节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-12-21
难易度:Medium
关键字:promotion, mover and shaker, lavish, prevalent, mortify, ostracize
Hope you had a great break.
Welcome back.
Well, you've certainly heard of Harvard and Stanford, right?
Well, those two universities conducted a study and found that 85 percent of your
future success depends on your social skills.
What this is saying is you could be very smart, very talented and well-educated,
but if you don't have good manners, which is a part of being skilled socially,
then you will never reach your full potential.
OK. Let's finish up the story now of James and his friend, Mr. Big Mouth, on
line 7.
Polishing Your Manners Can Improve Relationships.
James told us he ignored the facts and invited Mr. Big Mouth along to a wedding
a couple of days ago.
"I was mortified when he asked the second-time bride if her last wedding was as
lavish as this one!" James told us.
"People with poor manners are becoming more prevalent in our society," says
James,
"and they'll pay the price by getting ostracized from polite circles.".
Friends, have you ever had a friend embarrass you?
You take them somewhere and introduce them to new people, and they end up making
you feel like a fool.
Well, unfortunately, this does happen.
And we don't want to be the person who is embarrassing.
So we're looking at a... a story from James who's an... attorney.
And we want to look at this friend that's messing up.
Exactly.
His friend, he says, puts his foot in his mouth 10 times a day.
He's always saying things that he regrets.
And I mean, I do that all the time, I think, too.
Even on this show, I think I put my foot in my mouth.
And so friends, it's important to not be that person.
But if you do have someone that you know that is like that, maybe you shouldn't
invite them along.
Otherwise, you will end up like James.
That's right.
Now James was being nice.
His friend was visiting.
So James is telling us that he ignored the facts.
He ignored the fact that this friend is always putting his foot in his mouth,
and invited Mr. Big Mouth along to a wedding a couple of days ago.
OK. Let's look at this.
What does it mean to ignore the facts?
Well, the "facts" here is referring to that you shouldn't invite people that are
rude to come with you to events.
And so that's a fact; he ignored those facts.
He did not pay attention to them.
Especially to a wedding.
Oh. There are so many things that can go wrong in a... out of wedding situation.
And to invite a Mr. Big Mouth is probably not smart.
Yeah.
Now we're using this nickname, Mr. Big Mouth, to say someone is... well, they
talk too much and they usually say the wrong thing.
You call them a big mouth.
Now I have a very large actual mouth.
My mouth is very wide, but that... you wouldn't say I'm a big mouth, (I mean,
sometimes I am,) meaning it's not physical.
It means they talk too much.
It means they get themselves in trouble, which, honestly, I do.
I think we all do that sometimes, though, Kaylah.
And really, I would not call you a big mouth.
Someone who's a big mouth is usually more rude.
Oh, thank you. I appreciate that.
Well, anyways, let's join them.
We've gone to a wedding now.
Now he's... he's taking this friend, and we're going to hear what happens.
He says: I was mortified when he asked the second-time bride if her last wedding
was as lavish as this one.
Oh! That's so rude.
Now we'll help you understand this, friends.
First of all, James here was the one who was mortified when his friend said
this.
If you are "mortified," that means you are extremely embarrassed.
Embarrassed to just every point.
It's like when you turn bright red and you want to hide in a box.
You can't believe they just said this.
That's mortified.
Now you could be mortified if maybe you're... if you had a tear in your pants.
But if your mom calls you and asks you a question, you're not mortified, you're
embarrassed.
Exactly.
So this case, though, this is definitely mortifying because he asked a
second-time bride if her last wedding was lavish.
Now a second-time bride means she was married once before.
That's right.
That means she has been married, then she's either divorced or husband has
passed away, has died.
So she's getting married for a second time, a second-time bride.
And he asked her if her wedding was... her last wedding was as lavish as this
one.
Right. "Lavish" means it's extremely fancy and unusually expensive and usually
very generous.
OK. So if a wedding is lavish, that means it's probably very expensive.
So he's... this is embarrassing to ask a woman if she's getting married again:
Wow! Did you spend this much money on the last wedding?
Yeah. That's quite rude.
So of course, it makes sense to me that James would be mortified.
Oh, it's rude.
And I'm sure the bride was offended and hurt by that statement.
Exactly, exactly.
So friends, if you have someone who says things like this, maybe you shouldn't
invite them to nice events like a wedding.
So what did James... what does James say now?
Well, he says that people with poor manners are becoming more prevalent in our
society.
OK. Now this is interesting.
He says basically, if something is more "prevalent," that means it is more
often.
It exists more commonly or happens more often.
So if people are more prevalent, rude people are more prevalent, that means that
there are more and more of them.
You can find more often.
And he says that even though they are more prevalent in our society, soon
they're going to pay the price.
That's right.
Now I think this is actually true, Kaylah, that there are more people that are
becoming more rude.
Especially on the Internet, I see people say a lot of very rude things.
And it's spreading around society, around where we live.
But like you said, they'll pay the price.
That's right.
They're going to pay the price.
That means they will have to deal with the consequences of their actions.
And what are they going to pay the price by?
Well, they're going to get ostracized from polite circles.
OK. If you are "ostracized," that means you are kept away from people.
You are stuck by yourself because people don't want you around.
That's right.
People are avoiding you.
And you want to be with polite people, but you just won't be able to be around
them.
They will push your aside.
Now Ryan, you said that you think that this is happening more and more with
technology.
And it's true because people are more willing to write rude things than to say
them.
So friends, your manners are not just interacting with the person sitting next
to you.
It's about how you interact with people in all situations.
Be polite.
That's right, friends.
Respect other people.
Love other people.
Don't be rude to them.
Now we have plenty more tips coming up for you tomorrow.
Now though, let's watch the skit.
(Music).
Good manners are important at home.
Good manners are important at work, too.
Even at work?
Yes!
A person with good manners is more desirable in circles of power.
Circles of power?
Yes. You may get passed over for promotions if you have poor manners.
Oh. I never thought about that.
And it's likely that you will be excluded from social events and other things
with movers and shakers.
Just because of poor manners?
Yes, that's right.
No one is going to invite you if your behavior becomes an embarrassment.
I never thought about that.
Are you Mr. Big Mouth?
Well... Maybe.
Do you put your foot in your mouth 10 times a day?
Well... Maybe.
Are people mortified at the things you say?
Well... Maybe.
But it's not just me.
A lot of people have poor manners.
That's true.
People with bad manners are becoming more prevalent in our society.
Yeah.
And they will pay the price.
Oh, no! What price?
They will get ostracized from polite circles.
Ostracized?
Oh, no!
Oh, yes!
Remember, it pays to practice excellent manners.
From now on, I will.
What manners should I practice first?
(Music).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
Well, we're running out of time again.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Bye-bye.
You know, it's interesting this modern digital age is forcing us to rethink our
manners because we are displaying behaviors that just didn't exist 10 years ago.
For example, talking on a mobile phone while being served by a shop assistant,
sending text messages during dinner with friends or family, or playing music
through a mobile device's loudspeakers in a public place.
Are these behaviors polite or rude?
Think about it.
Talk about it.
And then join us tomorrow for day three of polishing your manners.
Take care.