平常我跟鄰居很少來往，不過前兩天，她忽然給我送來一籃子新鮮曲奇餅干。我最開始還很高興，不過后來得知，她最近想在院子里修一個籬笆，而這樣做必須得到整個社區居民的同意，當然也包括我。這也讓我想到了一句習慣用語，那就是：curry favor。

大家都知道curry做名詞是咖哩的意思，不過在這里curry作為動詞，意思是討好，奉承。而curry favor, 實際上就是拍馬屁。這也就是我鄰居最近的舉動。

I know why she came bearing fresh-backed cookies. I think it's an attempt to CURRY FAVOR. 我知道我鄰居為什么給我送新鮮曲奇餅，我覺得她就是想拍我的馬屁。

在下面的例子里，這個人對他的市長有什么看法呢? 我們來聽聽看：

"Don't assume that the mayor has special fondness for you. If you're influential and can help her deliver on her campaign promises, she'll compliment you, invite you out to dinner and treat you specially. The truth is she CURRIES FAVOR with anyone she considers to be important."

這段話是說：[千萬別認為市長特別喜歡你。如果你有任何影響力，或者能夠幫助她實現競選承諾，她會恭維你，請你吃晚餐，給你很多特殊待遇。但事實是，如果她認為你重要，她就會來拍你的馬屁。]

這聽起來很典型啊! 那天我上高中的侄女跟我說，她們學校里有個女生為了能參加啦啦隊，不惜給教練買了一個特別昂貴的圣誕節禮物! 好了，我們再來聽聽剛才那段話:

"Don't assume that the mayor has special fondness for you. If you're influential and can help her deliver on her campaign promises, she'll compliment you, invite you out to dinner and treat you very specially. The truth is she CURRIES FAVOR with anyone she considers to be very important."

大家都特別討厭愛拍馬屁的人?？墒牵瑢W校里，社會中，到處都是這樣的人。在辦公室里就更不例外了! 下面的例子就談到了這么一個馬屁精，讓我們來聽聽看:

"Isn't it obvious why Ralph nominated our boss as "Supervisor of the Year"? He just wants to get himself promoted to foreman and figures the boss might help arrange it if he's recognized for an important award. See? That why he's CURRYING FAVOR with him. It's so disgusting."

[這段話是說: 難道你看不出來拉爾夫為什么提名咱們的老板為“年度最佳領導"么? 他想晉升為領班，而他知道如果老板自己能夠得到這個獎項，可能就會幫助他得到領班的職位。這就是他為什么老是拍老板的馬屁。真令人惡心。]

真是! 辦公室政治真讓人頭疼。碰到這種拍馬屁的人，最好的辦法就是別理他。慢慢他就會被所有同事孤立，我想這也不是個好受的感覺。He's always currying favor with the boss. But in the end, he's quite isolated in the office. 他成天拍老板的馬屁，不過最后，他在辦公室特別孤立。

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（來源：VOA英語教學 編輯：丹妮）