书城外语笑死你的英文书
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第83章 The Cat and the Saucer

An antique collector was passing a small shop when he noticed a cat on the sidewalk out front,licking milk from a saucer。The man immediately realized the saucer was very old and valuable。He stepped into the shop with an uninterested look and asked to buy the cat。“I am sorry”the shop owner said,“but the cat is not for sale。”

“Please”the collector urged,“I need a cat around my house to catch mice。I will give you20dollars。”

“The cat is yours”the owner said taking the money。

“Listen”the collector added,“I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer as well。The cat seems to like it and I would hate to have him give it up。”

“Sorry”the shop owner answered,“but that saucer brings me luck。Why,just this week I have sold68cats!”

猫与托盘

一个古董收集者正路过一个小店。他发现店前人行道上一只猫在舔一个托盘上的牛奶。这个人立刻意识到这个托盘是个值钱的古物。他带着一种毫无兴趣的表情步入店内,要买那只猫。“对不起,”店主说,“这只猫是不卖的。”

“卖给我吧,”收集者敦促道,“我家里面需要一只猫来捉老鼠。我给你20美元。”

“猫归你了,”店主接过钱说道。

“还有,”收集者补充道,“我想你是否能把那只旧盘子也额外赠送给我。猫好像很喜欢它。我不愿意看到它失去这东西。”

“对不起,”店主回答说,“但那只托盘能给我带来好运。你不知道,光这一周,我就卖掉68只猫!”

saucer[s:s]n。茶托,碟子

antique[nti:k]adj。古时制造的,古董的;古代的n。古玩,古董,古物

例:The palace is full of priceless antiques。宫殿里到处都是无价的古玩。

lick[lik]v。舔,〈口〉打败

例:I think we could lick the best teams there。我想我们能打败那儿最好的队。

urge[:d]vt。力劝,敦促;鼓励,极力主张;驱策,促使

例:Your progress will urge us to work hard。你的进步会促进我们努力学习。

throw in额外赠送

例:John threw in a couple of tires when he sold his bicycle。约翰卖掉自行车并免费送两个轮胎。

有关猫的英语习语中有不少故事。如:“A cat has nine lives。”(一猫有九命),这是一句英国的谚语。据英国民间传说,猫的生命力很强,很不容易被弄死。有人把猫从高处扔下,它能稳稳当当地落地。有时甚至把一只猫打得一动不动了,过会儿它又会复活过来。这些传说并非迷信,因为据《参考消息》报道,1979年南非的一个岛上发生了猫患,后来他们给其中的一百多只猫注射了一种致命的细菌,结果这一百多只猫不仅没有把细菌传染给其他的猫,而且它们本身也安然无恙。现在,人们用“A cat has nine lives。”这个成语比喻某人有旺盛的生命力。

与猫有关的英语习语有很多,常见的有:

A cat may look at a king。(小人物也该有权利。)

a copy cat(抄袭他人的人,看样学样的人)

cat and dog life(争吵不休的生活)

cat around(寻欢作乐)

let the cat out of bag(泄漏秘密)

like a cat on hot bricks(局促不安――相当于汉语里的“热锅里的蚂蚁”)

make a cat laugh(极好笑,极滑稽)

see how the cat jumps(观望形势,再作决策)

There is more ways than one to kill a cat。(有的是办法。)

turn cat in the pan(叛变,变节)

When the cat is away,the mice will play。(谚语――猫儿不在,老鼠玩得自在。)