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流利美语脱口出

作者:孙文龙

  1 have one’s ear to the ground 关心时事,注意各种动向
  注解:旧时北美平原居民常把丝围巾放在地上,然后把耳朵贴在上面,这样就可以听到远处的马蹄声和人的脚步声。Have一语原意即为“以耳贴地”,后来被用来比喻“密切留心周围发生的事”“注意各种动向”“保持高度警惕”等意。此语始见于1900年的美国国会议事录,亦作keep / hold one’s ear to the ground和with an /one’s ear to the ground.
  A: Julie, change the TV channel, it’s time for news.
  B: Please don’t, it is the crucial moment of the TV playseries.
  A: But you can see it again tomorrow.
  B: I’ve got no interest in news.
  A: A real man should have his ear to the ground.
  B: News just is a trick played by politicians.
  A:茱丽,换电视频道,该看新闻了。
  B:别,这部电视剧刚到关键处。
  A:明天看重播吧。
  B:对新闻我没什么兴趣。
  A:一个男人应时刻关心时事。
  B:新闻只不过是政客们的把戏而已。
  
  2 have one’s eye on 看上、留意;想要
  注解:注意该语的介词搭配“on”,其后可跟人、物。原意为“留意看一眼”,亦可作get one’s eye on,引申为试图占有或想得到。此语中的one’s可用其他形容词来代替,诸如have (cast) an evil eye on someone(不怀好意地看人)。
  A: Pawl, I’ll be back from Shanghai next Monday. Do you want something?
  B: You, a lucky guy, are always on the business trip. payattention to your health during this week.
  A: How about that min-video? I know you have beenhaving your eye on it for long.
  B: Great, just you know what I want. I think it will be cheaper in Shanghai.
  A: OK, that’s settled then.
  B: Thanks. Call me when you’re back.
  A:保罗,我下星期一从上海回来,你要带些什么吗?
  B:你这个幸运的家伙老出差,注意一下身体。
  A:那个小VCD机怎么样?我知道你看上它好久了。
  B:好呀,还是你了解我。上海那边可能便宜些。
  A:一言为定。
  B:谢谢啦。回来后给我打电话。
  
  3. have to the last laugh 获得最后胜利
  注解:此语意为“看上去是失败,最后获得胜利,最后证明是正确的”。此语亦作 get the last laugh.
  A: You have the last laugh. Congratulations on your success!
  B: Thank you.
  A: I’m sorry for what I said before.
  B: You shouldn’t. It was your words that encouraged me to work harder.
  A: Do everything must have courage, right?
  B: Yeah. I still remember you said I was mad when I started work on this invention.
  A:你获得了最后的胜利。我对你的成功表示祝贺。
  B:谢谢你。
  A:我对以前说过的话表示歉意。
  B:不必,正是你的话激励我更加努力地工作。
  A:做任何事都要勇气,是吗?
  B:是呀。我还记得当我开始搞这项发明时,你曾说我疯了。
  4. heat wave 热浪,酷暑
  注解:此语指一年中最热的一段时间,且持续的时间较长。如:During the heat wave of 1988, the compilation work went on without cease.(1988年的酷暑,编撰
  工作仍在继续进行。)
  A: Summer is coming again.
  B: It’s good news. I like it. We can put on beautiful, colorful skirts again.
  A: But I don’t like it.
  B: Why? You can go shopping, go swimming, a nice season, and right?
  A: Yeah. Did you forget the heat wave of last summer? I was almost burned by the sun.
  B: It was abnormal. I think it won’t happen again.
  A:夏天又来了。
  B:真是个好消息。我喜欢夏天,又可以穿漂亮的花裙了。
  A:我可不喜欢。
  B:为什么?你可以去逛街、去游泳,难道不是一个很好的季节么?
  A:不是。你忘记了去年的酷暑了吗?我差点被太阳烤焦了。
  B:去年的天气是不正常的,我想今年不会再那样了。
  
  5. hedge about with 感情受到限制;感到不自由
  注解:“hedge”一词最基本的含义指“篱笆、树篱”,引申指“限制、障碍”等。在这里用作动词,字面含义为make a hedge around an area of land(用树篱或其他
  障碍物围住或隔开)。此词亦作hedge in/around/round with。转喻指感情时,则指“感情受到限制,感到不自由”。
  A: I hear you’re going to start your own business.
  B: Yeah. I’ve prepared for a whole year.
  A: But you’ll be hedged about with lots of rules and regulations.
  B: I know there will be various kinds of troublemakers.
  A: I wish you good luck!
  B: Thanks. I’m fully prepared, as long as our laws in effect.
  A:我听说你开始自己干了。
  B:对。我为此已准备一年了。
  A:但你会受到条条框框的限制。
  B:我知道会受到各种各样人的骚扰。
  A:祝你好运!
  B:谢谢。我已经做好充分准备,只要我们的法律有效就行。
  
  6. hem and haw嗯嗯呃呃,支支吾吾
  注解:hem为拟声词,指清嗓子时发出的轻咳声,haw则指踌躇、支吾时所发的“呃”声。此语亦作hum andhaw, um and aah.莎士比亚还曾用过hem and hawk,hem and ha, hum and ha等形式,都表示说话踌躇不决。
  A: Why do you talk with me hem and haw?
  B: I just don’t know how to say it.
  A: Oh, I see. Tell me the truth, ok?
  B: Right.
  A:你怎么和我说话支支吾吾的?
  B:我就是不知该怎么说。
  A:噢,我明白了。告诉我真相,好吗?
  B:好吧。
  
  7.hide one’s light under a bushel不露锋芒;过分谦逊
  注解:bushel是英美用来计量谷物、水果、蔬菜等的容量单位,也指容量为一蒲式耳的木制或泥制容器。此语出自《圣经•新约》《马太福音》第5章第14~15节耶稣在山上对门徒的训示即山上宝训(the Sermonon the Mount)中的一段话:“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”(你们是世上的光。城造在
  山上是不能隐藏的。人点灯,不放在斗底下,而放在灯台上,就能照亮一家的人)。此语亦作hide one’scandle under a bushel。
  A: The new clerk was a clever mathematician but was content to hide his light under a bushel.
  B: There are few people like him in this world now.
  A: Yeah, a lot of people believe that show themselves in every aspect is the truth of life.
  B: They think they will get the entire thing they want to in such way.
  A: But things always don’t go on as what we expected.
  A:这个新职员是个聪明的数学家,但他喜欢不露锋芒。
  B:这样的人现在太少了。
  A:对呀,大多数人都相信尽量展现自己的各个方面才是生活的真谛。
  B:他们觉得唯有这样才能得到自己想要的一切。
  A:但是事情往往并不像我们想的那样发展。
  
  8. hit below the belt暗箭中伤
  注解:hit below the belt源于拳击运动。根据“昆斯伯里侯爵规则”(the Marquis of Queensbury Rules):打击对手腰部以下部位即为犯规行动。Hit below the belt便喻指“犯规,暗箭伤人;玩卑鄙手段”。
  A: Why do you think of him that way?
  B: Because I have been conned by him several times.
  A: You mean he hit you below the belt?
  B: Yeah. He badmouthed me and stole the show.
  A:你为什么会那么想他?
  B:因为我吃过他几次亏了。
  A:你是说他暗箭伤人?
  B:是的。他说我的坏话,还排挤我以表现自己。

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