湖北大學(xué)附屬中學(xué)何苗/譯

“馬”的故事

湖北大學(xué)附屬中學(xué)何苗/譯

There are many expressions with the word“horse”.In the past,many people de原pended on horses for transportation,farming and other kinds of work.A lot of people still like to ride horses.And,horse racing is also popular.So it is not surprising that Ameri原cans still use expressions about the horse.So today,let’s startwith the word“horse”.

語(yǔ)言中有很多表達(dá)包含“馬”這個(gè)詞。過(guò)去，人們依靠馬作為交通、農(nóng)耕等的工具?，F(xiàn)在很多人也很喜歡騎馬。賽馬同樣也很流行。所以美國(guó)人現(xiàn)在還在用關(guān)于馬的短語(yǔ)一點(diǎn)也不奇怪。今天我們就來(lái)說(shuō)一說(shuō)“馬”這個(gè)詞。

Long ago,people who were rich or im原portant rode horses that were very tall.To原day,if a girl acts like she is better than ev原eryone else,you might say she should get off her high horse.

很久以前，非富即貴的人總騎著高頭大馬?，F(xiàn)在，如果一個(gè)女孩表現(xiàn)出認(rèn)為自己比別人都強(qiáng)的樣子，你會(huì)說(shuō)她不應(yīng)該趾高氣昂，藐視他人。

Yesterdaymy children wanted me to take them to the playground.But I had to finish my work,so I told them to hold their horses, and wait until I finish what I am doing.My two boys like to compete against each other and play in a (暴力的)way.Ialways tell them to stop horsing around or someone could get hurt or get a charley horse.

昨天我的孩子想讓我?guī)麄內(nèi)ビ螛?lè)場(chǎng)。但我必須完成工作，所以我就告訴他們?nèi)棠鸵幌?，等我做完了工作就去。我的兩個(gè)兒子喜歡相互競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，總是玩暴力的游戲。我總是叫他們停止胡鬧，不然會(huì)受傷或者肌肉抽筋。

We live in a small town.It does not have any exciting activities to offer visitors. My children call it a one-horse town.But thanks to the (小馬)express,people can getmore information from the world out原side.

我們住在一個(gè)鄉(xiāng)村小鎮(zhèn)上，那沒(méi)有供游客可玩的刺激游戲。孩子們管它叫落后的小鎮(zhèn)。但是多虧了郵遞服務(wù)，人們可以從外面的世界得知更多的消息。

Last night,I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite television show.I decided not to answer it because w ild horses could not (拖拽)me away from the television.There was nobody that could stop me from doingwhat Iwanted to do.

昨天晚上我正在看最喜歡的電視節(jié)目時(shí)電話響了。我決定不接，因?yàn)槭裁匆沧柚共涣宋铱措娨暋Ｕl(shuí)也不可以阻止我做我想做的事。

Sometimes you get information straight from the horse's mouth.It comes directly from the person who knows most about the subject and is the best source.Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow.You could say you got the in formation straight from the horse’s mouth. However,you would not want to call your teacher a horse!

有時(shí)，你會(huì)說(shuō)消息絕對(duì)可靠。它直接來(lái)自于最了解事情的那個(gè)人，是最可靠的。比如你的老師告訴你明天會(huì)有個(gè)考試，你可以說(shuō)這個(gè)消息絕對(duì)可靠。但無(wú)論如何你都不會(huì)想把自己的老師稱作一匹馬。

You may have heard this expression: You can lead a horse to water,but you cannot make him drink.That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does notwant to do.

你也許聽(tīng)到過(guò)這種表達(dá)：牽馬到河易，逼馬飲水難。這是指你可以給他人建議，但你不能強(qiáng)迫他人做他不想做的事。

Sometimes a person fights a battle that has been decided or keeps arguing a question that has been settled.We say this is like beating a dead horse.

有時(shí)一個(gè)人無(wú)謂地打架或是為已經(jīng)解決的問(wèn)題辯論，我們可以說(shuō)這是在炒冷飯，白費(fèi)精力。

In politics,a dark-horse(候選人)is someone who is not well known to the public.Sometimes,a dark horse unex原pectedly wins an(選舉)so that you pick the w rong horse.

政治上，說(shuō)候選人是一匹黑馬是指候選人是一個(gè)很少被公眾熟知的人。有時(shí)，黑馬會(huì)意外地贏得選舉，而你支持的一方?jīng)]有獲勝。

Another piece of advice is,do not change horses in m idstream.You would not want to get off one horse and on to another in themiddle of a river.Ormakemajor changes in an activity that has already begun.In the past,this expression was used as an argument to (改選)a president,especially dur原ing a time when the country was atwar.

另外有一個(gè)建議是，不要臨陣換將。你不會(huì)想在過(guò)河的途中下馬換另外一匹馬吧，或者在活動(dòng)已經(jīng)開始的中途做大的變動(dòng)。過(guò)去，這個(gè)表達(dá)用在改選總統(tǒng)的辯論中，特別是在國(guó)家有戰(zhàn)事的時(shí)候。

Now,it's your turn to guess themeanings of the expressions using theword“horse”!下面，你來(lái)猜一猜文中含有“馬”這個(gè)詞的表達(dá)方式的意思吧！

參考釋義：

1.get off one’s high horse放下架子；不要趾高氣昂

引申：get on/ride one’s high horse傲慢無(wú)禮，目中無(wú)人

2.hold one’s horses忍耐；鎮(zhèn)靜；別沖動(dòng)

3.horse around胡鬧；嬉鬧

4.get a charley horse肌肉抽筋；肌肉酸疼

5.a one-horse town鄉(xiāng)村小鎮(zhèn)；落后的小鎮(zhèn)

6.pony express郵遞服務(wù)

7.wild horses could not drag sb.away野馬都拉不走某人；什么也阻止不了某人做……

8.get information straight from the horse’s mouth從可靠的方面獲得消息；消息絕對(duì)可靠

9.You can lead a horse to water,but you cannotmake him drink.牽馬到河易，逼馬飲水難。/不能強(qiáng)迫他人做他不想做的事。

10.beating a dead horse浪費(fèi)精力；白費(fèi)口舌

11.a dark-horse一匹黑馬；意外的得勝者

12.pick the wrong horse看錯(cuò)人了；下錯(cuò)賭注；支持的一方?jīng)]有獲勝

13.change horses inmidstream 臨陣換將