课堂里学不到的英语

2007/01/27 08:34 ..by zhanghongbiao

straight
女同性恋是lesbian，至于gay是男女通用；除了同性恋还有双性恋bisexual，而当说某人straight的时候，则意指那人“既不是同性恋也不是双性恋”。在现今，为普通人找出一个形容词是非常必要的。如果你想说“坦诚”，不妨用frank。表达自己直话直说可用 to be straight, 这不会出错。

A: I find Lily's too sticky. It's not easy to go along with her.
B: Think about her good things. At least, she's open and frank. To be straight, she's good enough for you.
A: OK, I'll try to understand her more.

sweet teeth
这仅仅表示喜欢吃甜食的意思。另外有词组 by the skin of one's teeth,形容死里逃生，虎口脱险。
很多英文的词组和短语都是来自于西方经典《圣经》。“By the skin of my teeth”就是出自《圣经》中的《约伯记》。犹太人约伯在受到上帝的百般非难之后说道: “My bone cleaveth to my skin, and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth”（直译：我的皮肉贴着骨头，我同牙齿的皮肤一起逃了出来。）
今天的一种理解是：“the skin of the teeth”指的是牙齿表层的牙釉质。可怜的约伯用了一个形象的比喻：他的逃生空间就像是牙釉质那样薄薄的一层。自此以后，“by the skin of one's teeth”就被用来表示涉险逃生的意思。
同样的道理，“narrow escape”也是这个意思。例如：Smith had a narrow escape from drowning when he fell overboard. （史密斯从船上掉下来，险些淹死。）“narrow escape”同中文里的“一线生机，幸免于难”颇有几分神似。

A: Wanna have another piece of cake?
B: Yes. I'd like to. You know, I've got sweet teeth.
A: How come you are not gaining weight.
B: Because I exercise everyday and don't have the habit of engorgement.

take it from me
意思是“相信我”。

A: Bob asked me to lend him another $500, what should I do?
B: Has he returned you the $500 he borrowed last month?
A: No. And I'm also short of money now.
B: Take it from me. He isn't a man enough.
A: Actually I shouldn't have lent him money at all.
B: As Shakespeare says: Don't borrow money and nor a lender be.

take place
有些动词搭配比较特殊。如“发生变化”的英语表达是\"changes take place",但是在造句的时候其主语只能是动态的内容，而不能是静态的。应该注意固定短语对语境的要求。

A: Many changes have taken place in your university.
B: I'm proud of being a student there.
A: And how about yourselves?
B: Of course we also have changed quite a lot.(不能用take place)

take the cake
这条成语的含义是“遭遇最坏的结果，彻底失败”。

A: Word has it that Peter's band played in the concert the other day.
B: That's true.
A: It must be a great success then.
B: On the contrary, they took the cake.
A: That really surprises me, because I used to regard them as one of the best.
B: Yes, but I heard that they didn't go through serious rehearsal.

tell off
其意思是scold或者rebuke，也就是斥责或者责骂的意思。

A: I heard Bob called your fellow man Yang stupid, why?
B: Maybe he knew that Yang didn't do quite well in this term exam.
A: I think he needs somebody to tell him off.
B: I agree with you. But will that be useful?

tell tales out of school
意思是“搬弄是非，讲别人的坏话”，比如说：Those who tell tales out of school won't make true friends. 如果想要表示“在放学后讲故事”，应该说 tell tales out of the school.

A: I don't like Mike. He's always telling stories out of school.
B: Neither do I. I just can't make out why people are so fond of gossips.
A: That's the way things are. And you can't do anything about it.

ten-foot pole
这是英语中常用的一种说法，意思是“即使手里有根10英尺长的棍子，我也决不碰一下。”一般用来形容面前的东西十分恶心。

A: What's that over there?
B: I just saw some foreigners passing over there, and leaving all those garbage.
A: Oh, so disgusting. I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole!
B: Neither would I.

That's OK.
这个句子在英语口语中恰好是拒绝别人的意思，相当于“我很好，用不着”。还有一个常见句型就是 It's OK, 意思是“没什么，没关系”。而表示“好，同意”则简单地用OK就可以了。

A: You may have a taste of the apple pie make by myself.
B: I'd like to.
A: Would you like something to drink?
B: OK. Yes, please. （如果不要，就用 That's OK.）

the last straw
这个此其实意味着超过负担限度的事情，或是能使灾祸终于发生的细小事情。可以设想如果在一匹马身负重荷的时候，即便只是在马背上再放一根稻草，马也会受不了而倒下来。

A: I heard that Susan committed suicide for she failed in that interview. Can you believe that?
B: The interview maybe is not important. Since she always had heavy burdens on her mind, the interview was just her last straw.
A: Poor Susan. We could have cared her more.

the third arm/wheel
这是英语口语中常用的习惯用法，意思是当电灯泡。

A: What's your plan for this weekend?
B: I will go skiing with my boyfriend. You won't be the third arm this time, will you?
A: All right! Have a good time!
B: Come on. Go and see if Karen is free this weekend.

They are being friendly.
意为“他们装得很大方”。应注意语法中的“进行体”，不表示开始也不表示结束，由此引申为“暂时、不稳定”，进而“不真实”的意思。

A: Nagel. Didn't you come to borrow Genda's notebook? Have you got it?
B: No. She said some nice words but won't lend me her notebook. She was just being friendly to others.
A: So that explains why she hasn't any close friends though she's seemingly nice to everyone.