習(xí)慣用語(yǔ) 第45講:cold feet; jump in and get ones feet wet

字號(hào):

一個(gè)人在充滿(mǎn)信心的時(shí)候往往就會(huì)無(wú)所畏懼,勇往直前。但是,當(dāng)一個(gè)人對(duì)某件
    事感到膽怯的時(shí)候,他就會(huì)畏縮不前。我們經(jīng)常可以看到一種情況:有的人對(duì)一件事
    開(kāi)始的時(shí)候很有信心,很有把握。可是,事到臨頭就變得沒(méi)有勇氣了。在英文里有一
    個(gè)俗語(yǔ)是用來(lái)形容類(lèi)似情況的,那就是 cold feet. Cold是冷的意思, feet 就是兩
    只腳。Cold feet 并不是在雪地里走而使你的腳很冷。Cold feet 是指臨時(shí)上場(chǎng)感到
    膽怯。例如:
     "Peter told his wife that this time he was really going to walk in and
    demand a pay raise from the boss. But when he arrived at the office , he
    got cold feet."
     這句話(huà)翻成中文的意思是:“這個(gè)名字叫皮特的丈夫?qū)ψ约旱钠拮诱f(shuō),這次他可
    一定要到他老板的辦公室去要求增加工資了??墒牵坏搅宿k公室就感到膽怯,不
    敢去見(jiàn)他的老板?!?BR>     這種臨陣脫逃的現(xiàn)象是很經(jīng)常的。下面我們要舉的例子恐怕會(huì)引起許多聽(tīng)眾的共
    鳴:
     "I really need to get my teeth fixed, but every time I start to phone
    the dentist , I think about the sound of that drill and right away I get
    cold feet."
     這個(gè)人說(shuō):“我實(shí)在應(yīng)該去牙大夫那兒看牙了。但是,每當(dāng)我拿起電話(huà)想和大夫
    預(yù)約的時(shí)候,我就好像聽(tīng)到那鉆牙的聲音,一下子,我就害怕起來(lái)了?!?BR>     事到臨頭打退堂鼓,出現(xiàn) cold feet的現(xiàn)象也許是一個(gè)弱點(diǎn),但是在美國(guó)成語(yǔ)里,
    把腳弄濕倒是一件好事。比如說(shuō),好些聽(tīng)眾都在學(xué)英語(yǔ)。這是一種外語(yǔ),許多初學(xué)的
    人都怕難為情不敢用英語(yǔ)來(lái)對(duì)話(huà)??墒?,老師很可能就會(huì)勸這些學(xué)生: "Jump in and
    get your feet wet. " Jump in and get your feet wet這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的意思是:到實(shí)踐
    中去學(xué),也可以說(shuō)是跳到游泳池里學(xué)游泳。我們來(lái)舉一個(gè)老師對(duì)學(xué)生說(shuō)的話(huà):
     "I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak
    English after these first few 第 s. But that's the best way to learn: when
    you meet an American, try a few words—— jump in and get your feet wet."
     這位老師說(shuō):“我知道你們大多數(shù)人感到,剛上了幾課英語(yǔ),就用英語(yǔ)來(lái)說(shuō)話(huà)很
    不好意思。不過(guò),當(dāng)你見(jiàn)到美國(guó)人時(shí),你不妨試著說(shuō)一點(diǎn)。到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)是好的辦
    法?!?BR>     到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)對(duì)于任何事來(lái)說(shuō)都是很重要的。下面說(shuō)話(huà)的人就認(rèn)識(shí)到例句 jump
    in and get your feet wet的重要性:
     "I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one
    of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance
    to jump in and get my feet wet."
     這個(gè)人說(shuō):“我希望將來(lái)能夠到政界去工作,所以我現(xiàn)在在幫一個(gè)競(jìng)選市長(zhǎng)的候
    選人張貼宣傳標(biāo)語(yǔ)。我?guī)退鲞@些事是完全義務(wù)的,是沒(méi)有工資的。但是,這是到實(shí)
    踐中去得到一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)的好機(jī)會(huì)?!?BR>     今天我們給大家介紹了兩個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ),都是和 feet 這個(gè)字有關(guān)的。第一個(gè)是 cold
    feet.Cold feet是事到臨頭打退堂鼓,對(duì)原先有信心的事感到膽怯了。我們今天講的
    第二個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)是 jump in and get your feet wet,這是指到實(shí)踐中去學(xué)習(xí)取得經(jīng)
    驗(yàn)。