最低人数的工作人员
Skeleton crew
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei…
大家好，欢迎来到BBC《地道英语》节目，我是菲菲……
…and me, Roy.
我是罗伊。
We may sound a little different – that's because we are not able to record in our normal studios during the coronavirus outbreak.
我们可能听起来与以往有些不同，这是因为在新冠肺炎疫情爆发期间，我们无法在平时的录音间录制节目。
In this programme,
本期节目中，
we have an expression that is used to describe the minimum number of people that are required to run a business.
我们要学习一个表达，用于描述经营企业所需的最低人数。
Speaking of which,
说到这里，
there are not many people working in the train stations today.
今天火车站的工作人员不多呀。
No, you're right.
是的，你说得对。
It's because of the strikes on the trains.
这是因为火车上的罢工。
Ahh, so that's why it was hard to get a train this morning!
啊，所以我们今天早上很难赶上火车！
The train companies decided to run the trains on a skeleton crew!
火车公司决定用“skeleton crew”运营火车！
What!?
什么！？
Skeletons driving the trains?!
骷髅开火车？！
Is this some kind of ghost story?
这是什么鬼故事吗？
I think I'll walk home!
我想我该走回家了！
No, Roy!
不是的，罗伊！
'Skeleton crew' refers to the minimum number of people needed to run a business or an organisation.
“Skeleton crew”指的是经营企业或组织所需的最低人数。
Ahh yes, and it's usually in times of crisis or during an emergency,
啊，是的，通常是在危机或紧急情况下，
for example the coronavirus,
例如新冠病毒期间，
that people run businesses with a skeleton crew.
人们用一支基干队伍经营企业。
Exactly, let's listen to these examples...
没错，一起听听这些例句……
Due to the financial problems of the company,
由于公司的财务问题，
the office will be run with a skeleton crew for the foreseeable future.
在可预见的将来，办公室将由一批基干人员管理。
The Covid-19 emergency means that we will run the buses with a skeleton crew until further notice.
新冠肺炎的紧急情况意味着我们将在接到进一步通知之前，安排一队基干人员运营公共汽车。
A skeleton crew will be needed to keep the park open over the winter months.
在冬季的几个月里，公园将需要少数职工来保持开放。
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the expression 'skeleton crew',
欢迎收听BBC《地道英语》，我们讨论的是“skeleton crew”这个词组，
which is used to talk about the minimum number of people needed to run a business or an organisation.
用来谈论经营企业或组织所需的最低人数。
I love the expression 'skeleton crew'.
我喜欢“skeleton crew”这个词组。
It makes me think of a pirate ship run by skeletons.
这让我想起了一艘由骷髅操控的海盗船。
We can also use the words 'skeleton staff' with the same meaning.
我们也可以用“skeleton staff”这个词来表达同样的意思。
Well, one good thing when there's a skeleton staff at work is there's no queue for the cafeteria!
好吧，当使用基干人员工作的时候，有一件好的事情，那就是自助餐厅不需要排队！
Trust you to think about food!
相信你想想食物！
Well, I'm just glad there aren't real skeletons working at the BBC.
好吧，我很高兴BBC里没有真正的骷髅。
That's just in horror stories!
那只是恐怖故事里有的！
Exactly, you don't need worry about skeletons walking around.
确切地说，你不需要担心骨骼四处走动。
They're not real!
他们不是真的！
It's vampires you need to worry about!
你需要担心的是吸血鬼！
Ha ha ha!
哈哈!
What!?
什么！？
Bye, Roy.
再见，罗伊。
Bye, Feifei.
再见，菲菲。