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内容简介

俗话说：鱼和熊掌不可兼得。两件好事并不总是能够同时实现。英语新词 “cakeism” 就可以用来指这种 “想同时得到两个好处或做成两件好事的不现实心态或愿望”。这个词来自哪句英文谚语？听对话，学习名词 “cakeism” 的用法。

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（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。）

Jiaying
大家好，欢迎收听 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目，我是佳莹。

Neil
And me, Neil. We've got a fairly new word for you that is about the desire to have two good things at the same time, or it can be used to say you've been offered two good things at the same time, when in reality that is impossible. The word is 'cakeism'.

Jiaying
Cakeism. “蛋糕主义”？我特别爱吃蛋糕 “cake”， 不过，这个词和蛋糕有什么关系呢？

Neil
There's no cake here, Jiaying. Although it might be useful to think about a delicious-looking cake. If you eat it, it won't be there any more. This is the idea behind the idiom 'you can't have your cake and eat it'. You can't have two good things at the same time. 'Cakeism' is based on this idiom.

Jiaying
原来，名词 “cakeism” 指 “想同时享受两种美好事物或做成两件好事的愿望，既要…又要…”。“Cakeism” 来自一句谚语 “You can't have your cake and eat it.（鱼和熊掌不可兼得。）” 举一个例子，我坐火车上下班，我既想享受更好的服务，又想让车票再便宜点。

Neil
Sorry, Jiaying, it's unlikely you'd get both! But if the railway company claims it will give you both things, that is 'cakeism'. Let's hear some examples.

Examples
The salesman offered me a great deal on a new phone – a better handset and a cheaper tariff – but I think that's just cakeism!

Our boss claims we'll get a higher salary and have fewer hours next year – it sounds like cakeism to me!

The bus company has promised an improved service and cheaper tickets – but that's just cakeism!

Jiaying
你正在收听的是 BBC英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目，上面我们介绍了名词 “cakeism” 的含义和用法。我们用 “cakeism” 来描述 “想同时享受两个好处或做成两件好事的愿望，但这个愿望并不现实”。So, if I promised to write the rest of the scripts for you and made you some coffee, that would be cakeism, right? It won't happen!

Neil
Maybe not, but you can make some coffee, and I'll buy some cake, and we can talk about cakeism a bit more.

Jiaying
Sounds like a plan. Bye for now.

Neil
Bye!