|
學英語要敢於開口。最近,我開始練習口語,才兩三個星期的時間,同事見我說了一句「how are you?」就吃驚道「your English is excellent!」,這真讓我下不了台,我不得不認為他是在以花言巧語討好我了。這裡「以花言巧語討好某人」可以用butter someone up來表示,所以我說了句
I wish you'd stop trying to butter me up.
(我希望你不要再恭維我了。)
butter someone up意思是就是我們常說的「阿諛奉承,巴結討好」的意思,butter本意是指「黃油,奶油」,在漢語中我們不是常用某人嘴上像抹了油一樣來形容一個人很圓滑,很會拍馬屁嗎?
Don't praise Westerners too highly when we compliment them. Otherwise, they may think you're just buttering them up!
(當我們稱讚西方人時不要把他們捧過頭,否則,他們會認為你只是在奉承。)
英語中的許多詞是隨著時代的發展在不斷的發展著的。大家都知道come across的意思是偶然碰見即to run into; to find unexpectedly例如On my way home, I came across an interesting new bookstore.我在回家途中,偶爾發現了一家有趣的新書店。可是今天看到一句話,卻不能這樣解釋。
Your speech came across very well, everyone understands your opinion now.
(譯文:你的演講效果很好,每個人現在都能理解你的觀點。)
句中come across被譯為產生了好的效果。如果要使一個演講產生好的效果,那麼演講者的觀點必須被聽眾理解,所以這個詞在這裡含有「講得很清楚,能被理解」的意思,即be understood.再一個例子:
We all enjoy receiving compliments. But sometimes compliments don't come across the way they're meant---especially between people from different cultures.
(我們都喜歡受人稱讚。但有時讚美之辭不會被理解,尤其是在來自不同文化背景的人之間)
在這個句子中come across就被直接翻譯為「被理解」其實這個意思也是從「相遇,偶遇」演變而來的。就拿上面這個例子來說吧,當有適當的方法使「讚美」(compliments)與「它本來要表達的意思」(the way they're meant)相遇時,「讚美」就會被正確的理解。
I was just joking. But my joke came across as an insult and now Bob's mad at me!
(我只是開個玩笑,但我的開玩笑被理解為侮辱,現在Bob正對我怒氣衝天呢!)
結束語:現在總結一下我們這一講的內容。Butter someone up就是指我們常說的「以花言巧語討好某人,巴結奉承」的意思。Come across除了有「偶然相遇」的意思外,還有一個特別的意思「很清楚,能被理解」,注意這裡這個詞已經包含有被動的意思了,所以在句子不能再次使用被動語態。
accumulate a little a day
everyday you'd better accumulate some knowledge and make full use of it.You will find the level of your English will be better than before and the success will come near around you.
1.to get on : (to enter, board)
【說明:】to get on(搭乘,上車) 動詞get的用法很多,常常在後面接用各種不同的介系詞
或副詞而形成意義不同的習語。這裡的on是介系詞,後面的bus和subway用作它的受詞。如果
on作副詞用,則有進步,相處甚好,與年事已長的意思。
【例:】
(1) I always get on the bus at 34th Street.
我總是在34街搭乘公共汽車。
(2) William gets on the subway at the same station every morning.
威廉每天早晨在同一車站搭乘地下火車。
2.to get off : (to leave, descend from)
【說明:】to get off (下車)與上面的get on相反。Get off也有好些其它的意義,如寄出
,離開等。下車也可以用alight from或get out of a carriage或motor car, 不過下電車或
公共汽車多用get off .
【例:】
(1) Helen got off the bus at 42nd Street.
海倫在42街下公共汽車。
(2) At what station do you usually get off the subway?
你通常在那一站下地下火車?
3.to put on: (to place on oneself-said particularly of clothes)
【說明:】 to put on (穿,戴)特別指穿衣服、穿鞋、戴帽、戴眼鏡也用這個成語。英文中
還有wear和dress二字也是穿的意思。可是wear是繼續的動作,表示穿著的狀態,而put on是
一時的動作。下面兩個句子都是錯的: I shall wear my overcoat before I go out (應用
put on). In such cold weather I put on my overcoat all day (應用wear).dress的意
思是 ①put clothes on後面的受詞一定是人,如dress a child, dress oneself, be dres
sed in white, ②put on clothes, vk Get up and dress quickly. (快點起來穿好衣服。
)
【例:】
(1) Mary put on her hat and left the room.
瑪麗戴上她的帽子就離開這屋子。
(2) Why is John putting on his hat and coat?
約翰為什麼穿衣戴帽呢?
4.to take off : (to remove-said also of clothes)
【說明:】to take off (脫去)與put on 的意義相反,指脫去衣物鞋帽.民可以用put off,
但較不通用。
【例:】
(1) John took off his hat as he entered the room.
約翰在這屋時脫下他的帽子。
(2) Is Helen taking off her coat because it is too warm in the room?
海倫是不是因為室內太暖和而脫去她的外衣呢?
5.to call up: (to telephone)
【說明:】to call up (打電話給……)後面一定要有受詞,也就是接電話的人。如果受詞是
代名詞的話,常插在call與up 之間。
【例:】
(1) I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday although I promised to call h
im up exactly at three o』clock.
我昨天忘記打電話給鍾斯先生,雖然我答應了在三點鐘的時候打電話給他的。
(2) Did anyone call me up while I was out?
我出去的時候有人打電話來找我嗎?
6.to turn on : (to start, begin)
【說明:】to turn on (扭開,打開)指扭開電燈,電爐,電扇,煤氣等的按鈕或開關,以及
自來水的水龍頭等而言。開電燈也可以用put on the light.
【例:】
(1) Please turn on the light. This room is dark.
請你扭開電燈,這房間太黑暗了。
(2) Someone turned on the radiator in this room while we were out.
我們外出時,有人把房內的電爐扭開了。
7.to turn off : (to stop, terminate extinguish)
【說明:】 to turn off (關閉,停止)指扭熄電燈,關閉無線電、自來水等。關燈也可以
用put out the light.
【例:】
(1) Please turn off the light. We do not need it now.
請把電燈關了,我們現在不需要它。
(2) Shall I turn off the radio or are you still listening to it?
我可以把收音機關掉嗎,你是不是還要收聽呢?
8.right away : (immediately, at once, very soon)
【說明:】right away(立刻,馬上)為美國口頭語,是副詞片語,沒有immediately與at
once正式。與right now (exactly now)的意思相近。
【例:】
(1) She says that dinner will be ready right away.
她說晚餐馬上就準備好了。
(2) Can William come to my office right away?
威廉能夠立刻就到我的辦公室來嗎?
9.to pick up : (to take-especially with fingers)
【說明:】to pick up (拾起,揀起)尤指用手指把東西拿起業而言。To pick up還有很多
其它的用法。如 ①讓人搭便車: The motorist picked up a couple of servicemen alon
g the highway (這個乘汽車的人在公路上讓兩個軍人搭乘便車。) ②聽會,自然學會,(
言語,遊戲等): He never studied French; what he knows he picked up while livin
g in France. (他從來沒有學過法文;他所知道的是他住在法國的時候聽會的。) ③捉住
,逮捕,萍水相逢便行訂交,選出: I picked up London lastnight. (昨晚我在無線電聽
到了倫敦的播音。)
【例:】
(1) John Picked up the newspaper which was on his desk.
約翰把書桌上的報紙拿了起來。
(2) Why didn』t you pick up that pencil which lay on the floor?
你為什麼不把地板上的那枝鉛筆拾起來呢?
10.at once: (immediately, very soon, right away)
【說明:】 at once (立刻,馬上)為一級通用的副詞片語,也可以作為同時(simultaneo
usly)解,如 This book is at once interesting and instructive. (此書既有趣又有益
。)
【例:】
(1) He asked me to come to his office at once.
他請我立刻就到他的辦公室去。
(2) I want you to send this telegram at once.
我希望你馬上把這電報發出去。 |
|