And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在是VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
On today's show, we talk about a strategy for winning or for completing a big task.
在今天的节目中，我们要讨论赢得或完成一项重大任务的策略。
That strategy is called dividing and conquering.
这种策略被称为“分而治之”。
With this strategy, you gain an advantage by creating divisions within a group.
通过这个策略，你就可以通过在团队内制造分歧来获得优势。
You might try to turn your enemies against each other.
你可能会试图让你的敌人自相残杀。
You try to keep control over a group of people by creating problems among them.
你试图通过在一群人中制造问题来控制他们。
You could also make a group of people disagree and fight with one another.
你也可以让一群人产生分歧并互相争斗。
When you do this, they will likely be too busy fighting each other to think about fighting you.
当你这样做时，他们可能会忙于互相争斗，无暇考虑与你争斗。
For example, the police detectives tried to divide and conquer warring drug dealers.
例如，警探们试图对毒贩们分而治之。
The drug dealers were so busy fighting each other, they made mistakes and got arrested by police.
毒贩们忙着互相争斗，犯了错误并被警方逮捕。
However, you must be careful when trying to divide and conquer.
然而，当你试图分而治之时，你必须小心。
The people you are trying to divide may band together.
你试图离间的人可能会联合起来。
This means they form an alliance.
这意味着他们会结盟。
They overcome their differences, work together, and turn against you.
他们会克服分歧，一起合作，然后转而对付你。
Now, this expression is not just used when talking about defeating people.
现在，这个表达不仅仅在谈论打败别人时使用。
We can also divide and conquer when trying to complete a difficult task.
当我们努力去完成一项困难的任务时，我们也可以分而治之。
If you want to complete a complex task, it is helpful to have several people working on it at the same time.
如果你想完成一项复杂的任务，让几个人同时参与这件事会很有帮助。
You would divide the tasks and delegate them to others.
你会把任务拆分，然后分派给其他人。
That way, you can conquer - or complete - the task.
这样，您就可以解决或完成这项任务。
Here's an example.
这里有一个例子。
Let's say you are working on a big project with some co-workers.
假设你正在和一些同事一起做一个大项目。
The project is complex and has many moving parts.
这个项目很复杂，有很多不稳定的部分。
So, instead of everyone working on the same things at once, you decide to divide and conquer.
因此，你决定分而治之，而不是每个人同时做同样的事情。
You assign each person a different task.
你为每个人分配不同的任务。
In the end, the project gets done smoothly and on time.
最终，这个项目顺利按时完成。
Now, let's hear some friends use this expression this way.
现在，让我们听听一些朋友这样使用这个表达。
They are preparing for a surprise birthday party and have lots to do.
他们正在为一场惊喜的生日派对做准备，有很多事情要做。
Okay, change of plans.
好吧，计划有变。
Samantha just texted.
萨曼莎刚刚发短信。
She canceled her work meeting and will be here in two hours, not four.
她取消了工作会议，将在两个小时后到达这里，而不是四个小时。
Two hours?!
两个小时？！
That's not enough time!
时间不够啊！
We'll never be ready for her surprise party.
我们不可能为她的惊喜派对做好准备。
You need to stall her.
你得拖住她。
But don't make her suspicious.
但不要让她起疑心。
If I try to keep her away, she'll know something's up.
如果我不让她过来，她就知道我们有事瞒着她。
She knows us too well.
她太了解我们了。
You're right.
没错。
What are we going to do??
我们要做什么？？
First, calm down.
首先，冷静下来。
What still needs to be done?
还有什么需要做？
The food needs to be cooked, the cake and drinks need to be picked up, the living room needs to be decorated, and the gift needs to be wrapped.
要烹饪食物，要取蛋糕和饮料，要装饰客厅，要包装礼物。
We'll never finish in time!
我们不可能及时完成！
We will!
我们可以的！
We just need to divide and conquer!
我们只需要分而治之！
You keep cooking.
你继续进行烹饪。
I'll text Claudia and ask her to pick up the cake on the way over.
我会给克劳迪娅发短信，让她在来的路上蛋糕取了。
Then I'll text Gwen.
然后我会给格温发短信。
She can pick up the drinks.
她可以取饮料。
When Steve gets here, he can wrap the gift and decorate.
当史蒂夫到这之后，他可以包装礼物并进行装饰。
He's good at those things.
他擅长这些事情。
Ok, sounds like a plan!
好吧，听起来很不错！
Wait a minute. What will you be doing?
等一下。你做什么？
I'm busy! Dividing and conquering doesn't happen by itself.
我很忙！分而治之不会自行发生。
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期《词汇掌故》的全部内容。
If you have a big goal, maybe it's time you divide and conquer it.
如果你有一个大目标，也许是时候对其分而治之了。
Break it down into small tasks and get them done.
将其拆分为小任务并逐一完成。
Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.
下期节目再见，安娜·马特奥为您播报。
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