 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
今天我们要学一个词组:up someone's sleeve。千万不要解释为"在谁的袖子上"。Up someone's sleeve是指某人的秘密。在报导美国国务卿秘密访问贝鲁特时,报纸说: "...if there were no secret visit up the Administration's sleeve ...." 意思是:要是当局不进行秘密访问,(那才是奇怪了...)。) o" p7 x1 W0 U6 X, g
2 O1 X# B+ m9 Y3 h- u人们不太喜欢那种什么事都要保密的人。People dislike those who often have something up their sleeve. 但是,一个妻子为丈夫举行生日聚会而事先不告诉他--The wife has something up her sleeve for his birthday party,这丈夫当然会非常高兴。今天我们学的一个词组是up someone's sleeve...5 L1 j6 I) V' I4 o
# T6 T, q9 j! T* ]3 t
Expansion
5 N1 p) q- g/ O2 F0 P# f
8 W$ r! m- ?1 N& E, l3 E( Zup someone's sleeve被解释成秘密,首先得是有什么东西被藏在袖子里了。这就让人想起中国旧式的长衫服式。长衫没口袋,穿长衫人有东西就只能往袖子里藏,所以秘密也就在袖子里了。所以这词对我们中国人来说不难理解。这个词组用来形容名词或动词都可以。上面的something up their sleeves(他们有什么东西藏着掖着)里,这一词组用来修饰名词;但在to laugh at someone up one's sleeve中,它就用来修饰动词了,比如: All the time he was laughing up his sleeve at them.=他一直在偷偷取笑他们。
8 R4 x6 C/ j/ ?! m! t& a0 B) N
6 l2 w7 t* X+ B2 z% F% b$ o% ^如up one's sleeve与名词card 、ace 、idea等连用,可以表示某人有其他人所没有的办法。请看例句:- j: u' i$ g* Y3 l4 Q
* f# v, J) S$ ]& d, ~
1。If all these methods would not work, I still have a card up my sleeve.=如果这些方法都不管用,那我还有别人都不知道的另一招(还有牌出)。
' h8 N7 n8 T; f8 q6 T+ M5 i$ ~( r2 p
2。 This casino has an ace up its sleeve. It will allow players to play from home and win prizes.=这家赌场有一(别人都还没有的)高招。它让玩家在家里(联网)就能玩并赢取大奖。
) v$ ~- P; v. W- J- U- H
" P( H* Y, z7 u3。If this plan doesn't work out I've still got a few ideas up my sleeve.=如果这一计划无法实现,我还有(别人还不知道的) 几个主意。
6 q2 E8 R+ K# m1 a
% F7 \& c: w. L* B9 _2 ~8 |另一个用到sleeve的词组是wear something on one's sleeve. 这on one's sleeve有表明心迹明确告示的意思,与up one's sleeve正好相反。比如:9 O, `8 I+ }( @% d
6 l+ w- X* ~6 u5 a7 s
1。Some people feel the need to wear their patriotism on their sleeve.=有些人总是觉得需要表明他们的爱国立场(把他们的爱国主义穿在他们的袖子上,以防别人不知道)。7 w. X2 _7 }, V1 @1 i* E& k* n
6 y7 v% H0 e g4 ]0 r f5 Y0 ]' A: T
2。 She always wears her heart on her sleeve, so there's no doubt who she'll be supporting.=她把她的观点及感情都已亮明,所以不需要怀疑她支持谁。当然,如果不愿意表明心迹,你也可以说: I just don't like to wear my heart on my sleeve on this issue.
9 L' M0 i9 U6 Y" G& L' _3 N! M4 X p3 P& i, y0 n8 ]) g' x6 r
在中国男女朋友之间为表明心迹要发重誓,经常会说"恨不得把心拿( 挖)出来给你看看"。在英语文化里,人们不仅把心拿出来,而且还别在袖子上。不仅仅在两情之间,在一些小事情上(如讨论议题、谁帮谁等等),也经常掏心窝子往衣袖上别。
+ g A j" E5 I# \3 Z, g! |5 m* b& H" X9 ?1 f: ]
最后还有个非常实用的关于sleeve的词组,叫roll up one's sleeves。大人批评小孩做事不认真时常会说: 干活就要有个干活的样。是啊,人要是耷拉个袖子还怎么干活! 必须要把袖子卷起来。英语文化中也同此理,因此roll up one's sleeves不仅仅是把真的袖子卷起来,而且还有准备好认真干活的意思。例句:$ ?8 g5 L8 L0 i2 u% k
. n' @1 j6 m( j1 W7 P5 @
When he saw how much snow had fallen he simply rolled up his sleeves and went to find the shovel.=当他看到下了这么多雪时,他立马卷起袖子找铁锹(来要铲雪)。2 t8 B5 W6 M" t: C
6 L$ ?' h# ~3 H/ Z8 `/ {* _' r0 E
注意: 这最后一个词组中,sleeves是复数,而前两个里都是单数。学外文必须学会观察那些中文里所没有的细节。 |
|