书城外语笑死你的英文书
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第85章 Goldfish

Little Amy was in the garden filling in a hole when her neighbor peered over the fence。Interested in what the cheekyfaced youngster was doing,he politely asked,“What are you up to there,Amy?”

“My goldfish died”replied Amy tearfully,without looking up,“and I have just buried him。”

The neighbor was concerned,“That is an awfully big hole for a goldfish,isn’t it?”

Amy patted down the last heap of earth then replied,“That is because he is inside your cat。”

金鱼

小艾米在她家的花园里往一个坑里填土,她的邻居从花园的篱笆外面看到了。对这个面色沮丧的小女孩的行动感兴趣,他礼貌地问道:“艾米,你在这儿做什么?”

“我的金鱼死了,”艾米头也未抬,泪眼汪汪地说,“我刚把他埋葬了。”

他的邻居关心地问:“对金鱼来说,这个洞是不是太大了?”

艾米拍了拍最后一撮土,然后回答道:“因为金鱼在你的猫肚子里面。”

peer[pi]vi。凝视,盯着看n。贵族;同辈,同龄人

例:He peered at his father’s face。他凝视着他父亲的脸。

例:As peers,we should help each other。作为同龄人,我们应该互相帮助。

cheeky[ti:ki]adj。[口]厚脸皮的;无耻的;面颊垂下的

be up to胜任,从事于

awfully[:fuli]adv。恶劣地;很,非常

concerned[kns:nd]adj。担心的,烦恼的,忧虑的

例:Naturally we were concerned for him when we heard of the accident。当我们听到那意外事件时,自然地为他担忧。

pat[pt]vt。&vi。轻拍;拍成,拍至

例:He patted his face dry with a towel。他用手巾轻轻地把脸拍干。

That is like putting the cat near the goldfish bowl。意为“把猫放在金鱼缸旁”,相当于“引狼入室”,与其含义相同的短语有to usher the wolf into the house;to bring in a troublemaker;to set a fox to keep one’s geese。

fish在现代英语中常被用来指人,如:

a loose fish放荡之人

a cold fish古怪之人

a dull fish言语乏味之人

a poor fish倒霉而易上当之人

a shy fish羞怯的人

另外,fish还见诸于下列习语中,如:

fish story荒唐的故事

big fish a little pond池塘里的大鱼(意指“矮子里面拔将军”)

like a fish out of water不适应,就如“鱼离了水”一样

plenty of fish in the sea芸芸众生,无出众之处

Fish begins to stink at the head。鱼要烂,头先臭。(即上梁不正下梁歪。)

Never offer to teach fish to swim。永远不要教鱼游泳。(即不要班门弄斧。)

The best fish swims near the bottom。最好的鱼总是沉在水底的。(即好货难求。)