VOA流行美語 Unit 277:quals和in the bag

李華在圖書館裏埋頭讀書，爲下個月的博士資格考試做準備。她今天要學兩個常用語，quals和in the bag.

LL: So, Li Hua, how is the studying for your quals going? I can hardly see you behind those stacks of books.

LH: My qual? 你是說我的資格考試嗎？

LL: That's right - Quals is short for qualifying examinations.

LH: 還可以吧，不過馬上就要考試了，我特別緊張。

LL: Oh? When exactly are your quals, Li Hua?

LH: 下個月！我只有不到一個月的準備時間了。

LL: One month is still quite a bit of time, Li Hua. What do you have left to do to get ready for your quals?

LH: 讓我想想....我還有好幾本書要讀，而且還要做一些模擬試題。

LL: I know you'll study hard, Li Hua, and you will have no trouble passing your quals.

LH: 謝謝你，Larry。我現在特別需要鼓勵。

LL: Say, Li Hua, you know, doctoral students aren't the only people who have quals.

LH: 什麼，不光是博士生要通過資格考試，難道還有其他人嗎？

LL: Athletes have quals, too. For example, if an athlete wants to be part of the Olympic team, he has to make the quals.

LH: 哦，你是說運動員啊。他們那叫資格選拔賽，比如說要想代表美國去參加奧運會，就要先過選拔賽這一關。

LL: You are right. The quals that athletes participate in are generally qualifying races or qualifying rounds of sporting events.

LH: 你知道嗎，最近中國隊在世界盃預選賽中輸給了伊拉克。

LL: That's too bad. I didn't know China had lost. Who made it through the quals?

LH: 我知道入圍的隊有沙特阿拉伯-、伊朗、日本和韓國。

LL: See, you just have to work hard like these winning athletes, Li Hua, and you'll have no problem with your quals.

LH: 好在我的資格考試在教室裏就能完成了，我不用去跑馬拉松。

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LL: You really shouldn't worry about the quals, Li Hua. I tell you, you have it in the bag, Li Hua.

LH: Hmmm....我皮包裏只有錢夾、鑰匙、墨鏡、手機，怎麼會有資格考試呢？

LL: Ha, ha. I didn't mean you *really* had the qualifying exam in your bag, Li Hua. To have something "in the bag" means that you are guaranteed of success.

LH: 我懂了，你說I have the quals "in the bag" 意思就是說沒問題，我肯定能通過。

LL: That's right, Li Hua. You always study so hard. I know you've got it in the bag.

LH: 你真夠朋友！不過，我對這次考試可沒有百分之百的把握。可不是所有人都能考過的。

LL: Don't think that way, Li Hua! You are going to do great!

LH: 可是你看看中國足球隊。他們原以爲穩操勝券，結果卻敗在了伊拉克隊的手下。

LL: Well, it is sometimes true that people *think* they have something in the bag and it doesn't quite turn out the way they thought it would.

LH: 就是說啊。所以，我絕對不能掉以輕心。

LL: But I don't think that is the case with you, Li Hua. Say...I've got some news I've been meaning to share with you.

LH: 有什麼好消息嗎？你是不是升職了？ is your promotion in the bag?

LL: You know, Li Hua, I think it is in the bag. My boss called me into the office and told me I was first in line for a promotion and that he was very pleased with my work.

LH: 恭喜你！Larry, 看起來你又要請客了。

LL: Thanks, Li Hua. I tell you what, after I find out my promotion is in the bag - and you find out your quals are in the bag, let's go out for a big celebration!

LH: 好，一言爲定。

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是quals, 是資格考試，或是資格選拔賽的意思。另一個是in the bag,，意思是有百分之百的把握。