時，你的意思是這是困難又令人不愉快的情況。羅布，準備野餐可能很困難，不過這些努力是值得的，食物非常美味。

Rob: Oh thanks very much.

羅布：哦，非常感謝。

(FX: Thunderstorm begins)

（音效：開始下暴雨）

Feifei: Oh no, rain! I think we'd better take cover. Quick!

菲菲：哦不，下雨了！我想我們最好找個地方避雨。快點！

Rob: Oh dear, it seems that this is literally no picnic.

羅布：哦天哪，看起來這就是字面上的意思，沒有野餐了。

Feifei: Come on let's drive home.

菲菲：快點兒，我們開車回家吧。

Rob: We can't. My car's not working remember?

羅布：不行。我的車壞了，你忘了嗎？

Feifei: Oh yes. Bye.

菲菲：哦對。再見。

Rob: Bye.

羅布：再見。

譯文屬僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載

重點講解：
1. no picnic 不是件輕鬆（或愉快）的事；
例句：Emigrating is no picnic.
移民不是件輕鬆的事。
2. all the time 一直；始終；
例句：I get the two of them mixed up all the time, they're so similar.
我一直把他們倆弄混，他倆太像了。
3. had better do sth. （用於建議、警告、威脅、發表意見等）最好；
例句：It's half past two. I think we had better go home.
現在兩點半了。我想我們最好還是回家吧。
4. take cover 躲避(炮火、轟炸或壞天氣)；
例句：Shoppers took cover behind cars as police marksmen returned fire.
警方的射擊手開火回擊時，購物者們躲在汽車後面。