VOA流行美語 Unit 293:BFF; take the wheel
Larry跟李華開車去朋友家參加派對。今天我們要學兩個常用語：BFF和Take the wheel.
LL: Lihua, we got a really good deal on these gifts for the party. I know my BFF very well, and I'm certain that this type of wine and this kind of cheese are his favorites.
LH: 太好了。BFF一定是你朋友名字的縮寫吧。他全名叫什麼？
LL: No, Lihua. BFF is not my friend's name. BFF is an acronym. Do you know what an acronym is?
LH: Acronym不就是首寫字母的縮寫嗎？我經常說FYI，意思是for your information. 沒錯吧？
LL: Well, Lihua, for your information, BFF is an acronym that stands for "Best friend forever."
LH: 我明白了，BFF不是你朋友的名字，而是"Best friend forever"的縮寫，用中文說，就是一輩子最鐵的哥們。
LL: Exactly. We're BFF's because we went to elementary school together and have been friends for almost 20 years. It's common for young Americans to refer to that kind of long-time friend as a "BFF."
LH: Larry，你太讓我失望了，我還以爲我是你的BFF呢！I didn't even know you had another BFF! BFF能有好幾個嗎？
LL: Of course you can have more than one BFF, Lihua. But our relationship is different because you're my girlfriend, which can be turned into an acronym too, the word "girlfriend" can be shortened to "GF."
LH: 我是你的女朋友，girlfriend, 簡稱GF；那你是我的男朋友，boyfriend, 就是BF嘍？
LL: That's right, Lihua. I'm your BF. You're my GF. And we're going to my BFF's party.
LH: 慢點，你說得我都快糊塗了。我是你的女朋友，GF；你是我的男朋友，BF； 我們一起去你最鐵的哥們家，他是你的BFF.
LL: You're a quick learner, GF!
LH: Thanks, BF!
LL: So, Lihua, do you have a BFF, best friend forever?
LH: 有啊。她的名字叫郭小倩，我們倆的媽媽就是BFF。我們同一年出生，一起長大，經常在一起玩，自然也就成了BFF。
LL: Where does your BFF, Guo Xiaoqian, live now?
LH: 小倩現在也在美國，是一家公關公司的部門經理。
LH: Well, after you meet my BFF tonight at his party, I look forward to meeting Guo, your BFF.
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LL: Well, Lihua, we're almost at the party. You know I've realized that I'm the one who ends up driving when we go out together. When are you going to get behind the wheel?
LH: 站到車輪子後面，那不是很危險嗎？你要軋到我，那我怎麼辦？
LL: No, Lihua, that's not what I mean. "Get behind the wheel" means to get behind the car's steering wheel and drive. I think you should practice driving more often since you just recently got your driver's license.
LH: 哦，你說的get behind the wheel意思是開車。是啊，新考下來駕照，每次開車我都是一手冷汗，恐怕是得多練練。
LL: Exactly. And that reminds me of another similar phrase, which is "take the wheel."
LH: "Get behind the wheel"和"take the wheel"不是一個意思嗎？
LL: No. Those two phrases are completely different. You already know that "get behind the wheel" means "to drive." But the phrase "take the wheel" means "to start taking responsibility for something."
LH: 我還是不懂，方向盤跟承擔責任有什麼關係呢？
LL: I'll give you an example for "take the wheel." A few of my co-workers were laid off this week, so until we can afford to hire more employees, I have to "take the wheel" on finishing the work they left behind.
LH: 最近我們學校也有好幾個老教授退休，所以剩下的老師只好接管了他們帶的博士生的論文。這也是take the wheel吧？
LL: That's right. "Take the wheel" is just another way to say someone is expected to take responsibility.
LH: 我還記得小時候，父母經常加班，不在家，我只好take the wheel，照顧妹妹，還要給我們倆人煮飯吃。
LL: I didn't know you could cook! I wish you would "take the wheel" on making dinner for me every once in a while!
LH: 給你煮飯吃？可以考慮考慮。不過條件是，吃完飯你也要take the wheel請我出去看電影才行！
今天李華學了兩個常用語。一個是BFF, 一輩子最要好的朋友。另一個是take the wheel，意思是承擔起責任來。
