Verb Master 動詞達人

#一頁書英文閱讀 Vanity Card #202

The Big Bang Theory 1-12

* 這集開始，把影集裡面比較有趣的詞彙整理放在文後，提供參考，可以比較美國人講話，和我們在學校裡學的差距有多大

Sheldon在這一集遇到比他更天才的15歲小男孩，讓他自信心崩潰，Chuck Lorre寫這一集，因為他有相同的人生經歷，他提出一條人生智慧，給大家參考：

Chuck當年是一個很臭屁的吉他手，22歲就開始到處演奏，有一回被大學教授看中，請他去學校旁聽，這時候學校來一個16歲小朋友，很害羞的上台自我介紹，居然是客座教授，當小朋友開始演奏吉他，Chuck整個人崩潰了，竟有如此天才，從此放棄吉他，他告訴自己，去混電視這行吧，那裡沒有天才

我在選擇工作的時候，也遇到同樣的抉擇，當年大學班上高手如雲，辛苦拚這麼多年，如果畢業之後還要繼續跟他們拚，人生多乏味？他們全部都選IC設計，我偏偏選一個他們瞧不起的系統設計。這個決定對不對不重要，接下來的職業生涯，快樂多了！

【一頁書 關鍵字閱讀】

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #202

Tonight's story about Sheldon's ego being crushed following his encounter with a young prodigy has its roots in my own life.

Around 1974 I was playing guitar for a living in Miami Beach.

I was twenty-two years old and thought I was really something.

In the parlance of musicians, I felt I had some "serious chops."

Nights I played clubs, hotels, and private parties.

For a few months I worked in a lounge band on a cruise ship.

I even landed a day gig playing acoustic solo stuff at a coffee house in South Beach.

That was where a professor from the University of Miami saw me play, dug what I was doing, and invited me to audit his jazz guitar class at the university.

I happily accepted, thinking I might be able to teach the kids a thing or two.

I still remember the first class, me sitting in the back proudly holding my beat-up '64 Fender Strat, while the college students all cradled expensive Gibsons.

Of course, this only made me feel more smug.

I was a working musician.

These were rich kids in a rich school with instruments that daddy bought 'em.

But then something happened that would change my life forever.

A painfully shy, sixteen year old boy walked into the room.

He could barely speak nor make eye contact with anyone, seemed dwarfed by his big jazz guitar, and was ludicrously introduced as a visiting professor to the university.

His name was Pat Metheny.

I'll never forget how I felt when he began to play.

It was an imploding feeling, like the kind you get when your ego is being demolished like an old Vegas casino.

Thankfully, the feeling was accompanied by a soft, reassuring voice in my head that whispered, "Find work in television, nobody's a prodigy there."

Thirteen years later I listened to that voice (I may have been deluded, but I was no quitter). Oh, and Pat, if you happen to read this... thank you.

【一頁書 中文註釋】

Tonight's story about Sheldon's ego(自我) being crushed(粉碎) following his encounter(遇見) with a young prodigy(神童) has its roots(根源) in my own life.

Around 1974 I was playing guitar for a living(謀生) in Miami Beach.

I was twenty-two years old and thought I was really something(了不起).

In the parlance(用語、語調) of musicians, I felt I had some "serious chops."

Nights I played clubs, hotels, and private parties.

For a few months I worked in a lounge band(交誼廳樂隊) on a cruise ship(郵輪).

I even landed a day(待一天在陸地上) gig playing(演奏現代音樂) acoustic solo(個人音樂吉他表演) stuff at a coffee house in South Beach.

That was where a professor from the University of Miami saw me play, dug(探究) what I was doing, and invited me to audit(旁聽) his jazz guitar class at the university.

I happily accepted, thinking I might be able to teach the kids a thing or two(一兩手).

I still remember the first class, me sitting in the back proudly holding my beat-up(破舊的) '64 Fender Strat, while the college students all cradled(斜背) expensive Gibsons.

Of course, this only made me feel more smug(臭屁).

I was a working musician(有工作的音樂人).

These were rich kids in a rich school with instruments that daddy bought 'em.

But then something happened that would change my life forever.

A painfully shy(極度害羞), sixteen year old boy walked into the room.

He could barely speak nor make eye contact with anyone, seemed dwarfed(顯矮小) by his big jazz guitar, and was ludicrously(荒唐滑稽) introduced as a visiting professor(客座教授) to the university.

His name was Pat Metheny.

I'll never forget how I felt when he began to play.

It was an imploding(內心爆炸的) feeling, like the kind you get when your ego is being demolished(破壞) like an old Vegas casino.

Thankfully, the feeling was accompanied by a soft, reassuring(令人心安的) voice in my head that whispered, "Find work in television, nobody's a prodigy there."

Thirteen years later I listened to that voice (I may have been deluded(哄騙), but I was no quitter(不是懦夫)). Oh, and Pat, if you happen to read this... thank you.

【一頁書 中英對照】

Tonight's story about Sheldon's ego(自我) being crushed(粉碎) following his encounter(遇見) with a young prodigy(神童) has its roots(根源) in my own life.

今天晚上關於Sheldon遇見天才神童自尊的粉碎的故事，根源來自我自己的人生經歷

Around 1974 I was playing guitar for a living(謀生) in Miami Beach.

大約在1974年，我在邁阿密海灘靠彈吉他維生

I was twenty-two years old and thought I was really something(了不起).

我當時22歲，認為自己很了不起

In the parlance(用語、語調) of musicians, I felt I had some "serious chops."

用音樂家的語言，我覺得我很有料

Nights I played clubs, hotels, and private parties.

晚上我在俱樂部、飯店、私人宴會演奏

For a few months I worked in a lounge band(交誼廳樂隊) on a cruise ship(郵輪).

有幾個月的時間，我在一艘郵輪上的交誼廳樂隊工作

I even landed a day(待一天在陸地上) gig playing(演奏現代音樂) acoustic solo(個人音樂吉他表演) stuff at a coffee house in South Beach.

我甚至還下船待一天，在South Beach的一家咖啡廳表現個人吉他現代音樂演奏

That was where a professor from the University of Miami saw me play, dug(探究) what I was doing, and invited me to audit(旁聽) his jazz guitar class at the university.

有位邁阿密大學教授聽見我演奏，研究我的表演之後，邀請我去旁聽他在大學的爵士吉他課程

I happily accepted, thinking I might be able to teach the kids a thing or two(一兩手).

我很開心答應，心想或許有機會去教大學小朋友一兩手

I still remember the first class, me sitting in the back proudly holding my beat-up(破舊的) '64 Fender Strat, while the college students all cradled(斜背) expensive Gibsons.

我記得第一堂課，我坐在教室後面得意的抱著64年Fender Strat的舊吉他，其他大學生都是背著昂貴的Gibsons

Of course, this only made me feel more smug(臭屁).

當然，這只讓我更加的臭屁

I was a working musician(有工作的音樂人).

我是一名有工作的音樂人

These were rich kids in a rich school with instruments that daddy bought 'em.

他們不過是有錢學校拿著爸爸買的樂器的有錢孩子

But then something happened that would change my life forever.

但是後來發生一件可能改變我一生的事情

A painfully shy(極度害羞), sixteen year old boy walked into the room.

一個極度害羞的16歲小男孩走進教室

He could barely speak nor make eye contact with anyone, seemed dwarfed(顯矮小) by his big jazz guitar, and was ludicrously(荒唐滑稽) introduced as a visiting professor(客座教授) to the university.

他不但講不出話，眼睛還不敢跟大家正面接觸，大大的爵士吉他讓他顯得更矮小，還滑稽的介紹自己是客座教授

His name was Pat Metheny.

他名叫Pat Metheny

I'll never forget how I felt when he began to play.

我永遠忘不了當時聽他開始演奏的心情

It was an imploding(內心爆炸的) feeling, like the kind you get when your ego is being demolished(破壞) like an old Vegas casino.

那是一種內心爆炸的感覺，感覺自己的自尊就像是拉斯維加斯的賭場被破壞

Thankfully, the feeling was accompanied by a soft, reassuring(令人心安的) voice in my head that whispered, "Find work in television, nobody's a prodigy there."

幸好，這種感覺伴隨著輕柔、令人心安的聲音在我心中細語，「去電視公司找份工作，那裡沒有天才」

Thirteen years later I listened to that voice (I may have been deluded(哄騙), but I was no quitter(不是懦夫)).

十三年後，我聽從我心中的聲音(我可能被欺騙，但我不會輕言放棄)，

Oh, and Pat, if you happen to read this... thank you.

喔，還有Pat，如果你剛好讀到這一篇…謝謝你

《本集提要》

The Jerusalem Duality

耶路薩冷雙重性

Sheldon becomes envious(忌妒) when he meets 15-year-old child prodigy(神童) Dennis Kim, who was invited to work at the university, and soon realizes that not only is Kim like Sheldon himself (a child prodigy, obnoxious, and arrogant), but is even smarter than he is.

Sheldon見到15歲神童Dennis Kim之後變得很忌妒，Kim被邀請來大學工作，Sheldon不久發現Kim不僅跟他很像(天才兒童、令人討厭、傲慢)，甚至比他還聰明

Losing faith in(對…失去信心) his research, Sheldon annoys his friends by criticizing their work more than usual and contributing to(幫忙) their work.

Sheldon對自己的研究失去信心，開始打擾其他人，比往常更加批評他們的工作，還主動要幫忙

Deciding his work in physics is useless, he aims for(以…為目標) the Nobel Peace Prize by attempting to solve the Middle East conflicts: he proposes(提案) the creation of an exact replica(複製品) of Jerusalem in the Mexican desert, which ends up(最終) in a giant failure.

Sheldon認為自己物理的研究沒有用處，改以諾貝爾和平獎為目標，要解決中東的衝突問題：他提議在墨西哥沙漠複製一的完全一樣的耶路薩冷，最終是一個大失敗

The others, tired of Sheldon's behavior, decide to distract Dennis with girls of his age(同年齡).

其他人厭煩Sheldon的行徑，決定幫Dennis介紹同年齡的女朋友讓他分心

At his welcome party, their plan works unexpectedly(意外奏效) and Dennis leaves with a blonde 15-year-old, using money to get her with him.

在Dennis的歡迎會，他們的計畫意外奏效，Dennis居然帶一位金髮15歲女生出場，用錢泡出來的

Sheldon resumes(恢復) his research while the others are perplexed at(迷惘) how easily Dennis was able to get a girl.

Sheldon恢復他的研究工作，其他人卻還在迷惘Dennis為什麼這麼容易就泡上妞

The guys spot(發現) Dennis drinking heavily(豪飲) and making out(親熱) in a park and feel sorry for him, but Sheldon mocks(嘲笑) Dennis in victory(勝利地).

大家發現Dennis在公園豪飲和親熱，感覺對他很抱歉，但是Sheldon勝利般地嘲笑他

《本集關鍵詞彙》

Lay it on me

Sheldon準備對Leonard說一大套不切實際的科幻理論，Leonard無奈的說：”Lay it on me”，Lay something on someone是要求別人做人家不情願的事，所以Leonard的口氣是，「隨便你想怎麼對我都可以」，或，「都算在我頭上好了」

How about that!

真了不起啊！太令人意外了！

事實上，這是Sheldon對Leonard闡明完他的狗屁裡論後，Leonard講的反話，「太鳥不起了！」

Sought-after

非常搶手的，大家都想要的

物理系主任帶來一名15歲天才物理碩士，希望它加入博士班，說他是非常搶手的博士班候選人：A highly sought-after doctoral candidate

Look the other way

睜一眼閉一眼、故意不看

物理系主任答應15歲天才說，如果肯加入，同意睜一眼閉一眼，Look the other way，讓他拿20%的獎學金把爺爺從北韓偷渡來美國

You’re so damaged.

Penny同情Raj心理的缺陷，雙手抱著他說，你好受傷喔，Howard對Penny說，I’m also damaged，想要討抱，結果Penny叫Raj去抱他

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

莫札特全名，FALCO有一首經典舞曲Rock Me Amadeus，當年裡面的英文歌詞是Working Amadeus，原來是Wolfgang Amadeus被騙了快三十年…

Cyborg

半人半機器的生化人，比方機器戰警

An asterisk by someone’s name

Sheldon認為在他有生之年不可能出現比他更厲害的天才兒童，如果有，也是Cyborg，而且名字裡面會有一個星號(*)，Asterisk

Causal Link between … and …

因果關係

Grade Point Average

即GPA，學業成績平均點數，美國採4點或5點制，Howard說，他15歲的時候迷上一個辣妹，結果Grade Point Average從5.x直直掉到1.x

Prospects

前景、機會，但是如果用複數，專指某件事「未來成功的機會」

因為Sheldon得到諾貝爾物理學獎的成功機會是零，prospects for the Nobel Prize，他決定改拿和平獎，把耶路薩冷複製到南美洲，這樣就能解決中東問題

To what end?

物理系教授問Sheldon把耶路薩冷複製到南美洲是「為了什麼目的？」To what end? Sheldon說，是為了得諾貝爾世界和平獎

Put out a spread

物理系教授質問Sheldon，憑什麼可以吸引猶太人到複製版的「南美耶路薩冷」？Sheldon天真的說，把這裡裝修的好看一點，Make it nice，然後辦桌請大家吃飯，Put out a spread；事實上，Spread是Spread of food的簡稱，一般是輕食，蛋糕點心果汁之類的，但也不一定，看情況

Leave it to chance

聽天由命、順其自然

物理系辦一個歡迎會，歡迎15歲天才Kim加入，這群宅男打算介紹14-15女生給他認識，讓他分心，結果想不到Kim跟他們一樣，女生看不上眼，Leonard見這情況說，我們不能Leave it to chance，不能聽天由命，於是開始想辦法主動介紹女生給Kim

Moon over someone

幻想對方喜歡自己

Raj暗指他當年曾經Pathetically moon over a girl across the door，很悲哀地幻想對面的女生喜歡他，

On End

連續地 = Continuously

延續前面Raj講的話，他連續好幾個月換像對面的女孩子喜歡他moon over a girl for months on end

That was uncalled for

沒必要這樣子

聽完Raj這樣自怨自艾後，大家心有戚戚，Leonard說，我們沒必要這麼做：That was uncalled for

Fall prey to something

淪為…的犧牲品、受…所害

Kim跟你一個女生勾搭上，離開會場，Sheldon笑他：Fall prey to inexplicable need for human contact (淪為與人類接觸的難以解釋的需求的犧牲品)，Sheldon講話就是這麼繞口，Fall prey to有一個常見詞，比方交了爛男友又捨不得離開，可以這麼說：”She falls prey to a bad romance.”

Off-putting

令人反感的、惹人討厭的

Raj說，我們可能是因為太聰明，反而惹女生反感，So smart that’s off-putting

Let’s go with that.

就按照你說的是

Raj安慰大家說，因為我們太聰明才會惹女生反感，Howard說，好吧，就按照你說的是：Let’s go with that.