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I found some phrases have the same meaning. 立刻、马上 are: in a minute, in no time, right now, right off the bat, first off. What are the differences?
Wang Dawei
在英语里有不少单词或短语可以表示“马上、立刻”，在本期节目中我们将关注 Dawei 朋友的提问。我们把他问题中的词语分成三组来讲解。首先，我们对 “right off the bat” 和“first off” 进行比较；接着讲解“in no time”和“in a minute”，这两个短语都指“非常短暂的时间”；最后，分析“right now”什么时候以指“马上，立刻”，什么时候指“此时此刻”。 欢迎你加入并和我们一起讨论英语学习的方方面面。请通过微博 @BBC英语教学 或邮件与我们取得联系。邮箱地址是 [email protected].
关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）
Helen大家好，欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的《你问我答》节目，我是 Helen。今天我们要解答网友 Wang Dawei 给我们发来的一个问题。由我代读。
QuestionI found some phrases have the same meaning. 立刻、马上 are: in a minute, in no time, right now, right off the bat, first off. So what are the differences?
HelenDawei 的观察非常正确。在英语里有许多短语都可以表示“immediately”，也就是“马上，立刻”。但是当我们仔细来看 Dawei 挑选的这些词的时候，我们发现它们可以被分为三组。第一组里包括 first off 和 right off the bat，我们可以用这两个短语来开始一段解释或者给出答案。First off 意思是“首先，第一”。Right off the bat 的意思有 “马上，立马”。请听例句。
ExamplesSo you want to be a successful salesperson? First off, you have to know your product.你想成为一名成功的销售员？首先要做的，就是你对产品要完全了解 。
Right off the bat, I can give you three reasons why you have to visit Miami.立马我就能给出三个你必须到迈阿密来的理由。
HelenRight off the bat 和 first off 有细微的区别。 Right off the bat 一般用于即兴，脱口而出的回应，而 first off 给人的感觉是除了这一点之外，后面还有其它点。So, right off the bat, 你这不就立马学了两个口语对话中能用得上短语了吗？接下来让我们看看 in no time 和 in a minute。这两个短语都指“非常短暂的时间” 。先说说 in no time。请听例句。
ExamplesThe fire services got there in no time – they were very responsive.当时消防队马上就赶过来了，他们反应非常及时。
My speedy new computer s videos in no time at all.我的新电脑下载视频速度超快，一下子就下载下来了。
Helen这里 in no time 是指“什么事情发生得出乎意料的快”，速度快得令人吃惊。我们还可以加上“at all”起强调作用。
In a minute 字面意思是“一分钟内”，也有“马上，现在”的意思，但是它一般用于谈论即将发生的事情，而不是指过去已经发生了的事情。我们经常会在当下做事情的时候用到 in a minute。 请听例句。
ExamplesI’ll be with you in a minute, hang on.我马上就过来了，请你稍等一下。
Two seconds Mary, I’ll be there in a minute.再等两秒钟，玛莉，我马上就到了。
Helen大家注意到以上例句中，说话的人用 in a minute 来告诉别人“请稍候，马上就来 ”。在第二个例句中，我们还听到了另一个请其他人稍候的短语“two seconds 就两秒钟”。Two seconds 和 in a minute 虽然看似有冲突，但在口语对话中是可以放在一句话里。
最后我们要关注的是 Dawei 提到的最后一个词组 right now。这个表达其实有两个含义，第一是指此时此刻，现在。第二个意思是 马上，立刻，立即。让我们听两个例句吧。
ExamplesWhat are you doing? Answer me right now!你在干嘛？马上回答我！
Right now I'm enjoying a wonderfully relaxing bath.现在，我正在非常放松舒适地泡澡呢。
Helen好了， 我们对 Dawei 朋友所提出的问题进行了解答。简单总结一下，first off 是“第一，首先”的意思 。Right off the bat 是“马上，立马”。“In no time at all”可以用来形容速度超快，都不需要时间等候。In a minute 就是“一分钟内”，一般在请别人稍候时会用到。Right now 有两个意思，一个是“现在”，另一个是“马上，立刻”。
希望我们的节目对大家的英语学习有所帮助，如果您在英语学习时碰到了一些问题， 欢迎和我们联系， 我们的邮箱是 [email protected]，感谢收听。我是 Helen, 下次节目再见。
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