和老外聊天的地道口语第42期:他一定是误会了...

Elizabeth: Hi, Bob, everything okay?

Bob: more or less. There;s just one thing bothering me.

E: oh? What's that?

B: well, you know I have some students studying for their Master's degree. One of them tried to give me a gift that kinda made me uneasy.

E: what gift?

B: it's an Egyptian carpet. The student came to my office the other day and brought the carpet to show his gratitude. Seeing what gift was, I was really uncomfortable. I mean it's too expensive a gift for a student to give a professor. I don't think I've done anything to deserve that gift, so I refused it.

E: you refused the gift? That's terrible.

B: I know, but I really can't accept such an expensive gift. I explained to him why, but he seemed really upset about it. I think he might have taken it the wrong way.

E: perhaps. He probably thinks you considered the gift a bribe for a higher grade.

B: that's what I am worried about. I do understand the respect attached with the gift and I am honored. But I really don't think it's proper for a student to spend a fortune in a gift for a professor. I think we need to have a talk to make sure we are on the same page.


嗨,鲍勃,一切都还好吧?
还好.就是最近有件事比较烦.
哦?什么事?
你知道我带了几个研究生,有一个想送我一件礼物,让我觉得很不舒服.
什么礼物?
一条埃及地毯.有一天,那个学生带着地毯来我的办公室,要送给我以表谢意.看到礼物是什么以后,我觉得很别扭,对学生而言,这件礼物太昂贵了.我觉得自己没做什么,不是是不敢当,所以就拒绝了.
你拒绝了,这可有点儿不好啊.
我知道,但我真的不能接受这样一件昂贵的礼物.我跟他解释了为什么,但他看起来很难过.我担心他可能误会了.
有可能.他可能认为你把这个礼物看成是他对你的贿赂,这样你就会给他更高的分数.
我就是担心这个.我明白他送我礼物是为了表示尊重,我也觉得很荣幸.但是我确实觉得学生花一大笔钱给教授送礼物很不合适.我想我应该和他谈谈,确保我们的理解是一致的.


Bother: to annoy, worry or upset sb; to cause sb trouble or pain 使（某人）烦恼（或担忧、不安）；给（某人）造成麻烦（或痛苦）
The thing that bothers me is…
让我感到不安的是…
You don't sound too bothered about it.
看来你并不十分担心这事。
I don't want to bother her with my problems at the moment.
我此刻不想让她为我的事操心。
That sprained ankle is still bothering her(= hurting).
她那扭伤的脚踝还在隐隐作痛。

Master’s degree:硕士学位

Uneasy: feeling worried or unhappy about a particular situation, especially because you think that sth bad or unpleasant may happen or because you are not sure that what you are doing is right 担心的；忧虑的；不安的
an uneasy laugh/smile
不自然的大笑／微笑
He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about their visit.
他对他们的造访明显地感到不安起来。
She felt uneasy about leaving the children with them.
把孩子托付给他们，她心里七上八下的。

Bribe: sum of money or sth valuable that you give or offer to sb to persuade them to help you, especially by doing sth dishonest 贿赂
It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office.
他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
She had been offered a $50 000 bribe to drop the charges.
有人用 5 万元贿赂她，要她撤回控告。

Proper: socially and morally acceptable 符合习俗（或体统）的；正当的；规矩的
It is right and proper that parents take responsibility for their children's attendance at school.
父母负责督促子女上学上课，这是天经地义的事。
The development was planned without proper regard to the interests of local people.
新开发区的规划没有正当考虑当地居民的利益。
He is always perfectly proper in his behaviour.
他的行为举止向来是无可挑剔的。


Take sth the wrong way:对…理解错误

Attach…to…:在…附加上

Spend a fortune on sth:在…上花大笔钱

Be on the same page:达成一致