第一、迷你對話
A: We are on a shoestring for the time being.Could you cut the price down a little.
我們目前經(jīng)濟拮據(jù),您可以降低點價格嗎?
B: No problem.
可以,沒問題。
第二、地道表達
on a shoestring
1. 解詞釋義
Shoestring作名詞用,最初是指“鞋帶”,后來引申出“小額資本,零星錢”的意思。例如:In the early years,the business was run on a shoestring.(早年,這家店是小本經(jīng)營的。)使用它的時候, 有一個固定的搭配模式,就在對話中,也在例句中,即:on a shoestring,意思是“using very little money”,譯為:資金微博地,小本經(jīng)營地,(生活)拮據(jù)地。它也可以做形容詞,是指“用錢極少的”。例如:The club existson a shoestring budget. (這家俱樂部以一點點小錢艱難度日。)
2. 例句拓展
e.g. He started his business on a shoestring and built it up gradually.
他以微薄的資金創(chuàng)業(yè),然后慢慢加強。
e.g. The film was made on a shoestring.
這部電影以很少的投資拍成。
I've been living on a shoestring since my father stopped sending me money.
自從父親不再給我寄錢后,我便靠小本經(jīng)營維生。
e.g. We've been living on a shoestring since my husband lost his job.
我丈夫失業(yè)后,我們一直精打細算過日子。
第三、咬文嚼字
1. for the time being的意思是“暫時,目前”。例如:
Comrade Yang will be in charge of that work for the time being.
楊同志將暫時負責那項工作。
I fear we must leave things at this for the time being.
我想我們暫時只能做到這一步。
2 cut down的意思是“降低”。買東西的時候覺得價格貴了,想讓老板降低點價格,就可以用到這個短語“cutthe price down”。例如:
I recommended that you (should) cut down the cost.(注意主句的謂語是recommended,從句使用虛擬語氣,結構為should+動詞原形)。
我勸你減少成本。
On no account should we cut down the outturn. (on no account這個解詞短語放于句首的時候,要使用倒樁句式。)
我們絕不可以把產(chǎn)量降低。