2020-03-27 18:25:00 英語週報
今天我們要講兩個和“耳朵”,也就是ear有關的成語。中國人經常說那些不聽勸告的人對別人的話總是"一個耳朵進一個耳朵出",把它們當作"耳邊風"。美國也有完全相同的說法:
It goes in one ear and out the other.
左耳進右耳出;耳旁風
例句1:
"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."
我早就告訴沙利不要那麼笨,去和那個人結婚。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賭錢。現在她後悔當初沒聽我的話,想要和他分手啦。
例句2:
"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."
"我告訴了你多少次上班要準時。可是,你對我的話老是一個耳朵進一個耳朵出。現在,我沒有辦法了,只好解僱你了。"
下面再講一個與ear相關的習慣用語
play by ear
隨機應變,見機行事
Play就是“玩”的意思。可是,play by ear的意思並不是"玩耳朵"。
這個詞彙的來源和音樂有關係。它原來指的是那些會彈鋼琴或某種樂器,但是卻不會看五線譜的人。每當他們要彈奏某個曲調時,他們只能憑著上一回聽到的記憶來彈。可是play by ear現在已經成為日常用語了,意思是做一件不是提前有計劃的,而是臨時決定的事情。
例句1:
"I haven't had a chance to prepare any notes so all I can do is start talking and play it by ear."
"我今天沒有什麼準備,所以就只好講到那兒就算那兒了。"
例句2:
"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."
"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。我們就瞧著辦吧!"
(內容選自VOA美國之音,僅供學習參考。)
審稿 | 李棟
校稿 | 呂放
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