passions

2016年5月30日VOA慢速英语[词汇典故] 与“自我”相关的英语表达

Hello! From VOA Learning English, this is Words and TheirStories.

Have you ever talked to someone who only wants to talk aboutthemselves? It’s “me, me, me” or “I, I, I” from them all daylong! This kind of talk can be a real “turn off” to the peoplelistening.

But at times, perhaps we are all guilty of being selfish or self-absorbed. For those days, here aresome self-centered expressions you can use.

Today our program is all about you!

Let’s start with the word “self.”

“Self” can be added to many words to make new words. If you are self-conscious, you are awareof yourself in a bad way. You carefully plot your every move. People who are self-conscious canseem nervous around others and perhaps not very self-confident.

However, self-awareness is a good thing.

Self-awareness means you recognize both your good points and bad points. A person who is self-aware understands that what they say and do affects the people around them.

The difference between being self-aware and self-conscious may seem minor. But there is a bigdifference.

Self-employed people are people who work for themselves. They are their own bosses. But peoplewho are self-serving only think of their own needs. However, if you are self-employed, being aself-serving business person is a good thing. No one is there to help you. You must look afteryourself.

Self-preservation is also good thing. You have to depend on yourself to survive. However, self-pity is not a good thing to have. Nobody likes to be around people who always feel sorry forthemselves.

You don’t have to be filled with self-pity to annoy other people around you.

If you are unable to make a decision, people could say to you, “suit yourself.” This expression is aresponse when you don’t really care what someone does. It means "do as you please." In otherwords, have it your way!

Let’s listen to an example:

“I don’t think I’m going to the party tonight.”

“But you just said you were going and that you would give me ride!”

“Okay, I’ll go.”

“Look, suit yourself. Don’t go because of me. But make up your mind!”

Some expressions using the word “self” can sound strange.

Take, for example, the saying to be beside yourself. To many people, this might sound like youare having an out-of-body experience. But to be beside yourself means to be affected by a strong,usually negative emotion, like anger or sadness.

Here are a few examples:

“When her mother died, she was beside herself with grief.”

“He was so upset that he was beside himself.”

Another unusual-sounding expression is to be full of yourself. This means that you think so highlyof yourself that you are full; there is no room for anyone else.

If you are full of yourself, you might think that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread -- acommon expression in American English.

If you are full of yourself, you may need to get over yourself. “To get over yourself” may soundlike a difficult physical exercise. But it only means that you need to think of others not justyourself.

If you are way too caught up in your own life or think you are better than everyone else, othersmight say to you, “Get over yourself.”

Now, getting out of your own way is different. This means that the thing or barrier keeping youfrom getting what you want is you!

If you are the reason you are not achieving your goals, a friend could say to you, “You have toget out of your own way!”

People who experience hard times can become a shadow of their former self. This means theyhave less influence or strength than they once did.

For example, imagine a man who has a loving wife, a high-paying job and helps out in hiscommunity. Then his wife leaves him. She blames herself for the separation. But this doesn’t help.The man turns to alcohol to escape his marriage problems. Then he loses his job, his home, hisfriends. When you see how low he has fallen, you could say he is a shadow of his former self.

But enough about him.

Let’s get back to you. Practice using some of these “self” expressions to express yourself.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Skyler

http://oe.passions.com.cn/data/appbyme/upload/audio/201605/30/MwIMMzzHaiwL.mp3