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韓Sir 資深英語教師
還未進入教室，在走廊上老遠已經聽到教室內的喧嘩聲。 我在想： “ When the cat's away, the mice will play.” 很多英語慣用語 (idioms) 或諺語 (proverbs) 是與 cat有關的，這一回介紹幾個有趣的給大家：
1.“ A fat cat ” 字面意義是肥貓，卻可以指富有、重要而自視甚高的人物，有貶意。如形容錙錙為利的地產商為 “fat cat” developers。
2.“ A copy cat” 是指抄襲別人言行的人。若你的朋友沒有創意，只懂跟風，便可稱之為 “copy cat” 。
如坐針氈
3.“Like a cat on hot bricks” 有中文對應詞：「熱鍋上的螞蟻」，意指如坐針氈，極度不安。與 “like a cat on a hot tin roof ” 同義。Tennessee Williams 曾以 “Cat on a hot tin roof” 為其劇作命名，後來拍成電影，由保羅紐曼和伊莉莎白泰萊主演。
4.“ Like the cat that got the cream” 就恰恰相反，是非常滿足愉悅之意。
5.“Let the cat out of the bag” 是指意外地透露了秘密。She has let the cat out of the bag : everybody knows about her background now.
雞犬不寧
6.“Set the cat among the pigeons” 是形容把困局弄得更棘手，雞犬不寧。
7.“Curiosity killed the cat” 是用來奉勸人不要「打爛沙盆問到底」，叫人不可過於好奇。
8.“Has the cat got your tongue ?” 用來罵人為何不肯說話或回應，不應常用(一笑)！
試用上列與 cat有關的詞或句，做做下列小測試，看看您明白了多少：
A. Mary wanted mother's present to be a secret, but her sister ______ and mother knows about it now.
B. John saw Peter wearing the same brand of sneakers. He said, “ You _____！”
C. David was like ______ before his final examination.
D. Mr. Lee was smiling like _____ after he knew he got the job.
E.“ Don't ask any more questions. ______ .”
F. It is not fair that only the _____ has any say in the re-development of the area.
G. Mother was furious with Little John's plunging school results. “ ______ ? Tell me why your results are all so poor !”
H. The new head is a fascist – that will _____ !
( Key : A5 B2 C3 D4 E7 F1 G8 H6 )
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