商場如球場 10個與足球相關的口語表達大綱
The Football Season has started here in the UK. My husband is a keen Arsenal supporter and for the next few months I have the joy of listening to him shout at the television whenever a player doesn’t do what is expected of him!
英國的足球季開始了。我的丈夫是個狂熱的阿森納粉絲，接下來的幾個月，只要有球員的表現讓他不滿意，我就會聽到他衝着電視機大喊大叫。
The start of the season has also given me the excuse to introduce you to 10 football idioms that we often use in Business English. As I mentioned in a previous post, sports and business are closely related in many ways including language.
這賽季一開始，讓我有能有機會向你們介紹在商務英語中經常使用的10個足球術語。體育和商務在包括語言在內很多方面都緊密相關。
1. To keep one’s eye on (or to take one’s eye off) the ball – to keep (or fail) to keep one’s focus on a particular matter
1. To keep one’s eye on or to take one’s eye off the ball—把重點(或者沒有把重點)放在特定的事上
Ex: “In this business if you want to be successful, you need to keep your eye on the ball”.
例句：如果你想在這份生意上成功，你需要集中注意力。
2. To know the score – to know the essential facts of the situation
2. To know the score—瞭解重要的事實和情況
EX: “I was going to bring Jane up to date with the situation but she already knows the score”.
例句：“我本來要告訴簡最新的情況，但是她已經知道了。”
3. A game changer – an event or procedure that could have a dramatic effect on the current policy or thinking
3. A game changer—能對目前的政策或者是想法產生重大影響的事或者步驟
Ex: This new contract with The States could be a real game changer for our business.
例句：和美國的新合同對我們的生意來說扭轉了局面。
4. To blow the whistle on someone – to expose an illegal activity and the person(s) responsible within an organisation (A Whistle-Blower – Noun)
4. To blow the whistle on someone—揭露組織內某人的不法行爲（名詞：A Whistle-Blower 告發者）
Ex: “She was fed up with the way things were going and decided to blow the whistle on the company’s illegal activities”
例句：“她受夠了所有事，決定告發公司的不法行爲。”
5. League – a class or category of excellence and quality
5. League—高質量和品質的代表
Ex: “When it comes to showmanship, David is in a league of his own”.
例句：當說到主持能力，大衛獨樹一幟。
6. To score an own goal – an act that unintentionally harms one’s own interests
6. To score an own goal—烏龍球，無意識地損害自身利益的舉動
Ex: “Philip scored an own goal when he quit his job before signing a new contract.”
例句：菲利普在籤新合同之前就辭職這種行爲就像是踢了個烏龍球。
7. To be on the ball – to be aware and quick to respond to new ideas
7. To be on the ball—能迅速意識到和對新想法做出反應
Ex: “You need to be on the ball in this job”.
例句：你在這份工作上要夠機靈。
8. To watch from the sidelines – to be an observer rather than actively involved in a situation.
8. To watch from the sidelines—作爲旁觀者，而不積極參與
Ex: “Harry never gets involved in anything. He’s always watching from the sidelines.”
例句：哈里從不參與任何事情。他總是站在場外旁觀。
9. To move the goalposts – to unfairly move the conditions or rules of procedures during its course
9. To move the goalposts—在進行過程中不公平地改變條件或者規則
Ex: It’s impossible to plan anything in this company if management keeps moving the goalposts.
例句：如果管理層總在更改規則，在公司裏什麼都不可能實現。
10. To kick something off – to start something
10. To kick something off—開始
Ex: “Right. I’d like to kick this meeting off by welcoming our guest.”
例句：“好的。讓我以歡迎我們的嘉賓作爲這場會議的開場白吧。
Enjoy the Football Season, folks.
希望你能享受這一賽季！
