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

Feifei: 我是冯菲菲。William, what are you doing with that suitcase and flowers and boxes of chocolates? William 手里拿着一把鲜花和一盒巧克力，一定是给某人的礼物了…

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.
这周末我得和妻子的父母共同度过，所以我想我得给岳母买点东西。

Feifei: Oh I see! William 这个周末要去看望岳父岳母，所以准备了很多礼物。

William: And I'm going to do a bit of decorating and gardening for them too.
我也会为他们做点装饰，弄弄园子。

Feifei: Wow, you really are trying to earn some brownie points, aren't you? 我看出来了 William 其实在努力表现，以便获得老人的好评与认可。

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

Feifei: To earn some brownie points. Brownie points 这个词的来历和一个叫 'The Brownies' 的女童子团有关系。它的成员做了好事可以得分，类似中国小学生们得到红星或者红旗一样，对做好事的人有一种表扬。这个短语的意思呢就是为获得表扬而做好事。

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，你看我不确定岳母是否真的喜欢我。那就是我做好事的原因，也许她会改变对我的态度。

Feifei: Oh dear. William 的岳母好像不再喜欢他，所以他就拼命地表现，买礼物，以便获得丈母娘的欢心。下面请听例句。

Example

Man: Look at Gary. He keeps offering to do extra work – even at weekends
看看Gary。他总是让我做额外的工作——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: 这个说话的人主动多做工作以便获得老板的赏识，这是很快会有晋升提拔的机会。

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

Feifei: 是的，这个短语不单纯是为某人帮忙的意思，关键是要得到某人的认可和表扬，是个非常轻松随便的短语。

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

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

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

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，你随身带了这么多东西，你得坐火车去岳母家吧？我送你去车站？

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!
谢谢，你真是太好了。我原以为你有点自私，但是现在我觉得你很慷慨，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!