Have your cake and eat it
Jen: Hi! I'm Jen. And here's Li.
大家好！我是Jen。Li也在！
Li: (Sighing) Hi. Jen: You seem in a bad mood, what's wrong?
（叹气）大家好！ 你看起来情绪不怎么好啊。怎么了？
Li: Take a look at this brochure. Jen: (Reading) "Golden palm beach, Barbados. This resort boasts miles of unspoiled beaches, crystal blue waters and five star accommodation..." Is this where you're going on holiday, Li?
你看一下这本小册子。 （开始念）黄金棕榈岸，巴巴多斯。 这个度假场所以干净的海滩，蔚蓝透明的海水和五星级住宿著称。 你是要去这里度假吗，Li?
Li: Yes, I just booked it. Jen: Well, you don't sound very happy about it, what's the problem? Li: Well, it cost me ￡5,000!
是的，我刚预定了票。 嗯，你听起来对这个好像并不满意啊，怎么了？ 嗯，可要花上5千英镑呢。
Jen: That's a lot of money. Li: I know, and I wanted to save my money so that I could get my bathroom decorated. Jen: Why did you book a holiday, then?! Li: I have to go on holiday - I haven't had a break for two years! Jen: Well, that's ok, you've booked it now! Li: But I really need to get the bathroom done too! Jen: Well, you can't have your cake and eat it, Li!
这可是一大笔钱！ 我知道，我本来想省下一点钱，好装修一下我的浴室。 那你干嘛要定票去度假呢？ 我必须得休假了——两年了，我从来没休息过！ 嗯，现在好啦，你已经定了票！ 但是我也想把我的浴室给装修一下！ 嗯，熊和鱼掌不能兼得，Li。
Li: What do you mean?
你什么意思？
How did you know I had cake today?
你怎么知道我今天吃了蛋糕的？
Are you calling me fat?! Do you think I should stop eating cake?! Jen: Whoa! No, no, I'm not saying anything- Li: Then why do you want me to stop eating cake?!
你是在说我胖吗？ 你是不是觉得我不能再吃蛋糕了？ 哇吼，不是不是，我什么也没说！ 那你为什么不让我再吃蛋糕呢？
Jen: Calm down. I said, "You can't have your cake and eat it." We use this phrase in English to mean that you can't have something both ways. Li: Oh. So you mean I can't spend my money and save it at the same time? Jen: Exactly. Let's hear some more examples:
冷静一下！我说的是，你不能兼得鱼和熊掌。 我们用这个句子来表达——事情不能两全。 哦，你的意思是，花了钱的同时就不可能把钱存起来！ 对极了！让我们再来听一些例子。
He's just got married, but he misses the single life.
他刚结婚，但是他已经不能过单身生活了！
Well it's too bad – you can't have your cake and eat it! I drank a whole bottle of champagne at the party last night, but now I feel sick - I've got the worst hangover ever. But I suppose you can't have your cake and eat it! Li: The second example is good – you can't expect to drink a lot of alcohol without feeling the effects the next day:
嗯，太糟糕了，鱼和熊掌不能兼得嘛！ 昨晚我在派对上喝了一整瓶香槟。但是现在我感觉非常不舒服——有史以来最糟糕的一次宿醉！ 但是我知道，万事两难全！ 第二个例句说得挺好——你可不能指望喝了很多酒而第二天还好好的！
you can't have it both ways; you can't have your cake and eat it. Jen: And you can't have your lovely holiday without spending a lot of money on it. Li: I suppose you're right.
万事两难全！你不能吃了蛋糕还拥有蛋糕！ 你也不能不花钱就可以去度假！ 我觉得你是对的。
Jen: All this talk of cake has got my stomach rumbling, I feel really hungry now. Li: There's a new cafe across the road which is selling little cupcakes, they look really delicious! We could go and get some after the programme? Jen: I would love to, but I can't, I want to save my money to go out to dinner tonight. Li: Oh well Jen, you can't have your cake and eat it. I'll just get one for myself!
一直聊蛋糕，我的肚子叫得好厉害，我现在快饿死了！ 路对面有一家新开的餐馆，里面在卖小纸杯蛋糕，看起来很好吃的！ 节目录制完了之后，我们可以去试试！ 我倒是想去，但是不能去呢。我想省点钱今晚吃顿好的！ 哦，好吧，Jen，鱼和熊掌不能兼得呢！ 我刚给自己买了一个呢！