In other words, only if we really are sure that the historicist act of reading is effective and works, if I know the meaning of a text. Well, fine.

换言之，要是我们确定,阅读这个历史主义行为是有效的，有用的，如果我知道文本的意思，那么，很好。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

that might have been applied in more... more efficient ways to society.

我们本来可以更有效率地利用这些时间，做对社会更有用的事。

选美大会，很不错 - SpeakingMax英语口语达人

Because if anything worked, there would be a solution that would have some value over time and people wouldn't have to be seeking out the newest miracle, getting every little thing they see on TV and the like, and I'll show you some amusing examples of those in the next class.

如果真有用,那就找到了长期有效的解决方法,人们就不会再三地寻找方法了,只要看到电视上有什么小妙招就要尝试,下堂课我会举几个有趣的例子

耶鲁公开课 - 关于食物的心理学、生物学和政治学课程节选