我们讲的英语第78期:No-win situation无望取胜的局面

Rob: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Rob.
罗布：大家好，欢迎来到我们说的英语节目。我是罗布。

Li: And hello I'm Li.
李：大家好，我是李。

Rob: Shh shh Li – quiet please! I need to concentrate, the race is about to finish and I've got a bet on.
罗布：嘘，李，请安静点！我要集中注意力，比赛马上就要结束了，我可是下了注的。

Rob: Yeah! I've won. I've actually won. I'm rich!
罗布：太好了！我赢了。我真的赢了，我现在有钱了！

Li: Well done Rob. So what have you won Rob?
李：干得漂亮，罗布。那你赢了什么？

Rob: Ten pounds!
罗布：10英镑！

Li: Oh just ten pounds. Ah well, that's quite useful actually.
李：哦，就10英镑啊。好吧，实际上那也挺有用的。

Rob: Is it. Why is that?
罗布：是吗，为什么啊？

Li: Well, you owe me five pounds and you did say you would buy me a glass of champagne if you won a race.
李：嗯，你欠我5英镑，而且你也说过如果你赢了比赛会请我喝杯香槟的。

Rob: Oh right, did I? So, that will leave me with…. fifty pence. Maybe I'm not a winner after all. Honestly! Every time I make some money I have to give it away.
罗布：这样啊，我说过吗？那这样的话我还剩下……5便士。也许我根本就不是赢家。说实话，每次我挣点钱都会花掉。

Li: Sorry Rob, it's a no-win situation or a lose-lose situation. Rob, you can't gain any money because you'll always lose it on something else.
李：很抱歉，罗布，这是个没有输赢的情况，或者说是双输局面。罗布，你没办法赚到钱是因为你总是在其他地方花掉那些钱。

Rob: So even though I did win something, I have also lost. That's a no-win situation is it?
罗布：即使我的确赢了一些东西。可我同时也失去了一些东西。这就是没有输赢的情况的意思吗？

Li: I'm afraid it is. A no-win situation is one in which a favourable outcome is impossible. You are bound to lose whatever you do. You can also use this phrase to describe situations that aren't just to do with money, like this:
李：恐怕是的。没有输赢的局面就是指无法获得有利结果的情况。不管你做什么都注定会失败。这个短语不仅仅可以用来形容与钱财有关的事物，看下面的例子：

I can get the bus or train to work-either way I'm going to be late. It's a no-win situation.
我可以坐公交或是火车去上班——不管哪种方法我都会迟到。 这是个没有胜算的局面。

The cafe only served ham or beef sandwiches but as a vegetarian I was in a no-win situation.
这家咖啡厅只供应火腿三明治和牛肉三明治，不过对素食主义的我来说，这真是左右为难啊。

If she helps in the garden, Mum won't be pleased and if she helps in the kitchen, Dad won't be pleased. She really is in a no-win situation.
如果她在花园里帮忙，妈妈会不高兴，而如果她在厨房里帮忙，爸爸会不高兴。她真的处于没法两全其美的情况。

Li: So a no-win situation is one that is certain to end in failure and disappointment. So Rob I can see you are disappointed because you have spent your winnings on me.
李：所以没有输赢的情况是指注定会以失败和失望来作为结束。罗布，我看得出来你很失望，因为你要把赢来的钱花在我这里。

Rob: I am. It seems impossible to win money just for myself.
罗布：我是很失望。看起来我自己不可能赢钱。

Li: Actually I also won some money – fifty pounds – so I'll buy you a drink, in fact I'll buy you something to eat too and you don't need to pay me back that five pounds.
李：实际上我也赢了些钱——50英镑——所以我会请你喝一杯，实际上我也可以请你吃饭，你也不用还我那五英镑了。

Rob: Really? Oh Li that's very kind of you. Now I'm in a win-win situation!
罗布：真的吗？李，你真是太好了。现在我是双赢局面！

Li: Yes, the opposite of a no-win situation is a win-win situation. This is where there is a favourable outcome for everyone involved. Like this:
李：对，没有输赢的局面的反义词就是双赢局面。意思是各方都会得到有利的结果。下面是例句：

The house buyer got a good price and the seller was happy to sell quickly so it was a win-win situation.
购房者以便宜的价格得到了这所房子，而卖房者则很高兴能快速出手，所以这是个双赢局面。

If I get to invest your money in the company and you get to share the profits, it's a win-win situation.
如果我把你的钱投入公司，那你就可以分享利润，这是个双赢局面。

Rob: So, in a win-win situation everyone is happy! Just like our situation now. So, where are you taking me for dinner Li?
罗布：所以要是双赢局面的话所有人都会开心！就像我们现在的情况。李，你要请我去哪里吃晚餐呢？

Li: Did I say dinner? I was just going to buy you a sandwich.
李：我刚有说请吃晚餐吗？我只是想给你买个三明治而已。

Rob: Oh. That's not such a good win-win situation, is it?
罗布：哦，这其实不算好的双赢局面吧？

Li: Maybe I'll buy you some chips too!
李：也许我还会给你买薯条的！

Rob: OK great. Let's go. Bye.
罗布：很好。走吧。再见。

Li: Bye bye.
李：再见。