Joining me today is Catherine. Hello, Catherine.

今天和我一起的是凱瑟琳。你好，凱瑟琳。

Hello, Neil. Hello, everybody. Yes, today we're covering a story

你好，尼爾。大家好。是的，今天我們正在報道一個故事

from India, which is in the grip of a devastating second wave of Covid.

來自印度，該國正處於破壞性的第二波Covid浪潮的控制之下。

If there's any of the vocabulary that you hear in this programme

如果有任何你在這個節目中聽到的詞彙

you'd like to test yourself on,

你想測試一下自己。

  there's a quiz on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

我們的網站bbclearningenglish.com上有一個測驗。

Let's hear more about that story from India from this BBC News report:

讓我們從BBC新聞的報道中聽到更多關於印度的故事。

Yes. So, a devastating second wave of coronavirus is sweeping across India.

是的，所以，毀滅性的第二波冠狀病毒正席捲整個印度。

Hospitals are unable to cope with the number of patients requiring

醫院無法應對需要的病人數量。

treatment. A website has been set up for people to register for vaccines,

治療。已經建立了一個網站，供人們登記接種疫苗。

but it has crashed under the weight of demand.

但在需求的壓力下，它已經崩潰了。

It is thought that hospitals are unable to report the true number of

人們認為，醫院無法報告真實數量的病人。

cases, so actually the situation may be even worse than is thought.

是以，實際上情況可能比人們想象的還要糟糕。

A truly terrible situation there in India.

印度的情況確實很糟糕。

Now, you've been looking at this story and you've picked out three

現在，你一直在看這個故事，你已經挑出了三個

useful words and expressions that people can use to help them

人們可以使用的有用詞彙和表達方式，以幫助他們

understand the English being used to discuss this story.

瞭解討論這個故事所使用的英語。

Yes, we're looking at: 'choke', 'dragged its feet' and 'driving'.

是的，我們正在看。'窒息'、'拖後腿'和'駕駛'。

'Choke', 'dragged its feet' and 'driving'.

'窒息'、'拖後腿'和'駕駛'。

So, let's have a look now at your first headline, please.

那麼，現在讓我們來看看你的第一個標題，請。

Yes, we're starting here in the UK with the BBC – the headline:

是的，我們在英國從BBC開始--頭條新聞。

'Choke' – stop functioning because of being too full.

窒息"--因為太滿而停止運作。

Yes, OK. So, this is a verb spelt: C-H-O-K-E – 'choke'.

是的，好的。所以，這是一個動詞的拼寫。C-H-O-K-E - '窒息'。

And if you eat food that then gets

而如果你吃的食物然後被

stuck in your throat and you struggle to breathe, you're 'choking'.

卡在你的喉嚨裡，你掙扎著呼吸，你在'窒息'。

Now, that's the literal meaning: a blockage in your throat,

現在，這就是字面意思：你的喉嚨裡有一個堵塞物。

which means you cannot breathe.

這意味著你無法呼吸。

What we're talking about here is a blockage in hospitals so they

我們在這裡討論的是醫院的堵塞問題，所以他們

cannot function. There are so many patients in Indian hospitals,

不能發揮作用。印度醫院裡有這麼多病人。

they're unable to perform their role properly.

他們無法正常發揮自己的作用。

So, even though 'choking' is connected to an inability to breathe,

是以，儘管'窒息'與無法呼吸有關。

which is one of the symptoms of Covid,

這也是Covid的症狀之一。

in this headline that is not the sense of 'choke' we're using.

在這個標題中，這不是我們所使用的'窒息'的含義。

No, no. It's about being unable to operate because of blockage. So, we

不，不。是指因為堵塞而無法手術。所以，我們

often use the word 'choke' to talk about traffic – a traffic situation.

經常使用 "窒息 "一詞來談論交通--一種交通狀況。

If the traffic is 'choked' and we're using the passive verb there –

如果交通是 "窒息"，而我們在那裡使用被動動詞--

'is choked' – it means traffic isn't moving

'被阻塞'--它意味著交通不暢通

because there is too much of it.

因為它的數量太多了。

Yeah. Also, often used with 'up': the traffic is 'choked up'.

是的。另外，經常與'up'一起使用：交通'choked up'。

Yes, a phrasal verb – 'to choke up'.

是的，一個短語動詞--"噎住了"。

Again, often used in the passive: 'to be choked up' means it's not

同樣，經常用於被動語態：'被噎住了'意味著它不是

working because there's too much. It's overwhelmed.

工作，因為有太多的東西。它被壓倒了。

Yeah. Now, 'choked up', as a phrasal verb, also has another meaning,

是的。現在，"窒息 "作為一個短語動詞，也有另一種含義。

which is quite different. It's connected to emotions.

這是很不同的。它與情感有關。

Yes, it is. Yes, if something...

是的，它是。是的，如果有東西...

somebody says something to you, usually complimentary,

有人對你說些什麼，通常是讚美。

that makes you feel like you're going to cry and you can't talk properly

讓你覺得你要哭了，你無法正常說話

because of emotion, you can say, 'I'm choked,' or, 'I'm choked up.'

因為情緒，你可以說，'我被噎住了，'或者，'我被噎住了。

Yeah. And you can often see people who are 'choked up' making

是的。而且你經常可以看到那些 "哽咽 "的人做出

speeches at weddings, for example.

例如，在婚禮上的演講。

It's often at a wedding or sometimes a birthday party

通常是在婚禮上，有時是在生日聚會上

or an acceptance speech; you see those actors at the Oscars

或接受演講；你在奧斯卡頒獎典禮上看到那些演員

and they can't really speak properly because they're so emotional.

而且他們真的不能正常說話，因為他們是如此的情緒化。

They're 'choked' or they're 'choked up'.

他們是 "窒息 "或 "窒息"。

Another use of 'choke' is from the world of sport often.

窒息 "的另一個用法是來自於體育界的常。

So, for example, you might have a sports person who is way ahead in the

是以，舉例來說，你可能有一個在體育方面遙遙領先的人。

game – let's say a football team. They're winning 3–0 at half time.

遊戲 - 比方說一個足球隊。他們在半場時以3-0獲勝。

And then maybe the pressure of perhaps winning gets to them

然後，也許勝利的壓力會讓他們感到不安

and they 'choke': they end up losing.

而他們'窒息'了：他們最終輸了。

Yeah. And again, I think the idea is that, you know,

是的。再說一遍，我認為這個想法是，你知道。

it's a blockage caused by – in this case caused by excitement

這是一個由--在這種情況下由興奮引起的堵塞。

or emotion of possibly winning. So, if a sports person 'chokes',

或可能獲勝的情緒。是以，如果一個體育人 "噎住了"。

they lose their lead and they end up losing the competition or game.

他們失去了領先優勢，最終輸掉了比賽或遊戲。

OK. Let's get a summary of that, please.

好的。請讓我們來總結一下。

We have another story about this idea of something being 'choked' or

我們有另一個故事，關於這個東西被 "窒息 "的想法，或

'choked up' – about the Suez Canal, haven't we Catherine?

'哽咽'--關於蘇伊士運河，我們凱瑟琳不是嗎？

We have, yes. 'Choked' in the sense of blocked

我們有，是的。'窒息'是指被堵住的意思

and to watch that story, just click the link.

要觀看這個故事，只需點擊鏈接。

OK. Let's have a look at our next headline.

好的。讓我們來看看我們的下一個標題。

Yes, we're now in the United States with CNN:

是的，我們現在是在美國的CNN。

'Dragged its feet' – responded slowly.

'拖了後腿'--反應很慢。

Yes. A three-word expression this time.

是的。這次是一個三個字的表達。

First word: 'dragged' – D-R-A-G-G-E-D.

第一個詞："拖"--D-R-A-G-E-D。

Second word: 'its' – I-T-S.

第二個詞：'其'--I-T-S。

And the third word: 'feet' – F-E-E-T.

而第三個詞："腳"--F-E-E-T。

Now, if you 'drag' something, you pull it along.

現在，如果你'拖'東西，你就把它拉著走。

It's usually on the ground. You don't have wheels. It can't move itself.

它通常是在地上。你沒有輪子。它不能自己移動。

You just pull it. Now, if something has feet and you're 'dragging' it,

你只是拉它。現在，如果東西有腳，而你在'拖'它。

it means it's not using its feet or it's not using its feet properly.

這意味著它沒有使用它的腳或它沒有正確使用它的腳。

Think of a time, Neil, when you have to take your children

尼爾，想一想，當你不得不帶著你的孩子時

home from the park and they don't want to go home.

從公園回家，他們不願意回家。

They want to play in the park. How do they behave?

他們想在公園裡玩。他們的行為如何？

Yes. Well, strangely all of the energy that they had when they

是的。嗯，奇怪的是，他們所有的能量，當他們

were playing in the park seems to vanish quite quickly and they

在公園裡玩耍的人似乎很快就消失了，而他們

don't want to even walk any more. And you almost have to 'drag'

甚至不想再走了。而且你幾乎要'拖'。

them along the ground without them using their feet.

他們不用腳就能沿著地面行走。

Exactly. So to 'drag your feet'. If something 'drags its feet', it

正是如此。所以要'拖後腿'。如果一個東西'拖後腿'，它

moves slowly because it's reluctant and it doesn't want to do something.

行動緩慢是因為它不情願，它不想做什麼。

Now, this is a very informal and idiomatic expression,

現在，這是一個非常非正式和習慣性的表達。

but it's one that we use a lot.

但這是我們經常使用的一種方法。

The alternatives are slightly too formal sounding, aren't they?

替代品聽起來略微太正式了，不是嗎？

Well, yes. You've got things like 'prevaricate'

嗯，是的。你已經有了像'推諉'這樣的東西

or – what's the other one?

或者--另一個是什麼？

'Procrastinate'. 'Procrastinate', yeah.

'拖拖拉拉'。'拖延'，是的。

And they mean the same thing, you know: not do something because –

or take a long time to do something because you don't want to do it.

或者因為你不想做某件事而花很長時間去做。

'Drag your feet' can be used in a lot of different circumstances.

'拖後腿'可以用在很多不同的情況下。

You can use it to talk about the kids coming home from the park.

你可以用它來談論孩子們從公園回家的事情。

But you can also use it to talk about governments, organisations not doing

但你也可以用它來談論政府、組織不做

things or doing things very slowly because they don't want to do them.

辦事或做事情非常慢，因為他們不想做這些事情。

Yeah, usually things they should be doing.

是的，通常是他們應該做的事情。

Often, yeah.

經常如此，是的。

Yeah. OK. Let's get a summary:

是的。好的。我們來做個總結。

If you would like to see another story about Covid and vaccines,

如果你想看另一個關於科維德和疫苗的故事。

and what's happening with them,

以及他們的情況。

we have the perfect one for you, don't we Catherine?

我們為你準備了一個完美的，不是嗎，凱瑟琳？

We do. Just click the link and you can watch it.

我們有。只要點擊鏈接，你就可以觀看。

Now, our next headline, please.

現在，我們的下一個頭條新聞，請。

Yes, we're back in the UK with the Financial Times now – the headline:

是的，我們現在回到了英國的《金融時報》--頭條新聞。

'Driving' – pushing something in a certain direction.

駕馭'--將某物推向某個方向。

Yes. One word now: D-R-I-V-I-N-G – 'driving'.

是的。現在有一個詞。D-R-I-V-I-N-G--"駕駛"。

It's the continuous form of the

它是連續的形式。

verb 'to drive' and you know what that means, don't you Neil?

動詞'開車'，你知道這意味著什麼，不是嗎，尼爾？

Yeah. So, 'to drive' is to operate a car – to move the car

是的。所以，"開車 "是指操作汽車--移動汽車

in a certain direction, I suppose.

在某個方向上，我想。

Exactly. You make the car go in a particular direction.

正是如此。你讓汽車朝一個特定的方向前進。

If you 'drive' something, you make it move. There's an idea of control

如果你 "驅動 "某個東西，你就會讓它移動。有一種控制的想法

and even force: you're obliging the car to do what you want it to do.

甚至是強迫：你迫使汽車做你想做的事。

So, if we take that away from the car and just use it in a more – a wider

是以，如果我們把它從汽車上移開，只是把它用在一個更--更廣泛的

– sense, if you drive something, you make it happen.

- 從道理上講，如果你推動某件事情，你就會使它發生。

Yeah. So, often used in terms of policy.

是的。所以，經常被用於政策方面。

So, perhaps for a company or a government.

是以，也許是為一個公司或政府。

Yes. I mean, imagine a business that – it sells things in shops

是的，我的意思是，想象一下，一個企業--它在商店裡賣東西

and it decides to go online. You could say that whoever's

而它決定上網。你可以說，不管是誰的

organising that change is 'driving' the business online, or you could

組織這一變化是 "推動 "業務的在線，或者你可以

use it to say that customers are 'driving' a business online.

用它來表示，客戶在網上 "驅動 "企業。

They're 'driving' the change because customers don't want to go to shops;

他們正在 "推動 "這種變化，因為顧客不想去商店。

they now want to go online, so they are 'driving' the change.

他們現在想上網，所以他們正在 "推動 "這一變化。

Yeah. And we can use 'drive' with two different particles to

是的。我們可以用兩個不同的粒子來使用'驅動'。

make two different phrasal verbs: 'drive up' and 'drive down' –

做兩個不同的短語動詞："開上 "和 "開下" -

to do with increasing and decreasing.

與增加和減少有關。

Yes, exactly that.

是的，正是如此。

So, you could say that coronavirus is 'driving airline ticket sales down'

是以，你可以說冠狀病毒正在 "推動機票銷售下降"。

and you could also say it's 'driving the use of masks up'.

你也可以說這是 "推動口罩的使用"。

Yes. We also see this used in a passive form to describe when

是的。我們也看到這句話以被動的形式用來描述當

somebody is forced into a situation because of something negative.

有人因為一些負面的東西而被迫進入一個環境。

They are 'driven' to something.

他們被 "驅使 "去做一些事情。

Yeah, yeah. This is often used when people do something they

是的，是的。這句話經常被用於人們在做一些他們

don't really want to do. But it's as the result of some pressure.

並不是真的想做。但這是作為一些壓力的結果。

So, you could say that, you know, all this work is 'driving me to drink'–

是以，你可以說，你知道，所有這些工作都在 "驅使我喝酒--

I'm drinking alcohol because of the pressure of work.

我喝酒是因為工作的壓力。

It's quite a common expression: 'to be driven to drink'.

這是很常見的說法："被逼著喝酒"。

That's right, yes. Or 'to be driven to insanity'

這就對了，是的。或者說'被逼到精神錯亂'

or something like that – something negative.

或類似的東西--消極的東西。

It's quite... yeah, a dramatic expression, actually. Yeah.

這是相當......是的，實際上是一種戲劇性的表達。是的。

Yeah. OK. Let's get a summary:

是的。好的。我們來做個總結。

Time now for a summary of the vocabulary please, Catherine.

現在是對詞彙進行總結的時候了，請凱瑟琳。

Yes. We have: 'choke' – stop functioning because of being too full.

是的。我們有。窒息"--因為太滿而停止運作。

'Dragged its feet' – responded slowly.

'拖了後腿'--反應遲鈍。

And 'driving' – pushing something in a certain direction.

而 "驅動"--將某些東西推向某個方向。

If you'd like to test yourself on the vocabulary,

如果你想測試一下自己的詞彙量。

there's a quiz on a website at bbclearningenglish.com.

在bbclearningenglish.com網站上有一個測驗。

And of course we are all over social media.

當然，我們也在社交媒體上大肆宣傳。

Thank you for joining us and please do try to stay safe.

感謝你加入我們，並請你努力保持安全。

Thank you and goodbye.

謝謝你，再見。

Bye.

再見。