内容简介

当自己的判断出现了失误时，除了 “I was wrong” 以外，还能如何表达 “我错了”？在本期节目中，主持人菲菲和 Beth 就来分享可以用来描述某人 “错了，判断失误” 的表达 “off base”。听节目，学习这个表达的用法。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Feifei 
Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English, where we explain expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them, too. I'm Feifei, and I'm joined by Beth. Hello Beth!

Beth 
Hi Feifei. Something embarrassing happened to me recently. 

Feifei
Oh really? I want to hear all about it!

Beth 
Well, my cousin asked me if I'd bake her daughter a princess birthday cake, and I thought I could. Turns out I was completely off base. I can't decorate cakes at all – it was awful!

Feifei
Ah, you were off base – you were wrong. Um, why was this cake decoration so bad?

Beth
Well, let's just say the cake looked more like a monster than a princess. If someone is 'off base' it means they're mistaken, or their guess or opinion is far from reality. I thought I could decorate well, but I can't.

Feifei
Oh, it happens to all of us. Well, the other day I was trying to make a costume for my son for World Book Day, but it turned out I got all the measurements wrong. The costume was too small. It didn't fit. I was way off base.

Beth
Oh dear. That does not sound good.

Feifei
Let's listen to more examples of 'off base'. 

Examples
I've got this feeling that Georgie is annoyed with me today. What do you think? Am I off base?

I thought I could fix the toilet, but that was totally off base. I can't. And now there's water coming through the ceiling.

The critics said the film was rubbish, but I think they're completely off base. I loved it.

Feifei
你正在收听的是 BBC 英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。刚刚我们学习了表达 “off base” 的用法。这个表达来自棒球运动。在口语中，我们可以用 “off base” 来形容 “某人的想法或判断出现了错误，和实际情况不符”。

Beth 
So, 'off base' is like saying 'you've got the wrong idea' or 'you're mistaken'. And we often add 'totally' or 'completely' before it, like we've heard in examples in the programme.

Feifei
It's also common to add the word 'way' before it, which is an informal way of saying 'really'. Beth, you don't like chocolate, right?

Beth
What? You're way off base. I love chocolate, Feifei!

Feifei
在使用中，我们通常在 “off base” 前加上表示程度的副词 “totally”、“completely” 或者是 “way” 来突出 “完全错了，错得十分离谱”。

Beth
Exactly right. Well, we'll be back next time with another useful English phrase. See you soon!

Feifei
Goodbye.