英语常用口头禅(二)

7. That sucks ！这是美国年轻人对不好的事情表示不欢迎、不同意或不要。 (something is bad; a sign of unwelcome, disapproval or unwanted)
　 suck 这个字，通常只指事物，不指人。主词  that 也可以用  it 或  this 代替。假如人家没把事情做好，就可以说：  

When he could not finish his assignment, he said to me, “ It sucks! ”  
这句「口头禅」，主词通常只用第三人称单数，动词也只用现在简单式。 (suck 是动词，是令人讨厌的意思） (sucker 则是指容易受骗的人）  

8. It's neat ！这也是年轻人的一种表达方式（ a form of expression ）意思是：「很棒！」「不错！」「满有意思的！」也就是： good, fine or interesting 的意思。如果从云霄飞车下来，觉得很棒，就可以说：  

After I came out from the roller coaster, I said, “ That was neat!"
It will be neat to see you again! ( 再见你，该多好！ )
所以主词  it ，也可用  that 或  this 代替，动词也能用其他的时态。不过，这句「口头禅」多半是用单数，是指事物，而且用在肯定句。假如说：  

You are neat. 则是指你的外表很整齐，或你是一位有条理的人。 (refer to a person's appearance; a well-organized person)
以上青年人所用的口头禅，往往因不同学校或地区，意义也有差异，有时也会随著时光而逐渐淡化。  

9. 下面再谈些一般人的口头禅：  

Don't play me ！意思是：不要把我当傻瓜看待，或不要愚弄我。（ don't treat me like a fool; don't take me for a fool; don't make a fool of me ！）也就是表示一种吩咐或告示 (a form of instruction) 。 Play 後面，也可用其他人称代名词  (him, her,them,us 等 ) ，动词也可用其他时态。  

但是如果说：「 stop play me ！」是指人家玩弄你的行为已在进行  (action already going on) ，你要对方停止玩弄。但是「 don't play me 」是指玩弄的行动还未开始，只是预先向对方发出「警告」而已。所以可以说：  

He will play me if I am not careful.

10. Count your blessings ！意思是说，对你现在所有的一切，要有感恩之心；不可身在福中不知福；要满足。 (to be thankful for what you have) 所以遇到有人常常埋怨，你就可以说：  

Count your blessings ！  (blessings 要用多数 ) 或  
We all should count blessings for what we have. 或  
I should count my blessings for a happy family.

或者说：  
Mr. Chen should not complain too much; he needs to count his blessings ！ ( 陈先生不要有太多的埋怨；他应该有感恩之心，知足常乐。 )

11. You are in for a treat ：这句「口头禅」的意思是：我预先知道你将有美好的事情发生。 (I know in advance that something good will happen to you.) (treat 就是指  something good ；而且说话的人必须预知  something good will happen) 主词可用其他的人称代名词，我们可以说：  

He is in for a treat because I know he will be receiving a promotion. （我知道他将有升级的好消息）  
The students are in for a treat today because a VIP will be guest speaker in their school.
但是「 for a treat 」，有时也指「应得的报酬」，要看上下文的意义而定。如果说：  

We are due for a treat because we have been working very hard. ( 我们工作很努力，应该有些酬报了。 )
不过这句口语，通常不用在否定句，所以不说： You are not in for a treat.

12. If the shoe fits 意思是说，假如你觉得这件事适合你，你就去试吧！本来後面跟著「 wear it 」，但通常都省去。  ( 照字面说：如果鞋子适合的话，就穿吧！ ) 也就是说： If something is suitable for you, go ahead and pursue it. (shoe 通常只用单数，而且动词用现在简单式第三人称後加  s) 我们可以说：  

If she insists on becoming a movie star, I will tell her, “ If the shoe fits! ” ( 假如她坚持要当影星，我会告诉她：只要你觉得适合，你就去试试吧！ )
When my friend told me he would take a jungle adventure, I said, “ Well, if the shoe fits! ” ( 当我朋友告诉我他要去作丛林地区的探险，我说，「只要你认为适合你，你就去试吧！」 )

13. Poor me ！这句口头禅，有点「自我怜悯」的味道  (self-pity) ，为了取得别人的同情  (try to get sympathy from others) 似乎在对别人说：「我好可怜啊！」「我好惨啊！」所以可以说：  

Poor me, I have to pay another 20,000 dollars! ( 好惨啊！我还要再付两万元！ )
Poor me, my sweetheart will leave me for her new boyfriend. ( 真可怜！我的心肝宝贝要离开我，去找她的新男友了。 )
Poor me, I have to put up all night with my cranky baby. ( 真惨，我要整个晚上忍受吵吵闹闹的婴孩！ )
当然，也可以说：  

Poor Mr. Chen, he had to get two jobs in order to pay the mortgage. ( 陈先生真惨，为了付房子贷款，他要干两个工作。 )
注意： I am poor. 是我没有钱。与  poor me 意义不同。  

14. Has the cat got your tongue ？这是指一个人不吭声，或因紧张，一时不知该说什么。也就是「你为什　不吭声呢？」 (One can not think what to say or one's mind goes blank at a particular time) 所以美国人有时会问：  

What is the matter? Has the cat got your tongue? ( 你不吭声，怎么回事？ )
At the meeting, has the cat got his tongue ？ ( 开会时，他怎么不吭声？ )
(tongue 的前面可用其他人称代名词  (his, her, their 等 ) 但「 cat 」和「 tongue 」通常只用单数。同时，动词也可用其他不同的  tense) 。  

所以可以说：  
Will the cat get your tongue before your speech ？ ( 在你演讲前，你会因为紧张而不知该说些什么吗？ )
You did not say anything this morning ； was the cat getting your tongue ？

微硬

强烈建议这位游客朋友注册一下主持英语学习坛子  :p