February 26, 2010

Useful English Idioms

Expressions you may want to know


今天來看看有關耳朵
ear 的成語。中國人經常說那些不聽勸告的人對别人的話總是一個耳朵進一個耳朵出,把它們當作耳邊風。美國也有相同的說法。他們是這樣說的: "It goes in one ear and out the other."

 

 

It goes in one ear and out the other.

下面是父親在談論他的女兒:

"I told Sally it was foolish to marry that man, but it went in one ear and out the other. Now she wishes she'd listened to me. He drinks and gambles and she wants to leave him."

爸爸說:我早就告訴莎莉不要那麼笨,去和那個人结婚。可是,對於我的話,她是一個耳朵進一個耳朵出。結了婚她才知道那人又喝酒又赌錢。現在她後悔當初沒聽我的話,想要和他分手啦。
 
下面是一個老板在對他的秘書說話:

"How many times have I told you to get to work on time. But my words just go in one ear and out the other. So I don't have any choice but to fire you."

他說:我告訴了你多少次上班要準時。可是,你對我的話老是左耳進右耳出。現在我沒有辦法只好開除你了。
 
下面來看也是跟耳朵有關的慣用語是:play by ear.

play by ear的意思並不是玩耳朵。這個說法的來源和音樂有關。它原來是指那些會彈鋼琴或某種樂器,但是卻看不懂五線譜的人。每當他們要彈奏某個曲調時,只需憑著上一次聽到的記憶來彈。可是play by ear現在已經成為日常用語了,意思是做一件事不事先有計畫的,而是看著辦、臨時決定。

to play by ear

下面的例子是臨時被邀請去演講,又沒有時間準備,這時你就可以對聽眾說:

"I haven't had a chance to prepare any notes so all I can do is start talking and play it by ear."  
意思是:我今天没有什麼準備,所以只好講到那就算那兒了。
 
下面一個例子是一個人在和朋友約會:

“I am not sure if my wife wants me to go shopping with her on Sunday. If she decides to go with her sister instead, then I can play tennis with you. Let's just play it by ear."

他說:我還不知道星期天我太太是否要我陪她去買東西。要是她決定和她姐姐一起出去,那我就能和你去打網球。我們就看着辦吧!”

 

 

接著是有關 foot feet 的慣用語

 

to stand on one's own two feet 獨立自主,依靠自己的意思

to throw oneself at someone's feet  公開表示對某人的爱慕之情,或是奉承、百般討

    好某人

to be swept off one's feet  被愛慕或討好的對象往往會突然感到非常興奮而不由自主

    地變得飘飘然起来。

 

例句:

Dick was so crazy about Jane that he threw himself at her feet. Jane was swept off her feet and they're getting married next Tuesday."

 

"Hal, I know how anxious you are to get married and start a family. But don't let yourself get swept off your feet by a pretty face: think about what you are doing before you get caught."

 

 

資料來源:美國之音中文網   voanews.com

整理:Josie Lai

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