And hello, I'm Rob.

哈囉，我是 Rob。

You're looking pleased with yourself, Rob.

你看起來十分心滿意足的樣子，Rob。

Oh, I am. I've just booked these dirt cheap – I mean really cheap – flights to Ibiza!

是啊，我剛剛訂了這些賤價的 — 我意思是真的很便宜的 — 飛往伊維薩的機票。

Wonderful!

太棒了！

Look at the price - 20 pounds return!

看看這個價錢 — 20 英鎊來回！

That means extra money to spend on food, drink and partying.

這代表我有多餘的錢花在食物、酒跟玩樂

Let's have a look… hold on. The basic price is 20 pounds, but look at the tax you have to pay on top. One hundred pounds!

我們來看看... 等等基本價格是 20 英鎊，但是看看你要付的稅額，100 英鎊！

Eh? Let me see. You're right.

蛤？我看看，對欸。

Grrr, I hate paying tax.

呃，我討厭繳稅。

I guess you could say it's a necessary evil.

我想你可以說那是必要之惡。

Hmm, you could say that – if you mean it's something bad that can't be avoided, and you have to accept it in order to achieve a good result.

嗯，可以這麼說 — 如果你意思是這是某些無法避免的壞事，而你必須接受為了達到某些好的結果。

That's exactly what I meant, Rob.

完全正確，這就是我的意思，Rob。

If it can't be avoided, like paying tax on a plane ticket, then it's a necessary evil.

如果這無法避免，像是機票上的需繳的稅負那麼這就是必要之惡。

Let's hear some examples, shall we?

我們來聽一些例句吧，好嗎？

For me, exams are a necessary evil – you have to do them to get a place at university.

對我來說，測驗就是個必要之惡 —你必須完成測驗才能考上大學。

Sitting in traffic for hours is a necessary evil if I want to drive to the seaside on a public holiday!

花好幾個小時在交通上是必要之惡，如果我在國定假日想要開車到海邊！

I hate running, but having to exercise is a necessary evil if I want to stay fit and healthy.

我討厭跑步，但運動是必要之惡，如果我想要保持體態與健康。

This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're finding out about the phrase 'a necessary evil'.

這是 BBC 的 The English We Speak 節目，我們正在搞懂 「a necessary evil」這個片語。

It describes something that you have to accept in order to achieve something else.

它用以描述一些你為了達成其他事而必須接受的東西。

And Rob, that tax on your plane ticket is unavoidable – so not so cheap now, is it?

所以 Rob，在你機票上的稅額是無法避免的 — 所以不是那麼便宜了，不是嗎？

No. Less money for eating, drinking and partying.

沒錯，我沒法花太多錢在美食、酒跟派對上了。

Can you get a refund? Stay at home and eat, drink and party?

你可以退票嗎？留在家裡大吃大喝開派對？

I could but if I stayed at home, there's another necessary evil I have to deal with.

我可以，但如果我待在家裡會有其他我一定要處理的必要之惡。

What's that?

有什麼？

I'll have to spend more time with you.

我就必須花更多時間跟妳待在一起。

Hmm! What time is your flight exactly?

嗯！你確切的出國時間是什麼時候？

Did I say something wrong?

我有說錯什麼嗎？

Bye.

拜。

Bye.

拜。