The Football Season has started here in the UK. My husband is a keen Arsenal supporter and for the next few months I have the joy of listening to him shout at the television whenever a player doesn’t do what is expected of him!
英国的足球季开始了。我的丈夫是个狂热的阿森纳粉丝，接下来的几个月，只要有球员的表现让他不满意，我就会听到他冲着电视机大喊大叫。

The start of the season has also given me the excuse to introduce you to 10 football idioms that we often use in Business English. As I mentioned in a previous post, sports and business are closely related in many ways including language.
这赛季一开始，让我有能有机会向你们介绍在商务英语中经常使用的10个足球术语。体育和商务在包括语言在内很多方面都紧密相关。

1. To keep one’s eye on (or to take one’s eye off) the ball – to keep (or fail) to keep one’s focus on a particular matter
1. To keep one’s eye on or to take one’s eye off the ball—把重点(或者没有把重点)放在特定的事上

Ex: “In this business if you want to be successful, you need to keep your eye on the ball”.
例句：如果你想在这份生意上成功，你需要集中注意力。

2. To know the score – to know the essential facts of the situation
2. To know the score—了解重要的事实和情况

EX: “I was going to bring Jane up to date with the situation but she already knows the score”.
例句：“我本来要告诉简最新的情况，但是她已经知道了。”

3. A game changer – an event or procedure that could have a dramatic effect on the current policy or thinking
3. A game changer—能对目前的政策或者是想法产生重大影响的事或者步骤

Ex: This new contract with The States could be a real game changer for our business.
例句：和美国的新合同对我们的生意来说扭转了局面。

4. To blow the whistle on someone – to expose an illegal activity and the person(s) responsible within an organisation (A Whistle-Blower – Noun)
4. To blow the whistle on someone—揭露组织内某人的不法行为（名词：A Whistle-Blower 告发者）

Ex: “She was fed up with the way things were going and decided to blow the whistle on the company’s illegal activities”
例句：“她受够了所有事，决定告发公司的不法行为。”

5. League – a class or category of excellence and quality
5. League—高质量和品质的代表

Ex: “When it comes to showmanship, David is in a league of his own”.
例句：当说到主持能力，大卫独树一帜。

6. To score an own goal – an act that unintentionally harms one’s own interests
6. To score an own goal—乌龙球，无意识地损害自身利益的举动

Ex: “Philip scored an own goal when he quit his job before signing a new contract.”
例句：菲利普在签新合同之前就辞职这种行为就像是踢了个乌龙球。

7. To be on the ball – to be aware and quick to respond to new ideas
7. To be on the ball—能迅速意识到和对新想法做出反应

Ex: “You need to be on the ball in this job”.
例句：你在这份工作上要够机灵。

8. To watch from the sidelines – to be an observer rather than actively involved in a situation.
8. To watch from the sidelines—作为旁观者，而不积极参与

Ex: “Harry never gets involved in anything. He’s always watching from the sidelines.”
例句：哈里从不参与任何事情。他总是站在场外旁观。

9. To move the goalposts – to unfairly move the conditions or rules of procedures during its course
9. To move the goalposts—在进行过程中不公平地改变条件或者规则

Ex: It’s impossible to plan anything in this company if management keeps moving the goalposts.
例句：如果管理层总在更改规则，在公司里什么都不可能实现。

10. To kick something off – to start something
10. To kick something off—开始

Ex: “Right. I’d like to kick this meeting off by welcoming our guest.”
例句：“好的。让我以欢迎我们的嘉宾作为这场会议的开场白吧。

Enjoy the Football Season, folks.
希望你能享受这一赛季！