英語口語練習(xí)小對話 第377期:打如意算盤
A: Jane’s mother always wants her to marry a bigshot.
Jane的媽媽一直想讓她嫁給有錢人。
B: That is just wishful thinking. The cost of highereducation has increased in recent years of fasterthan the cost of living. So she wants Jane’s brother to go on studying and earn his doctorateby means of it.
那只是她的如意算盤。近年來，高等教育費(fèi)用增長速度比生活費(fèi)用增長快，所以她想通過這種方式讓Jane的弟弟取得博士學(xué)位。
A: But it’s unfair for Jane.
這對Jane太不公平了。
對話精講
第一、 地道表達(dá)
【核心短語】wishful thinking
【解詞釋義】該短語源于奧地利心理學(xué)家兼精神病學(xué)家弗洛伊德(Fred)的精神分析。這一術(shù)語指“一個人對他所希望而難以實現(xiàn)的事物不理智的表達(dá)。”后來比喻“打如意算盤”“一廂情愿的想法”“癡心妄想”等意思。
【支持范例1】 I think her condition is improving but it may just be wishful thinking on my part.
我認(rèn)為她的情況正在改善, 但這也許是我一廂情愿的想法。
【支持范例2】It's wishful thinking to expect Phil to help you, he's a goldbrick.
希望菲爾幫助你那是夢想,他是個懶漢。
【支持范例3】Without possessing the necessary skills, strategic intent is merely wishfulthinking.
如果不具備必要的技能，戰(zhàn)略意圖只是美好的愿望。
【支持范例4】Maybe it is only your wishful thinking to be close friends with him. After all, thetime is too short for you to really know each other.
或許這只是你的如意算盤和他成為密友。畢竟時間太短了，他們沒法深入了解彼此。
第二、 詞海拾貝
1. a big shot：大人物，具有影響力的人;要人;大亨
【典型范例1】He acts like a big shot, but he is just a small potato.
他行事象個大人物,但實際上他卻微不足道。
【典型范例2】John is a big shot in merchant banking.
約翰是商業(yè)銀行界的大亨。
【典型范例3】I saw him there acting like a big shot.
我看見他在那兒，活象個大人物似的。
2. by means of ：用，依靠，借助
【典型范例1】By means of a clever trick, he made it disappear.
他用了個巧妙的手法，把它變沒了。
【典型范例2】We lifted the load by means of a crane.
我們用起重機(jī)吊起重物。
【典型范例3】These ideas can be clarified by means of an example.
可用一個實例來闡明這些概念。
【典型范例4】I got him back for you by means of the girl.
我通過那個姑娘為你把他找了回來。
第三、 句海拾貝
1. Somebody go on doing something.
【釋義】某人繼續(xù)做某事。
【范例1】Unemployment is likely to go on rising this year.
今年的失業(yè)人數(shù)可能會繼續(xù)上升。
【范例2】Tony had to push himself to go on doing such dull work.
湯尼不得不驅(qū)策自己繼續(xù)做這種單調(diào)無趣的事。
2. Something is unfair for somebody.
【釋義】某事對某人來說不公平。
【范例】It is unfair that he gets very little in reward for his hard work.
他工作很辛苦,報酬卻很少,這不公平。
