即兴发挥
Wing it
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Neil and …
大家好，欢迎收听地道英语，我是尼尔……
Hi everyone.
大家好，
I’m Feifei and I've just …err… well…
我是菲菲，我刚刚……呃……好吧……
Feifei is here with me…
菲菲和我一起做本期节目……
Feifei, what's going on?
菲菲，怎么了？
Yes, and today we are here, with you, dear learner of the wonderful English language…
是的，今天我们和你一起，精彩英语节目亲爱的学习者们……
What are you looking for?
你在找什么呢？
The script, Neil.
稿子呀，尼尔。
I misplaced it somewhere…
我忘记把它放在哪里了……
Just wing it!
那就挥挥翅膀吧！
Wing it?
挥挥翅膀？
Wing, like a bird?
像鸟儿一样挥翅膀吗？
Yes, the air is fresh and I flap my wings…
是的，空气很清新，我拍打着我的翅膀……
What are you doing?
你干嘛呢？
What are you doing?
你干嘛呢？
You told me to pretend I was a bird.
你告诉我假装自己是一只鸟的。
Or to tell the story of a bird or…
或者是讲一个关于鸟儿的故事呢，或者……
I know lots of bird jokes.
我倒是知道许多关于鸟儿的笑话。
No, that's not it.
不，不是的。
In English 'to wing' something means to improvise.
在英语里这个词的意思是说即兴发挥。
This informal expression is thought to come from the theatre and it refers to performances given by actors who had to learn their lines quickly while waiting in the wings.
人们认为这一非正式表达来源于戏剧，指的是在侧厅等着的时候，必须快速记住台词的演员的表演。
Ah!
啊！
The wings are the space on each side of the stage, where actors wait before coming onto the stage.
侧厅就是舞台每一侧的地方，演员上台之前等待的地方。
Sometimes someone gives them their lines from there as support.
有时有人会在那儿给他们提示台词，作为帮助。
That's right.
对。
Let's hear how this expression is used:
让我们听听这个短语是怎么用的吧：
Mary spent all weekend partying instead of studying.
玛丽整个周末都在参加聚会而非学习。
When I asked her why she wasn't concerned about the exam,
我问她为什么不担心自己的考试时，
she told me she'd just wing it.
她告诉我她即兴发挥就行了。
The minister is a great orator.
这位部长是一个很好的演说者。
He's never had a speech ready,
他从不会将发言内容提前备好，
he just wings it and people love it.
只是即兴发挥，却深得人民喜爱。
So a theatrical expression for you.
这个跟戏剧有关的表达送给你。
Now Feifei, do you know lots of jokes about birds?
现在菲菲，你还知道许多关于鸟儿的笑话吗？
Tell me one.
给我讲一个呗。
Why did the little bird get in trouble at school?
小鸟在学校为什么会遇到麻烦？
Mmmm… no idea…
嗯……不知道……
Because he was caught tweeting during the test.
因为它在考试的时候被抓到发推特（吱吱叫）了。
Yes, very funny…
是的，非常有趣……
Bye.
再见。