The english we speak(BBC教學)第78期:No win situation無望取勝的局面
Rob: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Rob.
羅布：大家好，歡迎來到我們說的英語節目。我是羅布。Li: And hello I'm Li.
李：大家好，我是李。Rob: Shh shh Li – quiet please! I need to concentrate, the race is about to finish and I've got a bet on.
羅布：噓，李，請安靜點！我要集中注意力，比賽馬上就要結束了，我可是下了注的。
Rob: Yeah! I've won. I've actually won. I'm rich!
羅布：太好了！我贏了。我真的贏了，我現在有錢了！Li: Well done Rob. So what have you won Rob?
李：幹得漂亮，羅布。那你贏了什麼？Rob: Ten pounds!
羅布：10英鎊！Li: Oh just ten pounds. Ah well, that's quite useful actually.
李：哦，就10英鎊啊。好吧，實際上那也挺有用的。Rob: Is it. Why is that?
羅布：是嗎，爲什麼啊？Li: Well, you owe me five pounds and you did say you would buy me a glass of champagne if you won a race.
李：嗯，你欠我5英鎊，而且你也說過如果你贏了比賽會請我喝杯香檳的。Rob: Oh right, did I? So, that will leave me with…. fifty pence. Maybe I'm not a winner after all. Honestly! Every time I make some money I have to give it away.
羅布：這樣啊，我說過嗎？那這樣的話我還剩下……5便士。也許我根本就不是贏家。說實話，每次我掙點錢都會花掉。Li: Sorry Rob, it's a no-win situation or a lose-lose situation. Rob, you can't gain any money because you'll always lose it on something else.
李：很抱歉，羅布，這是個沒有輸贏的情況，或者說是雙輸局面。羅布，你沒辦法賺到錢是因爲你總是在其他地方花掉那些錢。Rob: So even though I did win something, I have also lost. That's a no-win situation is it?
羅布：即使我的確贏了一些東西。可我同時也失去了一些東西。這就是沒有輸贏的情況的意思嗎？Li: I'm afraid it is. A no-win situation is one in which a favourable outcome is impossible. You are bound to lose whatever you do. You can also use this phrase to describe situations that aren't just to do with money, like this:
李：恐怕是的。沒有輸贏的局面就是指無法獲得有利結果的情況。不管你做什麼都註定會失敗。這個短語不僅僅可以用來形容與錢財有關的事物，看下面的例子：I can get the bus or train to work-either way I'm going to be late. It's a no-win situation.
我可以坐公交或是火車去上班——不管哪種方法我都會遲到。 這是個沒有勝算的局面。The cafe only served ham or beef sandwiches but as a vegetarian I was in a no-win situation.
這家咖啡廳只供應火腿三明治和牛肉三明治，不過對素食主義的我來說，這真是左右爲難啊。If she helps in the garden, Mum won't be pleased and if she helps in the kitchen, Dad won't be pleased. She really is in a no-win situation.
如果她在花園裏幫忙，媽媽會不高興，而如果她在廚房裏幫忙，爸爸會不高興。她真的處於沒法兩全其美的情況。Li: So a no-win situation is one that is certain to end in failure and disappointment. So Rob I can see you are disappointed because you have spent your winnings on me.
李：所以沒有輸贏的情況是指註定會以失敗和失望來作爲結束。羅布，我看得出來你很失望，因爲你要把贏來的錢花在我這裏。Rob: I am. It seems impossible to win money just for myself.
羅布：我是很失望。看起來我自己不可能贏錢。Li: Actually I also won some money – fifty pounds – so I'll buy you a drink, in fact I'll buy you something to eat too and you don't need to pay me back that five pounds.
李：實際上我也贏了些錢——50英鎊——所以我會請你喝一杯，實際上我也可以請你吃飯，你也不用還我那五英鎊了。Rob: Really? Oh Li that's very kind of you. Now I'm in a win-win situation!
羅布：真的嗎？李，你真是太好了。現在我是雙贏局面！Li: Yes, the opposite of a no-win situation is a win-win situation. This is where there is a favourable outcome for everyone involved. Like this:
李：對，沒有輸贏的局面的反義詞就是雙贏局面。意思是各方都會得到有利的結果。下面是例句：The house buyer got a good price and the seller was happy to sell quickly so it was a win-win situation.
購房者以便宜的價格得到了這所房子，而賣房者則很高興能快速出手，所以這是個雙贏局面。If I get to invest your money in the company and you get to share the profits, it's a win-win situation.
如果我把你的錢投入公司，那你就可以分享利潤，這是個雙贏局面。Rob: So, in a win-win situation everyone is happy! Just like our situation now. So, where are you taking me for dinner Li?
羅布：所以要是雙贏局面的話所有人都會開心！就像我們現在的情況。李，你要請我去哪裏吃晚餐呢？Li: Did I say dinner? I was just going to buy you a sandwich.
李：我剛有說請吃晚餐嗎？我只是想給你買個三明治而已。Rob: Oh. That's not such a good win-win situation, is it?
羅布：哦，這其實不算好的雙贏局面吧？Li: Maybe I'll buy you some chips too!
李：也許我還會給你買薯條的！Rob: OK great. Let's go. Bye.
羅布：很好。走吧。再見。Li: Bye bye.
李：再見。重點講解：
1. give away
喪失，失去；
eg. We gave away a silly goal.
我們愚蠢地白送了對方一分。
eg. Military advantages should not be given away.
不能喪失軍事優勢。
2. no-win
adj. 無望取勝的；必敗的；
eg. Under present circumstances, the conflict is a no-win situation far both sides.
在目前情況下，這一對抗對雙方來說都是一種“誰也不能取勝”的局面。
eg. We are considering the options available to us in this no-win situation.
在這種取勝無望的情形下，我們在考慮有什麼選擇。
3. lose-lose
adj. 對雙方都不利的；雙輸的；
eg. But did not find the end, we can only be a lose-lose.
卻沒有發現，最後大家只能是兩敗俱傷。
eg. The issue is obviously, cut - throat competition will only be a lose - lose, by of price alternatives.
問題已經很明顯，惡性競爭只會兩敗俱傷，靠打價格戰是沒有出路的。
4. be bound to do
一定會；必然會；註定會；
eg. Her decision to cancel the concert is bound to disappoint her fans.
她決定取消這場音樂會，肯定會使她的歌迷失望。
eg. Your education is bound to shape your world view.
一個人接受的教育必定會決定其世界觀的形成。
5. be certain to
必然的；必定的；肯定的；
eg. The right party are certain to be victorious.
正義的一方一定會勝利。
eg. This weekend is certain to be enjoyable.
這個週末一定很有意思。
6. win-win
adj. 一定會贏的；穩操勝券的；萬無一失的；
eg. It is surprising that it has taken people so long to take advantage of what is a win-win opportunity.
真奇怪，人們居然用了這麼長時間才把握住一個萬無一失的機會。
eg. It'should be a win - win situation, but it could take time.
這應該是雙贏的局面，但可能需要時間。
