平常我跟鄰居很少來(lái)往，不過(guò)前兩天，她忽然給我送來(lái)一籃子新鮮曲奇餅干。我最開始還很高興，不過(guò)后來(lái)得知，她最近想在院子里修一個(gè)籬笆，而這樣做必須得到整個(gè)社區(qū)居民的同意，當(dāng)然也包括我。這也讓我想到了一句習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)，那就是：curry favor。

大家都知道curry做名詞是咖哩的意思，不過(guò)在這里curry作為動(dòng)詞，意思是討好，奉承。而curry favor, 實(shí)際上就是拍馬屁。這也就是我鄰居最近的舉動(dòng)。

I know why she came bearing fresh-backed cookies. I think it's an attempt to CURRY FAVOR. 我知道我鄰居為什么給我送新鮮曲奇餅，我覺(jué)得她就是想拍我的馬屁。

在下面的例子里，這個(gè)人對(duì)他的市長(zhǎng)有什么看法呢? 我們來(lái)聽(tīng)聽(tīng)看：

"Don't assume that the mayor has special fondness for you. If you're influential and can help her deliver on her campaign promises, she'll compliment you, invite you out to dinner and treat you specially. The truth is she CURRIES FAVOR with anyone she considers to be important."

這段話是說(shuō)：[千萬(wàn)別認(rèn)為市長(zhǎng)特別喜歡你。如果你有任何影響力，或者能夠幫助她實(shí)現(xiàn)競(jìng)選承諾，她會(huì)恭維你，請(qǐng)你吃晚餐，給你很多特殊待遇。但事實(shí)是，如果她認(rèn)為你重要，她就會(huì)來(lái)拍你的馬屁。]

這聽(tīng)起來(lái)很典型啊! 那天我上高中的侄女跟我說(shuō)，她們學(xué)校里有個(gè)女生為了能參加啦啦隊(duì)，不惜給教練買了一個(gè)特別昂貴的圣誕節(jié)禮物! 好了，我們?cè)賮?lái)聽(tīng)聽(tīng)剛才那段話:

"Don't assume that the mayor has special fondness for you. If you're influential and can help her deliver on her campaign promises, she'll compliment you, invite you out to dinner and treat you very specially. The truth is she CURRIES FAVOR with anyone she considers to be very important."

大家都特別討厭愛(ài)拍馬屁的人。可是，學(xué)校里，社會(huì)中，到處都是這樣的人。在辦公室里就更不例外了! 下面的例子就談到了這么一個(gè)馬屁精，讓我們來(lái)聽(tīng)聽(tīng)看:

"Isn't it obvious why Ralph nominated our boss as "Supervisor of the Year"? He just wants to get himself promoted to foreman and figures the boss might help arrange it if he's recognized for an important award. See? That why he's CURRYING FAVOR with him. It's so disgusting."

[這段話是說(shuō): 難道你看不出來(lái)拉爾夫?yàn)槭裁刺崦蹅兊睦习鍨椤澳甓茸罴杨I(lǐng)導(dǎo)"么? 他想晉升為領(lǐng)班，而他知道如果老板自己能夠得到這個(gè)獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)，可能就會(huì)幫助他得到領(lǐng)班的職位。這就是他為什么老是拍老板的馬屁。真令人惡心。]

真是! 辦公室政治真讓人頭疼。碰到這種拍馬屁的人，最好的辦法就是別理他。慢慢他就會(huì)被所有同事孤立，我想這也不是個(gè)好受的感覺(jué)。He's always currying favor with the boss. But in the end, he's quite isolated in the office. 他成天拍老板的馬屁，不過(guò)最后，他在辦公室特別孤立。

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（來(lái)源：VOA英語(yǔ)教學(xué) 編輯：丹妮）