In the Nick of Time

　　Helen: 大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語。我是 Helen.

　　Rob: And Im Rob. Helen, you look like youve been rushing. Here, have some water.

　　Helen: Oh thanks. Im a bit out of breath. 我好久沒鍛煉了，有點喘不上氣了。抱歉，我在銀行辦事兒遲了。

　　Rob: You got here just in the nick of time then.

　　Helen: Just in the nick of time? Shouldnt it be just in time?

　　Rob: Well, you can say both.

　　Helen: 你剛才說的 in the nick of time 這個短語經常能聽到嗎?

　　Rob: Yeah, I think so. It means at the very last moment. Lets hear how this phrase is used.

　　Example

　　Woman 1: Alice gave birth to a baby girl last night.

　　Woman 2: I thought she wasnt due for another three weeks.

　　Woman 1: It was early and they got to the hospital just in the nick of time.

　　Man: Sarah and I were on our way to see Beyonce in concert. But she left her mobile in the office, so we had to go back and get it.

　　Woman: Did you miss the show?

　　Man: Thankfully not, we got there just in the nick of time.

　　Helen: 我們剛才聽到一位孕婦正好在孩子出生前一刻趕到醫院，而另一對戀人差點沒趕上 Beyonce 的演唱會。

　　Rob: That wouldve been awful. You hear this phrase often used to suggest a disaster had been averted. If the action happened any later, then something awful could happen.

　　Helen: I see. 這個短語的意思是剛好，恰好，最后一刻趕到了。那么這是在英式英語嗎?

　　Rob: I dont think the phrase in the nick of time is specifically British. It originated from the UK, but English speakers from all over the world use it now.

　　Helen: 讓我們聽聽例子吧。

　　Example

　　Man: We arrived just in the nick of the time. Another five minutes, our plane would have left without us.

　　Woman: Sam was experimenting with stir frying last night and the wok caught fire. Luke rushed in with the fire blanket just in the nick of time.

　　Helen: That was close. 熱鍋燒菜起火了，還好 Luke 機靈沒澆水滅火。就差那么一點點，不然就闖大禍了。

　　Rob: That would have been a catastrophe. So Helen, are you the kind of person who likes to do things at the very last minute?

　　Helen: Well, Id like to think of myself as a person who can do things in the nick of time. Thanks for listening. Bye.

　　Rob: Bye.

　　In the Nick of Time

　　Helen: 大家好，歡迎收聽地道英語。我是 Helen.

　　Rob: And Im Rob. Helen, you look like youve been rushing. Here, have some water.

　　Helen: Oh thanks. Im a bit out of breath. 我好久沒鍛煉了，有點喘不上氣了。抱歉，我在銀行辦事兒遲了。

　　Rob: You got here just in the nick of time then.

　　Helen: Just in the nick of time? Shouldnt it be just in time?

　　Rob: Well, you can say both.

　　Helen: 你剛才說的 in the nick of time 這個短語經常能聽到嗎?

　　Rob: Yeah, I think so. It means at the very last moment. Lets hear how this phrase is used.

　　Example

　　Woman 1: Alice gave birth to a baby girl last night.

　　Woman 2: I thought she wasnt due for another three weeks.

　　Woman 1: It was early and they got to the hospital just in the nick of time.

　　Man: Sarah and I were on our way to see Beyonce in concert. But she left her mobile in the office, so we had to go back and get it.

　　Woman: Did you miss the show?

　　Man: Thankfully not, we got there just in the nick of time.

　　Helen: 我們剛才聽到一位孕婦正好在孩子出生前一刻趕到醫院，而另一對戀人差點沒趕上 Beyonce 的演唱會。

　　Rob: That wouldve been awful. You hear this phrase often used to suggest a disaster had been averted. If the action happened any later, then something awful could happen.

　　Helen: I see. 這個短語的意思是剛好，恰好，最后一刻趕到了。那么這是在英式英語嗎?

　　Rob: I dont think the phrase in the nick of time is specifically British. It originated from the UK, but English speakers from all over the world use it now.

　　Helen: 讓我們聽聽例子吧。

　　Example

　　Man: We arrived just in the nick of the time. Another five minutes, our plane would have left without us.

　　Woman: Sam was experimenting with stir frying last night and the wok caught fire. Luke rushed in with the fire blanket just in the nick of time.

　　Helen: That was close. 熱鍋燒菜起火了，還好 Luke 機靈沒澆水滅火。就差那么一點點，不然就闖大禍了。

　　Rob: That would have been a catastrophe. So Helen, are you the kind of person who likes to do things at the very last minute?

　　Helen: Well, Id like to think of myself as a person who can do things in the nick of time. Thanks for listening. Bye.

　　Rob: Bye.