轻松日记商务职场篇第135期:保持中立
In order not to offend either of them, I prefer to sit on the fence.
为了不冒犯他们其中任何一人，我选择保持中立。
sit on the fence原来是指“在分家产的时候，骑在分割家产的篱笆上，不知应该选择哪一边”，现在这个短语常用来表示：“保持中立，采取骑墙观望的态度”。因此，当美国人说"In order not to offend either oft hem, I prefer to sit on the fence."时，他/她要表达的意思就是:"In order not to annoy either of them, I took a neutral stance on this issue."、"I'd remain neutral in the event so as not to displease either of them."。
情景对白：
Benjamin: Why not express your opinion? Which side are you on?
本杰明：你怎么不发表意见呢?你支持哪一方?
Terry: In order not to offend either of them, I prefer to sit on the fence.
泰瑞：为了不冒犯他们其中任何一人，我选择保持中立。
搭配句积累：
①What do you think of their suggestions?
你认为他们的提议怎么样?
②I don't really know what happened.
我确实不清楚究竟发生了什么。
③Both of them are reasonable, but also one-side.
双方都有道理，但他们都是片面的。
④What's your opinion?
你怎么看?
单词：
1. neutral adj. 中立的
Let's meet on neutral territory.
我们在中立地区会面吧。
Those who had decided to remain neutral in the struggle now found themselves required to take sides.
那些先前决定在争斗中保持中立的人现在发现他们需要表明立场了。
Switzerland seems to be a permanently neutral state.
瑞士似乎是一个永久中立国。
2. stance n. 立场
The Congress had agreed to reconsider its stance on the armed struggle.
国会已同意重新考虑其对武装斗争的态度。
They have maintained a consistently neutral stance.
他们一直持中立态度。
His stance towards the story is quite similar to ours.
他对该报道的态度和我们很相像。
