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2026.04.02 08:55
第四部 第七课: to be canned , to kiss up to
- 今天 Michael 和李华下班以后去逛街．他们边走边聊，李华会学到两个常用语：to be canned 和 to kiss up to。
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- Oh! Man, it was crazy at work today!
- 真的啊？你们办公室今天发生什麼事啦？
- My friend George was late again, so the boss canned him!
- 你的朋友 George，今天上班迟到了；你们老闆对他怎麼啦？对他大喊大叫的吗？
- No, it's much worse than that. The boss canned him. In other words, the boss fired him!
- 什麼啊？你是说 George 被解雇了啊．所以To be canned 就是被解雇的意思啊？
- Yeah, here, "canned" is the past form of "to can," which means "to put something in a can," or slang for "to throw something in the trash can".
- 哦～，在这裡，canned 就是把什麼东西扔到垃圾桶．可是，这跟解僱人有什麼关係呢？
- Hehheh, when your boss "cans" you, he's getting rid of you. It is like he is throwing you in the trash can.
- 哦～，原来这是一种比喻啊．哎，不过，这种说法啊，听起来挺吓人的．Michael, 你觉得 George 应该被解雇吗？
- Ah, to tell the truth, George was not a very good employee. If I were the boss, I would have canned him too.
- 哎哟，Michael，你这麼说你朋友未免太过份了吧！George 又没做坏事，為什麼要解雇他啊？
- Well, George was often very late to work. This month, he came in late at least four times. The boss warned him many times before he finally canned him.
- 看来啊，你一点也不同情 George．要是我的朋友碰上这种倒霉事，我至少也会替他难过啊。
- Hmph. When George was late, it caused me and the other employees a lot of trouble. No one is really sad that he was canned.
- 唉！也许啊你说得没错．如果每个人都像 George 这样老是迟到，那会给其他人造成多大麻烦啊。
- Well, you are right and wrong. Because George was canned, we all have a lot more work to do right now.
- 对哎，希望你们公司啊，赶快雇一个人来接替他的工作。
- I'm sure they will.
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- 哎，Michael 啊，你有没有担心过自己有一天会被老闆解雇呢？
- Me? Ah! Not at all. I'm a good worker, and I kiss up to the boss all the time.
- 你说你工作表现很好，而且你还经常亲你的老闆。哎哟，Michael, 你好噁心哦，你老闆不是男的吗？
- No no no...I said I "kiss up to" my boss. To "kiss up to" someone is to try to be extra friendly to someone so they will treat you well.
- 那，你到底是怎麼样 「kiss up to」 你的 boss 呢？
- Well, when I want to "kiss up to" the boss, I might bring him coffee, or help him clean the office. I also try to say nice things about him and his family, or tell him he just looks really cool.
- 哦～，我懂了．你啊，不用说得那麼好听， 「kiss up to」 无非就是拍什麼人的马屁嘛．哎哟，真没想到， Michael ，你还是个马屁精啊．你不怕你同事看不起你啊？
- No, not at all. All (of) the employees kiss up to my boss. Actually, there's nothing wrong with that, because our boss is a really nice guy.
- 嗯～，如果你的老闆真像你说那麼好，或许讨好他也没什麼错。
- I Guess kissing up to someone can be useful, but not of everyone else hates you.
- 你说的没错，拍马屁有的时候是挺管用的．不过啊，要是搞得人人都讨厌你，那就不值得了。
- Don't worry about me. I don't want the boss to do anything for me, I just don't want to be canned.
- 我啊，还真是应该向你学几招呢，去讨好我的老闆，让他啊对我另眼相看。
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- 今天李华学会两个常用语： to be canned 和 kiss up to． to be canned 在这裡就是「被解雇」的意思， kiss up to 是「讨好某人、拍马屁」的意思。
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