The devil wears Prada 《时尚女魔头》(四)
Andy: Hi.
Nigel: Hi. All right. Turn around, darling.
Andy: Oh, I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. The piece is called "urban jungle", right?
Nigel: Yes, the modern woman unleashes the animal within to take on the big city. Good. Go. Sometimes I can't believe I talk about this crap all day. Bobby, come here.
Andy: Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Nigel: Let me see. Make sure Miranda gets these as soon as possible.
Andy: Mm-hmm.
Nigel: And tell her I switched in the Dior for the Rocha.
Andy: Oh, great. Can't wait.
Nigel: Excuse me. Can we adjust the attitude?
Andy: I'm sorry.
Nigel: Don't make me feed you to one of the models.
Andy: Sorry. It's a busy day. My personal life is hanging by a thread, that's all.
Nigel: Oh, join the club. That's what happens when you start doing well at work, darling. Let me know when your whole life goes up in smoke. That means it's time for a promotion.
妙语佳句,活学活用
1. Take on
Take on 常用的意思有下面几种:
1) Undertake or begin to deal with,例如:I took on new responsibilities.
2) Hire, engage,例如:We take on extra workers during the busy season.
3) Oppose in competition,例如:This young wrestler was willing to take on all comers.
4) Acquire as, or as if, one's own, 例如:He took on the look of a prosperous banker.
5) Display strong emotion, 例如:Don't take on so.
在本段中,take on使用的是第三种意思,意思是"这套时装设计是表示现代女性们用野性来对抗城市的禁锢"。
2. Hang by a thread
这个片语也写作hang by a hair,意思是"depend on a small thing or be at risk",例如:
His life now hangs by a thread. 他命悬一线。
这个表达来自一个关于Damocles的传说。Damocles是Syracuse国王Dionysius的一个大臣。国王厌烦了Damocles的阿谀奉承,邀请他前来赴宴,并让他坐在仅用一根头发悬吊的利剑下面,来警示他所处地位的危险。Damocles' sword 也成为一个表达,表示"即将到来的危险",例如:The likelihood of lay-offs has been a sword of Damocles over the department for months. 部门可能要裁员的消息让这几个月来每个人都提心吊胆。
3. go up in smoke
想象一下,如果一个东西go up in smoke 会怎么样呢?这个东西就被完全毁坏了。Go up in smoke 的意思就是"To be utterly destroyed (by fire)",它既指某物被火完全毁坏,例如:The whole house went up in smoke. 也可以引申为"某事被彻底破坏",例如:All his plans have gone up in smoke.
这个表达也写做go up in flames。