Topic: Making plans
一、Metaphors for difficult situations
Metaphors 和 idioms帮助我们更好地理解情况。它们也为我们的演讲增添色彩和多样性。以下是一些困难的生活情况。
Life is unpredictable. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. 世事难料。有时候,你不得不克服一道道难关。
Everything seems to be happening at once, and things start to get on top of you. 所有的事情似乎一股脑地都同时发生,而且开始压得你喘不过气来。
I couldn't shake the feeling that it was all too much. 我无法摆脱事情太多了的感觉。
I had so much going on that I felt like I was drowning. 我有这么多的事情,我觉得我被压得喘不过气来了。
You just have to deal with what life throws at you. 你就是要不得不面对生活给你带来的一切。
我们也使用暗喻来形容走出困境。
It was difficult, but I came out the other side. 这很难,但我还是挺过来了。
It's going to be clear skies from now on. 从现在开始一切都是好的了。
二、Conditionals for potential solutions
可能性和较大的可能性
描述可能性和较大的可能性的条件句经常在if从句中使用can和could。带有can的从句比带有could的从句更确定一点。
If I can get to the end of this project, I'll feel a lot better. 如果我能完成这个项目,我会感觉好多了。
If I could just make some kind of plan, it would help me focus. 如果我能做些什么计划的话,那将有助于我集中注意力。
可能性和较大可能性的程度往往用结果从句中的情态动词表示。情态动词might 和 could表达可能性。情态动词should更强一点,通常表达较大的可能性。情态动词would最强,表示强的可能性或者一个确定的结果。
If I could just make some kind of plan, it might help me focus. 如果我能做些什么计划的话,那可能有助于我集中注意力。
If I can get a little bit ahead, it could take a lot of the pressure off. 如果我能做得快一点点的话,那会减轻很大的压力。
If you can manage your time carefully, you should be able to meet your targets. 如果你能仔细地管理你的时间的话,你应该能够达到你的目标。
If he can establish a regular routine, it would make a big difference. 如果他能建立起一个常规,那将会使产生很大的不同。
当if从句是现在时,你也可以在条件从句中使用情态动词will。Will表达一个确定的结果。
If I can organize myself better, it will make a big difference. 如果我能更好地组织自己,那会有很大的不同。
三、Future perfect for talking about tasks
将来完成时在谈论时间表和最后期限时是极其有用的,因为它告诉我们某事将在未来的某一时间内完成。它常由will或者going to + have +动词的过去分词组成。
I won't have finished it by then. 到那时我不可能完成它。
I'll have it done by the end of the weekend. 到周末我会把它做完的。
介词by常用来表示一个项目完成的点。
I'm going to have completed the project by the end of next week. 我将在下周末完成这个项目。
当你在表达某事完成的可能性的程度时,你应该用should 而不是 will。
I should have the project finished by the end of next week. 我应该会在下周末完成这个项目。
四、Conditionals for advice
条件句
条件句可以用来给建议。使用结果从句来给出建议,而不是if 从句。
If you're struggling with something, you should first be honest with yourself. 如果你做某事很费力的话,你应该首先坦诚面对自己。
祈使句
你可以在结果从句中使用祈使句来给出更强的建议。
If you won't have something done on time, be clear about it and explain why. 如果你不能按时完成某件事,讲清楚,并解释为什么。
倒装句中的情态动词
你也可以在倒装句中用情态动词给出建议。倒句句改变正常句子模式来强调重要信息。在这里,被强调的信息是在句首的What从句中。
What you should always do if you can't meet a deadline, is be open and honest about it. 如果你不能按期完成,你总应该做的是公开和诚实。
五、Infinitive clauses
未来的计划
有许多常见的动词,可以跟不定式分句来表达将来的计划。这些词包括want, intend, be able, 和 plan。注意allow后面先跟宾语,再接不定式。
That will allow me to have a better sense of where you're headed. 这会让我更好地了解你的方向是什么。
If I haven't been able to do that by then, I have to admit I'll be a bit disappointed. 如果到那时我还一直无法做到这一点,我不得不承认,我会有点失望。
当谁在做这个动作不重要时,你可以用动词不定式的被动形式to + be +过去分词。
I want to be seen as independent. 我想被视为独立的。
不定式分句还可以作为句子的主语。
To become a manager of a department would at least be different from what I'm doing now. 成为一个部门的经理至少会和我现在所做的不同。
你可以通过在单词to后加一个副词来修饰不定式分句中的动词。
I want to actually have more independence. 我其实想要的是有更多的独立性。
六、Future continuous
谈论将来
在接下来的活动中,你会再次听到女人与她的职业顾问交谈。注意讨论中将来进行时的使用。例如:
A. And now I'd like to talk a bit about the future, you know, maybe what you think you'll be doing in five years or so. 现在,我想谈谈未来,你知道,也许你认为你会在五年后做什么。
B. I guess I would have to say that I hope I'll be running my own business. 我想我必须说,我希望我将经营自己的公司。
七、Complex conditionals
条件句实际上是相当灵活的。取决于你想要表达的意思很可能两个分句的时间用的是不同时态。在这个例子中,说话人结合了现在完成时与将来时来表达关于她的未来计划一个复杂的想法:
If I haven't been able to do that by then, I'll be considering other options. 如果到时我还没能做到,我将考虑其他选择。
在这个条件句中,说话人把过去的事件与她对未来事件的感情联系在一起:
If I hadn't gotten this job, my future plans would be much more limited. 如果我没有得到这份工作,我的未来计划将有限得多。
在这里,说话人谈到了她目前的感受,并将它们与过去联系起来:
If I were unhappy, I would have changed jobs a long time ago. 如果我不高兴,我早就换工作了。
八、Financial planning collocations
金融词语搭配
请记住,collocations是通常一起使用的单词。学习这些金融词语搭配,以帮助你为这节课后面的任务做准备。
We have a lot of home equity due to steadily rising property prices. 由于房地产价格的稳步上升,我们有大量的房屋净值。
Tax-free accounts can be a good investment opportunity. 免税账户可以是一个很好的投资机会。
It's important to have a contingency plan in your financial planning. 在你的财务计划中有一个应急计划很重要的。
Your credit rating is important in determining your mortgage payment. 在确定你的按揭付款时,你的信用等级是重要的。
A retirement plan is a critical part of most people's personal finances. 退休计划是大多数人的个人理财的关键部分。
九、Levels of probability
较大的可能性和可能性
在will happen和won't happen之间有很多的可能性。通过结合两个甚至三个短语来表达可能性,你能够表达有细微差别的对未来的看法。
I might possibly set up a tax-free account. 我可能会建立一个免税账户。
I guess we could possibly sell the house. 我想我们可以把房子卖掉。
I haven't put in as much as I probably should have. 我还没有投入我可能应该投入的那么多。
I may well increase my monthly contribution. 我可能会增加我每月的缴费。
赘述
赘述由两个部分组成,其中之一将永远是真实的。例如,*You will get the job or not get the job**。当人们不知道会发生什么,但想说点什么时会使用赘述。
You will or you won't save enough, but I highly recommend it. 你会或者不会存得足够,但我强烈推荐它。
It is what it is. 已经这样了。
十、Linking short- and long-term goals
时间表达方式
有一整套用来谈论长期和短期计划的时间表达方式。注意下面的句子都是从关于短期的陈述开始,但以关于长期的信息而结束。
It's important to have both short-term and long-term goals. 有短期和长期目标是很重要的。
At the moment, I don't think much about retirement, but farther down the road I'll get more serious about it. 目前,我对退休没有考虑太多,但是将来我会认真考虑的。
Right now I'm renting, but eventually I'd love to own my own home. 现在我是租房,但最终我是想拥有自己的家。
For the time being, my personal finances are OK, but later on, I'll need a real plan. 暂时,我的个人财务状况很好,但以后,我需要一个真正的计划。