這么關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻在英語里叫, moment of truth. Moment在中文里是時(shí)刻,truth在中文里是真相。Moment of truth就是說最終得知一件事情是否會(huì)如愿成功的意思,特別是指一件你投入了極大努力的事情。
下面例子里這個(gè)高中生,正用急切的心情等待 the moment of truth. 讓我們一起聽聽看。
例句-1:Algebra didn't come easy to me. But I knew I had to pass the class in order to graduate. Throughout the semester, I met my teacher after school for extra help and studied real hard for tests. My moment of truth came when my grades arrived. I got a B, which was good enough to earn my diploma!
這個(gè)學(xué)生說:代數(shù)對(duì)我來說很難,但是我知道,要想畢業(yè),代數(shù)考試就一定得及格。整個(gè)一個(gè)學(xué)期,我下課后都要找老師補(bǔ)習(xí),為準(zhǔn)備考試做出了很大的努力??荚嚦煽儼l(fā)下來的關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻到了,結(jié)果我得了個(gè) B,讓我順利過關(guān),拿到了畢業(yè)證書。
這就叫工夫不負(fù)有心人。
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我們上面談到的幾個(gè)例子,關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻moment of truth來到的時(shí)候,結(jié)果都是令人滿意的。但是下面這個(gè)例句里的小伙子,卻碰了一鼻子灰。讓我們一起聽聽他的遭遇。
例句-2:I'd been going out with Kerry for months. We seemed to share similar interests and values. In my mind, she was the perfect woman for me. So I decided that the time had come to ask her if she'd marry me. It was the moment of truth; a day I'll never forget because she turned me down.
這個(gè)人說:我跟凱莉約會(huì)已經(jīng)好幾個(gè)月了。我們好象有很多共同的愛好和價(jià)值觀。我覺得,她是最適合我的女人。所以我決定,鼓起勇氣,向她求婚。這可是緊要關(guān)頭。我永遠(yuǎn)也忘不了這一天,因?yàn)樗芙^了我。
Ouch! 太殘忍了。或許這個(gè)女孩子還沒有做好安定下來的準(zhǔn)備。
Moment of truth這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語其實(shí)是從西班牙語翻譯過來的。美國著名作家海明威在1932年出版的小說《午后之死》里第一次用到了這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語。如今,你又多掌握了一個(gè)習(xí)慣用語,可以把它用在口頭、寫作和電子郵件里。只要多學(xué)多練,you're sure to sound like a native when your moment of truth arrives. 到了關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻,你的英語聽上去絕對(duì)地道。