长话短说
To cut a long story short
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, I'm Rob...
大家好，欢迎收听BBC英语教学的地道英语，我是罗布……
And hello, I'm Feifei.
大家好，我是菲菲。
We're here to teach you a real English phrase.
我们今天要教给你一个地道表达。
Rob, if you don't mind me saying, you look a bit… rough.
罗布，如果你不介意我这么说的话，你看上去有一点……糙。
Rough?
糙？
Well you would be, if you'd had the night I've just had.
好吧，如果你经历了我刚刚度过的夜晚，你也会这样的。
Oh yes?
噢是吗？
What happened?
发生什么了？
Well, I went out for dinner with Neil, then we went to a pub and then I lost my wallet and…
嗯，我和尼尔出去吃晚饭，然后我们去了一家酒吧，然后我的钱包丢了……
to cut a long story short… I got home at two o'clock this morning.
长话短说……我凌晨两点才到家。
Oh dear.
天啊。
But why 'cut the long story short'?
但为什么要“长话短说”呢？
I want to hear the whole story.
我想听整个故事。
No, you don't – it would take too long and we haven't got time –
不，你不会的，这要花费很长时间而我们并没有时间，
and anyway, it's not that interesting –
而且反正这个故事也并不是很有趣，
that's why I'm just telling you the most important parts of the story.
这就是我只告诉你这个故事最重要部分的原因。
Right, so 'to cut a long story short' means to tell only the main or important parts of a story – not all the details.
对，所以“长话短说”的意思就是仅仅讲述故事里主要或是重要的部分，而非所有细节。
Hmm, that's a shame Rob because I'm sure you had lots more to tell me.
嗯，那真是太遗憾了罗布，因为我确定你还有很多要告诉我的。
Really?
真的吗？
Well we've got to keep this programme short so shall we move on and hear some examples of this phrase in action….
我们必须得保证这个节目简短，所以我们继续往下进行，听一些这个短语在实际运用中的例子吧……
So I spoke to the boss and to cut a long story short,
所以我和老板说了，长话短说，
I'm getting a promotion!
我要升职了！
There was a technical problem with our plane which they couldn't fix so to cut a long story short,
我们的飞机有一个技术问题，他们修不了，所以长话短说，
we had to wait for another flight and we arrived a day late.
我们得等另外一班飞机，我们会晚到一天。
I met Geeta last year and to cut a long story short,
去年我遇到了吉塔，长话短说，
we getting married tomorrow!
我们明天就要结婚了。
So 'to cut – or make - a long story short' means to tell only the important parts about something that has happened and leaving out all the details.
所以“长话短说”的意思是仅讲述某件事的重要部分，而省去所有的细节。
So Rob, you're telling me you went out with Neil, lost your wallet and got home very very late?
所以罗布，你是在告诉我你和尼尔出去了，丢了钱包。回家非常晚？
Yes, that's about it.
对，就是关于这件事的。
Not very exciting – but the details are boring – that's why my long story is short.
不是很激动人心，但细节很无聊，这就是为何我的长故事讲得这么短。
Why do keep asking?
为什么一直问啊？
Well actually Rob, it sounds like a tall story -
其实啊罗布，这听起来像一个荒诞的故事——
a story or fact that is difficult to believe.
就是难以置信的故事。
Oh really, why do you say that?
噢真的吗，为什么这么说呢？
Well I spoke to Neil this morning and he said you didn't go for dinner last night.
今早我和尼尔交谈了，他说你们昨晚没有去吃饭。
You went straight to the pub, then another and another pub.
你们直接去了酒吧，然后就是一个接一个的酒吧。
And you left your wallet there so you had no money to get home and had to walk.
你把钱包落在那儿了，没有钱，只得走回家。
Ah well… that's the long story.
啊好吧……这就是那个长长的故事。
Did you really want all the details?
你真的想听所有细节吗？
Oh yes.
噢对。
Never cut a long story short if it's a good one!
如果是一个精彩的故事，那就绝对不要长话短说！
If you say so Feifei.
如果你这么说的话菲菲。
Bye-bye.
再见。
Bye.
再见。