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　　And therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather behavior, than virtue. But this holds not always: for Augustus Caesar, Titus Vespasianus, Philip le Belle of France, Edward the Fourth of England, Alcibiades of Athens, Ismael the Sophy of Persia, were all high and great spirits; and yet the most beautiful men of their times.

　　In beauty, that of favor, is more than that of color; and that of decent and gracious motion, more than that of favor. That is the best part of beauty, which a picture cannot express; no, nor the first sight of the life.

　　There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

　　A man cannot tell whether Apelles, or Albert Durer, were the more trifler; whereof the one, would make a personage by geometrical proportions; the other, by taking the best parts out of divers faces, to make one excellent. Such personages, I think, would please nobody, but the painter that made them. Not but I think a painter may make a better face than ever was; but he must do it by a kind of felicity (as a musician that maketh an excellent air in music), and not by rule.

　　A man shall see faces, that if you examine them part by part, you shall find never a good; and yet altogether do well. If it be true that the principal part of beauty is in decent motion, certainly it is no marvel, though persons in years seem many times more amiable; pulchrorum autumnus pulcher; for no youth can be comely but by pardon, and considering the youth, as to make up the comeliness.

　　Beauty is as summer fruits, which are easy to corrupt, and cannot last; and for the most part it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance; but yet certainly again, if it light well, it maketh virtue shine,and vices blush.

　　美德好比宝石，在朴素背景的衬托下反而更华丽。同样，一个打扮并不华贵，却端庄严肃而有美德的人是令人肃然起敬的。

　　美貌的人并不都有其他方面的才能。许多容貌俊秀的人却一无所有，他们过于追求外形的美而放弃了内在的美。

　　仔细分析起来，形体之美要胜于颜色之美，而优雅行为之美又胜于形体之美。最高的美是画家所无法表现的。因为它是难以直观的。这是一种奇妙的美，曾经有两位画家――阿皮雷斯和丢勒滑稽地认为，可以按照几何比例，或者通过摄取不同人身上最美的特点，加以合成的方法，画出最完美的人像。

　　其实像这样画出来的美人，恐怕只有画家才喜欢。

　　有些老人显得很可爱，因为他们的作风优雅而美。“美人的迟暮也是美的。”而尽管有的年轻人具有美貌，却由于缺乏优美的修养而不配得到赞美。

　　美犹如盛夏的水果，而容易腐烂而难保持的,世上有许多美人,他们有过放荡青春，却迎受着愧悔的晚年。

　　因此，把美的形貌与美的德行结合起来吧。只有这样，美会放射出真正的光辉。

　　 Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgement and disposition of business.
　　读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。

　　 For ecpert and execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one　by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best form those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly by their rules, is the　humour of a scholar.
　　练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节，然纵观统筹，全局策划， 则舍好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰，文采藻饰太盛则矫，全凭条文断事乃学究故态。

　　 They perfect nature, and are perfectec by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.

　　读书补天然之不足，经验又补读书之不足，盖天生才干犹如自然花草，读书然后知如何修剪移接，而书中所示，如不以经验范之，则又大而无当。

　　 Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.
　　有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者羡读书，唯明智之士用读书，然书并不以用处告人，用书之智不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察得之。

　　 Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
　　读书时不可存心诘难读者，不可尽信书上所言，亦不可只为寻章摘句，而应推敲细思。

　　 Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

　　书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之，有只需读其部分者，有只须大体涉猎者，少数则须全读，读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。书亦可请人代读，取其所作摘要，但只限题材较次或价值不高者，否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏，淡而无味。

　　 Reading maketh a full man ； conference a ready man; and　writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little ， he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.

maketh: make 的第三人称用法

ready: 即 ready-witted ，指敏于思考的能力。

doth: do 的第三人称单数用法

　　读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常做笔记者须记忆力特强，不常讨论者须天生聪颖，不常读书者须欺世有术，始能无知而显有知。

　　 Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in morse.
　　读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，逻辑修辞之学使人善辩；凡有所学，皆成性格。

　　 Nay there is no stand or impendiment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man''s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit　be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the　schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers'' cases. So every defectof the mind may have a special receipt.
　　人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。如智力不集中，可令读数学，盖演题需全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辩异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特效可医。

　　The name Helen Keller has had special meaning for millions of people in all parts of the world. She could not see or hear. Yet Helen Keller was able to do so much with her days and years. Her success gave others hope. Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880 in a small town in northern Alabama. Her father Arthur Keller was a captain in the army of the South during the American Civil War. Her mother was his second wife. She was much younger than her husband. Helen was their first child. Until she was a year and one half old Helen Keller was just like any other child. She was very active. She began walking and talking early. Then 19 months after she was born, Helen became very sick. It was a strange sickness that made her completely blind and deaf. The doctor could not do anything for her. Her bright happy world now was filled with silence and darkness.

　　From that time until she was almost 7 years old Helen could communicate only by making signs with her hands. But she learned how to be active in her silent dark environment. The young child had strong desires - She knew what she wanted to do. No one could stop her from doing it. More and more she wanted to communicate with others. Making simple signs with her hands was not enough. Something was ready to explode inside of her because she could not make people understand her. She screamed and struggled when her mother tried to control her.

　　When Helen was six, her father learned about a doctor in Baltimore, Maryland. The doctor had successfully treated people who were blind. Helen's parents took her on a train to Baltimore, but the doctor said he could do nothing to help Helen. He suggested the Keller's get a teacher for the blind who could teach Helen to communicate. A teacher arrived from the Perkins Institution for the blind in Boston. Her name was Anne Sullivan. She herself had once been almost completely blind. But she had regained her sight. At Perkins she had learned the newest methods of teaching the blind.

　　Anne Sullivan began by teaching Helen that everything had a name. The secret to the names was the letters that form them. The job was long and difficult. Helen had to learn how to use her hands and fingers to speak for her. But she was not yet ready to learn. First she had to be taught how to obey and how to control her anger. Miss Sullivan was quick to understand this. She wrote to friends in Boston about her experiences teaching Helen:

　　The first night I arrived I gave Helen a doll. As she felt the doll with one hand, I slowly form the letters d-o-1-1 with my fingers in her other hand. Helen looked in wonder and surprise as she felt my hand. Then she formed the letters in my hand just as I had done in hers. She was quick to learn, but she was also quick in anger. For seven years no one had taught her self-control. Instead of continuing to learn, she picked up the doll and threw it on the floor. She was this way in almost everything she did. Even at the table while eating she did exactly as she pleased. She even put her hands in our plates and ate our food. The second morning I would not let her put her hand on my plate . The family became troubled and left the room. I closed the door and continued to eat . Helen was on the floor kicking and screaming and trying to pull the chair out from under me. This continuced for half an hour or so. Then she got up from the floor and came to find out what I was doing. Suddenly she hit me. Every time she did this, I hit her hand. After a few minutes of this she went to her place at the table and began to eat with her fingers. I gave her a spoon to eat with. She threw it on the floor. I forced her to get out of her chair to pick the spoon up. At last after two hours she sat down and ate like other people. I had to teach her to obey. But it was painful to her family to see their deaf and blind child punished. So I asked them to let me move with Helen into a small one-room house nearby. The first day Helen was away from her family, she kicked and screamed most of the time. That night I could not make her get into bed. We struggled, but I held her down on the bed. Luckily I was stronger than she. The next morning I expected more of the same, but to my surprise she was calm, even peaceful - Two weeks later she had become a gentle child. She was ready to learn. My job now was pleasant. Helen learned quickly. Now I could lead and shape her intelligence. We spent all day together. I formed words in her hand the names of everything we touched. But she had no idea what the words meant. As time passed, she learned how to sew clothes and make things. Everyday we visited the farm animals and searched for eggs in the chicken houses. All the time I was busy forming letters and words in her hand with my fingers. Then one day, about a month after I arrived, we were walking outside, something important happened. We heard someone pumping water. I put Helen's hand under the cool water and formed the word w-a-t-e-r in her other hand, w-a-t-e-r, w-a-t-e-r~ I formed the word again and again in her hand. Helen looked straight up at the sky as if a lost memory or thought of some kind was coming back to her. Suddenly the whole mystery of language seemed clear to her. I could see that the word w-a-t-e-r meant something wonderful and cool that flowed over her hand . The word became alive for her. It awakened her spirit and gave her light and hope . She ran towards the house. I ran after her. One by one she touched things and asked their name. I told her. She went on asking for names and more names...

　　From that time on Helen left the house each day searching for things to learn. Each new name brought new thoughts. Everything she touched seemed alive. One day Helen remembered the doll she had broken. She searched everywhere for The pieces. She tried to put the pieces together but could not. She understood what she had done and was not happy. Miss Sullivan taught Helen many things: to read and write and even to use a typewriter. But most important, she taught Helen how to think.

　　For the next three years Helen learned more and more new words. All day Miss Sullivan kept touching Helen's hand spelling words that gave Helen a language. In time Helen showed she could learn foreign Languages. She learned Latin, Greek, French and German. Helen was able to learn many things not just languages. She was never willing to leave a problem unfinished, even difficult problems in mathematics. One time Miss Sullivan suggested leaving a problem to solve until the next day. But Helen wanted to keep trying. She said, "I think I would make my mind stronger to do it now.

　　Helen traveled a lot with her family or alone with Miss Sullivan. In 1888 Helen, her mother and Miss Sullivan went to Boston, Massachusetts. They visited the Perkins Institution where Miss Sullivan had learned to teach. They stayed for most of the summer at the home of family friends near the Atlantic Ocean. In Helen's first experience with the ocean she was caught by a wave and pulled under the water. Miss Sullivan rescued her. When Helen recovered she demanded, "Who put salt in the water?"

　　Three years after Helen started to communicate with her hands, she began to learn to speak as other people did. She never forgot these days. Later in life she wrote, "No deaf child can ever forget the excitements of his first word. Only one who is deaf can understand the loving way I talk to my dolls, to the stones, to birds and animals. Only the deaf can understand how I felt when my dog obeyed my spoken command." Those first days when Helen Keller developed the ability to talk were wonderful. But they proved to be just the beginning of her many successes.

　　我们给听众讲讲海伦·凯勒。她又瞎又聋，但她成了一位著名作家和教师。

　　海伦·凯勒的名字对世界各地千百万人有着特殊的含义。她看不见东西，听不到声音，但在她的一生中做了许多事情。她的成功给其他人带来了希望。海伦·凯勒于1880年6月27日出生在亚拉巴马州北部的一个小镇上。她父亲叫阿瑟·凯勒，是南北战争中南方军的一位上尉。她母亲是父亲的第二个妻子，比她父亲年轻许多。海伦是他们的第～个孩子。在一岁半之前，海伦·凯勒和其他孩子一样。她很活泼，很早就会走路和说话了。但是她出生的19个月后，得了重病。这种病很奇怪，致使海伦完全成f瞎子和聋子。医生对此也无能为力。她眼前光明快乐的世界此刻充满了寂静和黑暗。

　　从那时起到7岁前，海伦只能用手比划进行交流。但是她学会在寂静黑暗的环境中怎样活泼。这孩子有很强的渴望。她知道自己想做什么，谁也挡不住她。她越来越想和别人交流。用手简单地比划已经不够用了。她的内心深处有什么东西要爆发，因为她的举止已难以让人理解。当她母亲管束她时，她会哭叫闹哄。

　　海伦6岁时，她父亲打听到马里兰州的巴尔的摩有位医生医治盲人很成功。海伦的父母带着海伦坐火车到了巴尔的摩，可是这位医生说他治木了海伦的病，建议凯勒家去请一位教盲人的老师教海伦和别人交流。从波士顿的珀斯盲人研究院来了一位女老师，名叫安妮·沙利文。安妮本人曾差点儿失明，但重见了光明。在琅金斯盲人研究院里，安妮·沙利文学会了教旨人的最新方法。

　　安妮·沙利文开始教海伦时，告诉海伦任何东西都有个名字。名字的秘密就是组成名字的字母。这工作漫长又艰难。海伦必须学会用自己的手和手指头说话，可是她不想学。因此，第一步要教育她听话和怎样控制自己不发怒。沙利文小姐很快就明白了这一点。她曾经写信给波士顿的朋友，谈到了她教海伦的经历：

　　我到达的第一天晚上，我给海伦一个玩具娃娃。当海伦用一只手触摸到玩具娃娃时，我用我的手指在她的另一只手上慢慢地写下了 d－O－l－l。海伦感觉到我写字的手时，显得很惊奇。然后，她照我的样子在我的手上写下我写的字母。她学得很快，但发怒也快，因为7年来没有人教育她自我约束。她学着学着不学了，抓起玩具娃娃，摔到了地上。她想怎么着就怎么着。吃饭时也这样，她甚至把手伸到我们的盘子里抓吃的。第二天早饭时，我不让她到我的盘子里乱抓。她的家人们心里不是滋味，离开房间。我关上门子，继续吃饭。海伦躺在地上又踢又叫地撒泼，还用力想拉是我坐的椅子。她这样折腾了大约有半小时，然后爬起来，想看看我在做什么。突然，她动手打我。她每打我一次，我就打一下她的手。就这样几分钟后，她回到了她的座位上，自己用手吃饭去了。我递给她一个小勺子，让她用勺子吃。她把勺子摔在地上。我强制她离开她坐的椅子去把小勺子拉起来。两个小时后，她最终和别人一样好好坐着吃饭了。我必须教育她听话。但对她的家人来说，看到自己又瞎又聋的孩子受到惩罚时，。心里很痛苦。因此，我要求他们让我和海伦搬到附近一间小屋里住，更多地单独和海伦在一起。海伦离开她的家人的第一天，差不多全天都在踢打和号叫。到了晚上，我让她睡觉她不听。我们俩折腾了一阵子，但还是把她按在了床上.庆幸地是，我比她力气大。第二天早上，我估计她会闹得更凶，可是令我吃惊的是她非但没闹哄，而且很平和。两周后，地变成了一个温柔的孩子。她愿意学习了。这时我工作起来很开心。海伦学得很快。我现在能引导开发她的智力了。我们整天在一起。我把她触摸到的任何东西的名字都在她手上写，但她不懂是什么意思。慢慢地她学会了怎样缝衣服，怎样做东西。每天我们去参观农场里的动物，或到鸡棚里找鸡蛋。我随时随地忙着用我的手指在她手上写字母。后来有一天，是我到达的一个月后，我们在外面散步，一件重要的事情发生了。我们听到有人在用手泵抽水。我把海伦的手放进凉水里，并在她的另一只手上写下了w－a－t－e、r，w－a－t－e－r，w－a－t－e－r，…我在她的手上一遍又一遍地写。海伦抬起头望着天，好像她失去的记忆力回到了她身上。突然间，她好像弄清楚了语言的全部秘密。我能看得出来，w－a－t－e－r这个单词意味着一种发凉的奇妙的东西从她手上流过。这个单词对她来说变活了，唤醒了她的神志，给她带来了光明和希望。她向家里跑去，我跟在她后面跑。她一个一个地触摸东西，一个一个问它们的名字。我—一告诉她。她问的名字越来越多...

　　从那天开始，海伦每天都走出家门，去找东西学习。每一个新名字都会给她带来一种新的思想。她触摸到的任何东西好像都是有生命的。有一天，海伦想起了她摔碎的玩具娃娃。她到处找娃娃的碎片，想拼装成完整的原样，但没弄成。她认识到做错了那件事，心里内疚。沙利文小姐教会了海伦很多事：读书、写字、甚至会用打字机。但她教会海伦最重要的是怎样思考问题。

　　在以后的三年里，海伦学会了越来越多的单词。沙利文小姐整天拉着海伦的手写字，从而教会下海伦一种语言。随着时间地推移，海伦显示出还能学外语。她学会了拉了语、希腊语、法语、德语等。海伦能学会许多东西，不仅仅是各种语言。她不愿留下难题半途而废，甚至很难的数学题。有一次沙利文小姐建议地留下一道题第二天再解。但是，海伦想攻下来。她说，“我要再加～把劲儿，现在就把它解出来。”

　　海伦外出旅游很多，有时是和她的家人，有时单独和沙利文小姐。1888年，海伦和母亲、沙利大小姐三人去马萨诸塞州的波士顿。他们参观了柏金斯研究院，沙利文小姐曾在这里学习盲人教育。那个夏天的大部分时间里，他们住在靠近大西洋的朋友家里。海伦第一次接触海洋就被海浪卷到水底下。沙利文小姐救了她的命。当海伦苏醒过来后，她问，“是谁往水里放盐了？”

　　海伦用手和别人交流了三年后，开始学习和别人一样说话。她永远忘不了那些日子。在后来的生活中她写道，“一个聋孩子听到的第一个词是永远不会忘记的。只有失去了听力的人才能够理解，我和我的玩具娃娃、石头、鸟、动物说话时的倾心。只有失去了听力的人才能够理解，我的狗按我说的话去做事时我是怎样一种感慨。”海伦·凯勒开发自己说话能力的最初那些日子里确实令人赞叹。但是，那些只不过是海伦·凯勒许多成功的开始。
We reported last week that Helen Keller suffered from a strange sickness when she was only 19 months old. It made her completely blind and deaf. For the next five years she had no way of successfully communicating with other people. Then a teacher Anne Sullivan arrived from Boston to help her. Miss Sullivan herself had once been blind. She tried to teach Helen to live like other people. She taught her how to use her hands as a way of speaking. Miss Sullivan took Helen out into the woods to explore nature. They also went to the circus, the theatre., and even to factories. Miss Sullivan explained everything in the language she and Helen used, a language of touch, of fingers and hands. Helen also learned how to ride to horse, to swim, to row a boat, and even to climb trees.

　　Helen Keller once wrote about these early days.

　　One beautiful spring morning I was alone in my room, reading. Suddenly a wonderful smell in the air made me get up and put out my hands . The spirit of spring seemed to be passing in my room. "What is it?"I asked. The next minute I knew it was coming from mimosa tree outside. I walked outside to the edge of the garden, toward the tree. There it was, shaking in the warm sunshine. Its long branches, so heavy with flowers, almost touched the ground. I walked through the flowers to the tree itself and then just stood silent. Then I put my foot on the tree and pulled myself up into it. I climbed higher and higher until I reached a little seat. Long ago someone had put it there. I sat for a long time... Nothing in all the world was like this.

　　Later Helen learned that nature could be cruel as well as beautiful. Strangely enough she discovery this in a different kind of tree.

　　One day my teacher and I were returning from a long walk. It was a fine morning but it started to get warm and heavy. We stopped to rest two or three times. Our last stop was under a cherry tree, a short way from our house. The shade was nice and the tree was easy to climb. Miss Sullivan climbed with me. It was so coot up in the tree, we decided to have lunch there. I promised to sit still until she went to the house for some food. Suddenly a change came over the tree. I knew the sky was black because all the heat which meant light to me had died out of the air. A strange odor came up to me from the earth . I knew it. It was the odor which always comes before a thunder storm. I felt alone, cut off from friends, high above the firm earth. I was frightened and wanted my teacher. wanted to get down from that tree quickly, but I was no help to myself. There was a moment of' terrible silence. Then a sudden and violent wind began to shake the tree and its leaves kept coming down all around me. I almost fell. I wanted to jump, but was afraid to do so. I tried to make myself small in the tree as the branches rubbed against me. Just us I thought that both the tree and I were going to fall, a hand touched me . It was my teacher. I held her with all my strength, then shook with joy to feel the solid earth under my feet.

　　Miss Sullivan stayed with Helen for many year. She taught Helen how to read, how to write and how to speak. She helped her to get ready for school and college. More than anything, Helen wanted to do what others did, and do it just as well. In time Helen did go to college and completed her studies with high honors. But it was a hard struggle. Few of the books she needed were written in the Braille language that the blind could read by touching pages. Miss Sullivan and others had to teach her what was in these books by forming words in her hands. The study of geometry and physics was especially difficult. Helen could only learn about squares, triangles and other geometrical forms by making them with wires. She kept feeling the different shapes of these wires until she could see them in her mind.

　　During her second year college Miss Keller wrote the story of her life and what a college meant to her. This is what she wrote.

　　My first day at Radcliffe college was of great interest. Some powerful force inside me made me test my mind. I wanted to learn if it was as good as that of others. I learned many things at college. One thing I slowly learned was that knowledge does not just mean power, as some people say. Knowledge leads to happiness because to have it is to know what is true and real. To know what great man of the past had thought, said, and done is to feel the heartbeat of humanity down through the ages.

　　All of Helen Keller's knowledge reached her mind through her sense of touch and smell, and of course her feelings. To know a flower was to touch it, feel it and smell it. This sense of touch became greatly developed as she got older. She once said that hands speak almost as loudly as words. She said the touch of some hands frightened her. The people seemed so empty of joy that when she touched their cold fingers it is as if she were shaking bands with a storm. She found the hands of others full of sunshine and warmth. Strangely enough Helen Keller learned to love things she could not hear, music for example. She did this through her sense of touch. When waves of air beat against her, she felt them. Sometimes she put her hand to a singer's throat. She often stood for hours with her hands on a piano while it was played. Once she listened to an organ. Its powerful songs made her moved her body in rhythm with the music. She also liked to go to museums. She thought she understood sculptures as well as others. Her fingers told her the true size and the feel of the material.

　　What did Helen Keller think of herself, what did she think about the tragic lost of her sight and hearing. This is what she wrote as a young girl.

　　Sometimes a sense of loneliness covers me like a cold mist. I sit alone, and wait at life ' s shut-door. Beyond there is light and music and sweet friendship. But I may not enter. Silence sits heavy upon my soul. Then comes hope with a sweet smile and said
softly " There is joy in forgetting oneself And so I tried to make the light in others' eyes my sun, the music in others' ears my symphony, the smile on others' lips my happiness.
　　Helen Keller was tall and strong. When she spoke, her face looked very alive. It helped to give meaning to her words. She often felt the faces of close friends when she was talking to them to discover their feelings. She and Miss Sullivan both were known for their sense of humor. They enjoyed jokes and laughing at funny things that happened to themselves or others. Helen Keller had to work hard to support herself after she finished college. She spoke to many groups around the country. She wrote several books and she made one movie based on her life. Her main goal was to increase public interest in the difficulties of people with physical problems. The work Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan did has been written and talked about for many years. Their success showed how people can conquer great difficulties. Anne Sullivan died in 1936, blind herself. Before Miss Sullivan died, Helen wrote and said many kind things about her.

　　It was the genius of my teacher, her sympathy, her love which made my first years of education so beautiful. My teacher is so near to me that I do not think of myself as a part from her. All the best of me belongs to her. Everything I am today was awakened by her loving touch .

　　Helen Keller died on June 1st, 1968. She was 87 year old. Her message of courage and hope remains.

　　上周我们播讲了海伦·凯勒年仅19个月时患了一种奇怪的病，导致了她完全成了瞎子和聋子。此后的5年里，她无法同别人交流。后来从波士顿来了一位叫安妮·沙利文的老师来帮助她。沙利文小姐曾一度是盲人。她想人设法教诲论能像别人一样生活。她教海伦怎样用手作为说话的工具。沙利义小姐带海伦出去，到树林中探索人自然。她们还到马戏团、剧院、甚至去工厂。沙利文小姐用她们俩使用的语言给海伦讲解各种事物，她们之间的语言就是用手和手指触摸的语言。海伦还学会广骑马、游泳、划船，甚至爬树。

　　海伦·凯勒有一次写出了她早年的这些事。

　　在一个美好的春天的早晨，我独自一个人坐在房间里读书。突然有种奇妙的气味便得我不由自主地站起身来，伸出了双手。春天的气息好像在从我的房间里走过。"这是什么呢？"我问。但随后我就知道了，它来自室外的合欢树。我走出门去，到了花园的边沿，向树走过去。树在温暖的阳光下晃动着。树上长长的枝条挂满了鲜花，被压得快碰到地面了。我从鲜花中穿过，走到树下，然后静静地站在那儿。后来，我蹬着树干爬了上去，爬呀爬，最后爬到了一个小座位上。小座位是很久前有人安放在那里的。我在那里坐了好长时间……世界上任何东西都没法和这种感受相比。

　　后来，海伦懂得了，自然界不仅是美好的，也是残酷的。巧合地是，她是在另一棵不同的树上悟出的这个道理。

　　有一天，我的老师和我走了一段长路后正在向回走。那天早晨天气凉爽，但慢慢变得又热又问起来。我们停下来休息了二三次。我们最后停下来的地方是在一棵樱桃树下，离我家的房子没几步远了。树荫很好，这棵树也很容易爬。沙利文小姐和我一起爬了上去。在树上真是凉快透了。我们决定在树上吃午饭。她去家里拿吃的，我答应她我在树上坐着不动。突然树上的情况出现了变化。我知道是天空变．复了，因为空气中的热消失了，对我来说，热就是光。我闻到地上冒出了一种气味。我了解这种气味。这种气味总是在暴风雨到来之前出现。我感到孤单，身边没有朋友，高高在上，脚不着地。我吓坏了，想让我的老师快来。我想从树上赶快下去，但自己工没有办法。一阵儿可怕的寂静后，突然暴风开始把树晃动起来，树叶在我头上和周围纷纷落下。我差点儿摔下来。我想从树上往下跳，可是又害怕。当树枝在我身上擦来擦去时，我尽力卷成一团。正当我想这树和我会一起倒下时，一只手托住了我，正是我的老师来了。我用全身的力气抓住了她，当脚着地时，我高兴得都颤抖起来了。

　　沙利文小姐和海伦相处了多年。她教会了海伦怎样读书、怎样写字、怎样说话。她帮助海伦上学，而且上了大学。海伦非常想做别人能做的事，而且同别人做得一样好。后来，海伦真地上了大学，而且以优异的成绩完成了学业。但是，也真是不容易。她所需要的书中没有几本是用盲文（盲人用手摸着书读的语言）写的。因此很多书都要靠沙利文小姐或别人把这些书写在她手上。几何和 物理特别难学。海伦只能用金属丝来学习正方形、三角形和其他的几何图形。她要反复感觉这些金属丝的形状，直到能在自己脑子里看到它们为止。

　　在大学二年级的时候，凯勒小姐写出了她生活中的感受和大学对她意味着什么。她是这样写的；

　　在拉德克利夫大学的第一天我兴趣盎然。我内心深处有一股强大的力量促使我检验一下我的脑子够不够用.我想看一看自己能否学得和别人一样好。在大学里，懂得了很多事情。我逐渐明白的一件事是：有些人说，知识就是力量。但不单是这样，知识还是引人快乐的桥梁，因为掌握了知识就知道了什么是真正的和真 实的。去了解过去的伟人们是怎么想的、怎么说的,怎么做的就等于去感受人类一代代人的心脏跳动。

　　海伦·凯勒所有的知识都是通过触觉。嗅觉和感觉获取的。要了解一朵花，就要去摸、去闻、去感受。随着她年龄的增长，她的触觉功能得到了高度开发。有一次她说，手几乎和嘴一样可以说话。她说，有些人的手让她摸起来产生恐惧。当她触到这种人的冰冷 的手指时，他们好像没有欢乐，她好像是在和暴风雨握手。而她发现另外一种人的手充满了阳光和温暖。令人奇怪地是，海伦·凯勒学会了喜欢她听不到的东西，比如音乐。她做到这一点靠的是触觉＿当音乐的节拍使空气产生的波动触及到她时，她能感觉到。有时她把手放在唱歌的人的喉咙..一架钢琴在演奏时，她常常用手抚摸着钢琴站上几个小时。有一次她听风琴演奏。风琴奏出的有力的歌曲声使得她按着音乐的节拍晃起了身体。她还喜欢去博物馆。她认为，她对雕塑的理解和别人没有两样。她的手指能告诉她物体的大小和质地。

　　海伦·凯勒怎样看待自己，失去视力和听力悲剧发生后是怎么想的？她少女时是这样写的：

　　有时，寂寞感像寒冷的薄雾笼罩着我。我独自坐着，在生命关闭的门内等待着。门外是光明、音乐和甜蜜的友谊，但是不让我融于其中。寂静沉重地压在我心头。后来希望微笑着向我走来，轻柔地说，"忘掉自我，就是快乐。"于是，我就竭力把别人可以看到的光明化作我的太阳，把别人可以听到音乐化作我的交响曲，把别人背上的微笑化作我的喜悦。

　　海伦·凯勒高个头儿，很强壮。她讲话时，脸上生气勃勃。这样可加强她语言的表达力。当她和好朋友谈话想了解他们的情感对，她往往能感觉到他们面部表情的变化。她和沙利文小姐都以具有幽默感而闻名。不管是她们自己的还是别人的开心的事儿，他们总是喜欢开玩笑和逗乐儿。海伦·凯勒大学毕业后，必须努力工作来养活自己。她到全国各地给许多人讲话，写了几本书，还制作了一部以她的生活为原型的电影。她的主要目的就是让公众注意到残疾人的困难。海伦·凯勒和沙利文小姐的事迹被写成书籍，多年来被人称颂着。她们的成功表明了人能征服苦难。安妮.沙利文1936年去世，去世时也成了盲人。在沙利文小姐去世前，海伦凯勒写道和谈到许多有关沙利文小姐对她的慈爱。

　　正是我的老师的天才、同情心、情爱使我早年得到美好的教育。我的老师太亲近我了，以致让我觉得我是她身上不可分开的一部分。我所具有的最好的东西都属于她。我的一切都是她爱的抚摸唤醒的。

　　海伦·凯勒1968年6月1日逝世，享年87岁。她留给后人的是勇往直前，追求希望。

父 爱

Daddy just didn’t know how to show love. It was Mom who held the family together. He just went to work every day and came home and she’d have a list of sins we’d committed and he’d scold us about them.

Once when I stole a candy bar, he made me take it back and tell the man I stole it and that I’d unpack boxes to pay for it. But it was Mom who understood I was just a kid.

I broke my leg once on the playground swing and it was Mom who held me in her arms all the way to the hospital. Dad pulled the car right up to the door of the emergency room and when they asked him to move it because that space was reserved for emergency vehicles. He shouted，“What do you think this is ? A tour bus ?”

At my birthday parties, Dad always seemed sort of out of place. He just busied himself blowing up balloons，and setting up tables，and running errands. It was Mom who carried in the cake with candles on it for me to blow out.

When I leaf through picture albums people always ask，“What does your Dad look like？”Who knows？He was always fiddling around with the camera taking everyone else’s picture. I must have a zillion pictures of Mom and me smiling together.

I remember when Mom told him to teach me how to ride a bicycle. I told him not to let go，but he said it was time I fell and Mom ran to pick me up，but he waved her off. I was so mad I showed him. Got right back on that bike and rode it myself. He didn’t even feel embarrassed. Just smiled.

When I went to college，Mom did all the writing. He just sent checks and a little note about how great his lawn looked now that I wasn’t playing football on it.

Whenever I called home，he acted like he wanted to talk，but he always said，“I’ll get your mother.”

When I got married，it was Mom who cried. He just blew his nose loudly and left the room.

All my life he said，“Where are you going？What time are you coming home？No，you cannot go.”Daddy just didn’t know how to show love…unless…

Is it possible he showed it and I didn’t recognize it？

［译文］

爸爸根本不知道怎样表达爱。把这个家维系在一起的人是妈妈。爸爸天天去上班，回家，然后是妈妈向他数落我们所做的一连串错事，爸爸再为了这些事把我们骂一顿。

有一次我偷了一根棒棒糖。爸爸硬是要我送回去，还要我告诉卖糖的人是我偷了糖，并说我愿意帮他拆箱开包作为赔偿。但妈妈却理解我，她知道我只不过是个孩子。

再有一次，我在操场荡秋千摔坏了腿，一路抱着我到医院的人是妈妈。爸爸将车正好停在急诊室门口。因为那儿是专供急救车停靠的，医院里的人就叫我爸爸把车开走。爸爸大声吼叫起来：“你以为这是什么车？难道是旅游车吗？”

在我的生日聚会上，爸爸总显得有点不得其所。他不是忙于吹气球，就是摆桌子，或做些跑腿的活儿。将插着蜡烛的生日蛋糕捧进来让我吹灭的人总是妈妈。

我随便翻阅相册时，别人总会问“你爸爸长什么模样？”这还真说不出。他总是摆弄着相机为别人拍照。我和妈妈在一起微笑的照片一定多得都数不清了。

我还记得有一次妈妈叫爸爸教我骑自行车。我叫他扶着车子别松手，他却说是时候了。我摔了下来，妈妈跑来扶我，他却挥手让妈妈开走。我真是气得发疯，决心非要让他看看我的本事不可。我马上骑上车，竟能一个人骑了。爸爸却一点也不尴尬，只是笑笑。

我上大学了，给我的信总是妈妈写的。爸爸只是寄来支票，还有一张小便条，说他的草坪因我不在上面踢足球了现在长得好极了。

每次我打电话回家，爸爸总像是有话要说，但结果他总是说：“我把你妈叫来接”。

我结婚的时候，妈妈哭了，爸爸只是大声地擤擤鼻子，离开了房间。

在我一生中，他总是说：“你去哪儿？你什么时候回家？不，你不能去。”爸爸完全不知道怎样表达爱……除非……

会不会是他已经表达了而我却没有意识到呢？

1.You have matches
    最近我有一次机会登上一艘豪华游轮观光。一次, 我在酒吧台拿了两杯鸡尾酒回房间享受，途中遇到一位女士，她看看我后笑着说：“You have matches？”我一愣，回答说：“很抱歉，我十五年前就戒烟了，所以没有火柴。”她立刻会意到我误解了她的意思，好像是有点抱歉地说：“It's a joke.” 然后，我们就相互尴尬的笑了笑，走开了。
    事后和朋友在吃晚饭的时候聊天，我趁机向一个美国朋友请教白天的那句话，他解释说：“因为她看你两手都占着，就故意开玩笑跟你要火柴，这是个非常普通的笑话，非但没有恶意，反而是想问你需不需要帮忙。”
（摘自《世界日报》）

 2.Turn the table
    一位亲戚和妻子失和到了要离婚的地步。几天前接到亲戚电话，说他们在走进律师楼之前，先去求助于心理和婚姻问题专家。夫妇俩心平气和地坐下来谈了好多次，互相之间多了一份理解，少了一份猜疑、埋怨，结果化干戈为玉帛。说简单也简单，就这么拯救了这场婚姻。
    我打心眼里为他们高兴，把这一消息告诉了同样也认识他们的一位美国朋友。这位朋友挺激动的，连连说着"感谢上帝，感谢上帝"，她还补充了一句"He turned the table"。
    这话让我心里很不舒服，她是指我亲戚动粗吗？我打抱不平说："不会，不会，他很斯文，很有绅士风度，不会以粗鲁的举动压制对方，不会以高压让对方屈从。"
    结果，越说谁也听不懂谁。看着我那一脸不快的表情，朋友突然茅塞頓开了，以另一种方法向我解释。终于让我明白，她是说我亲戚"扭转了局面"，那"table"和我想到的"桌子"根本无关。
    再说远一点, turn the tables (on someone)这个短语也和"桌子'没什么关系, 它的意思是to suddenly take a position of strength or advantage that was formerly held by someone else (反败为胜,转弱为强), 例如: "She played badly in the first set, but then she turned the tables on her opponent and won the match.
（摘自《世界日报》）
 turn the tables on/upon sb.
除了“主客易地; 扭转形势; 转败为胜”外，还有“(与某人)互换座次 ”的意思
3. Wearing two hats
    同事朋友聚会，少不了相互介绍。先生在向我介绍他的同事 Larry 时，说他可是个大忙人: “He is wearing two hats.” 我说，你开什么玩笑，他根本就没戴帽子。
    Larry 一直以笑作答，倒是先生察言观色，知道我不懂，便帮我找台阶下。
    原来，先生是指Larry在医院某一部门担任要职，除此之外，还有自己的生意，就是说 Larry 身兼两职，而不是真的戴了两顶帽子。
 
4. With a grain of salt 
    一天吃饭的时候，好友 Allen 和他的中国籍太太坐在餐桌旁大谈最近流行的一种草药，说它能包治百病。 Allen 说了一句：“I'd like to take it with a grain of salt”。他太太笑道：“你以为它是蔬菜啊，还要加点盐再吃。健康专家可没有说过要加盐。”
    Allen 愣了一下，然后大笑不已，解释道“ Take something with a grain of salt” 是“对某事有保留、持怀疑态度”的意思。
    原来刚才Allen 是说他对这种草药的神奇疗效表示怀疑，而不是说要“放些盐再吃”。
    （摘自《世界日报》）

5.You are in for a treat！ 
这天，同事们正在讨论为我和 Rhonda 开生日 party的事情，为了尊重寿星，大家让Rhonda 和我选择一家中意的餐厅。Rhonda建议去鎮上一家叫做BBQ 的美国餐厅。我从来没有去过那里，于是就问她那里有什么特色。Rhonda便开始滔滔不绝的介绍他们的招牌菜，听得我十指大动，直咽口水，Rhonda便笑着说: "You are in for a treat !"
我愣了一下，以为Rhonda要请我去那里吃饭，心里十分不好意思，试探着问过她之后，Rhonda 笑着解释说: "You are in for a treat means you'll like it !" 
（摘自《世界日报》）
 
6. 筷子刀叉
朋友D说日前在某大酒楼饮茶，见邻桌有青年夫妇和大概是他们在外国结识的老太太一起饮茶。老太太对操作筷子很感兴趣，在那里学用chopsticks夹虾饺。D说他有个美国朋友，曾花了一些时间学习正确使用筷子的方法，每有机会就要表演一下，还说用筷子是一种艺术，是古老的中国文化的表现。
中国人吃饭用筷子，洋人进餐用刀叉。其实洋人从前没有knife and fork，用的是木片削成的叉。这种木叉从意大利经伊斯坦堡传到英国，是两刺的肉叉 (two-pronged fork)。在此之前，人们吃肉用手，因此对于改用肉叉有人说是“对赐人五指之神的侮辱。”
筷子又叫作“箸”，据说由于箸与住同音。住有停止之意。航船忌停，江苏一带行船的人们改称箸为“筷儿”。筷音同快，不住而快，一帆风顺矣。日语中筷作箸，但读作hashi，和作桥解的hashi相同，似乎和行船有点关系。日谚有“只会拿着筷子吃”指“茶来伸手，饭来张口。”中餐桌上每人有一份箸匙 (zhuchi)，一双筷子一把汤匙，也许就没有knife and fork那么杀气腾腾了吧？ 
（摘自《联合早报》）
 
7. Skeleton in the closet 
    一天朋友谈及一则大爆“名人”家丑的八卦新闻，说那些家族中人以搬弄“skeleton in the closet”为乐事，难道这些名人家的壁橱中真的有骷髅？
    他说的“skeleton in the closet”（英国人则习惯说成skeleton in the cupboard）现在的意义并没有那么可怕。不过据说当年这个习语产生的时候的确指那些有钱人家谋杀了一个人，把骸骨暗藏在壁橱中，不让外人知道， 从此 skeleton in the closet 就成了那家人的秘密，后来这个短语用来指不可或不愿外扬的家丑，简称作family skeleton。例如： Many old families have a number of skeletons in their closets which they are loath to discuss（许多古老的家族中有很多秘密，他们不愿谈及这些话题。） 
    （摘自《联合早报》） （NEC里有这一课的对吧呵呵）
 
8. Skin off one's nose
    Joe很热心公益，每周固定有一天去做义工。在他的影响下，我也参加了几次。有一次跟他提起如果能到附近的剧院做义工的话，也许会比较有趣。有一天他拿了一份报纸，上面就有剧院要找义工的消息，我打算下班后过去看看，可是不巧碰上那天身体不舒服，下了班躺在床上就不想动了。
    第二天碰到Joe，问我有没有去，我把实情跟他解释。他听完后说： "No skin off my nose." 我不懂，只好怔怔地望着他，心想，他大概以为我是"叶公好龙"吧。
    回家查了俚语词典，才知道skin off one's nose是与某人有关的意思。Joe是在说我去不去其实"不关他的事"，他只是顺便问一下罢了。 
注：no skin off sb.'s nose 也可说成 no skin off sb.'s teeth
    (摘自《世界日报》)
9. Small beer 
    Small beer是“小啤酒”的意思吗？难道啤酒还分大小？其实，在英国small beer指的是口味比较淡啤酒，但是在美语中则是“少量啤酒”的意思。比如说夏天有客人来访，问他要喝些什么：Anything to drink？客人就可能回答说：“I'll have a small beer（给我一点儿啤酒。）”
    比喻用法中说的small beer，指规模或者格局不大的事物。自以为了不起，不是小人物的人：He thinks no small beer of himself. Be small beer常用作与人比较的表现。
    口语中常用small beer作形容词，因此开快餐店的朋友可以说：Ours is a small-beer fast-food joint beside McDonald.
（摘自《联合早报》）
 
10. Spaghetti
 
    朋友S说，意大利面食pasta，除实心粉spaghetti外，还有通心粉macaroni，宽面条lasagna，有肉馅做小方块形的意大利馄饨（云吞）ravioli，细长面条tagliatelle以及细线状的细面vermicelli（我们将“粉丝”译作vermicelli，原是意大利细面借之名）。
    意大利是欧洲第一个吃面食的国家。十三世纪时马可波罗从中国传去制面食方法后，大受欢迎，特别是实心意粉spaghetti，以其容易烹调，可以配上各种佐料， 很快就风行全国。不过那时没有刀叉可用，因此吃的都是无汤汁的实心意粉，便于用手抓送入口。现在的肉汁意粉（spaghetti with meat sauce），是后来才出现的吃法。当然，马可波罗当年在中国也吃过我们的牛肉汤面或者排骨汤面。但是有汤的spaghetti乃至以之作汤的spaghetti soup，全是后来出现的意粉吃法。
    Spaghetti一词源于意大利语spago，意思是一条线。一条意粉是spaghetto，通常用复数的spaghetti。意粉一碟，面条杂乱，因此车辆往来多，交通混乱的街口称为 spaghetti junction。 
    （摘自《联合早报》）
 
hongkong补充：
再來一客意粉
Spaghetti codes = 寫得很難看得懂、因此很難維護的程式碼,通常是指用了goto等迴轉指令的非結構性編寫法的程式碼.
Spaghetti program = 含spaghetti codes/寫得亂七八糟的程式
Spaghetti squash = 魚翅瓜
(瓜肉成條狀,香港人覺得它像魚翅,老外覺得它像意粉)
Spaghetti western = 在意大利(或西班牙)拍攝的低成本美國西部牛仔電影
(因為Italian 愛吃spaghetti 之故嘛. 日本人愛吃蘿蔔,人又矮胖,廣東人戲稱他們為蘿蔔頭.東洋商品如果有帶太重日本式的設計,香港人會說它們“有蘿蔔味”.皆異曲同工)
Spaghetti strap = 女裝衣服的吊帶(哭女所穿的性感上衣就是一件”spaghetti strap top”)
spaghetti Bolognese  n. 意大利番茄牛肉面
spaghetti junction  复式的公路交叉口
11. Speaking of the devil
    几个同学聚到一起聊天，大家都到齐了，唯独不见Wayne。其中一个说"今天好象没见到Wayne"，另一个接着说"他的女儿放暑假，东西要从宿舍里搬出来，他大概帮忙去了"。正说着，只见Wayne从外面走过来。Joe于是说"speaking of the devil"。几个人乐了起来。我心想Wayne 这个人平常挺老实的，为什么说他是devil呢？于是我悄悄地去问Joe。
    原来"speaking of the devil"是一条成语，相当于中文的"说曹操，曹操到"。也就是刚说Wayne 不在，结果他就来了。我不禁惊诧于语言的共通性，因为曹操不是也有"奸雄"的称号吗？中英文在这一成语上有着这样惊人的异曲同工之处。
   Speak of the devil, and he appears. 说到曹操，曹操就到
与这句相参照：To mention the wolf's name is to see the same.

12. Stolen from ... dealer
    高速公路上人车奔驰，朋友突然指着前方一部小轿车，说："哇！这人好嚣张，贼车还敢挂上招牌！"
    我顺着他的目光看过去，不禁哑然失笑，我说："先生呀！人家车牌上写着'stolen from … Dealer',是指他这部从… Dealer那儿买来的车，价格低廉，便宜得像偷来得一样。"
    这是一种美式幽默广告手法，吸引顾客去… Dealer那儿买车，不是贼车啦。 
    （摘自《世界日报》）
 
13. Sweet tooth
      我最害怕看牙医，但是因为有一颗蛀牙让我实在疼痛难忍,所以只好鼓足勇气，到牙医诊所挂号。当医生为我检查的时候，他问我：“Do you have a sweet tooth？”我很无辜的回答：“I had a doughnut this morning before coming here. I brushed my teeth. There is no sweet tooth.”他听了后摇摇头，便开始替我补牙。
      很敏感的我，知道可能答非所问，闹了笑话，但是却百思不解。我懂 Sweet 及 Tooth 这两个单字，但把这两个字放在一起合用，我就不知道意思了。回家查了字典后，我才恍然大悟，原来sweet tooth的意思是“爱吃甜食”。
      （摘自《世界日报》姜若美）

14. The Hong Kong dog
      一次在一堂电脑课上，铃响后，系里的女秘书突然跑到教室来宣布：“Dr. Walker has a touch of the Hong Kong dog and will be here a little bit late.”
      听完宣布后，我一脸正经的向坐在隔壁的美国朋友抱怨说：“Dr. Walker 怎么可以抚弄他的爱犬以至于来不及上课呢？”
      老美听完后居然大笑着说：“真是太好笑了！The Hong Kong dog 并非指一种狗，而是指某人吃坏了肚子、拉肚子的意思。”这一解释让我尴尬得无地自容。 
      (摘自《世界日报》)

"Hong Kong dog" 原本是 "Traveller's diarrhoea" (因不服水土引起)的拉肚子,但也有用作指一般因吃了不潔東西而引起的症候.叫做"hong kong dog" 明顯是西方國家對亞洲地區的衛生程況的固有印象.(而香港是以前較多人認識的地名)
說這詞儿有趣還可以,但算不上是有用,因為連native speakers 也不是每個都聽過.
"Traveller's diarrhoea"還有無數其他別名,都離不開和殖民地或發展中國家的地名:
"Aden Gut, Basra Belly, Aztec two step, Hong Kong dog, Montezuma's Revenge, Delhi belly. . . there is an almost endless list of names used to describe the condition referred to as travellers' diarrhoea."
 http://www.chemsoc.org/exemplarchem/entries/2002/Garner/what_is_diarrhea.htm

15. Throw the book at Somebody
      和先生从car wash(洗车场)里开出来，车上的水珠还依稀可见，这让先生想起一件事：曾经有一个美国人在高速公路上超速开车，时速达100多英里。警察当然把他截下来。在法庭上，他辩解之所以开快车，是因为想让风尽快把刚刚洗过的车吹干。我听了好笑，更好奇结果如何。
      先生答曰：结果是"They threw the book at him"。我不禁诧异，想像着他被"砸书"的样子。原来并非如此，"Throw the book at somebody"是指给某人最大极限的惩罚：charge someone to the full range of law。如果法律是一本书，那么这本书中所有被违犯了的条例，他都将为之遭受最严重的惩罚。 
      （摘自《世界日报》）
 
16. Tighten your belt
      刚刚才发薪水，有人提议这个周末大家一起上馆子打打牙祭。我因为想要减肥，好穿新近买的一条短裙，推辞说: "No, I don't think I can make it. I want to tighten my belt."
      后来，Mary悄悄地问我：“如果你最近手头不方便的话， 我能帮你什么忙吗？”
      不会啊，不是早晨才发了薪水吗？我被她问得一头雾水，解释半天才弄明白。原来, "tighten my belt" 是指经济拮据，必须节衣缩食度日。例如: "The harvest was bad last year, we all had to tighten our belts." 

（摘自《世界日报》）

17. Whipping boy
大家可能对 “scapegoat”的意思非常熟悉，但是对 “whipping boy ”可能并不熟悉，实际上二者的意思非常接近。  
Whipping boy 的比喻义就是“充当替罪羊的人或物，代人受过”。这个短语在实际中用途颇多。如："[There is no] one 'right' way to teach reading....To support phonics instruction and make the advocates of 'whole language' the whipping boy does a disservice to our schools and teachers" (摘自1997年《时代周刊》); 
又如："Building 31 also is not immune from the siege mentality that generally can mark Microsoft. 'We're very much a whipping boy in the academic community'"
(摘自1999年《华盛顿邮报》). 
不过追溯这个短语的起源，我们可以发现它的比喻义和最初的本意有着很打的联系。它最初的意思是一些代年轻的王子（王子做错了什么事的话，他是伙伴要挨打）或贵族受过的男孩。这听起来与中国封建社会的王孙公子的伴读书童非常相似。
不过，并不是任何人都可以当whipping boy的，只有那些本来社会地位就不低、受过教育的、并且是贵族成员的亲密伙伴的人才有资格做whipping boy 。 
17世纪，whipping boy 的用法只限于它的本意，在接下来的时间里，除非在历史文献里，这个意思已经没有人在用了。而其作为“充当替罪羊的人或物，代人受过”比喻义的用法在19世纪开始被广泛使用。
转自中国翻译网
18. With bells on
周末准备开个Party，给朋友们发了请柬，收到的回信大都写着:"I would be there with bells on." 这一句话弄的我不知道他们是来还是不来，是不是都要送我一个铃铛(bell)。
With bells on 最普通的用法是用于非正式场合，意思是渴望做某事，准备玩个痛快（early; ready to enjoy oneself）。
如果请柬的回信上写着I'll be there with bells on，那么回信的人不仅仅是期盼着某一场合（通常是聚会）的到来，同时还要为活动助兴，贡献自己的节目，让大家感到尽兴。
With bells on的用法是非常有局限性的。多数情况下它的用法已经固定化、格式化，可以说已经成为社会礼仪用法的一部分，并被广泛应用于回复喜庆活动的邀请。使用这个短语意在向主人保证被应邀人届时肯定会到场并确信活动会搞得气氛热烈。而且with bells on 前面也一定会加上一句"I will be there"或者"I would be there"。 
如果你是被邀请去看电影，那么千万别用being there with bells on做回复语；如果你收到哈佛大学的录取通知书，你也千万别回复他们"I will be there in September with bells on", 否则，一切都要被你给搅浑了。 
当然了，这个句子并不是永远都是由七个单词组成。F. Scott Fitzgerald在他的作品Beautiful & Damned（1922）里使用这个句子时，就把短语最后面的介词给拿掉了。他在这样写到："All-ll-ll righty. I'll be there with bells"。 
人们大多认为这个短语的起源和喜庆活动中使用铃铛有关系（手指、脚指上挂满铃铛最能营造节日气氛）。也有人认为这和活跃气氛的小丑帽子上一个个像小铃铛一样的装饰品很有关系。
转自中国翻译网
19. Sleep tight
当我把三岁的女儿抱到床上,对她说："Sleep tight"的时候，她却反问我："妈妈，'Sleep tight'是什么意思？是不是我的被子得盖得严严（tight）的?"
其实不然，sleep tight是指睡的好，睡的香。 
一位威斯彻斯特县(Westchester County)的导游曾介绍这个短语的来源，他说"Sleep tight"是指过去人们床板上的鬃绳，稻草的垫子就铺在纵横交错的鬃绳上，鬃绳起到弹簧的作用。这些鬃绳要定期的进行绷紧，睡着才舒服，否则鬃绳则变的松松垮垮，很不舒服。
很多网站也都引用了这种说法。也有的说法说Sleep tight 的来历和海军有直接关系。因为海军用的吊床只有把绳子勒紧时才会睡得舒服。 
按照牛津字典的解释，副词tightly在17世纪晚期的意思是soundly, properly或well。莎士比亚《温莎的风流娘儿们》（The Merry Wives of Windsor）有这样的句子"Hold Sirha, beare you these letters tightly." 18世纪晚期tight有soundly（熟睡的）, roundly（完全的）的意思。1898玛丽-阿奈特-冯-阿尼姆在她的《伊莉莎白和她的德国花园》(Elizabeth and Her German Garden)里写"She had been so tight asleep." 
有一段民间儿童诗歌，其中tight的意思就是soundly。诗歌创作的具体时间无从考证，不过诗歌最后两行明显透露着维多利亚时代的文风。 
Good night, sleep tight, 
Wake up bright 
In the morning light 
To do what's right 
With all your might. 
大多数美国儿童可能对下面这段形成于19世纪的儿歌更为熟悉："Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite." 

20. Shoestring
Shoestring（鞋带），如果有人对你说: "I started my business on a shoestring"，你可别认为他是卖鞋带起家的。
"To do business or to operate on a shoestring" 是说"用极少的本钱开始做生意",所以上面那句话的意思是"我开始创业时只有极少的资金。"
如果用"on a shoestring"来形容一个人的经济状况，那这个人的日子肯定过得"上顿不接下顿"(living hand to mouth) ，也就是说这个人离破产不远了。 
Shoestring（鞋带）为什么会有这些意思，是因为鞋带都很细而且不结实？ 
我们现在很难确定shoestring成为"钱少得可怜"的代名词到底起源于何处。Christine  Ammer 在《美国习语词典》（The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms）提出了这样一种有趣的设想：在英国，被关进监狱的负债人，把两根鞋带接起来栓到一只鞋子上，把这只鞋子从窗口塞出去，悬挂在监狱的外墙上，希望籍此得到窗外偶尔路过的行人施舍的钱财。这种说法听起来很有创意，实际上不过是一则毫无根据的想象而已。
认为鞋带本身细而不坚实的特征是使shoestring让人联想到"小额资金"的说法也许还比较有说服力。鞋带的细长（slender shoestring）正好和资金的微薄(slender resources)在英语中是一个词。说了半天问题还是没有解决；为什么要选择"鞋带"作为"贫困"的象征？ 
虽说找不到完全确定的答案，不过我们可以从19世纪后期美国人的著作当中寻得一些蛛丝马迹。我们知道，一副鞋带万一有一条坏了的话，另外一条可以保留下来捆绑点小东西什么的。作家们发现用"鞋带"来表达确确实实存在、作用和价值又非常有限的事物是再合适不过了。1859年7月份的《亚特兰大月刊》上有这样一句引语：
"If, now, I had in my possession even an old shoestring that had ever been his, I would beg you to return it to him, and find out for me where I can go never to see him" 
又如："Those who have all their lives been in the habit of depending upon sight for everything, from the study of philosophy and the Scriptures to the tying of a shoestring, cannot seem to understand that hearing and touch may with practice be made to serve nearly all purposes about as well, and some very much better" (摘自The Century收录的一篇写于1887年关于盲人教育的文章)。 
撇开shoestring起源的种种说法不说，自19世纪90年代早期，shoestring一出现就使人联想到"资金的匮乏"，尤其是指那些在非常小的赌金上下赌注的赌徒，他们被称为shoestring gamblers。《牛津英语词典》在1904年对这种用法专门做了一个词条，并收录了下面的例句：" He...speculated 'on a shoe-string'--an exceedingly slim margin"。从此以后，这个词条一直很有生命力。现在，on a shoestring 和shoestring应用的语言环境非常的宽松，如："globetrotting（环球旅行）on a shoestring" ，广告中出现的"Adventures on a Shoestring" 。在这些用法当中，shoestring的意思显然没有"赤贫、贫困"的意思，这里所说的shoestring是指量力而行的省钱的安排。
转自中国翻译网
21. After one's own heart
在英语中，以heart组成的短语数量很大，而且在日常生活中使用得也极为广泛。例如人人熟知的lose heart。
这些短语在长期的使用过程中，意义上产生了一些变化。有些变化已经同其字面意义相去较远了。在科学不发达的年代里，人们一直认为心脏是人们用来思考事物的器官，所以经常用“心”一词组成一些与表示人的思想情绪有关的词语。
after one's own heart这条短语表示的英文含义是：well liked because of agreeing with your
own feelings, interests and ideas，汉语中的“情义相投”之类的说法便是该短语的对应词语。但在翻译时，还应根据具体的上下文选择恰当的用语。该短语是一条形容词短语，通常放在名词后面作后置定语。
 We both like football; he is a man after my own heart.
我们两人都喜欢足球，是情投意合的好朋友。
Susan worked with Smith in the same office. She admired him as the man after her own heart.
苏珊过去同史密斯在同一办公室工作。她把史密斯看作知己。
Tom is working as a postman. That outdoor job is the one after his own heart.
汤姆的工作是邮递员。这份户外工作正中他的下怀。
在以上三个例句中，这一短语表示的意义相同。但该短语还可表示下面的含义：
I am reading a book after my own heart. I can't put it down.
我正在读一本我喜欢的书。我简直放不下这本书啦。

转自中国翻译网
22. At the drop of a hat
He was quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
读过上面这句话之后，你如果理解为“他这人爰好吵架，帽子掉到地上就会同人争吵。”那可就同句子的实际意义相去甚远，甚至可说是南辕北辙了。
中世纪，在欧洲社会中，流行着决斗的风气。一些骑士或武士们为了自己的心上人，往往采取决斗的方式。如俄国的大诗人普希金就死于决斗之中。这些人们在决斗之前，往往把帽子狠狠地往地下一摔，这就意味着决斗马上就开始了。这一习俗不仅在决斗中，在其它场合也意味着坏事立即就要发生了。
时过境迁，决斗这一现象已成为历史的过去。然而at the drop of a hat这一短语却流传下来，而且保留了“立即，马上”这一意义。其英语的意义是：without waiting, immediately。
  If you need a babysitter quickly, call Mary, because she can come at the drop of a hat. 
如果你急需保姆，给玛莉打电话吧，因为她召之即来。
Don't mention basketball to Tom. He would go and play at the drop of a hat.
别对汤姆提起篮球，他只要听到这两个字，马上就会直奔篮球场。
The soldiers are ready to go to the battlefield at the drop of a hat.
这句话表示的含义同以上两句的意义不同，请注意译法：
这些士兵随时准备奔赴战场。
At the drop of a hat, he would tell the story of the road he wanted to build. 
他抓紧一切机会向他遇到的人宣布他的修路计划。 
转自中国翻译网

23. Indian Summer 
"秋老虎"、"小阳春"，都是中文里特殊的表达方式，那么如何用英文来表达"深秋季节的一段暖和天气"呢？其实英文中有个与之相对应的短语，"India Summer"。 
"Indian Summer"指秋天的一段暖和、干燥的天气，往往出现在9月下旬、10月和11月，有时候也会出现在8月或12月，爱伦-坡曾把它称作 "strange interregnum occurring in autumn" 。 
"Indian Summer"中的"Indian"绝对不是指印度，而是指美洲的土著民族印第安人，因为这样的天气出现在美国东海岸中部各州，北到新英格兰，西至大平原。这种天气往往伴随着灾难性的大雾。
"Indian Summer"首次出现在1778年一位法国籍美国人的书中，他在描写殖民地的农场中写道， "Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares [the earth] to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of  smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer." 
那么他为什么会在文章中提到 "smoke"一词呢？一种说法认为印第安人为了在冬天来临之前用火烧的方法把躲藏起来的猎物驱逐出洞，或者是用火将耕地上的杂草烧尽以便第二年春耕，所以才有了"smoke"一词。爱伦·坡在他的A Tale of Ragged Mountains，也提到"smoke"一词（"the thick and peculiar mist, or smoke, which distinguishes the Indian Summer"）, 增加了这一说法的可信度。 
菲利普·多德里奇在他的Note on the Indian War in West Virginia (1842) 对"smoke"一词提供了另一种说法。他写道，"烟雾笼罩的日子开始了，它将要持续一段时间。这样的天气被称为Indian Summer，因为这段小阳春的天气为印第安人去骚扰移民地区的人们提供了机会。"（"The smokey time commenced and lasted for a considerable number of days. This was the Indian summer, because it afforded the Indians another opportunity of visiting the settlements with their destructive warfare."）因为印第安人在天凉以后就不再向移民地区发起突袭，除了有这样一段暖和的天气。那么"smoke"就是印第安人焚烧村庄和房屋的结果。
这些说法到底哪个正确，还是得由您自己作出选择，因为这些都是民间的说法。 
在英国，人们也开始用"Indian Summer"来代替 "St. Luke's little summer", "St. Martin's summer", "All Hallows summer"表示"秋老虎"、"小阳春"这个意思。 如 "An Indian summer in the West Country brought peak holiday traffic jams in Devon yesterday" (Sunday Times, September 16, 1962). 
转自中国翻译网
24. Put somebody to sleep
    我去洗衣服的时候，通常会路过隔壁德国老太太的门口，她开门出来打招呼。她由于单身一个人，非常孤独，看见我女儿会"Honey(宝贝)长，Honey短的"。一个周日的晚上,她见到我, 便问："Where is your little girl? I did not see her today." 我答说："Oh, I just put her to sleep."她听罢，突然惊叫起来，"Ashley(我的名字),What did you say?"
    不等她说完，我立即意识到我说了一句天大的错话。我马上补充说："I am sorry. I mean that I just put her to bed."(我的意思是我刚哄她入睡了)。
    英语中"put somebody to sleep"是指终止某人生命，是一种委婉的表达,也可以用作"(为动手术而用麻醉剂)使人失去知觉"的意思。常听老美说："Oh, I had to put my dog to sleep. He suffered too much from his sickness"(我只好让我的狗安息，它饱受病痛的折磨!)
    （摘自《世界日报》）
25. Put the cart before a horse
      一天，我到邻居老外家串门，见到他们全家正在听一个正在上初中的孩子讲故事。这个孩子说老师出了一道題：世界上到底先有鸡还是先有蛋。班里同学对这个问题展开了热烈的辩论，两种观点相持不下。孩子的爸爸问他：“那么你认为答案应该是什么呢？”孩子回答说：“先有蛋。”可是爸爸不同意。于是爷俩争了起来。孩子的爸爸好像有些着急，说了一句：“You put the cart before a horse.”
      我听了很纳闷，明明在讨论鸡与蛋的问题，怎么会扯到车与马上去呢？于是我不禁偷偷问这个孩子说：“你爸爸说的是什么意思？”孩子解释说，他爸爸的意思是说他把事情搞颠倒了。我恍然大悟，仔细想想，马拉车，车应该在马后边，而不能把它放在马之前嘛。如果这句话翻译成一个中国成语应该就是“顛倒是非”或“本末倒置”吧。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
26. Rain on my parade
    午餐时间，我们大家正兴高采烈计划周末一块儿出去玩。有人问起要不要邀请隔壁部门的某某小姐，曾经和她同一个单位的 Sally马上高声反对: “No, I won't invite her. She always likes to rain on my parade.”
    在大家还来不及开口之时，刚从楼下买便当上来的 Jill没头没脑地接着说: “外面没有在下雨，也没有游行呀！” Sally 拍了一下 Jill, 才向她解释: “我是说，以前每次提议出去玩，她都会找出一大堆理由来阻挠我们成行，非常扫兴！还是不要约她，省得自讨没趣。”
    (摘自《世界日报》)
27. Rocking the cradle
    同事一伙人开车去吃午飯，男士们开一辆车，女士们坐另一辆车跟在后面。后面车里的女人自然议论到前车上的男人们，说他们喜欢打球，喜欢吃 Pizza，凯瑟琳说了一句“One of them is rocking the cradle.”车上的人听后大笑起来。我没有理解她的意思，于是问她们说：“could you explain for me？”这下她们更乐了，不过还是向我解释了这句话的意思。
    原来“rocking the cradle”的本意是指摇动摇篮，引伸为指两个年龄相差很大的人在一起，这就和俚语中的另一个词语“May-December”很接近。也就是说她们认为，前面车里的一位男士和他的女伴，在年龄上相差很悬殊。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
28. Root beer
    退休的刘教授同几位友人去 Town Hall Buffet 用餐，这是一家自助餐馆。席间，他兴高采烈地端来一杯饮料，说："这里还有啤酒呢！"说罢一饮而尽。"咦，怎么是甜的，一点啤酒的味道也没有？"
    别人听了以后，无不捧腹大笑。刘公见状颇为纳闷，不知就里。后有一人问道："你刚才倒的不是 root beer吗？" 他才醒悟过来。
    draught beer 是生啤，black beer 是黑啤，light beer 是淡啤，而 root beer 则与啤酒无关，是一种由植物根部酿造的可乐一类的饮料。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
29. Run your stockings
    早上才刚进办公室，隔壁桌的Toni就悄悄地对我说:“You ran your stockings.”穿着丝袜跑步?没有呀!于是我回答她说：“No! I did not run with my stockings.” Toni愣了一会儿，才大笑着解释，她是指我的丝袜破了，并不是说我去跑步。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
30. Say uncle!
    朋友T有一次讲他叔父儿时在上海读书时的故事，他说他叔父那时身健力壮，喜欢打架，在同学中号称“大亨”。凡是看不顺眼的同学，叔父一定要和他较量，把人家压倒在地上，命令人家“叫声爷叔！”。被压倒的同学叫过一声“爷叔”后，叔父就会放他起身，握手成为朋友。T说上海黑帮中的“大哥”，有“爷叔”之称，而“叫声爷叔”则是表示投降之意。
    这个“叫声爷叔！”正是英语中的：Say uncle！相当于：Surrender！英语中之 Say uncle，以其叫喊之程度不同而作 Cry uncle，Yell uncle 以及Scream uncle-——叫喊，大喊和尖声叫喊。Say uncle在上个世纪初在美国开始流行， T说不知是否由沪语转成。语言学家芬克（Charles Earle Funk）认为可能源于拉丁语。他说罗马时代儿童遇到困难时喊叫：Patrue mi Patruissime。（Uncle, my best of uncles.）可能是 Say uncle 的来源。
    1992年克林顿竞选总统时的助手卡维尔（James Carville）谈到当时的老布什总统时说：He didn't yell uncle; he screamed it，就是说布什宣布“投降”也。形势不利，还是叫声爷叔的好。
    （摘自《联合早报》）
31. She is under the weather
    这天同事 Leslie没来上班, 另一个同事告诉我: “She is under the weather.” 我一时没能听懂,同事又重复了一遍，外加， “She is not feeling well.” 我不假思索地说: “噢，她有关节炎？”
    同事看看我，说“我不太清楚。”这下我可糊涂了，明明是他告诉我的，怎么又说不清楚呢？待我晚上打电话给Leslie表示问候，提到白天的疑惑时，Leslie这才向我解释说， She is under the weather 是说她身体欠佳，可是和天气无关。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
32. She’s a has been?
    一次，我和朋友乔治等人一起看电视，节目中一位风韵犹存的好莱坞女演员正在接受采访。乔治问我知不知道这个女演员，我回答说不知道。于是，乔治嘴里嘟囔了一句，听上去好像是: “She's a husband.”
    我听了觉得很奇怪，就试探着问: “难道她是个女同性恋?” 乔治看了我一眼，说: “为什么这么问？” 我说: “刚才你不是说she’s a husband?” 乔治哈哈大笑，把他的话重复了一遍 “She is a has been.” 然后向我解释说，这句话的意思是说这位女演员已经过气了，不红了，所以也就是 “已经成为过去式了”, 可是跟 “老公” 一点关系都没有。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
33. Shoot from the hip
    刚刚跳槽来到一个新的公司，对什么都不熟悉。午饭时，热情的Isabella向我介绍办公室里其他几个同事的情况。当她说到老板Robert时，她说他是个什么都 "Shoot from the hip"的人。
    听后我着实一惊，不明就理，难道他还随身携带武器不成？
    后来才搞明白，这是形容一个人做事干脆利落，连想也不想，说干就干，原来如此！ （金山里却是“鲁莽做事”的意思）
（摘自《世界日报》）
luodean:
get the lead out  迅速的作某事，不拖拖拉拉。
解说，这是典型的美国习语，也可以说成get the lead out of one's pants,
lead在这里是指铅，发音为/led/，把屁股上的铅拿掉，做事就不拖拉了。

34. Lobster
    爱吃龙虾的朋友随旅行团游澳洲，在悉尼餐馆中天天大快朵颐，大赞价廉物美。他说据久居悉尼的朋友说，从悉尼起，沿岸城镇多的是海鲜餐馆，而 seafood 中最“抵食”者莫过于龙虾。
    朋友K说澳洲英语的特征在发音方面，但是有时用字会因地区不同而异。换言之，在昆士兰用的词，有的和在西澳洲方言中所用者不一样。西澳洲用词，又可能和新南威尔斯（NSW）区域所用者不同。在昆士兰和新南威尔斯，龙虾叫做lobster；而游客们在餐馆中听到的可能是 rock lobster，是龙虾正式名称。到其他地区，例如维多利亚、南澳或者西澳，通常称龙虾为 crayfish （螯虾）。如果到新南威尔斯去，又不可用 crayfish 称 lobster，因为那里称 crayfish 者，指真正的螯虾。这种螯虾，在澳洲一般叫作 yabby，则是维多利亚区土人用语。
    螯虾天相笨拙，英语中 lobster 用以比喻容易受骗、动作笨拙之辈（duffer-clumsy fellow, with peculiar apperance and gait）。美国口语中称报馆值夜班为 on lobster shift，也许值夜班要睁开大眼——两眼突出，lobstereyed 也。
    （摘自《联合早报》）
35. Lots for sale
    初中时学到的英文lots of是“许多”的意思，所以初看到路旁插了个 Lots For Sale的牌子时，我直觉就是有很多东西要卖，于是兴冲冲地跟着指示开去，以为可以捡到一些便宜货，不想开到后一看却只是荒地一片。后来才知道，原来 Lots for sale 的Lots指的是空地的意思，和“许多”是八竿子搭不上关系的。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
36. Need of
    朋友Y的住所不大，多年前置业，六百多英尺面积。当时他自称蜗居，但实际上也算相当宽敞了。Y说日前听朋友M文绉绉地提到：The toilet has the need of repairing，自然地想到“蜗居”的浴厕也该修理了。他说：My toilet is also in need of repairing。朋友S说 to have the need of... 和 to be in need of... 意思一样，都是“需要……”或者“有……之必要”，前者是较旧的说法，显得文雅而有婉曲之感。后者比较“现代化”，现在普遍通用。to have... 和 to be... 在许多表现方式中用以表现相同意思，但以to be... 较为通用。
    （摘自《联合早报》）
37. On the street？
    最近，公司在做一个项目，眼看就要到期了，可是大家还没有把握是否可以如期完成。于是我们这个小组的组长对我们说：“Everybody! Be serious! Otherwise, we are all on the street!”
    我一时没能听懂，心想写不出来，为什么要全部都到街上去呢？后来另一位同事向我解释说：“组长的意思是指，如果计划书写不出来，我们可能都要被炒鱿鱼 (开除) !”
    （摘自《世界日报》）
38. Party pooper
    除夕到了,有人提议守夜的时候一起去 Pasadena 排队占位子，观赏元旦早晨的玫瑰花车游行。正当大家兴致勃勃的在讨论各项细节时，Jill 却一直在唱反调，想要阻止我们的计划。
    于是，Belle 就劝她说：“Come on, take it easy. Don't be a ‘party pooper’ ！” 没想到 Jill 会错了意，马上跳起来大声抗议：“没有！我才没有放‘臭气’呢！”
    我们一群人都被她逗得笑翻了天，Belle 赶紧向 Jill 道歉说：“对不起！对不起！我不是说你‘poop’放臭气，我是叫你不要扫大家的兴！”
    原来"party pooper"是指社交聚会上令人扫兴的人或者煞风景的人。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
扫兴 ---- be a party pooper
            be a wet blanket
            cut/put/throw a damper on sth.
            rain on parade
            discourage sb. from having fun
            spoil one's fun
39. Play it by ear
    学期末教授要求我们作一个小组报告，我和几名小组成员拿不准教授会出什么样的刁难问题而发愁，最后同学们说： "Why don't we play it by ear?" (我们为什么不[动]耳朵呢？) 我觉得莫名其妙，反问大家："我只听说过动脑筋才能想出办法，动耳朵能管用吗？"
    大家听完我的话，笑得前仰后合，等他们好不容易喘过气来，才告诉我 "play something by ear"的意思是"到时见机行事"。
    （摘自《世界日报》）
40. Promise
    Promise作名词的时候，表示有希望、有前途。朋友说不久前听一个朋友七岁的女儿弹琴，颇有天才。那位钢琴老师说：She has high promise of a pianist（大有希望成为钢琴家。）此外称一个人大有前途，除high promise外，常见的还有bright, brilliant或者great等词形容。比如朋友的男孩子能说善辩，朋友说他：He has a great future to be a statesman.
    除了上面的用法之外，promise还有下面这样的用法：The sky gives promise of fine weather tomorrow（连日阴雨，忽见天空云随风散，可知明日将会转晴。）；The report gives promise of a better tomorrow（经济低迷，前者未可乐观，但是有报告指出“明天”会转好。）
    Promise作动词用，有“希望”和“约束”两个意思。例如The sky gives promise of fine weather tomorrow可以更简单地说成：The sky promises a fine weather tomorrow。
    《联合早报》
41. You are in for a treat！ 
 这天，同事们正在讨论为我和 Rhonda 开生日 party的事情，为了尊重寿星，大家让Rhonda 和我选择一家中意的餐厅。Rhonda建议去鎮上一家叫做BBQ 的美国餐厅。我从来没有去过那里，于是就问她那里有什么特色。Rhonda便开始滔滔不绝的介绍他们的招牌菜，听得我十指大动，直咽口水，Rhonda便笑着说: "You are in for a treat !"
 我愣了一下，以为Rhonda要请我去那里吃饭，心里十分不好意思，试探着问过她之后，Rhonda 笑着解释说: "You are in for a treat means you'll like it !" 
 （摘自《世界日报》）
以下luodean提供
someone grow on me  (某人令我)逐渐的爱上她/他（爱意不断加深）
也可以指爱上某物，如You don't like classical music? Don't worry. It'll grow on you. 你会逐渐喜欢的
42. Horse around？
    有一天我带着孩子去公园散步，看见一群美国孩子在那里玩，只见其中一位家长走过来，问我们说：“Do you want to horse around？”我心想：“这附近也没见到马，他怎么会问我们这个呢？”我当时就随便跟他点头回应了一下，我想必定有其他的意思！
    等我回公司上班时，问了美国同事后才恍然大悟，原来对方是问我们要不要跟他们一起玩？Horse around就是 play around 的意思！
    《世界日报》
43. I'm in the dark
    那天是先生的同事 John 的订婚宴，我们应邀赴宴。见到John和他的未婚妻，我们由衷祝福。先生还和 John 聊了一会，说着这两天的新鲜事，只听 John 说: “I am in the dark.”。
    我纳闷了，这是他的大喜日子，可他的心里怎么这样灰暗。
    回程路上，向先生说起对 John 的看法，这才歪打正着，又学一招。in the dark，不是指消级、心里灰暗。John 当时那么说，表示他对先生所说的事一无所知。
    所以确切地说，那天 in the dark 的是我。
    《世界日报》
44. In apple pie shape
    好长一阵子没有见到同事 Peg了。一天我问安妮 Peg 到哪去了，她说因为店里的老板给她调了一个部门，她不太高兴，所以辞了职换到别家商店工作了。
    我说Peg一向工作认真，尽心尽力，从不马虎。安妮也说：“的确如此！经她整理过的服装 Everything is in apple pie shape.” 我没有听懂这句话的意思，这里是服装店又不是食品店，哪来的 apple pie呢？
    于是我请教了几个老美，终于弄清了这句话的含意。原来它的意思是指做事有条不紊、规则而有秩序，外形看上去又很漂亮，就像是apple pie一样。
    《世界日报》
45. Kill someone with kindness
    Kindness有时确实可以置人于死地的，但不必过于担忧，kill someone with kindness只是一种夸张的说法，其真正含义在汉语中大致可以表达为热情得让人受不了，而没有你想像的那样危情四起。
    打个比方，你到百货大楼去购物，本来只是想买一件衬衣，可热情有加的服务员不仅为你拿来了各式各样的衬衣让你比试，还拿出了她们认为和这件衬衫搭配地最完美的领带、外套、裤子、鞋子，笑容可掬地极力向你推荐，而且称赞你眼光独特，品味极高，挑到了最好的货色。对此情景，你能拒绝吗？你好意思拒绝吗？那就全买下来吧。结果回家之后一个劲地后悔，我买这些个有用没用的东西都是干啥来着？唉，都是被服务员那冬天里的一把火似的热情烧的，从心底你会说they killed me with kindness。

46. Knock back
      我在宠物店买了一只小猫咪。猫咪毛茸茸的，十分可爱，所以我总忍不住要带它出去炫耀一番。
      一次好友安琪拉看到我的爱猫，一边逗弄它，一边问我说：“This cutie must have knocked you back a lot！”我听了以后，以为安琪拉是说猫咪很淘气，会抓我的背，就回答说：“Not at all. This is a tender kitten.”
      谁知安琪拉听了大笑，说道：“This cutie must have cost you a lot！”
      安琪拉的话让我一头雾水，回家查过字典，才发现原来“knock back”这个片语是“花费”的意思。所以安琪拉原本是问我，买猫咪一定花了我不少钱，而不是说我的猫咪很调皮。
    《世界日报》
47. Knock out
      一次我向同事 John 借一支笔，当时他正忙着打字，头也不回的对我说: “Knock yourself out”.
      我闻听心里十分不悦，心想John也真是的，怎么会如此无理，我不过就是向你借一支笔，不借也就算了，还说什么要打我出去。于是我说: “对不起，我没听清楚，你说什么？”大概他听出我口气不对，回头看见我没好气的样子，忙解释道: “老兄，別急，我的意思是说 go ahead ，go for it，或者 do as much as you want (like)，or you don't have to ask my permission”.原来并不是我所理解的把人击倒，打出场外的意思呀。
    《世界日报》
48. All thumbs
邻居Smith老夫妇身体很健康，精力也充沛，但奇怪的是前、后园的工作老先生从不插手，只由老太太一手包办。一天恰巧我和老太太同在后园篱笆各自收拾庭园，我正想将难于出口的疑团提出，老太太却主动说："My husband is all thumbs when he comes to gardening." 
哈哈哈!我差点忍不住大笑起来，All thumbs是形容做事笨手笨脚, 说自己丈夫有十只大拇指，真是又形象又幽默。我赶紧回家大笑一场。
（摘自《世界日报》）
49.  Bookkeeper
到了美国几个天后就很想找一份工作以增加一点家庭收入，报纸上有很多广告要找 Bookkeeper，我想这事很简单 ── 图书保管员。于是拿起话筒就给对方打电话，说我对这个工作感兴趣，我以前在国内作过图书馆管理员的工作，有经验，对方问我具体做些什么，我说整理书，按照图书分类法编排 …… 还沒等我说完，他就说： "小姐，我们找的是 Bookkeeper，不是 Librarian (图书管理员)。"
当时我也不理解这二个字有什么不同，晚上先生回来后一问才知道 Bookkeeper 是会计工作，这里 "book" 是指 "帐簿，帐册"， "bookkeeper" 就是 "簿记员, 管帐人, 会计"的意思，和 "librarian" (图书管理员)完全是两码事。
（摘自《世界日报》）
50. Chew the fat
英文电视台新剧集《高校风云》（Boston Public）的内容围绕着美国中学师生之间的恩恩怨怨，着墨于两者皆良莠不齐的现象，相当写实。
日前看了一集。该集中黑人校长接见一位教员，一名女教师走进校长室见到这个情景，感到不好意思，随口说：“Oh, sorry.”（噢，对不起）
黑人校长看见那满面歉意的女教师，立即说道：“No, you didn't disturb us. We were just chewing the fat.”
第一句对白相信大家不看片上中文字幕也听得懂，意思是：“不，你没有打扰我们。” 然而第二句对白是什么意思呢？ 假如你每个字都听出来，会不会把chewing the fat直解为“在嚼肥肉”呢？
Chew the fat不指嚼肥肉，真正的意思是“闲聊”。 明白了chew the fat，那组对白就很容易理解了：No, you didn't disturb us. We were just chewing the fat.（不，你没有打扰我们。我们只是在闲扯。）

51. Did you come down with Tara？
同事Tara病倒了几天，没有上班。我过了两天也觉得身体有些不适。和老板谈起的时候，她问, “Did you come down with Tara?”  “Tara？”我以为她问我是不是和Tara一起下楼来，因为我们实习生住的地方就在我办公室楼上。我赶紧回答说， “No, no.” 因为Tara早晨有事已经先走了。老板听了也赶紧解释说，她不是要问我是不是和Tara一起下楼的，她是问我是不是和Tara一样感到身体不舒服，原来come down with something 是一个口语化的短语，意思是 “患……病、感染……病”。