容易混淆的口语(1)
1.top banana 与go bananas :top banana 本指喜剧的主角( chief comic ),现在多半都指老板或上司( boss or supervisor )。
例如: He is a top banana in this corporation. (他是公司的老板。)
但是go bananas 系指激动、疯狂、神魂颠倒( wild, crazy or excited )( banana 要用复数。)
例如: The drugs ( marijuana ) have made him go bananas. (毒品大麻使他神魂颠倒。)
此外, to drive ( someone ) bananas (或 nuts )意思也是使人发狂,只是动词要用drive, banana 也要用复数。
例如: He has driven his wife bananas ( nuts ) . (他逼得他太太发疯。)
2. Thank goodness 与for goodness sake :
Thank goodness (或thank Heavens )是一种惊讶词。指本来预料会发生,但结果没有发生的一种惊喜。
例如: Thank goodness, the crime rate is declining. (谢天谢地,犯罪率在下降!)(本来大家以为犯罪率会上升!)
但是for goodness sake (或for Heavens sake )是指本来以为不会发生而结果发生所引起的意外惊讶。
例如, For goodness sake, he was chosen as our new leader. (啊呀!他竟
然当选我们的领导人)(本来大家都认为他不会被选上。)
然而,有时也有加强语气的味道。例如:
* For goodness sake, you should bring up your grades if you want to go to college !(假如你要上大学,你就应该提高成绩啊!)
此外,还有( My) goodness = Lo and behold 也有惊讶的意思。
例如: Oh !( my ) goodness, she has a baby boy again !(啊呀!她又生了一位男孩!)(本想生个女儿。)
至於Oh ! my God 是指不好的惊讶。
例如: Oh ! my God, two high school students killed more than ten people !(天哪!两位高中生杀死十几个人!)
(不过老外为避免用God ,现在多半Oh ! my gosh ( golly )代替。若系重大不幸事故,仍然用Oh ! my God 。)
3. close call 与too close to call :
close call 意思是「好危险」、「差点出事」、「吓一跳」( scary or frightening )。
例如: Two cars had a close call yesterday. (昨天两部汽车差点出车祸。)
但是, too close to call 多半是指选举或赛马时「太接近了」,在正式开票前,很难有胜负之分。( too close to predict who is the winner until official result is known )。
例如:The vote count is too close to call. (选票数字太靠近。)
4. backseat driver 与take a backseat :
backseat driver 是指喜欢指挥他人或乱为别人出主意的人( one who always likes to tell others what to do )。
例如: Mrs. Wang is a backseat driver. (王太太喜欢为他人乱出主意)。
但是take a backseat 意思是让别人作主,自己保持沉默。( let others do the job; keep low profile )。
例如:I am willing to take a backseat to his needs occasionally. (有时我愿意依他的需求不表意见。)
考考你们: talk shop 与talk sharp 又是什么个宜食? fofor, 你真是全才,英语学习你也能当版主了,佩服!
where,where
哪里哪里,英语不过是我的第三外语最初由 [ 加国无忧 ] 发布
fofor, 你真是全才,英语学习你也能当版主了,佩服! 再兼任一下如何? :D
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