William: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English, I'm William.

Feifei: 我是馮菲菲。William, what are you doing with that suitcase and flowers and boxes of chocolates? William 手里拿著一把鮮花和一盒巧克力，一定是給某人的禮物了…

William: Oh, well I'm spending the weekend with my wife's parents so I thought I'd get something for my mother-in-law.
這周末我得和妻子的父母共同度過，所以我想我得給岳母買點東西。

Feifei: Oh I see! William 這個周末要去看望岳父岳母，所以準備了很多禮物。

William: And I'm going to do a bit of decorating and gardening for them too.
我也會為他們做點裝飾，弄弄園子。

Feifei: Wow, you really are trying to earn some brownie points, aren't you? 我看出來了 William 其實在努力表現，以便獲得老人的好評與認可。

William: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points.

Feifei: To earn some brownie points. Brownie points 這個詞的來歷和一個叫 'The Brownies' 的女童子團有關系。它的成員做了好事可以得分，類似中國小學生們得到紅星或者紅旗一樣，對做好事的人有一種表揚。這個短語的意思呢就是為獲得表揚而做好事。

William: Yes, you see I'm not sure if my mother-in-law really… likes me very much. So that's why I'm trying to earn some brownie points. Maybe she'll change her attitude towards me.
是的，你看我不確定岳母是否真的喜歡我。那就是我做好事的原因，也許她會改變對我的態度。

Feifei: Oh dear. William 的岳母好像不再喜歡他，所以他就拼命地表現，買禮物，以便獲得丈母娘的歡心。下面請聽例句。

Example

Man: Look at Gary. He keeps offering to do extra work – even at weekends
看看Gary。他總是讓我做額外的工作——尤其是在周末。

Lady: Well he's hoping to earn a few brownie points with the bosses. There's a new position opening up and I reckon he'll apply for it.

Feifei: 這個說話的人主動多做工作以便獲得老板的賞識，這是很快會有晉升提拔的機會。

William: But to earn brownie points is more than just doing someone a favour.

Feifei: 是的，這個短語不單純是為某人幫忙的意思，關鍵是要得到某人的認可和表揚，是個非常輕松隨便的短語。

William: When was the last time you earned brownie points from someone, Feifei?
飛飛，你上次做好事是什么時候？

Feifei: Oh I don't try to get other people's approval.
我不想得到他人的證明。

William: Hmm, really? So you don't really care what people think about you?
真的嗎？你真的不在乎別人怎么看你？

Feifei: No, not at all. But William, you've got so much stuff with you. Are you taking the train to your in-laws' house? Can I give you a lift to the station?
不在乎。William，你隨身帶了這么多東西，你得坐火車去岳母家吧？我送你去車站？

William: Oh thanks! That's really kind of you. I was beginning to think you were a bit selfish but now I can see you're quite generous… Ah, I understand!
謝謝，你真是太好了。我原以為你有點自私，但是現在我覺得你很慷慨，我懂了！

Feifei: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points!
是的，我正做些好事。

William: Well, you succeeded! Goodbye!

Feifei: Bye!