Reader question:

Please explain “best of all worlds” in this sentence – “One of the beauties of our profession is that it’s so broad and there are so many options available to us, we do have the best of all worlds.”

My comments:

What’s his/her job?

That’s what I’d like to know.

In other words, is it possible to have a profession that offer the best of all worlds?

In other words, the best of everything?

Anyways, “best of all worlds” is a variation from the more commonplace phrase “best of both worlds”, the best of two very different, contrasting situations.

When ancients talk about elevating themselves from the base human sentiments or the baseness of the human experience in general, they go on about becoming celestials who reside in the high heavens. There, they would have the company of beautiful women all the time without the women driving them on to make money for them to spend on luxuries, such as the women on earth are wont to force their men to do.

Women in heaven, on the other hand, won’t do anything of that kind.

Wont, by the way, means will. Won’t means will not.

See the difference?

I mean, do you see the difference between life in heaven and life on earth?

In short, in heaven, they have the best of both worlds - They get to wine and dine without ever having to toil for everything – without having to do, as it were, the dirty work.

On earth, people suffer for every little good thing they have to earn. Everything – some call it a sacrifice ^_^.

Anyways, that’s why the speaker in the top example seems to be a lucky guy or gal – sounds like he/she has found some nice little work.

And this reminds me of the old George Gershwin tune “Nice work if you can get it”:

The man who only live for making money

Lives a life that isn’t necessarily sunny;

Likewise the man who works for fame –

There’s no guarantee that time won’t erase his name

The fact is

The only work that really brings enjoyment

Is the kind that is for girl and boy meant.

Fall in love -- you won’t regret it.

That’s the best work of all -- if you can get it.

Holding hands at midnight

Underneath a starry sky...

Oh that is nice work if you can get it.

And you can get it -- if you try.

Strolling with the one girl

Sighing sigh after sigh...

Oh nice work if you can get it.

And you can get it -- if you try.

Just imagine someone

Waiting at the cottage door.

Where two hearts become one...

Who could ask for anything more?

Loving one who loves you,

And then taking that vow...

Nice work if you can get it,

And if you get it --

Won’t you tell me how?

…

Nice song, isn’t it?

But seriously, if you ever found that kind of nice work, job-wise I mean, that offers the best of all worlds, would you please kindly tell us how?

本文僅代表作者本人觀點(diǎn)，與本網(wǎng)立場無關(guān)。歡迎大家討論學(xué)術(shù)問題，尊重他人，禁止人身攻擊和發(fā)布一切違反國家現(xiàn)行法律法規(guī)的內(nèi)容。

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

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（作者張欣 中國日報網(wǎng)英語點(diǎn)津 編輯陳丹妮）