詞組講解
1. have the cards stacked against sb. **運(yùn)氣不佳;成功的機(jī)會(huì)渺茫
解 〈口〉習(xí)語(yǔ);詞義溯源:使[卡片堆放(the cards stacked)][不利于(against)]某人;the cards are against sb. 表示“某人不走運(yùn)”
例 You know we have the cards stacked against us, don't you? We have a good lawyer, but what's important in this country is connections—you know, relationships—and the Galawi family is very influential. So I'm afraid our chances of outdoing Galawi Chemical are slim.
2. have the devil to pay / have hell to pay **有大麻煩;承受可怕的后果
解 〈口〉習(xí)語(yǔ);詞義溯源:有[大麻煩(the devil to pay)或可怕的后果(hell to pay)];hell 應(yīng)慎用
例 Locals get a kick out of watching the naive tourists gulping down the tiny peppers. Sweet and not the least bit hot when eaten, the unsuspecting tourists soon find they have the devil to pay when the peppers mix with their stomach acids to form a powerful burning sensation.
3. have the shoe on the other foot **處于與之前相反的立場(chǎng);情況相反
解 〈口〉習(xí)語(yǔ);詞義溯源:使[一只鞋(shoe)]在[另一只腳上(on the other foot)];the shoe is on the other foot 表示“完全轉(zhuǎn)變立場(chǎng);形勢(shì)逆轉(zhuǎn)”
例 As senior advisor to the former President, he was a powerful man who used his privileges to crush members of the opposition who challenged him. Now the opposition party rules and has the shoe on the other foot—the former powerbroker finds himself faced with a possible five-year jail term.
4. have too many irons in the fire **同時(shí)開(kāi)展太多的事情
解 習(xí)語(yǔ);詞義溯源:擁有很多[該解決的問(wèn)題、關(guān)心的對(duì)象(iron in the fire)]
例 The company has turned down an opportunity to expand its operations into brokerage services. Saying the company has too many irons in the fire right now, the president Bob Viola made the decision in a statement released yesterday afternoon.
5. have turned the corner **經(jīng)歷了決定性的重要關(guān)頭,渡過(guò)難關(guān)
解 習(xí)語(yǔ);詞義溯源:轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)[角、墻角(corner)]
例 For the first time in 2 years this petroleum company has reported a quarterly profit. While a single profitable quarter should not be taken as a sign that the oil producer has turned the corner, the company's stock closed six points higher yesterday following the announcement.
鞏固練習(xí)
(A) had the cards stacked against
(B) have hell to pay
(C) has the shoe on the other foot
(D) have too many irons in the fire
(E) has turned the corner
1. A: I guess we have a slight chance of getting out of this cave before the rising water drowns us all. B: Come on, John. We've ______ us many times—and we've always come out okay. Don't be so pessimistic.
2. A: If that cable breaks, we're going to ______. It's the only thing holding this elevator. If it breaks, we'll slam into the basement floor. B: I don't think that would cause us a lot of trouble. I mean sure, we'd all die, but it wouldn't be any trouble—very easy: we fall, we die. No problem! A: Shut up!You're scaring the other passengers.
3. A: Doctor, please tell me my husband is getting better. Tell me he's gotten past the most critical point of his recovery. Please! B: Calm down, Mrs. Lee. I would like to tell you he ______, but it'll be a while before I can say he's safe and will be okay.
4. A: Forget him!Don't let him bother you. He's a nobody in this company. Within five years the situation will be reversed and he'll be working for you! B: Yes, but until he ______, he'll continue to bother me.
5. A: Face it—you're overextended!You're trying to do too much at one time and each project is suffering because you're not giving any of them sufficient attention. B: Don't worry—I can handle it. Just give me a couple weeks to get out from under all this paperwork and then I'll be okay again. I don't think I ______.
■ ANSWER
1. (A)
2. (B)
3. (E)
4. (C)
5. (D)
參考譯文
I. 1. 你知道情況對(duì)我們成功的機(jī)會(huì)渺茫,對(duì)吧?我們請(qǐng)了一位好律師,但是,在這個(gè)國(guó)家重要的是關(guān)系——你知道的,人際關(guān)系——加拉維家族很有影響力。所以,我擔(dān)心我們戰(zhàn)勝加拉維制藥的可能性微乎其微。
2. 看著天真的游客們大口吞下小辣椒,當(dāng)?shù)厝藦闹械玫搅撕艽蟮臉?lè)趣。小辣椒吃起來(lái)很甜,一點(diǎn)也不辣,毫無(wú)疑心的游客們很快發(fā)現(xiàn)他們得承受可怕的后果,因?yàn)槔苯放c胃酸混合之后會(huì)給人一種強(qiáng)烈的灼熱感。
3. 給前總統(tǒng)做高級(jí)顧問(wèn)時(shí)他很有權(quán),并且利用特權(quán)打壓了不少挑戰(zhàn)他的反對(duì)派?,F(xiàn)在反對(duì)黨執(zhí)政了,情況則完全不同了——這位原來(lái)的政治掮客發(fā)現(xiàn)自己可能面臨五年的牢獄生活。
4. 公司放棄了向經(jīng)紀(jì)服務(wù)擴(kuò)展業(yè)務(wù)的機(jī)會(huì)??偛悯U勃·薇奧拉表示目前公司要處理的業(yè)務(wù)太多了。他在昨天下午發(fā)布的一份聲明中公布了該決定。
5. 兩年來(lái),這家石油公司首次公布季度盈利。盡管單個(gè)季度的盈利不能視為該石油公司已經(jīng)渡過(guò)難關(guān),但此消息公布之后,昨天該公司的股票收盤(pán)時(shí)漲了6個(gè)點(diǎn)。
II. 1. A:我想逃出這個(gè)山洞的可能性非常小,我們會(huì)被不斷上漲的大水淹死的。B:好啦,約翰。我們經(jīng)歷過(guò)那么多不利情況——每次都能轉(zhuǎn)危為安的。別這么悲觀。
2. A:如果電纜斷了,我們將承受可怕的后果。它是電梯唯一的支撐物。要是它斷了,我們會(huì)被猛摔至最底層。B:我倒不覺(jué)得有那么麻煩。我的意思是,我們肯定都會(huì)死,但是不會(huì)很麻煩——非常簡(jiǎn)單:一掉下去,我們就死了。沒(méi)什么!A:閉嘴!你嚇到電梯里其他人了。
3. A:醫(yī)生,請(qǐng)告訴我我丈夫正在好轉(zhuǎn),告訴我他已經(jīng)度過(guò)了危險(xiǎn)期。拜托!B:冷靜點(diǎn),李太太。我很想告訴你他已經(jīng)過(guò)了危險(xiǎn)期,但是得等會(huì)兒我才能保證他安全了。
4. A:忘了他!別再為他煩惱了。他在這家公司里什么也不是。不出五年情況就會(huì)顛倒過(guò)來(lái),他將給你打工!B:是啊,但是在情況顛倒之前,他會(huì)一直煩我。
5. A:你就承認(rèn)吧——你承擔(dān)得太多了!你總想一次做很多事,但是又不上心,結(jié)果每個(gè)項(xiàng)目都面臨困境。B:別擔(dān)心——我能解決的。再給我兩周時(shí)間處理這些文件,一切都會(huì)好起來(lái)的。我并不覺(jué)得我同時(shí)處理了太多事情。