常见口语释疑(续)
1.I am fixing to go out
fix这个词在美国南方真的很常见,记得我第一次听到老外这么跟我说,是在我去宾馆接他的时候,我的直觉反应就是他正在修理什么东西,但实际上fix在这里的用法是正准备要出门的意思,也就相当于I am about to leave.
同样这句话,举一反三,用在其他场合:
I'm fixing to go to the cinema now.
Jack is fixing to go to the swimming pool.
The president is fixing to give a speech.
是不是很实用?
2.leave someone holding the bag
意思是“让人代为负责收尾”。从字面上看,他的意思是说留下某人收拾包裹,所以很形象的比喻为“让某人做收尾工作”。需要注意的是这个片语中hold始终使用的是ing形式。
例句:
After having had dinner, my girlfriend always leaves me holding the bag. I must sweep the floor and wash the dishes.
晚饭过后,我的女友总是让我做收尾工作。我必须拖地和洗碗。
3.She is a big gossip.
gossip指的就是八卦新闻,但它也可以拿来形容一个人很八卦。所以She is a big gossip.就是说她是个八卦夫人。
或是你也可以说,She is gossipy.按中文讲意思是她是一个广播电台。这种说法在美国倒是不常见,反而是有另一种说法和这个意思很接近——She is an information bureau. 她是一个情报局。
4.as plain as the nose on one's face
plain本来就有“简单清楚,明白朴素的”之意。所以从字面上看这个片语的意思就是“像某人脸上突起的鼻子一样清晰明白的”,当然这个意思就是我们常说的“很明显的”之意了,相当于it"s very clear that...
例句:
He is very nervous. That is as plain as the nose on his face, because he stands awkwardly in front of the microphone for several minutes and says nothing.
很显然地,他十分紧张,因为他在麦克风前局促不安地站了好几分钟而没有说一句话。