看美剧学英语高频短语：Keep one’s options open
Keep one’s options open：it means to avoid making a final decision so that you can choose the best opportunity later. It implies staying flexible and not committing too soon. （“保留选择余地”，指在尚未确定最佳方案前不急于做决定，以便日后根据情况再做选择。这通常表达出一种灵活、谨慎或策略性的态度。）
以下是英语高频短语“Keep one’s options open”在美剧语料库中的相关例句：
场景一：选自美剧《生活大爆炸》S03E09 02:28
Howard: Hey, did either of you guys know 嘿，你们谁知道
——>> that three dates with the same woman 和同一个女人约会三次
——>> is the threshold for sex? 是发生关系的门槛吗？
Raj: Actually, I’ve never had three dates with the same woman. 事实上，我从没和同一个女人约会过三次。
Leonard: With Penny and me, it took two years. 我和佩妮，花了两年时间。
——>> Now that I think about it, that was three dates. 现在想想，那大概就是三次约会吧。
Howard: Okay, well, before you and Penny hooked up, 好吧，在你和佩妮在一起之前，
——>> Did she ask for any kind of commitment? 她要求过任何形式的承诺吗？
Leonard: No, she was pretty clear about 没有，她说得很清楚
——>> wanting to keep her options open. 她想保留选择权。
场景二：选自美剧《马男波杰克》S01E12 07:46
Diane: I think it might be good for me to get out of L.A. 我觉得我或许该离开洛杉矶
——>> for a little bit. 一段时间。
Mr. PeanutbutterSweetie, you know I support you, whatever you want to do, 亲爱的，你知道我支持你，无论你想做什么，
——>> but you’re not gonna find what you’re looking for 但你在那些虚构的鬼地方
——>> in these awful made-up places. 是找不到你要的东西的。
——>> The universe is a cruel, uncaring void. 宇宙是残酷、冷漠的虚空。
——>> The key to being happy isn’t a search for meaning. 快乐的关键不是寻找意义。
——>> It’s to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, 而是让自己忙于无关紧要的琐事，
——>> and eventually, you’ll be dead. 然后，终有一死。
Diane: Well, I guess I can keep my options open. 嗯，我想我可以保留我的选择余地。
Mr. Peanutbutter: Great. 太好了。
场景三：选自美剧《小谢尔顿》S01E16 06:39
Dr. Goetsch: Now, Sheldon, I understand you’ve changed your mind 谢尔顿，我听说你改变了主意
——>> about being a scientist. 不想当科学家了。
Sheldon: And you’re gonna say I can’t? 你要说我不能改吗？
Dr. Goetsch: No. I think that’s great. 不。我觉得这很好。
——>> – You do? – 真的吗？
——>> Yeah. – 是啊。
——>> I think it’s important to keep your options open. 我认为保留选择余地很重要。
——>> Let me tell you a little story 让我给你讲个小故事
——>> about an extremely smart young boy. 关于一个非常聪明的小男孩。
Sheldon: Me? 我吗？
Dr. Goetsch: Me. 我。
——>> For the longest time, 在很长一段时间里，
——>> I thought I was gonna be 我以为自己会成为
——>> a professional figure skater. 一名职业花样滑冰运动员。
Sheldon: And then you became disenchanted with the field like I did? 然后你就像我一样对这个领域幻想破灭了吗？
Dr. Goetsch: Exactly. 正是。
——>> Someone skated right over my foot. 有人滑冰直接从我的脚上轧过去了。
——>> And that was that. 就这样结束了。
Sheldon: I’m not sure that’s the same thing. 我不确定那是一回事。
Dr. Goetsch: I’d say you lost your passion the way I lost my big toe. 我想说，你失去热情的方式，就跟我失去大脚趾的方式一样。
场景四：选自美剧《纸牌屋》S01E16 06:39
Remy: They’re toying with you, Raymond. 他们在耍你，雷蒙德。
Raymond: No doubt. But so are you, Remy. 毫无疑问。但你也在耍我，雷米。
Remy: I wanted to lead Frank on, give him a false sense of security. 我是想吊着弗兰克，给他一种错误的安全感。
Raymond: If you’re gonna lie, lie better than that. 如果你要撒谎，就撒得高明点。
Remy: They want to tear us apart. 他们想拆散我们。
Raymond: I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your options open. 我不怪你想给自己留后路。
——>> But clearly you have bought the wrong insurance policy. 但你显然买错了保险。
Remy: Don’t shoot yourself in the foot like this. 别这样搬起石头砸自己的脚。
Raymond: Your foot. And you’re holding the gun. 是你的脚。而且枪就在你手里。
——>> Now go someplace else to bleed. 现在去别的地方流血吧。
Remy: You want to talk about blood? 你想谈谈流血？
——>> How much have you spilt in this war with Frank? 你和弗兰克的这场战争里，你流了多少血？
All I’ve tried to do is keep the peace. 我所做的一切只是试图维持和平。
——>> You could’ve let him have the upper hand. 你本可以让他占上风的。
——>> What would that have really cost you, other than your pride? 那除了你的骄傲，究竟会让你损失什么？
Raymond: Such a shame. 真是可惜。
——>> You have just made 42 billion enemies, Remy. 你刚刚树了420亿个敌人，雷米。
——>> And some change. 还多一点儿。
Remy: 39 billion, Raymond. Your market cap is shrinking. 390亿，雷蒙德。你的市值在缩水。
以下是英语高频短语“Keep one’s options open”在日常交流与商务语境中的相关例句：
🔹Daily Conversation
- I’m not sure if I’ll move abroad yet — I’m keeping my options open.
我还不确定要不要出国，所以暂时先保留选择的余地。
- She’s dating a few people right now; she just wants to keep her options open.
她现在同时和几个人约会，只是想先别定下来看看情况。
🔹Business Related
- Before signing the contract, we should keep our options open and see if other investors are interested.
在签合同之前，我们应该保留选择余地，看看有没有其他投资者有兴趣。
- He didn’t accept the promotion right away — he’s keeping his options open in case another company makes a better offer.
他没有立刻接受升职机会——以防另一家公司给出更好的条件，他还想留有余地。
