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2024.05.19 00:36
第二部 第二课: to twist someone's arm , to charge someone an arm and a leg
- 我们首先来讲一个,由手臂这个字為主的习惯用语:“to twist someone's arm”,twist 是 “拧”、“用力扭转” 的意思.一个人要是给别人把手臂拧到身后去那是很难受的.To twist someone's arm 这个习惯用语的意思也正是如此,它就是指“给某人施加压力,迫使他做你要他做的事儿”.下面这个例子是一个学生说的话:
- I didn't want see that movie about Mozart, but my roommate twisted my arm. I'm glad he did -- it was a great show.
- 他说:“我本来不想去看那个有关莫扎特的电影的.可是,我同房间的同学硬逼着要我去.可是,看了电影以后我倒很高兴,因為那个电影太好了。”
- 这个学生还算运气,儘管他本来不愿意,可是结果还不错.但是,被迫做的事往往会產生一些不愉快的结局.请听下面这位爸爸说的话:
- My son has been twisting my arm to let him take my car out on a date ever since he got his driver's license. This weekend, I finally let him take it. And now it's in the body shop for a thousand dollars of repairs: he had an accident on the way to pick up his girlfriend.
- 他说:“自从我儿子拿到驾驶执照以来,他一直闹着要开我的车去赴约会.这个週末,我终於答应了.可是,他在去接女朋友的路上出了车祸,现在我的车正在车库裡修,要花我一千美元呢。”
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- 下面我们要讲的这个俗语裡既有 arm 也有 leg:“to charge someone an arm and a leg”,charge 就是 “要多少价钱” 的意思.任何东西要你付出一隻手臂,还要加上一条腿,恐怕要价也太高了一点儿,很不值得.很明显,to charge someone an arm and a leg 的意思就是 “要价太高”.下面这句话就是一个例子:
- Don't go to that fancy new restaurant. The food isn't very good and they charge you an arm and a leg for it!
- 这个人说:“别上那个新开的高级饭馆去,他们的菜并不好,而价钱倒贵得要命。”
- 在美国,一般人都很怕去看牙大夫.这不仅是為了怕疼,而是他们要价都很高,动一点点小手术就是好几百美元,有的甚至要几千块美元.下面这句话就反应了这个情况:
- Say, if you need a dentist, you might want to try my brother. He's fresh out of dental school and trying to set up a practice. He does good work, but he won't charge you an arm and a leg for it like most other dentists.
- 这个人说:“喂,要是你想找牙大夫,你可以上我弟弟那儿去试一下.他刚毕业,正在设法开业.可是,他技术很好,也不会像其他许多牙大夫那样收费很高。”