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中國有句俗話:常在河邊走,哪能不濕鞋。把鞋子弄濕可不是什么好事情,它比喻某些人抵制不了環(huán)境的誘惑而做出不正當(dāng)或者不正經(jīng)的勾當(dāng)。然而,在美國成語里,把腳弄濕卻是一件好事。比如,許多初學(xué)英語的人都因難為情而不敢開口。于是老師很可能會這么勸這些學(xué)生: "Jump in and get your feet wet. " Jump in and get your feet wet 這個(gè)俗語的意思就是:到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)習(xí)取得經(jīng)驗(yàn)。
例如:I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak English. But that's the best way to learn: when you meet an American, try a few words--jump in and get your feet wet.
我知道你們大多數(shù)人感到用英語來說話很不好意思。不過,當(dāng)你見到美國人時(shí),你不妨試著說一點(diǎn)。到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)是最好的辦法。
又如:I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance to jump in and get my feet wet.
我希望將來能夠到政界去工作,所以我現(xiàn)在在幫一個(gè)競選市長的候選人張貼宣傳標(biāo)語。我?guī)退鲞@些事是完全義務(wù)的,是沒有工資的。但是,這是到實(shí)踐中去得到一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)的好機(jī)會。
由 foot 組成的俗語在英文里實(shí)在不少,它們的意思有的是正面的,例如:to put one's best foot forward。這是指盡量給人一個(gè)好的印象。那么,有的人一開始就給人一個(gè)壞印象是怎么說的呢?You should say: to get off on the wrong foot。 To get off on the wrong foot,這是指某人一開始就沒給人一個(gè)好印象,或一開始由于某種行為而把事情弄糟了。
例如:When Joe went to his new job, he got off on the wrong foot--on the first morning he upset his new boss by arriving at the store two hours late. And right now he's out looking for a job again.
喬找到了一份新的工作,可是他剛開始到那家店里去上班時(shí)就給人一個(gè)壞印象。第一天上班他就晚到兩個(gè)小時(shí),讓他的老板好不高興?,F(xiàn)在他又在找工作了。
To get off on the wrong foot 這個(gè)俗語實(shí)際上可以適用于任何情況。例如:I finally got a date with that new girl in class but I sure got off on the wrong foot with her: I had car trouble and got to her place almost two hours late.
那天我終于和班上新來的那個(gè)女同學(xué)約好了出去玩??墒牵?dāng)天我的車出了問題,晚了兩個(gè)小時(shí)才去接她,所以我一開頭就把事情弄糟了。
有意無意做錯(cuò)事,說錯(cuò)話的情況是很經(jīng)常的。下面我們要講的一個(gè)俗語就是無意中說錯(cuò)了話而傷害了別人。這個(gè)俗語就是:to put your foot in your mouth。
例如:When Sally told that silly joke about the sailor with one leg she really put her foot in her mouth. She didn't know the man across the dinner table had a brother at home in a wheelchair.
薩莉吃晚飯時(shí)說了一個(gè)笑話,她拿一個(gè)只有一條腿的水手開玩笑。她可不知道坐在飯桌對面那個(gè)人的哥哥就是個(gè)殘廢,行動(dòng)都得靠輪椅。
Sally如果事后了解情況的話肯定會說:Well, I certainly have put my foot in my mouth.
又如:I certainly put my foot in my mouth at the party last night when I asked Mister Brown to say hello to his wife for me. Somehow I'd forgotten that his wife died six months ago.
我昨晚在那個(gè)聚會上無意中說錯(cuò)了話。我讓布朗先生替我向他的太太問好。不知怎么回事,我忘了他太太已經(jīng)在半年前去世了。 |
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