2011年2月23日 星期三

143 (A) collect oneself (B) hump

Ross
collect one's wits /collect oneself 鎮定下來, 恢復理智
I need time to collect my wits before seeing him again.
我需要先鎮定一下才能再次見他

You should try to let him collect himself then deal with the problem.

你應該讓他先冷靜下來再來處理這個難題



hump 駝峰

Some camels have one hump and the others have two.

駱駝有些是單峰的有些是雙峰
Ben
collect one's wits /collect oneself 鎮定下來, 恢復理智
I was really scared, but I knew I had to collect my wits first.
我真的嚇到了,但是我知道我必須先鎮定下來。

hump 駝峰
over the hump: past the most difficult part of something
We've almost done. We finally got over the hump with three months of hard work.
我們幾乎快完成了。我們用了三個月的努力克服最難的一關。

Suggestion:

You can not use "have" and "done" unless there is a direct object. Instead of done, use "finish."
"We've almost finished."
You could also write:
"We're almost done."
By putting the "with" preposition at the end of the final sentence, it seems like you are clarifying why, even after getting over the hump, you are not done/finished yet. It seems like the sentences are about to read like this:
"We finally got over the hump with three months of hard work remaining."
Instead, lead with the prepositional phrase.
"With three months of hard work we finally got over the hump."
The sentences are correct in-and-of themselves but, in composition, the sentence you lead with is where you want the reader to focus. Your leading sentence was about almost being done. So, naturally, the reader/listener exects you to explain that in the second sentence. If you led with finally getting done, then that is what the reader/listener understands to be the most important.
If that is what you want to emphasize, I would construct the sentences like this:
"We finally got over the hump after three months of hard work. We are almost done.
A couple notes:
1) "After" may be a better preposition because you are using time "three months" and getting over the hump was the culmination of that hard work.
2) Contractions like "we're" is perfectly acceptable in speech, but unless you are quoting somebody's speech, it may be best to write out the two words.
3) These are more in-depth methods about using English. They are not necessary for communicating information but, like using idioms, they do help convey tone and emotion.
Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月22日 星期二

142 (A) play truant (B) chicken out

Ross
play truant/play hooky 逃學
In my last year in the high school, I played truant a lot.
我在高中的最後一年常逃學



chicken out 因害怕而決定不做某事
He had a dentist appointment but he chickened out at the last moment.
他已預約治牙, 但到時候卻不敢去了。
Ben
play truant/play hooky 逃學
Jack played truant seven days this month.
Jack這個月逃學逃了七天。
Suggestion:
These are both great sentences. Growing up, my mom used "hooky" and I have not heard in America, "playing truant."

chicken out 因害怕而決定不做某事
You're not chickening out, are you?
你並不是不敢去,不是嗎?
Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月21日 星期一

141 (A) drop in one's lap (B) at the drop of a hat

Ross
drop sth in sb's lap 將某事推給他人負責
You've got to deal with this. Don't try and drop it in my lap.
這事你得去自己去處理,別想往我身上推



at the drop of a hat 不拖延地/反應很快
You can't expect me to move out of my apartment at the drop of a hat.
你別指望我說搬家就搬家

通常放在句尾
Ben
drop sth in sb's lap 將某事推給他人負責
How can I know who drop the job in my lap?
我怎麼知道誰把工作推到我身上來?
Suggestion:
More likely you mean "directly" in the second sentence. "Direct" can be, maybe, an adverb; but usually only if it is a specific technology (ex. "Send me a message, Facebook, if you need help.")
You need to conjugate "drop" into "dropped" in the first sentence. Other verbs like "put" can be used in place of "drop." Also, "how can I know" is not the best way to phrase the question. There are a variety of alternatives, depending on what you are menaing by using "know."
"How can I meet whoever dropped...?"
"How can I find out who dropped...?"
"How could I know who dropped...?"



at the drop of a hat 不拖延地/反應很快
Call me direct if you need anything. I can come at the drop of a hat.
如果你需要什麼,直接跟我聯絡。我會很快過來。
Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月20日 星期日

140 (A) so to speak (B) put year on sb

Ross
so to speak 可以說; 可謂
The new regulations have been officially taking effect, so to speak.
新措施可以說已經正式實施了

用法類似in general, generally speaking, 通常用在句尾



put years on sb 使某人顯得老些
The shock put years on him.
這一場打擊使他見老

The way she dresses put year on her.

她打扮的方式讓她看起來很老
Ben
so to speak 可以說; 可謂
John helps me with my math. He's my personal tutor, so to speak.
John幫我準備數學。他可以說是我的個人家教。


put years on sb 使某人顯得老些
The breakup of his marriage put years on him.

離婚讓他顯得更老點。

Suggestion:

These are both good. In the second sentence you may need to change "him" to "John" or whoever "he" is. This is a style issue when you have personal pronouns (him and his) that are different than the subject of the sentence (the breakup). But, this greatly depends on how often you use "John" in surrounding sentences.

Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月19日 星期六

139 (A) I meant what i said (B) more than enough

Ross
I meant what I said. 我是認真的

I meant what I said, and we better follow the rule.

我是認真的,我們最好遵守規則



more than enough 太多了/回絕對方好意用

A: Do you want one more cake?

你還要再來塊蛋糕嗎?

B: Thanks, that's more than enough.

謝謝,我己經吃太多了
Ben
I meant what I said. 我是認真的
I meant what I said. We have to finish it tonight.
我是認真的。我們必須今晚完成。



more than enough 太多了/回絕對方好意用
More than enough is too much.
適可而止。
Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月18日 星期五

138 (A) in a rut (B) look before you leap

Ross
in a rut 常規/慣例

My life is just in a rut.

我的生活就是這樣一成不變

When you feel stuck in a rut, it is time for you to upgrade your skills.
感覺自己停滯不前的時,就是應該技術更新的時候。



look before you leap 三思而後行

You should look before you leap when you make important decisions.

最重大決定時你應該要三思而後行
Ben
in a rut 常規/慣例
I was stuck in a rut and decided to look for a new job.
我總是停滯不前,我決定去尋找新工作。


look before you leap 三思而後行
Think more carefully! Look before you leap!
再想清楚點!三思而後行!
Kate
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Sue
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2011年2月17日 星期四

137 (A) get in the corner (B) lose head

Ross
get sb in the corner 陷入絕境

Be smart!! Don't get yourself in the corner.

聰明點,不要讓你自己陷入絕境



lose sb's head 喪失理智/驚惶失措

A: I think we will definitely win the game tonight with the 10 points lead now.

我們現領先十分,我覺得我們今晚的比賽一定贏了

B: Let's not lose our head. Let's make sure we have really won first

咱們先別樂昏了頭,先確定我們真的贏了再說
Ben
get sb in the corner 陷入絕境

They get John in the corner and he yelps for help.
他們讓John陷入絕境,John大叫救命。

Suggestion:

Usually, I hear "a corner" instead of "the corner." Because the first sentences has two different subjects you will need punctuation like a coman, semicolon, or period.


lose sb's head 喪失理智/驚惶失措
You'll be OK as long as you don't lose your head.
你將會沒事的,只要你不要驚惶失惜。
Kate
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Sue
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