EP004 我需要一个助手！ | 基本演绎法

Hello, everyone, and welcome to English Pod.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to English Pod.

My name is Marco.

My name is Marco.

I'm Amira.

I'm Amira.

Hey, Amira, how are you today?

Hey, Amira, how are you today?

I'm doing great.

I'm doing great.

What about you?

What about you?

I'm doing pretty good.

I'm doing pretty good.

I'm excited about this uh lesson that you have for us today.

I'm excited about this uh lesson that you have for us today.

Yes, it's actually a very very useful lesson.

Yes, it's actually a very very useful lesson.

It's about someone asking his boss for an assistant.

It's about someone asking his boss for an assistant.

Oh, OK, an assistant.

Oh, OK, an assistant.

What's an assistant?

What's an assistant?

Well, it's someone who helps you with your work around the office.

Well, it's someone who helps you with your work around the office.

OK.

OK.

Great, so let's listen to this uh dialogue, and when we come back, we'll take a look at all the interesting and useful vocabulary that you'll find.

Great, so let's listen to this uh dialogue, and when we come back, we'll take a look at all the interesting and useful vocabulary that you'll find.

Like I told you before, we just don't have the resources to hire you an assistant.

Like I told you before, we just don't have the resources to hire you an assistant.

I understand that, but the fact is we're understaffed.

I understand that, but the fact is we're understaffed.

The timing is just not right, the economy's bad, and it's too risky to take on new staff.

The timing is just not right, the economy's bad, and it's too risky to take on new staff.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Here's an idea.

Here's an idea.

What if we hire an intern?

What if we hire an intern?

She would take some of the weight off my shoulders.

She would take some of the weight off my shoulders.

She?

She?

Yeah, you know, a recent graduate.

Yeah, you know, a recent graduate.

She could give me a hand with some of these projects, and we could keep our cost down.

She could give me a hand with some of these projects, and we could keep our cost down.

That sounds reasonable. Let me see what I can do.

That sounds reasonable. Let me see what I can do.

Tony, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant. OK, great. Let's meet her.

Tony, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant. OK, great. Let's meet her.

Hi, I'm Adam. Oh, hi, uh, I'm Tony.

Hi, I'm Adam. Oh, hi, uh, I'm Tony.

And we're back.

And we're back.

Tony, ha ha, he's surprised, huh?

Tony, ha ha, he's surprised, huh?

Yeah, he's uh I don't know why though, he's surprised.

Yeah, he's uh I don't know why though, he's surprised.

I think we should talk about that a little bit later.

I think we should talk about that a little bit later.

Yes, for now, let's look at some interesting vocabulary and phrases here.

Yes, for now, let's look at some interesting vocabulary and phrases here.

Marco, I know you've chosen one for us.

Marco, I know you've chosen one for us.

Yeah, the first one that I want to take a look at is resources.

Yeah, the first one that I want to take a look at is resources.

Resources, resources, resources, and that means in this text basically money, right? So the office doesn't have enough money. OK.

Resources, resources, resources, and that means in this text basically money, right? So the office doesn't have enough money. OK.

I've chosen another interesting word for you, and that's understaffed, understaffed, understaffed, understaffed.

I've chosen another interesting word for you, and that's understaffed, understaffed, understaffed, understaffed.

Now understaffed Means that they don't have enough people working there.

Now understaffed Means that they don't have enough people working there.

They don't have enough workers.

They don't have enough workers.

Right, they don't have enough employees.

Right, they don't have enough employees.

Perfect, okay.

Perfect, okay.

um, The next one Is timing is just not right.

um, The next one Is timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

OK, let's listen to how we can use this entire phrase in a different situation, so then we can understand what it means. Let's listen.

OK, let's listen to how we can use this entire phrase in a different situation, so then we can understand what it means. Let's listen.

I was gonna sell my house, but the timing is just not right.

I was gonna sell my house, but the timing is just not right.

Honey, I think we should have a baby. The timing is just not right.

Honey, I think we should have a baby. The timing is just not right.

OK, great.

OK, great.

I guess that makes it uh clear.

I guess that makes it uh clear.

Yes, actually, it's very obvious that it means that it's just not a good time.

Yes, actually, it's very obvious that it means that it's just not a good time.

Right, perfect.

Right, perfect.

I have another interesting phrase for you, which is weight off my shoulders, weight off my shoulders.

I have another interesting phrase for you, which is weight off my shoulders, weight off my shoulders.

Weight off my shoulders, weight off my shoulders.

Weight off my shoulders, weight off my shoulders.

So, to take weight off my shoulders is another way of saying to help me with my work.

So, to take weight off my shoulders is another way of saying to help me with my work.

Or to take some of my work away from me.

Or to take some of my work away from me.

If you have a lot of things to do, and I come and help you, that means that I took some of the weight off your shoulders. Yes.

If you have a lot of things to do, and I come and help you, that means that I took some of the weight off your shoulders. Yes.

Let's look at the next uh phrase that we have here, and it's give me a hand.

Let's look at the next uh phrase that we have here, and it's give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

Give me a hand.

OK, now this is not literal, it's not that I'm gonna give you somebody's hand, right?

OK, now this is not literal, it's not that I'm gonna give you somebody's hand, right?

Let's listen to some examples, and then we can come back and explain what it means.

Let's listen to some examples, and then we can come back and explain what it means.

Can you give me a hand with these boxes?

Can you give me a hand with these boxes?

Neil, I'll need you to give me a hand with the sales reports.

Neil, I'll need you to give me a hand with the sales reports.

Here, let me give you a hand with your suitcase.

Here, let me give you a hand with your suitcase.

All right, give me a hand is another way of saying help or to help out.

All right, give me a hand is another way of saying help or to help out.

Exactly, to help out, right?

Exactly, to help out, right?

Perfect.

Perfect.

Now, the last Phrase we're going to look at here in this dialogue is keep our costs down.

Now, the last Phrase we're going to look at here in this dialogue is keep our costs down.

Keep our costs down. Keep our costs down. Keep our costs down.

Keep our costs down. Keep our costs down. Keep our costs down.

So, to keep our costs down means to try and not spend so much money.

So, to keep our costs down means to try and not spend so much money.

Exactly, many companies for example now uh control how much printing you do.

Exactly, many companies for example now uh control how much printing you do.

Yes, right, to keep the cost down of paper.

Yes, right, to keep the cost down of paper.

Yes, so, in other words, they do not want to have unnecessary spending.

Yes, so, in other words, they do not want to have unnecessary spending.

Perfect.

Perfect.

OK, I think it's time for us to listen to this dialogue one more time.

OK, I think it's time for us to listen to this dialogue one more time.

But I want everyone to listen and see why Tony is surprised at the end when he meets his intern, when he meets his assistant.

But I want everyone to listen and see why Tony is surprised at the end when he meets his intern, when he meets his assistant.

Like I told you before, we just don't have the resources to hire you an assistant.

Like I told you before, we just don't have the resources to hire you an assistant.

I understand that, but the fact is we're understaffed.

I understand that, but the fact is we're understaffed.

The timing is just not right.

The timing is just not right.

The economy is bad, and it's too risky to take on new staff.

The economy is bad, and it's too risky to take on new staff.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Here's an idea.

Here's an idea.

What if we hire an intern?

What if we hire an intern?

She would take some of the weight off my shoulders.

She would take some of the weight off my shoulders.

She?

She?

Yeah, you know, a recent graduate, she could give me a hand with some of these projects, and we could keep our costs down.

Yeah, you know, a recent graduate, she could give me a hand with some of these projects, and we could keep our costs down.

That sounds reasonable. Let me see what I can do.

That sounds reasonable. Let me see what I can do.

Tony, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant. OK, great. Let's meet her.

Tony, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant. OK, great. Let's meet her.

Hi, I'm Adam. Oh, hi, uh, I'm Tony.

Hi, I'm Adam. Oh, hi, uh, I'm Tony.

Well, you know Marco, I think that Tony was really surprised, because he was kind of hoping to have a female intern.

Well, you know Marco, I think that Tony was really surprised, because he was kind of hoping to have a female intern.

Yeah, I think that's exactly what he was expecting.

Yeah, I think that's exactly what he was expecting.

Maybe this guy is a little bit sexist, he thought that an intern should be a girl.

Maybe this guy is a little bit sexist, he thought that an intern should be a girl.

But instead, instead he got Adam.

But instead, instead he got Adam.

Ha ha ha.

Ha ha ha.

Exactly, and it looks like Adam is really big and really tall because he's got that deep voice.

Exactly, and it looks like Adam is really big and really tall because he's got that deep voice.

Right.

Right.

An intern, Marco, do you wanna elaborate on that?

An intern, Marco, do you wanna elaborate on that?

Working at a company uh with a very low salary or sometimes no salary at all, but what you're gaining is experience, and you're um learning a lot of things.

Working at a company uh with a very low salary or sometimes no salary at all, but what you're gaining is experience, and you're um learning a lot of things.

Everyone who has um been an intern or had an intern.

Everyone who has um been an intern or had an intern.

Knows that sometimes um they are not treated all that well.

Knows that sometimes um they are not treated all that well.

Sometimes they just serve coffee or or they have to do paperwork.

Sometimes they just serve coffee or or they have to do paperwork.

Or like photocopying things.

Or like photocopying things.

Exactly, yeah.

Exactly, yeah.

But some internships are really really cool, and some are really good experiences for uh learning.

But some internships are really really cool, and some are really good experiences for uh learning.

Yes, definitely.

Yes, definitely.

um, Actually, I I know a friend of mine, she used to work as an intern in one of those really big companies, and she told me that she has gained so much experience doing that.

um, Actually, I I know a friend of mine, she used to work as an intern in one of those really big companies, and she told me that she has gained so much experience doing that.

Yeah, I mean, even if you don't get paid, the experience that you get is really good, and um that just opens doors for maybe getting another job, or sometimes The interns get hired by the company to stay, because they do such a good job.

Yeah, I mean, even if you don't get paid, the experience that you get is really good, and um that just opens doors for maybe getting another job, or sometimes The interns get hired by the company to stay, because they do such a good job.

Yeah, I think that's uh mostly the case, huh?

Yeah, I think that's uh mostly the case, huh?

Yeah, that happened to me once, I started working as an intern, and uh after 3 months, I was hired by the company, so.

Yeah, that happened to me once, I started working as an intern, and uh after 3 months, I was hired by the company, so.

It does happen.

It does happen.

Believe me.

Believe me.

So you did a good job.

So you did a good job.

uh, Yeah, of course.

uh, Yeah, of course.

ha ha ha ha ha ha All right, folks.

ha ha ha ha ha ha All right, folks.

We're out of time today.

We're out of time today.

I hope that you enjoyed our lesson.

I hope that you enjoyed our lesson.

And we'll be back tomorrow with another really cool and really interesting lesson from EnglishPod.

And we'll be back tomorrow with another really cool and really interesting lesson from EnglishPod.

Don't forget to come to our website at EnglishPod dot com where you'll find Some really great and interesting resources to help you learn and improve your English even more.

Don't forget to come to our website at EnglishPod dot com where you'll find Some really great and interesting resources to help you learn and improve your English even more.

Yes, you should definitely do that.

Yes, you should definitely do that.

And Marco and I would love to receive your comments and suggestions that you can leave on our community forum.

And Marco and I would love to receive your comments and suggestions that you can leave on our community forum.

But for now, it's time for us to say bye bye.

But for now, it's time for us to say bye bye.