美國習語:強迫做事，要價太高

為了幫助大家更好的學習英語。今天小編給大家?guī)砻绹曊Z，希望能夠幫助到大家，下面小編就和大家分享，來欣賞一下吧。

美國習語:強迫做事，要價太高

I didn't want to see that movie about Mozart, but my roommate twisted my arm. I'm glad he did -- it was a great show. My son has been twisting my arm to let him take my car out on a date ever since he got his driver's license. This weekend, I finally let him take it. And now it's in the body shop for a thousand dollars of repairs: he had an accident on the way to pick up his girlfriend. Don't go to that fancy new restaurant. The food isn't very good and they charge you an arm and a leg for it. Say, if you need a dentist, you might want to try my brother. He's fresh out of dental school and trying to set up a practice. He does good work, but he won't charge you an arm and a leg for it like most other dentists.

今天我們要講的兩個習慣用語是由 arm，也就是手臂和leg，也就是腿這兩個字組成的。我們要介紹的第一個詞匯是：To twist someone's arm。Twist是擰，用力扭轉(zhuǎn)的意思。一個人要是給別人把手臂擰到身后去那是很難受的。To twist someone's arm這個習慣用語的意思也正是如此，它是指給某人施加壓力，迫使他做你要他做的事。下面這個例子是一個學生說的話： 例句-1: "I didn't want to see that movie about Mozart, but my roomate twisted my arm. I'm glad he did -- it was a great show." 他說："我本來不想去看那個有關(guān)莫扎特的電影的。可是，我同房間的同學硬逼著要我去。不過，看了電影后我倒很高興，因為那個電影太好了。" 這個學生還算運氣，盡管他本來不愿意，可是結(jié)果還不錯。但是，被迫做的事往往會產(chǎn)生不愉快的結(jié)局。請聽下面這位爸爸說的話： 例句-2:"My son has been twisting my arm to let him take my car out on a date ever since he got his driver's license. This weekend, I finally let him take it. And now it's in the body shop for a thousand dallars of repairs: he had an accident on the way to pick up his girlfriend." 他說："自從我兒子拿到駕駛執(zhí)照以來，他一直鬧著要開我的車去赴約會。這個周末，我終于答應了。可是，他在去接女朋友的路上出了車禍，現(xiàn)在我的車正在車庫里修，要花一千美元呢。" 下面我們要講的一個俗語里既有 arm 也有 leg：To charge someone an arm and a leg。Charge就是要多少價錢的意思。任何東西要你付出一只手臂，還加上一條腿恐怕要價也太高了一點，很不值得。很明顯，to charge someone an arm and a leg的意思就是要價太高。下面這句話就是一個例子： 例句-3: "Don't go to that fancy new restaurant. The food isn't very good and they charge you an arm and a leg for it!" 這個人說："別上那個新開的高級飯館去。他們的菜并不好，而價錢倒貴得要命。" 在美國，一般人都很怕去看牙大夫。這不僅是為了怕痛，而是他們要價都很高，動一點小手術(shù)就是好幾百美元，有的甚至要幾千美元。下面這句話就反應了這個情況： 例句-4: "Say, if you need a dentist, you might want to try my brother. He's fresh out of dental school and trying to set up a practice. But he does good work, and he won't charge you an arm and a leg for it like most other dentists." 這個人說："喂，要是你想找牙大夫，你可以上我弟弟那里去試一下。他剛畢業(yè)，正在設(shè)法開業(yè)。可是，他技術(shù)很好，也不會像其他許多牙大夫那樣收費很高。" 現(xiàn)在我們來復習一下今天講的兩個習慣用語。 第一個是 to twist someone's arm，那是強迫某人做你要他做的事。 第二個是 to charge someone an arm and a leg，這是指要價太高。

美國習語:高度警覺，很忙

Every two weeks while the Congress is in session, I try to get back home to California to talk to the people. This doesn't give me much time to relax with my family, but I have to keep an ear to the ground and hear what voters are thinking about. I try to keep an ear to the ground and what I hear these days is that most people think we spend too much money on building roads and not enough on our schools. Half the people in my office are home sick, so I'm up to my ears. Gee, honey, you know I'd like to help you paint the kitchen tonight, but I'm up to my ears in paper work I had to bring home from the office. The mayor says that he didn't know people on his staff were taking bribes. But my guess is he's up to his ears in it.

大約一百五十年前，美國一些開荒的人逐步地到西部的荒野去開拓。這些拓荒者從當?shù)赜〉诎踩四抢飳W到了一個訣竅，那就是躺下身來把耳朵貼在地上，就可以聽到幾英里以外野獸奔跑的蹄聲。這對于那些拓荒者來說是非常重要的，因為他們聽到的蹄聲也許是印第安人騎著馬來攻打他們的馬群奔跑聲，也可能是幾千頭受驚的野牛正向他們奔馳而來。如果不及時躲避，他們會被這些野獸踐踏成泥的。現(xiàn)在，印第安人和野牛群的威脅已經(jīng)沒有了。可是，把耳朵貼在地上這個訣竅已經(jīng)成為一個俗語，在英文里也就是 to keep an ear to the ground。 To keep an ear to the ground，它的意思就是保持高度警覺，及早發(fā)現(xiàn)那些即將會發(fā)生的事情的預兆。比如說，一個精明的政客對選民的想法總是很警覺的，有時候，一些選民還沒有想到的事，他們倒已經(jīng)想到了。下面一位國會議員說的話正好說明了這一點： 例句-1:"Every two weeks while the Congress is in session, I try to get back home to California to talk to people. This doesn't give me much time to relax with my family, but I have to keep an ear to the ground and hear what voters are thinking about." 這位議員說："當國會舉行會議的時候我每兩個星期設(shè)法抽空回加州一次去和當?shù)氐娜诉M行交談。我沒有多少時間可以和家人在一起，但是我得及時了解選民的想法。" 下面我們再聽聽另外一個議員說的話： 例句-2:"I try to keep an ear to the ground and what I hear these days is that most people think we spend too much money on building roads and not enough on our schools." 這個議員說："我總是設(shè)法注意人們的想法。最近我聽說，大多數(shù)人認為我們在筑路方面花錢太多，而用在學校方面的錢卻不足。" 下面我們要講的一個習慣用語也是和耳朵，也就是ear有關(guān)的。它是 up to one's ears。 Up to one's ears有好幾個意思。首先，它可以解釋成"很忙"的意思。比如說： 例句-3: "Half the people in my office are home sick, so I'm up to my ears!" 這個人說："我辦公室里有一半的人有病請假，所以我簡直忙得不得了。" 下面這個例子是一個丈夫為了逃避到廚房去幫他太太的忙正在找借口： 例句-4:"Gee, honey, you know I'd like to help you paint the kitchen tonight, but I'm up to my ears in paper work I had to bring home from the office. " 這個丈夫說："親愛的，你知道我很愿意今晚幫你把廚房上油漆。可是我從辦公室?guī)Щ貋砗眯┮龅氖隆?quot; Up to one's ears這個習慣用語在下面這句句子里的意思就不同了： 例句-5:"The mayor says he didn't know people on his staff were taking bribes. But my guess is he's up to his ears in it." 這句話的意思是："市長說他不知道他手下的工作人員接受賄賂。可是，我猜想他完全是介入這些事的。" 今天我們講了兩個習慣用語，第一個是 to keep an ear to the ground，意思是保持高度警覺。另一個是 up to one's ears，這是指很忙，或者是完全介入某件事的意思。

美國習語:美國派，燙山芋

So many Asian restaurants have opened up in Washington that a writer on a daily paper here jokes that dim sum, Japanese sushi and Vietnamese spring rolls have become as American as apple pie. Football and baseball are as American as apple pie.These two games were invented by Americans and they're played and watched everywhere in this country. Many people sit glued to their TV sets whenever there are major competitions. The question of whether to raise taxes to cut the budget deficit is a real hot potato for a lot of politicians. If I were you, I'd drop that client like a hot potato; he's always suing somebody for something, but he usually loses and doesn't pay his lawyer's bills.

as American as apple pie hot potato 美國人很喜歡吃 apple pie。 Apple pie是一種用烤箱制作的甜點心，它的外面是一層面粉，里面是用蘋果做的餡兒。中文有時把 apple pie翻成"蘋果排"。美國人喜愛吃 apple pie 是他們剛從歐洲移居到美洲來以后就開始了。每個家庭主婦都經(jīng)常做蘋果排。為了說明 apple pie 是美國生活的一個特點，人們常說: "As American as apple pie." 這句話的意思是：就像蘋果排一樣具有美國特色。下面就是一個例子： "So many Asian restaurants have opened up in Washington that a writer on a daily paper here jokes that dim sum, Japanese sushi and Vietnamese spring rolls have become as American as applie pie." 這句話的意思是："華盛頓開了那末多亞洲飯館，一家報紙的記者開玩笑地說，廣東點心、日本生魚片加飯團和越南春卷都已經(jīng)變成像蘋果排一樣的美國食品了。" 美國人和其他各民族一樣具有很多特色。除了愛吃applie pie以外，美國人有一個很突出的特點就是，他們非常喜愛運動，特別是球賽。許多大學都愿意錄取好的運動員，給他們獎學金，但是他們得在念書的同時花好多時間練球，參加比賽，為學校爭光。美國人喜愛球賽是有歷史根源的，因為有些球類運動都是起源于美國。下面這個例子就說明了這一點： "Football and baseball are as American as apple pie.These two games were invented by Americans and played and watched everywhere in this country. Many people sit glue to their TV sets whenever there are major competitions." 他說："橄欖球和棒球是美國式的運動，因為它們是美國人發(fā)明的，全國各地都有人打這種球或看這類球賽。每當有重大比賽時，許多人就坐在電視機前不肯動了。" 美國人也很喜歡吃土豆，特別是剛從烤箱里拿出來的一個個熱氣騰騰的土豆。下面我們要介紹的一個俗語是: hot potato。大家都知道 hot 的意思是熱或燙。 Potato就是土豆。熱的土豆固然好吃，但是它會燙你的手，你會想法馬上甩掉的。 Hot potato作為俗語，它的意思就是一個爭論很激烈的問題，沒有一個人愿意為它承擔責任。例如： "The question of whether to raise taxes to cut the budget deficit is a real hot potato for a lot of politicians." 這個人說："是否用增加稅收的方法來減少預算赤字的問題對于許多政客來說是一個棘手的問題。" 下面這個例子是一位律師在給另一位律師提供建議： "If I were you, I'd drop that client like a hot potato; he's always suing somebody for something, but he usually loses and he doesn't pay his lawyer's bills." 這個律師說："要是我是你的話，我就把你那個顧客馬上甩掉。他老是為了什么事去告別人，可是他總是輸給別人，他還往往不付律師費。" 今天我們講了兩個和美國人的特色有關(guān)的俗語。第一個是 as American as apple pie，這個俗語的意思是：和蘋果排一樣具有美國特色。我們講的第二個俗語是 hot potato，hot potato是指難解決的問題。

美國習語: 胡說，回扣

Honey, the old man told me what a great job I'm doing and how I am so valuable to the company. But he said the company isn't making enough money right now to give anybody a raise, he thinks he may be able to do something about it a year from now. But I'm afraid all he gave me was a lot of baloney. Baloney ! That's all it is when my opponent keeps saying that my voting record always favors big business over the average citizen. Let me say it again: that's nothing but baloney ! John Doe, the former head of the City Public Works Department, went on trial today in the district court. He is charged with taking a 50,000-dollar kickback from the Blank Construction Company after giving them a 3 million dollars contract to repair the city streets. We thought our congressman was a sure bet to be re-elected. But he's in real trouble -- his opponent charges him with getting kickbacks for voting a certain way and seems to have some evidence to prove it.

baloney kickback 各位肯定碰到過那種會胡說八道的人，他們不是說謊，就是在形容某些事物的時候夸大其詞。美國人在日常談話中有好幾種說法是指那些胡言亂語的。今天我們先給大家介紹一個經(jīng)常能聽到的說法：baloney。Baloney這個字是來自意大利地名Bologna，那里出一種很便宜的香腸，里面放的是一些質(zhì)量不太好的肉末。Bologna是怎么變成baloney的，這就不太清楚了。可是，人們逐漸用baloney這個字來形容某些人說的話一錢不值。比如說，有一個叫瓊斯的人向老板提出要求加工資。老板說了些好聽的話就把他打發(fā)走了。回到家里，當瓊斯太太問起這件事時，瓊斯說： "Honey, the old man told me what a great job I'm doing and how I am so valuable to the company. But he said the company isn't making enough money right now to give anybody a raise, he thinks he may be able to do something about it a year from now. But I'm afraid all he gave me was a lot of baloney." 瓊斯對他太太說："親愛的，那老頭說我工作做得如何好，我對公司來說又是如何重要。但是，他說，當前公司沒有足夠的收入來給任何人加工資。他說明年他也許能想辦法給我加工資。不過，他說的那些話恐怕多半都是空話。" 政客們在競選的時候經(jīng)常會遭到對方的攻擊，他們也經(jīng)常用baloney這個字來回擊對方。例如，一個參加競選的議員看到對方在電視和報上指責他和一些大企業(yè)的關(guān)系太密切。然后，他就在記者會上說： "Baloney ! That's all it is when my opponent keeps saying that my voting record always favors big business over the average citizen. Let me say it again: that's nothing but baloney !" 這個議員說："胡說!我的對立面說我在投票時老是從大企業(yè)的利益出發(fā)，而不考慮一般老百姓。讓我再重復一遍：他們的這些話純屬一派胡言。" 可是，在現(xiàn)實生活中我們也確實看到有的政客老是維護有錢人的利益，有的還甚至接受賄賂。美國人把那些政府官員接受的賄賂稱為：kickback。政府官員接受賄賂是違反美國聯(lián)邦、州和其他地方法律的，可能會受到嚴厲的懲罰。請聽一位之聲記者廣播的一則新聞： "John Doe, the former head of the City Public Works Department, went on trial today in the district court. He is charged with taking a 50,000-dollar kickback from the Blank Construction Company after giving them a 3 million dollars contract to repair the city streets." 這句話的意思是："以前市政工程部的頭頭約翰多伊今天在地區(qū)法院受審。他的罪名是接受布蘭克建筑公司給他的五萬美元賄賂，以換取他給該公司一項價值三百萬美元修理街道的合同。" 下面是一個選民在講他們地區(qū)的一位議員： "We thought our congressman was a sure bet to be re-elected. But he's in real trouble--his opponent charges him with getting kickbacks for voting a certain way and seems to have some evidence to prove it." 他說："大家都以為我們的議員肯定會再次當選的，但是他現(xiàn)在可碰到麻煩事了，他的對手指責他在對某項提案進行投票方面接受賄賂，而且他們好像還有證據(jù)。" 今天我們講了兩個美國人常用的俗語，它們是：baloney和kickback。Baloney是指胡說八道，kickback是指官員接受賄賂。

美國習語:辦事容易，容易辦事

Getting grandmother to loan me the money was as easy as taking candy from a baby. Louey told us that robbing this bank would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. But somebody told the police and they were waiting for us. We had no choice but to throw down our guns and surrender. Honey, I finally asked Old Man Jones for my raise. And it was a piece of cake. At the briefing before we took off to bomb the Germans, our commander told us it would probably be a tough flight. But it turned out to be a piece of cake: no anti-aircraft fire and no enemy fighters.

一般人在做任何事情的時候總是想找捷徑，越容易越好，這似乎是人的本性。因此，在英語里有不少成語和俗語是形容辦事很容易的。其中之一就是：To take candy from a baby。Candy就是吃的糖，baby在中文里就是小孩。To take candy from a baby的意思就是：某件事情很容易辦成，就像把孩子手里的糖拿來一樣。請聽下面這個例子： 例句-1: "Getting grandmother to loan me the money was as easy as taking candy from a baby." 這個人說："要我祖母借我那筆錢那簡直是太容易了。" 我們再來舉一個例子吧。這是一個被關(guān)在監(jiān)獄里的犯人在和牢房里另一個犯人說話： 例句-2: "Louey told us that robbing this bank would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. But somebody told the police and they were waiting for us. We had no choice but to throw down our guns and surrender." 這個犯人說："洛伊對我們說，要搶那個銀行簡直太容易了。可是，不知誰去報告了警察。到我們?nèi)屻y行時，警察在那里等著我們。我們沒辦法，只好放下槍投降。" To take candy from a baby，欺負小孩，從小孩手里拿糖，在想象當中是很容易的。但是，實際情況恐怕并不見得如此。發(fā)明這個成語的人也許從來也沒有設(shè)法把嬰兒的小拳頭扒開，然后把那小手里的糖拿來。任何做過父母的人都會告訴你孩子一般都會緊握著手里的糖不放，要是你硬是要拿，他就會大聲哭叫。可是，盡管如此，to take candy from a baby已經(jīng)成為美國人經(jīng)常用來形容辦事容易的詞匯了。 另外一個形容事情很容易辦的俗語也是和食品有聯(lián)系的，這就是：A piece of cake。Piece 是指一片，或一塊;cake就是蛋糕。A piece of cake的意思當然可以是指一塊蛋糕。可是，作為俗語，它的意思就成了：這件事太容易了。例如，一個工作人員，猶豫了好久，最后終于鼓足了勇氣去和老板提出增加工資的要求。他原來以為要和老板進行一番爭論。可是，出乎他的意料，老板馬上同意了，還說，他確實應該增加工資了。這樣，他喜笑顏開地回到家里對太太說： 例句-3: "Honey, I finally asked Old Man Jones for my raise. And it was a piece of cake!" 他說："親愛的，我終于對老瓊斯提了要求增加工資的事。我沒有費吹灰之力他一口答應了。" 首先使用 A piece of cake 這個俗語的是二次世界大戰(zhàn)期間聯(lián)軍的飛行員。那時，他們往往是這樣說的： 例句-4: "At the briefing before we took off to bomb the Germans, our commander told us it would probably be a tough flight. But it turned out to be a piece of cake: no anti-aircraft fire and no enemy fighters." 這句話的意思是："在我們起飛去轟炸德國人之前舉行的情況介紹會上，我們的司令官告訴我們這次飛行任務可能很艱巨。但是，結(jié)果倒是非常容易，既沒有高射炮射擊，也沒有敵機來干擾。" 上面我們講了兩個形容事情很容易辦的俗語。一個是To take candy from a baby;第二個俗語是A piece of cake。

美國習語:強迫做事，要價太高相關(guān)文章：

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