口语进阶11 | GOURMET INTERNATIONAL TALKS STRATEGY
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背景提要:
马克与同事们分享竞争对手公司Grand Foods的新销售计划。罗恩喜欢对方售卖的半成品食材盒(meal kit)的主意,并认为公司也应该这样做。
小贴士:
“Meal-kit”即半成品净菜(菜肴),将新鲜食材、调料和食谱放入包装盒一起售卖的一种商品。
LESSON 11: GOURMET INTERNATIONAL TALKS STRATEGY
Mark shares the news about Grand Foods'plans. Ron likes their idea of packaging the food in meal kits and says their company should do the same.
Mark: Grand Foods is introducing two new products: Moo Shu Pork and Princess Chicken. The products will be packaged as meal kits.
Sara: Those kits for wannabe cooks where the ingredients come in separate pouches and then you put them all together?
Ron: Yes, it makes people feel like they're actually cooking from scratch. It's a great concept.
Mark: When I suggested we come out with meal kits last year, you said it was a bad idea. Now you think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread!
Ron: I don't remember talking about meal kits with you last year. We also need more information on what Grand Foods is planning. Mark, get right on that!
IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS
Wannabe (slang) –模仿者,热衷者,想成为…的人
Example: They're a bunch of wannabe musicians who don't know which way up to hold their guitars. 他们这群人,梦想成为音乐家却连吉他怎么拿都不知道。
From scratch – 从零开始
Example: Brandon threw out the college essay he was working on, and started a new one from scratch. 布兰顿放弃了他一直在写的论文,重新选题从零开始。
Greatest thing since sliced bread – 有史以来最好的……
来源:美国发明家奥托·罗韦德尔(Otto Rohwedder)发明了一种面包切片机,并于1928年上市,自诩为“自有面包包装以来烘焙业最伟大的进步”,也由此产生了流行短语“the best thing since sliced bread自切片面包以来最好的东西”。对话中可理解为“有史以来最好的……”。)
Example: Jacob loves his new 5G version Mate30pro. He thinks it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. 雅各布非常喜欢他的新5g版Mate30pro,他认为这是有史以来最好的手机。
(To) get right on (that or it) –马上着手做(某事)
Example: You need that report by tomorrow morning? I'll get right on that! 你明天早上就要那份报告吗?我马上开始做!
PRACTICE THE IDIOMS
Choose the best substitute for the phrase or sentence in bold:
1) He has no real experience signing in front of an audience. He is just a wannabe.
a) a new artist
b) a real rock star
c) an aspirant
2) My grandma is a great cook, every Christmas she makes cookies from scratch.
a) from frozen cookie dough
b) from the very beginning, mixing herself every single ingredient.
c) from low-calorie ingredients
3) I'm so happy we bought a dishwasher. I hated doing the dishes before. Now, it’s all so easy. Dishwashers are the greatest thing since sliced bread!
a) completely useless
b) very useful and convenient
c) too expensive
4) The client would like a revised proposal as soon as possible? I'll ask my assistant to get right on it.
a) work on that right away
b) work on that later this week
c) work on that when she has some free time
ANSWERS: 1. C; 2. B; 3. B; 4. A
参考译文:
马克与同事们分享竞争对手公司Grand Foods的新销售计划。罗恩喜欢对方售卖的半成品食材盒(meal kit)的主意,并认为公司也应该这样做。
马克:Grand Foods正在推出两款新产品:木须肉和宫保鸡丁。这两款产品将以半成品食材盒的形式对外出售。
莎拉:那些分散的烹饪材料,你想把它们都打包,然后卖给那些想要下厨的人?
罗恩:对的,这样他们会觉得自己做饭的时候一切都是从头开始的,真是一个很好的想法呀。
马克:去年我向你提这个建议的时候,你说这个想法很糟糕。现在你居然说这是个很好的主意!
罗恩:我不记得去年和你讨论过关于半成品食材盒的想法。而且,关于Grand Foods计划我们还需要了解更多。马克,咱们开始行动吧!