“必要的邪恶”？
A necessary evil
Hello, I'm Feifei and welcome to The English We Speak.
大家好，我是菲菲，欢迎收听BBC地道英语。
And hello, I'm Rob.
哈喽，我是罗伯。
You're looking pleased with yourself, Rob.
罗伯，你看起来很高兴嘛。
I am. I've just booked these dirt cheap – I mean really cheap – flights to Ibiza!
是的。我刚刚预定到了这个“灰常便宜”——我是说超级便宜——的去伊比沙岛的航班！
Wonderful!
太棒啦！
Look at the price - 20 pounds return!
你看看价钱——往返20英镑！
That means extra money to spend on food, drink and partying.
也就是说我可以在吃吃喝喝、酒会上多花点钱了。
Let's have a look… hold on.
让我看看……等一下。
The basic price is 20 pounds, but look at the tax you have to pay on top. One hundred pounds!
机票价格是20英镑，但是你看最上面你要付的税，一百英镑！
Eh? Let me see. You're right. Grrr, I hate paying tax.
什么？让我看看。你说的对。呃……我真讨厌坐飞机要付税。
I guess you could say it's a necessary evil.
我猜你要说这是一个“必要的邪恶”了。
Hmm, you could say that – if you mean it's something bad that can't be avoided,
嗯……可以这样说——如果你是指一些无法避免的不好的事情，
and you have to accept it in order to achieve a good result.
你必须接受这些事情，才会有一个好的结果。
That's exactly what I meant, Rob.
我就是这个意思，罗伯。
If it can't be avoided, like paying tax on a plane ticket, then it's a necessary evil.
如果事情无法避免，就像买飞机票要付燃油附加税这样，那这件事就是一个“必要的邪恶”。
Let's hear some examples, shall we?
我们一起听几个例句吧！
For me, exams are a necessary evil – you have to do them to get a place at university.
对我来说，考试就是“必要的邪恶”（不得不接受的事情）——你必须要参加考试才能上大学。
Sitting in traffic for hours is a necessary evil if I want to drive to the seaside on a public holiday!
如果我想节假日开车去海边，就得堵在路上几个小时，这真是迫不得已！
I hate running, but having to exercise is a necessary evil if I want to stay fit and healthy.
我讨厌跑步，但是想要瘦身保持健康，就必须锻炼，这真是不得不接受的事。
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're finding out about the phrase 'a necessary evil'.
这里是BBC地道英语栏目，我们正在讨论短语“a necessary evil”的意思。
It describes something that you have to accept in order to achieve something else.
这个短语可以来描述你为了做某件事情而必须接受的事。
And Rob, that tax on your plane ticket is unavoidable – not so cheap now, is it?
罗伯，你飞机票上的燃油附加税是避免不了了——而且也没那么便宜，是不是？
No. Less money for eating, drinking and partying.
是的。我就没那么多钱吃吃喝喝，参加酒会了。
Can you get a refund? Stay at home and eat, drink and party?
你能退票吗？然后待在家里吃吃喝喝，参加酒会？
I could, but if I stayed at home, there's another necessary evil I have to deal with.
可以退票，但是如果我待在家里，我就要解决另一件不得不接受的事啦。
What's that?
什么事？
I'll have to spend more time with you.
我就要花更多时间和你待在一起了。
Hmm! What time is your flight exactly?
嗯！你的飞机到底是什么时候的？！
Did I say something wrong?
我说错什么了吗？
Bye.
再见！
Bye.
拜拜~