Graveyard Shift 夜班

Neil: Hello, welcome to Real English from BBC Learning English, I'm Neil.

Helen: 大家好，我是 Helen。

Neil: In Real English we look at words and phrases people use all the time, but you probably won't find them in your dictionary.

Helen: 希望在今天的地道英语节目中，您能学到在书本里找不到的英语常用表达。

Neil: (yawn)

Helen: What's the matter with you Neil? You seem so tired.

Neil: Oh Helen, I am. I'm working shifts at the moment.

Helen: Shifts 工作班次。 Neil's 昨天晚上上的是夜班。

Neil: And last night I worked the graveyard shift.

Helen: The graveyard shift?

Neil: Yes, that's today's word in Real English. The graveyard shift.

Helen: 墓地，graveyard. What does it mean?

Neil: It's a shift which starts very late at night and ends in the morning.

Helen: So it's a night shift? 就是上夜班吧?

Neil: That's right.

Helen: But why graveyard? 但是这和墓地有什么关系呢?

Neil: Well, we're not sure about the origin but it might be because when you work a night shift it's usually very quiet and there aren't very many people around, like a graveyard.

Helen: 原来你也不是很清楚这个词的由来，可能是因为以前半夜上班的人发现周围都很安静，没什么人，而且午夜以后就是幽灵出没的时候了。

Insert

A: Have you seen Kate recently? She's looks terrible – so pale and with really dark rings under her eyes.

B: I'm not surprised, she's been working the graveyard shift for about six months.

Helen: Do you like working the graveyard shift, Neil?

Neil: No it's awful! What about you?

Helen: No, I'd hate to work the graveyard shift. I'm tired enough during the day anyway!

Neil: We say 'to work' the graveyard shift.

Helen: 上 I work the graveyard shift.

Neil: Or 'to do' the graveyard shift.

Helen: 或者可以用 to do, 做 I do the graveyard shift.

Neil: Or 'to be on' the graveyard shift.

Helen: 也可以前面加 on, 在上 I'm on the graveyard shift.

Neil: Well, that's all for today from Real English. I'm off to bed.

Helen: Goodnight – or day! 你可以在我们网站上下载英语节目，我们的网址是 www.bbcchina.com.cn. 下次节目再见。

Neil: (snoring)