This morning I'd like to talk to you about a type of person who is always do something required and allowed by legal and always doesn't hide the truth about something , not cheating and stealing. How should we put it? Let's listen to a simple situational dialogue and find it?
{原声对话， 美语发音}
A : Whatever we do, we should do it above board.
B : You are right. We shouldn't do anything under the table.
A : Well, since you agree with me , we put the issue abover board instead of talking about it through other channels .
{答疑解惑}
Now , have you found it ? 【Juliet，is it "under the table"?】. Nope, Lucy, it is "above board". Let's look at it. Aove， a-b-o-v-e, 是在......上面的意思。 Board , b-o-a-r-d, 意是面板的意思。Above board 字面上的意思就是“在面板上”，我们很清楚摆在桌面上的东西，大家都看的一清二楚，则引申为“正大光明的，坦诚布公的， 公开的，不耍手腕的”意思。It's similar to this word: he is honest.
{追踪历史}
Talking of this idiom , we can go back to it's origin. It's from a card game. If a card player keeps his hand above the table(or the board) , other players can see what he's doing. 当今打牌可成为了时尚，在我们桂林，没钱的就在胡同里摆个小桌津津有味的撩牌，有钱的就到宾馆开个房间挫起麻将，任何一个人都不会那么“stupid”, 把手和牌摊在桌面上，让大家看见，or he sends his money to his card friends.
{咬文嚼字}
【Juliet, on 也是在.....上面的意思，我们可以说成是on boar吗?】Lucy, a very good question. what's the differences between them.This is just I want to remind you. 虽然只是一字之差，可是意义却是天壤之别。On board means "to be in a ship , aircraft or a train". For example: have all the passengers gone on board? 意思是所以的乘客都登机了吗?Next let's look at a sentence example for "above board '. If not, and one of them causes the other suffering that is natural and above board. 合不来时，给别人点苦头吃，也是正常的摆在桌面上的事。This word is from a Chinese modern novel. In reality, it's very much so.
{开拓视野}
Of course we have another idiom whose meaning is the same as "above board". It's "fair and square". For example: "No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I won't go back on you." This word is from British literature called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. 这句话来自英国文学作品《汤姆历险记》，意思是：对。 莫夫 - 波特，你一向待我不错，我不会对不起你。 Here, " go back on somebody"是背叛某人的意思。
【Juliet， what's meaning of "under the table"?】 Okay, Lucy, you'er pretty bookish. Let's call it a day. What we need is not quantity but quality . Quality first, quantity second. "Rome wasn't built in a day." 今天就到此为止了，冰冻三尺非一日之寒。先求质，再求量。Well , it's time to say goodbye to you. Than you for your listening this time , have a nice day , see you next time. 又要跟大家在空中暂时分别了，祝您有愉快的一天，感谢您的这次收听，下次再会。
{习题 }
Please translate the following sentences into English with "above board" or " fair and square".
1 我不能不问你几桩事情;你得老老实实地回答我,别害怕。
2 他正大光明地赢了这场比赛。
3 琼斯是个很诚实的人,他所做的事都是光明磊落的.
4 这笔交易是完全光明正大的。
5 他的行为一切都是公开的。
{习题答案}
1 I'm obliged to ask you a few questions and you just answer up fair and square and don't be afraid.
2 He won the game fair and square.
3 Jones is a very truthful person. Everything he does is above the board.
4 The deal was completely above board.
5 His conduct has been entirely above board.
