A wild card 未知數(shù)，外卡

Are you a wild card or just ace?!

The script of this programme 本節(jié)目臺詞

Rob: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English. I'm Rob and joining me today is Feifei.

Feifei: 大家好！咱們辦公室新來的那位同事聽起來不錯的哈？What about that new guy who's started in the office?

Rob: You mean Brian?

Feifei: Yes, he's very funny – 總給我們講笑話，昨天他還在辦公室給我表演用橙子玩雜耍 - he was very good.

Rob: Hmm, if you say so. He might be funny but I haven't seen him do much work - I think he's a bit of a wild card.

Feifei: A wild card? Brian 是“一張瘋卡”？你的意思是他可能是紅桃心，方片，黑桃或是梅花？什么呀？我不懂。

Rob: No, no, although the expression does come from playing cards - here, it means he is unpredictable, he's someone we don't know much about so we're not sure how he's going to behave in the future.

Feifei: Oh do you think so? 原來在英語里，我們可以用 a wild card 來描述一個(gè)我們不太了解的、行為不可測的、有未知數(shù)的人。這個(gè)表達(dá)現(xiàn)在也常備用在選秀比賽中用來描述“外卡選手”。Now you've said it, yes Rob, Brian is unpredictable!

Rob: OK. Let's hear some more examples of this phrase...

Example

• Jack is too much of a wild card to get a place on our team.
• We're taking a gamble, she's a wild card, but let's hope she delivers what she promises.
• The wild card in this competition is Chelsea: nobody really knows which way the score will go.

Rob: Right, have you got that? A wild card can describe someone who is unpredictable or who behaves in an unexpected way. But although Brian is a wild card, I wish he'd settle down and do some work instead of joking around all the time.

Feifei: 老實(shí)說，其實(shí)你也想像 Brian 這樣生活吧？

Rob: Not at all - but Feifei what kind of card would you call me?

Feifei: Oh Rob, you're my favourite card - you're ACE!

Rob: Ace! Gosh Feifei, you're such a card!

Feifei: See you next time.

Both: Bye!