Vicki: This is Real English from BBC Learning¹ English. I'm Vicki.

Chen Li: 大家好!我是陈鹂。

Chen Li: 在今天的纯正英语节目里,我们要学的是什么呢？Vicki?

Vicki: Today's new expression is an idiom – 'to put on a brave face'.

Chen Li: 'Put on a brave face'. 可以给大家解释一下吗？

Vicki: Well, 'put on a brave face' means to pretend that you are happy or confident when, in fact, you are not.

Chen Li: 听起来似乎很复杂啊。

Vicki: Well, would you come to work crying if you were sad? No, you would put on a brave face.

Chen Li: 那么， put on a brave face 就是说假装很高兴，或者很有信心，而实际上却并非如此。Vicki , 可以举个例子吗？

Vicki: Do you go to the dentist looking scared and nervous?

Chen Li: 希望不是这样， 我尽力看上去很轻松，很有把握。

Vicki: That's right. You put on a brave face.

Insert

A: He seems happy, even though his wife left him and he lost his job.

B: I think he's just trying to put on a brave face.

Vicki: Did you know John lost his job?

Chen Li: 是吗？他是不是很伤心呢？

Vicki: Yes. But it's not obvious. He is still laughing and smiling all the time.

Chen Li: 是吗？

Vicki: Yes. He's putting on a brave face.

Chen Li: 好样的。

Vicki: Anyway, let's recap – to 'put on a brave face.

Chen Li: 这是一个成语，意思是装出一副勇敢的面孔。 好了，到这里，节目时间也所剩不多了。

Vicki: Yes, we have to go. You've been listening to Real English from BBC Learning English. Join us again soon for more Real English. Bye.

Chen Li: 我们下次节目再见。