|
韓Sir 資深英語教師
上周推介了一些與 “cat” 有關的idioms和proverbs給大家，談過貓又怎會不談狗呢？這回介紹一些與 “dog” 有關的用詞或語句吧！英語世界內與 “dog” 有關的用詞或語句也不少，不過其中很多帶有貶意，試看看下列例子：
“Dog days”是指夏日炎炎
1.“A dog's life” 並非指像寵物般有人愛護備至的生活，而是指充滿憂患和傷痛的生活。例句：The bar-benders are leading a dog's life, working at construction sites for long hours and low pay. (扎鐵工人在建築地盤過著艱苦的生活，工時長兼工資低。)
2.“A dog's breakfast” 亦非指美食，而是形容亂糟糟的情況。例句：That incompetent principal has made a real dog's breakfast of the school development plans. (那無能校長把學校發展計劃搞得一團糟。)
3.“Dog days” 是指夏天最炎熱的日子。為什麼用dog而不用cat或其他動物呢？原來天象中有顆叫 “Dog Star” 的明星，本名叫 “Sirius”，而希臘文 “Sirius”是火燙的意思，故 “dog days” 便用來指火辣辣的夏日，並非形容狗隻都熱得要躲起來的日子。例句：During those dog days, people rush to the seaside for a holiday. (在那炎炎夏日，人們都湧到海邊度假。)
4.“Go to the dogs” 是指機構一蹶不振、大不如前之意。例句：The company has gone to the dogs since the new CE took over. (自從那新總裁接管後，公司便一蹶不振。)
人人皆有得意時
5.“Let sleeping dogs lie.” 字面意思是別驚動睡著的狗，是勸人別自找麻煩之意。例句：They have decided to let sleeping dogs lie and not to invite them . (他們決定不邀請那些人，免得自找麻煩。)
6.“Every dog has his day.” 是較正面的與 “dog” 有關的諺語，意思是人人皆有得意時。例句：Little John eventually won the competition. Every dog has his day ! (小約翰終於贏得冠軍，真箇是人人皆有得意時啊！)
又考考你，試把上列所學，填入下列空格：
A.The education reform policies have made the quality of education _____ simply because they have exerted too much pressure on frontline teachers.
B.The accountant of that company has made ____ of their company's accounts and now who is going to fix them ?
C.They do not want to lead _____ here , so they have decided to emigrate to another country.
D.“ John, _____. I don't think it is a good idea to fan the flames any more.”
E.Michael was shocked at Leo's winning the championship and said, “ Well, ____ !”
F.In Hong Kong the _____ are usually between July and September.
(Key : A4 B2 C1 D5 E6 F3 )
|
