我们讲的英语第180期:Beat the drum 热烈支持

Neil: Hello, Li. Are you ready?
尼尔：你好，莉。你准备好了吗？

Li: Yes, Neil! We're going to that event for the protection of turtles, aren't we Neil? Where is it happening again?
莉：是的，尼尔！我们要去参加一个保护海龟的活动，对吧，尼尔？在哪儿举办的来着？

Neil: By the beach. They're going to make speeches and then release some small turtles into the sea.
尼尔：在海滩旁边。他们要进行演讲，然后把一些小海龟放生大海。

Li: How sweet! I love baby turtles!
莉：真是太好了！我喜欢海龟宝宝！

Neil: Yes, they're lovely, aren't they? Let's go and join all the scientists, animal lovers and campaigners and beat the drum for the cause!
尼尔：是啊，它们很可爱，是不是？我们走吧，加入到那些科学家、动物爱好者和活动人士的行列中，为这个事业摇旗呐喊！

Li: Beat the drum? Will there be drums there?
莉：敲鼓？那里有鼓吗？

Neil: No. I don't think so...
尼尔：没有。我想没有。

Li: But if you think we need to drum, I have one here. We can beat the drum, like this...
莉：可是如果我们要敲鼓，我这里倒是有一个。我们可以像这样敲鼓……

Neil: You're a great drummer Li, but sadly no need for drums. It might scare the baby turtles.
尼尔：李，你真是个很棒的鼓手，不过很遗憾，我们并不需要鼓。那可能会吓坏海龟宝宝的。

Li: But why are you talking about drums then?!
莉：那你刚才为什么要说敲鼓呢？

Neil: I'll tell you. In English, when we say 'to beat the drum' or 'to bang the drum' we mean to speak with enthusiasm about an idea in order to persuade or convince other people to support it.
尼尔：我来告诉你。在英语中，我们用to beat the drum或者to bang the drum来表示积极热烈地支持一种观点，以便说服更多的人也来支持。

Li: Ah! I see. No real drums, then...
莉：啊！我明白了。其实并没有鼓，那……

Neil: No. 'Beat the drum' is our expression in this edition of The English We Speak. Now let's hear some examples of how it's used.
尼尔：嗯。Beat the drum就是今天地道英语节目要学的表达方式。现在我们来听一些例句，看看如何使用这个短语。

Part of the job of a prime minister is to visit other nations and beat the drum for your country, to support business and jobs.
首相工作的一部分是对其他国家进行国事访问，为你们国家摇旗呐喊，支持商业和就业。

Mary is shy but her colleagues keep telling her: "If you don't beat the drum for your own ideas, who will?"
玛丽很害羞，但是她的同事一直告诉她：“如果你不为自己的想法摇旗呐喊，那谁来做呢？”

Li: OK, Neil. I'm ready to beat the drum for turtle conservation!
莉：好的，尼尔。我准备好为保护海龟摇旗呐喊了！

Neil: Great, we'd better go. We'll be late.
尼尔：太好了，我们最好现在就出发。不然我们会迟到的。

Li: OK. Ready? One, two, one, two...
莉：好的。准备好了吗？一、二，一、二……

Neil: You are quite keen on this instrument, aren't you? You're not taking it with you... are you?
尼尔：你很喜欢这个乐器，是不是？你不会带着去吧？

Li: Of course not. I don't want to frighten the animals. But I might end up forming a band. How about The Baby Turtles?
莉：当然不会。我不想吓到那些动物。但是我可能会组个乐队。乐队名字就叫海龟宝宝怎么样？

Neil: Yeah, that's a good name! Let's go. Bye.
尼尔：好啊，这名字真不错！我们走吧。再见。

Li: Bye.
莉：再见。