发信人: roy_young(杨落伊)
整理人: roy_young(2001-06-04 14:22:25), 站内信件
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常用的格言和成語(中)/ 懷中
(9) If you can not stand the heat, get (或 stay) out of the kitchen. 這句話，是過去美國總統 Harry Truman 的名言。意思是：如果你不能忍受炎熱高溫，你就應該離開廚房。也就是說，假如你缺乏精力與膽量，不能承受工作的壓力，或是不能接受尖銳批評的勇氣，那麼你就不要謀求或擔任高層的職位。（這裡的heat是指 stress 或pressure；kitchen 是指 office 或 position。）簡單的說，就是：
If you can not stand the stress, you should exit（或 leave).
I know it is a very tough job; if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.（我知道那是一個艱難的工作，假如你無法承受壓力，你就應該離職。）
(10) There is more than one way to skin a cat. 照字面的意思是：要剝一隻貓的皮，不是只有一種方法。換句話說，要想達到相同的目標，是有很多的辦法 (different ways of reaching the same goal)。 所以可以說：
Don't be so stubborn about this problem because there is more than one way to skin a cat. (對這問題不必太固執，因為有許多方法可以解決。)
(註：只用 skin，不用 kill；只用 cat，不用 dog。)
(11) Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. 照字面的意思是：不要把小孩連同洗澡水一起倒掉。也就是說，不要因為過度熱忱，把好的精華，連同不好的糟粕部份一起扔掉。(Don't throw out something valuable when getting rid of something useless; or don't throw away the good thing with the bad.) 所以可以說：
When you attempt to design a new policy, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. (當你擬定新的政策時，不要把好的部份，連同不好的，一起扔掉。)
(12) Too many cooks spoil the broth. (或 soup) 照字面意思就是：太多的廚師，反而把湯破壞了。也就是說，如果人太多，意見也多，反而不易做出決定。其實一個人作主就夠了。(the more people work on a project, the worse it may turn out; or too many people or ideas may prevent from getting things done.) 所以可以說：
I need to solve this problem myself; sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. (我要自己解決這個問題，有時人多，意見多，反而無法決定。)
(13) Where there is smoke, there is fire. 照字面的意思是：有煙的地方，就有火。也就是說：一件令人懷疑的事情，背後可能有些原因的存在。即所謂「無風不起浪」。 (suspicious things usually mean something is wrong； or there must be some reasons behind a suspicious event.) 所以可以說：
I don't believe what he has said； where there is smoke, there is fire.（我不信他所說的，因為無風不起浪。）
(14) When the cat is away, the mice will play. 這是一句非常流行的俗語。意思是：貓兒不在，老鼠玩得自在。也就是說，上司不在，部下就會輕鬆自在。所以 cat 是指任何有權威的人，mice 是指任何的部屬。 (When the boss is absent, employees will usually do as they please.)（注意：cat 是用單數；mice是 用多數，因為一般家裡，也許只養一隻貓，但老鼠可不止一隻吧！通常老闆也只有一位，員工倒不止一位吧。） (mice 的單數是 mouse) 我們也可以說：
If teen-agers are alone at home after school, it may be a case of the mice playing when the cat is away.
(青少年放學後，如果父母不在，單獨在家，就會無憂無慮，大玩特玩。) (雖然這句成語句型，稍加改變，但仍不失原意。)
(15) Strike while the iron is hot. 這就是咱們所謂的「打鐵趁熱」。換句話說，就是機會一旦來臨，一定要抓住，才能得到最好的結果。(to act at the best time to get the best results； or to grab the good opportunity whenever it presents itself) (也有人說成：Strike the iron when it is hot) 所以我們可以對年輕人說：
You should strike while the iron is hot. (你要打鐵趁熱，趁機行事。)
If you want to get an advanced degree, you should strike while the iron is hot. (假如你想取得高學位，就應該打鐵趁熱。) (也就是馬上進研究所「go to graduate school right away」)
(16) Don't cut off your (one's) nose to spite your (one's) face. 照字面的意思是：不要割破你的鼻子，而動怒了你的臉孔。也就是說，不要因為一時對他人動怒，反而害了自己。即所謂「拿自己出氣。」(one tries to hurt others, but eventually hurt oneself; or to make a situation worse for oneself when angry with someone) 假如你想陷害別人，結果反而害了自己。就可以說：
If you try to hurt someone, you may end up cutting off your nose to spite your face. 或者說：
You may be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you ignore your boss all the time. (如果你老是不理睬你的老闆，將來反而對你不利。)
(17) Beggars can't be choosers. 照字面的意思是：做乞丐的，就不能對獲得的東西有所選擇。(chooser 是選擇者) 換言之，要飯的，就不能挑肥揀瘦，人家給什麼，都得接受。(needy people have to take whatever they can get；or don't criticize what you are given)（雖然 can't = can not, 但在這句成語裡，老外愛用 can't) 所以我們可以說：
When asking for help（donation）,remember beggars can not be chooser. (當請求別人幫忙或樂捐時，就沒有挑選的餘地。) (人家給多少，就得拿多少。）
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