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This idiom sounds cruel but don't take it literally |
Neil: This is Real English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Yang Li: 大家好，我是杨莉。
Neil: Today we're looking at English idioms.
Yang Li: 英语中有许多成语，特别精彩，值得专门记下来，今天我们学习那一个， Neil?
Neil: Todays idiom is – to kill two birds with one stone. To kill two birds with one stone.
Yang Li: Oh, 这个成语听起来很残忍！一个石头砸死两只鸟。
Neil: It does a bit. But it's a very useful idiom. It means to do two things at the same time, when you might have done just one.
Yang Li: 那到是，听起来是一个非常有用的成语。当我们可以同时做两件事情而不是一件事，我们可以说 I killed two birds with one stone. 在汉语里我们就说一箭双雕。
Neil: So the Chinese is similar then? Here's an example of how to use it in English.
Examples
I went to Beijing on a business trip but a lot of my family live there too, so I killed two birds with one stone – I worked hard but saw my family as well.
I'm making a birthday cake for my sister tonight - but it's my flatmate's birthday on Tuesday so I think I'll add just a few extra ingredients and make two cakes – kill two birds with one stone.
Yang Li: 上面对话说到这位女士去北京出差，因为自己的亲戚都在北京所以顺便就去探亲了。 She killed two birds with one stone. 不管怎样，我们得快点儿走了！ Neil, do you want to go for a coffee?
Neil: Where are you going?
Yang Li: Just the coffee shop across the street.
Neil: Brilliant. I can go to the internet cafe next to the coffee shop and check my emails.
Yang Li: Ah, kill two birds with one stone?
Neil: Yes, I can kill two birds with one stone. Coffee and emails! Let's go.
Yang Li: 如果大家想学到更多的地道英语都可以登陆我们的网站 www.bbcchina.com.cn. Thanks for listening. 下次再会。
Neil: Bye. | 
