選擇去美國留學的話,你該知道這些。美國人平時生活上所用的一些「口頭禪」,其實字句都很簡單,但是如果不加說明,往往還會讓人「一知半解」或「似懂非懂」。下面大家就隨小編一起去看看吧!
1. I couldn't care less.
這句話的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺乏興趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don''t care at all. 或 I don't give a hoot. 例如:
人家如果問: What do you think of the budget-cut?(你對預算削減有何看法?)
你回答: I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜歡李先生的政見嗎?)
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但是有時說話者也有「口是心非」: 例如:
I couldn't care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升級或加薪)
而實際上他是根本在乎升級和加薪的,那么人家也許就會回答說: Yes, you do(care).
至于 I couldn't care more. 就是「我很在乎」(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理:
I couldn't agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn't please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我盡量使你高興)
I couldn't be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外為了「自尊」,不愿強調自己的錯誤,所以很少人說:
I couldn't be more wrong.
注意:一般人都用否定句,但也有老外把肯定句與否定句互用。
不過,嚴格來說,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能減少)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也許增加)(主詞可用任何人稱代名詞:he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could,不用 can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是:真實的,誠懇的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是 to make no bones about it.(bone 要加 s, it 是指 something)例如:
His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(當 A 先生談到墮胎問題時,他是誠懇的。)
When I spoke on the topic,he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
No bones about it;the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)
3. take it on me!
意思是:「這是我的,請用吧!」「這是免費的」(help yourself to it; it is free),這多半是指吃的東西或一些不貴重的東西。例如:
Here are some candies from England; take one on me. (這是來自英國的糖果,嘗一個吧!) (one = candy)
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me." (餐館老板對我說:「嘗嘗我的甜點吧!」)
Please take these pencils on me.(取用一些我的鉛筆吧!) (也許鉛筆上刻有名字,做為宣傳之用而免費。)
可見 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面通常不指別人,所以多半也只用在第一人稱單數(shù) me。
(假如夫婦在一起,也可以說:Take it on us.)
4. I am from Missouri.
這句話有時后面要加一句:「I need to be shown.」或「You have got to show me.」,意思是 Missouri 州的人很固執(zhí) (stubborn),不太信任別人,一定要人家「證明一下」(prove it to me),所以密蘇里州也被稱為「The Show Me State」。
據(jù)說這句話所以流行 (尤其在美國中西部) 是因為美國一些名人都住過密蘇里州,包括 Harry Truman, Mark Twain, Walt Disney 等。后來老外不輕易相信別人時,就使用這句話。(也有半開玩笑性質) 例如:
He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri. (他是來自密蘇里州,所以不容易說服他。)
Don''t try to fool me; I am from Missouri.(You have got to show me.) (別愚弄我,我是來自密蘇里州。)
We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown.
As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri. (Smith先生是位倔強的人,他一定是來自密蘇里州。)