The english we speak(BBC教學)第240期:To know something

Rob is going on holiday to a place where Helen grew up. He is asking Helen for help, because he thinks she knows it like the back of her hand. What does he mean? Listen to the programme to find out.

羅布將要去海倫長大的地方度假。他向海倫尋求幫助，因爲他認爲海倫對那裏瞭如指掌。他是什麼意思？請收聽本期節目並找出答案。

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

注：音頻與文本並不完全對應。

Rob: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Rob and joining me today is Helen.

羅布：大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語節目。我是羅布，今天和我一起主持節目的是海倫。

Helen: Hello everyone. Hey Rob, I hear you have a holiday coming up soon.

海倫：大家好。嘿，羅布，我聽說你馬上要休假了。

Rob: Oh yes, we booked a trip to China to visit the home of pandas.

羅布：對，我們預訂了去中國的旅行，要去大熊貓的故鄉看看。

Helen: Do you mean Chengdu?

海倫：你是說成都嗎？

Rob: I do, yes. We are stopping there for a few days and then to Hong Kong for two weeks.

羅布：對，沒錯。我們打算在成都玩幾天，然後去香港玩兩週。

Helen: You know Chengdu is my home town? I grew up there.

海倫：你知道成都是我的家鄉嗎？我在那裏長大的。

Rob: Oh, I didn't know that. Ha! So you must know the place like the back of your hand.

羅布：哦，這我還真不知道。哈！所以你一定對成都瞭如指掌了。

Helen: The back of my hand? Well I know my hands pretty well, but they are just my hands — very ordinary.

海倫：我手的背面？我是很瞭解我的手，不過我的手很普通。

Rob: Oh, it's a very common expression Helen. We use it to say that we know somewhere very well, or to talk about an extremely familiar place. You hear people say it all the time. Here are a few examples.

羅布：哦，海倫，這是一個很常用的表達方式。我們用這個短語來表示我們非常瞭解一個地方，也可以用來談論一個非常熟悉的地方。你可以聽到人們一直都在用這個短語。下面是一些例句。

Examples

例句

He knows the building like the back of his hand.

他非常瞭解那座大樓。

She lived in the village all her life, and knows the area like the back of her hand.

她一生都住在那座村子裏，她對那裏瞭如指掌。

Helen: So, is this phrase only used when talking about places? Or can you use it to talk about other things?

海倫：所以這個短語只能用來談論地方嗎？能用來談論其他事情嗎？

Rob: Well, it can used to describe things we know very well. It's not just limited to places. Here are some more examples:

羅布：嗯，也可以用來形容我們非常瞭解的事情。並不僅限於談論地方。再來聽些例句：

Examples

例句

Jenny knows that book like the back of her hand. She has read it at least twenty times.

那本書珍妮可以倒背如流。她看了至少有20遍了。

Max knows the Bond films like the back of his hand; he could recite the whole script of all of them.

麥克斯對007系列電影瞭如指掌；他能說出所有的臺詞。

Rob: So Helen, since you lived in Chengdu for many years, have you got any recommendations for good places to visit in Chengdu?

羅布：海倫，既然你在成都生活了很多年，那你會建議我去成都的哪些地方遊覽呢？

Helen: Actually, the city has changed so much; I would be lost there just like any other visitor. But my cousin still lives there. He definitely knows the city like the back of his hand.

海倫：實際上，成都的變化非常大；我也會像其他遊客一樣迷路的。不過我的唐兄弟還住在那裏。他一定對成都瞭如指掌。

Rob: Well maybe I should give him a call.

羅布：也許我應該給他打個電話。

Helen: I'm sure he'll be happy to help.

海倫：我肯定他會樂意幫忙的。

Rob: Great!

羅布：太好了！

Helen: Have a good trip then.

海倫：祝你旅途愉快。

Rob: Thanks. Bye!

羅布：謝謝。再見！

Helen: Bye!

海倫：再見！

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重點講解：
1. come up 即將發生；即將到來；
例句：Plan your activities so that you are rested and refreshed when something important is coming up.
做好日常規劃，這樣一旦發生大事，才能夠從容不迫。
2. grow up 長大成人；成熟；
例句：I grew up as part of a large household.
我是在一個大家庭里長大的。
3. at least （數量）至少，不少於；
例句：Preparations would occupy at least an hour.
準備工作至少需要一個小時。
4. be happy to do sth. 樂意的；情願的；
例句：I'll be happy to answer any questions if there are any.
如果有問題，我很樂意回答。