美國(guó)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)第一百六十六講

字號(hào):

* Out of the woods
     * Out of the picture
     今天我們要給大家講解的兩個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)都是由out這個(gè)字組成的。Out這個(gè)字的用處是很多的,在每天講話當(dāng)中不知要用多少次,當(dāng)然意思也有不同的地方,特別是用在習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)當(dāng)中的時(shí)候。我們今天首先要給大家講的是:out of the woods.
     Woods就是森林。要是一個(gè)人在森林里迷了路,東走西走、不知道會(huì)發(fā)生什么危險(xiǎn)的事,又擔(dān)心能不能找到回家的路,一旦找到了正確的方向,走出森林的時(shí)候,那種舒暢、安全的感覺是可想而知的。這就是out of the woods這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)的意思。下面我們要給大家舉的例子就是一個(gè)珠寶店的老板在講他的生意情況:
     "Our business has been terrible all year and I was afraid we might have to give up and close the shop. But the last two months we've made a profit and I think we're out of the woods at last."
     這個(gè)珠寶店老板說:“整整一年來,我們的生意簡(jiǎn)直糟透了,我當(dāng)時(shí)擔(dān)心我們恐怕得放棄這個(gè)生意,只好關(guān)門了。但是,過去兩個(gè)月我們賺了一些錢,所以,我想我們終于算是脫離險(xiǎn)境了?!?BR>     美國(guó)社會(huì)的一個(gè)特點(diǎn)就是變化的速度很快。有時(shí)你明明記得在一條街上有一家你很喜歡的商店,但是,過幾年再到那里去,你可能會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)原來那家商店的地點(diǎn)已經(jīng)開了別的店了。這個(gè)例句里的老板還算運(yùn)氣,沒有倒閉。
     現(xiàn)在再請(qǐng)大家聽一遍用慢速念的這個(gè)句子:
     "Our business has been terrible all year and I was afraid we might have to give up and close the shop. But the last two months we've made a profit and I think we're out of the woods at last."
     我們都已經(jīng)知道汽車在美國(guó)人生活當(dāng)中的重要性。對(duì)有些地方的人來說,沒有汽車就好像一個(gè)人沒有腿,行動(dòng)艱難。但是,隨著汽車給人們帶來的方便,它也給人們?cè)斐梢恍┪kU(xiǎn)。在美國(guó),每年死于車禍的人也不少。特別是在節(jié)假日,有不少人去參加聚會(huì),一高興就多喝幾杯。這些人沒有想到,你高興一時(shí),卻可能給別人和自己造成一輩子的傷害。下面是一個(gè)妻子在說她那在車禍中受了重傷的丈夫:
     "Michael drank too much at a party last night and smashed his car up on the way home. He ended up in the hospital and was in a coma all night. But he's awake today and feeling much better. Thank God he seems to be out of the woods now!"
     這位太太說:“麥克昨晚去參加一個(gè)聚會(huì),酒喝太多了,在回家的路上撞了車。結(jié)果他被送到一個(gè)醫(yī)院,整夜昏迷不醒。不過,今天他已經(jīng)清醒,感覺也好多了。他似乎渡過了危險(xiǎn)期,真是謝天謝地。”
     現(xiàn)在我們?cè)侔堰@個(gè)句子用慢速念一遍:
     "Michael drank too much at a party last night and smashed his car up on the way home. He ended up in the hospital and was in a coma all night. But he's awake today and feeling much better. Thank God he seems to be out of the woods now!"
     現(xiàn)在我們?cè)俳o大家介紹一個(gè)和out這個(gè)字有關(guān)的習(xí)慣用語(yǔ):out of the picture.Picture是一個(gè)很普通的字,它的意思是圖畫,或者是照片。Out of the picture按字面來講是某人不在那張照片里??墒?,要是當(dāng)out of the picture作為習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)的時(shí)候,它的意思就是:某人已經(jīng)不在了,也就是:此人已經(jīng)不再參與這項(xiàng)工程,或者退出這一行動(dòng)了。下面是一個(gè)公司的副經(jīng)理在說話,他對(duì)總經(jīng)理的退休感到十分高興:
     "Thank God the old man is out of the picture at last —— he should have retired ten years ago! Now we can make the changes we need to get the company a lot more business."
     這個(gè)副經(jīng)理說:“謝天謝地,這個(gè)老頭終于走了。其實(shí)他十年前就該退休了?,F(xiàn)在,我們可以按我們的需要來作些改變,為公司招攬更多的生意?!?BR>     在美國(guó),代溝也同樣存在,年老的傾向于守舊一些,而年輕的喜歡改革。因此,在美國(guó)報(bào)紙上經(jīng)??梢钥吹揭恍┫⒄f,某公司資深年長(zhǎng)的總裁或董事長(zhǎng)被年輕人擠出領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,被迫退休。
     我們?cè)侔堰@個(gè)句子用慢速念一遍:
     "Thank God the old man is out of the picture at last —— he should have retired ten years ago! Now we can make the changes we need to get the company a lot more business."
     美國(guó)的年輕人非常喜歡獨(dú)立,到了一定年齡,他們就往往要從家里搬出去住,這樣可以自由一些,不受家長(zhǎng)的管教和限制。下面就是一個(gè)年輕人在說他的感受:
     "When I lived with my parents they had too many rules. These days I live by myself and can do as I please since they're now out of the picture. But I do miss them, so I visit them almost every weekend."
     這個(gè)年輕人說:“我以前和我父母一起住的時(shí)候,他們有好多規(guī)矩。現(xiàn)在我一個(gè)人住了,我愿意怎么做就怎么做,他們已經(jīng)管不著了。但是,我很想他們,所以幾乎每星期都回去看望他們。”
     我們?cè)侔堰@個(gè)句子用慢速念一遍:
     "When I lived with my parents they had too many rules. These days I live by myself and can do as I please since they're now out of the picture. But I do miss them, so I visit them almost every weekend."
     今天我們講了兩個(gè)由out這個(gè)字組成的習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)。第一個(gè)是:out of the woods. Out of the woods指擺脫了前途不明,或危險(xiǎn)的處境。另一個(gè)是:out of the picture. Out of the picture就是指一個(gè)人已經(jīng)不再出現(xiàn)在某個(gè)局面,或者參與某個(gè)項(xiàng)目或計(jì)劃了。