我们讲的英语第228期:Take a back seat 让权

Rob and Feifei take to the road to learn a new phrase. Rob sits in the back to demonstrate the phrase but Feifei soon realises you don't need a car to use this expression. Get your seatbelt on and join them in Authentic Real English.
罗布和菲菲为了学习新的短语，开车上了马路。坐在后面的罗布解释了这个短语的意思，但是很快菲菲就意识到其实应用这个短语并不需要开车。系好安全带，收听本期地道英语节目吧。

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
注：音频与文本并不完全对应。

Feifei: Hello, it's Feifei and Rob here with today's The English We Speak.
菲菲：大家好，主持今天地道英语节目的是菲菲和罗布。

Rob: Feifei, keep your eyes on the road! Look where you're going.
罗布：菲菲，专心看路！看看你这是往哪儿开呢。

Feifei: OK, OK! Rob is making me drive around while we present today's programme. Rob, why exactly am I driving my car?
菲菲：好的，好的！罗布让我开车来主持今天的节目。罗布，为什么是我开车？

Rob: Well, I really wanted you to understand the phrase we're going to learn today. But I'm going to leave it all to you.
罗布：我想帮助你理解我们今天要学习的短语。不过我打算全交给你。

Feifei: So what are you going to do then?
菲菲：那你要做什么呢？

Rob: Oh nothing. I'm just going to a take a back seat today. You carry on, I'll just watch.
罗布：什么都不做。我今天要让权给你。你继续吧，我只是看着。

Feifei: Take a back seat? Hmmm — so you're going to let me take control — do all the work — while you sit there and watch?
菲菲：坐在后座上？嗯，所以你是让我来掌控所有的事情，而你只是坐在那里看吗？

Rob: Yes — look, I'm just sitting here — on the back seat.
罗布：对，看，我就坐在这里，就坐在后座上。

Feifei: Oh I get it! 'To take a back seat' is an idiom that means to give up control and let someone else take responsibility.
菲菲：哦，我明白了！这个习语的意思是放弃控制权，让其他人来负责。

Rob: That's it Feifei. Let's hear from some other people who are 'taking a back seat'…
罗布：没错，菲菲。我们来听些例句，看看还有谁放弃了控制权。

Examples
例句

Mary was happy to take a back seat and let Jim run the meeting.
玛丽很高兴能退居次要位置，让吉姆来负责会议。

I'm going to take a back seat this year and let you decide where we go on holiday.
我今年要让权给你，由你来决定我们去哪里度假。

Now he's getting older he's decided to take a back seat in running the company.
他年事已高，所以他决定退居二线，让出公司的经营权。

Feifei: So, to take a backseat means to choose not to take control and let someone else be in charge. Rob, does this mean you're just being lazy?
菲菲：to take a backseat的意思是选择让出控制权，让其他人去负责。罗布，这是不是意味着其实你只是很懒？

Rob: Of course not, Feifei. It just means I'm letting you have a turn at being in charge — I trust you — although... What are you doing?!
罗布：当然不是了，菲菲。这意味着我要让你有掌控事情的机会，我相信你，不过……你在干什么？！

Feifei: Letting you take the back seat while I show you how to really drive!
菲菲：你退居次要位置的时候我要让你看看什么才叫开车！

Rob: Feifei! Watch out for that roundabout... and that traffic light... aren't you driving a bit fast?
罗布：菲菲！注意那个环岛……还有交通灯……你是不是开得有点快？

Feifei: Rob — don't be such a back seat driver!
菲菲：罗布，不要在后座对开车的人指手画脚！

Rob: A what?
罗布：什么？

Feifei: A back seat driver — someone who offers unwanted advice — someone who tells the driver how to drive. But we'll leave that expression for another day!
菲菲：在后座对开车的人指手画脚的人，就是告诉司机要怎么开车的人，可是实际上开车的人并不需要这些建议。我们会找其他时间来解释这个短语的。

Rob: OK OK — but you are going really fast — can I take the front seat now?
罗布：好，好的，可是你真的开得太快了，现在我来开车怎么样？

Feifei: Stay where you are!
菲菲：呆在那里！

Rob: OK.
罗布：好吧。

Feifei: Bye Bye.
菲菲：再见。

Rob: Bye.
罗布：再见。