Rob is going on holiday to a place where Helen grew up. He is asking Helen for help, because he thinks she knows it like the back of her hand. What does he mean? Listen to the programme to find out.
文字稿
（关于台词的备注 : 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。）
Rob
Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English. I'm Rob and joining me today is Helen.
Helen
Hi everyone, I'm Helen. Rob, I hear you have a holiday coming up soon.
Rob
Oh yes, we have booked a trip to China to visit the home of pandas.
Helen
Do you mean Chengdu?
Rob
Yes, we are stopping there for a few days and then to HK for two weeks.
Helen
You know Chengdu is my home town. I grew up there.
Rob
Oh, I didn't know that. So you must know the place like the back of your hand then.
Helen
The back of my hand? 我的手背。我的手背还好啊，有点干。不过这和成都有啥关系？
Rob
Oh, it's a very common expression we use to say that we know somewhere very well, or extremely familiar with the place. You hear people say it all the time.
Helen
噢，原来是这个意思，当我们听到 know somewhere like the back of your hand，意思就是对什么地方非常了解就像对自己的手背那么熟悉一样。以下是两个例句：
Examples
He knows the building like the back of his hand.
She lived in village all her life, and knows the area like the back of her hand.
Helen
那么除了说对什么地方很了解之外，这个短语可以用于其它语境吗？
Rob
Well, we can used to describe books and other things we know very well. It's not just limited to places.
Helen
这个表达还可以用于对什么东西比如书、兴趣，非常精通了解。Here are more examples:
Examples
Jenny knows that book like the back of her hand. She has read it at least twenty times.
Max knows the Bond films like the back of his hand; he could recite the whole script of all of them.
Rob
So Helen, since you lived in Chengdu for many years, any recommendations for good places to visit in Chengdu?
Helen
Actually, the city has changed so much; I would be lost there like any other visitor. But my cousin still lives there. He definitely knows the city like the back of his hand.
Rob
Maybe I should give him a call.
Helen
I'm sure he'll be happy to help.
Rob
Great!
Helen
Have a good trip then.
Rob
Thanks.
Both
Bye!
