Reader question: What does this – Don't put me on the spot like that – mean?
My comments:
It means don't embarrass me like that.
If we are put on the spot, we're called out to answer a question or to solve a problem. It is usually a troublesome question, one we may not want to answer, or not to answer in public. Take the classroom for instance. Teachers ask students to answer questions in class. If it's a question we've got a ready answer for, we cannot wait to raise our hands. If not, we want to hide our heads in the drawer – we don't want to hear our names called out loud this time. In other words, we don't want to be put on the spot – we don't want to make a fool of ourselves in front of class.
Likewise a lot of public servants don't want to be summoned speak out in meetings. Public servants, those that really know what's best for them at any rate, get themselves trained not to call a spade a spade. To save face, skin or a job, they know not to speak their minds over sensitive issues, such as the sunshine, the rain or the snowstorm unless they know exactly what their boss's preference is – Then of course they'll say they like the way, say, the rain pours just to toe the boss's line. Obviously it's not easy to know exactly what the boss likes every time because like the average public servant, the boss changes his mind and often do it without warning. Therefore, no good public servant speaks the first thing on his mind in public – which often leads them to be accused of being vague or not telling the truth or plain lying. Lying won't do of course for many an honest bureaucrat. Hence, the safest route to take is for them to remain silent and pray not to be put on the spot whenever "serious issues" are being discussed. If they say nothing, they will say nothing wrong.
【Put on the spot?】相关文章:
★ 五项要点助你进步
★ 体坛英语资讯:Kvitova books Miami Open quarterfinal spot
★ 《新概念英语》作者L. G. ALEXANDER谈口语学习
最新
2020-09-15
2020-08-28
2020-08-21
2020-08-19
2020-08-14
2020-08-12