On the Ball 機警的

The script of this programme 本節目台詞

Yang Li: Hi I'm Yang Li, and welcome to Authentic Real English.

Diarmuid: And I'm Diarmuid.

Yang Li: 這檔節目專門向大家介紹現代法語當中常用的一些詞語。

Diarmuid: Eh, Yang Li, did you say words we use in modern French?

Is your eye on the ball?

Yang Li: Yes, well done Diarmuid! Just testing you there, I wanted to see if you were on the ball today, Diarmuid.

Diarmuid: Ah, I see. And that’s today's phrase: on the ball. When you are on the ball it means you are alert and quick to react to things.

Yang Li: 沒錯。To be on the ball 意思是機警的。遺憾的是我們並不是總能處於機警的狀態。就像下面對話中的男子。

Examples:

A: I’m afraid your work this morning has not been good enough. You’ve made too many mistakes.

B: Sorry, I’m not really on the ball today.

Diarmuid: So to be on the ball means to be able to react quickly to things. There's also another phrase: 'to keep your eye on the ball'.

Yang Li: 這個片語意思是在一個變化無常的環境下你必須要保持精神集中不恍神。

Diarmuid: For example, in business, like investment banking.

Yang Li: 比如，金融投資。

Examples:

A: That new guy’s great.

B: Yes, well you have to keep your eye on the ball in investment banking.

Yang Li: 說到這裡我想提醒大家，如果你要保持對英語學習的高度注意力，保持前衛，那麼就要經常登陸我們的網頁跟蹤新詞新語。

Diarmuid: That's right. Our address is www.bbcchinauk.com.

Yang Li: Eh, hang on Diarmuid. That’s not our website address.

Diarmuid: Ha ha, just seeing if you were on the ball! Our address is of course www.bbcukchina.com.

Yang Li: That's correct. Bye everyone.

Diarmuid: Bye bye.