“馬”的故事

湖北大學附屬中學何苗/譯

“馬”的故事

湖北大學附屬中學何苗/譯

There are many expressions with the word“horse”.In the past,many people de原pended on horses for transportation,farming and other kinds of work.A lot of people still like to ride horses.And,horse racing is also popular.So it is not surprising that Ameri原cans still use expressions about the horse.So today,let’s startwith the word“horse”.

語言中有很多表達包含“馬”這個詞。過去，人們依靠馬作為交通、農耕等的工具。現在很多人也很喜歡騎馬。賽馬同樣也很流行。所以美國人現在還在用關于馬的短語一點也不奇怪。今天我們就來說一說“馬”這個詞。

Long ago,people who were rich or im原portant rode horses that were very tall.To原day,if a girl acts like she is better than ev原eryone else,you might say she should get off her high horse.

很久以前，非富即貴的人總騎著高頭大馬。現在，如果一個女孩表現出認為自己比別人都強的樣子，你會說她不應該趾高氣昂，藐視他人。

Yesterdaymy children wanted me to take them to the playground.But I had to finish my work,so I told them to hold their horses, and wait until I finish what I am doing.My two boys like to compete against each other and play in a (暴力的)way.Ialways tell them to stop horsing around or someone could get hurt or get a charley horse.

昨天我的孩子想讓我帶他們去游樂場。但我必須完成工作，所以我就告訴他們忍耐一下，等我做完了工作就去。我的兩個兒子喜歡相互競爭，總是玩暴力的游戲。我總是叫他們停止胡鬧，不然會受傷或者肌肉抽筋。

We live in a small town.It does not have any exciting activities to offer visitors. My children call it a one-horse town.But thanks to the (小馬)express,people can getmore information from the world out原side.

我們住在一個鄉村小鎮上，那沒有供游客可玩的刺激游戲。孩子們管它叫落后的小鎮。但是多虧了郵遞服務，人們可以從外面的世界得知更多的消息。

Last night,I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite television show.I decided not to answer it because w ild horses could not (拖拽)me away from the television.There was nobody that could stop me from doingwhat Iwanted to do.

昨天晚上我正在看最喜歡的電視節目時電話響了。我決定不接，因為什么也阻止不了我看電視。誰也不可以阻止我做我想做的事。

Sometimes you get information straight from the horse's mouth.It comes directly from the person who knows most about the subject and is the best source.Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow.You could say you got the in formation straight from the horse’s mouth. However,you would not want to call your teacher a horse!

有時，你會說消息絕對可靠。它直接來自于最了解事情的那個人，是最可靠的。比如你的老師告訴你明天會有個考試，你可以說這個消息絕對可靠。但無論如何你都不會想把自己的老師稱作一匹馬。

You may have heard this expression: You can lead a horse to water,but you cannot make him drink.That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does notwant to do.

你也許聽到過這種表達：牽馬到河易，逼馬飲水難。這是指你可以給他人建議，但你不能強迫他人做他不想做的事。

Sometimes a person fights a battle that has been decided or keeps arguing a question that has been settled.We say this is like beating a dead horse.

有時一個人無謂地打架或是為已經解決的問題辯論，我們可以說這是在炒冷飯，白費精力。

In politics,a dark-horse(候選人)is someone who is not well known to the public.Sometimes,a dark horse unex原pectedly wins an(選舉)so that you pick the w rong horse.

政治上，說候選人是一匹黑馬是指候選人是一個很少被公眾熟知的人。有時，黑馬會意外地贏得選舉，而你支持的一方沒有獲勝。

Another piece of advice is,do not change horses in m idstream.You would not want to get off one horse and on to another in themiddle of a river.Ormakemajor changes in an activity that has already begun.In the past,this expression was used as an argument to (改選)a president,especially dur原ing a time when the country was atwar.

另外有一個建議是，不要臨陣換將。你不會想在過河的途中下馬換另外一匹馬吧，或者在活動已經開始的中途做大的變動。過去，這個表達用在改選總統的辯論中，特別是在國家有戰事的時候。

Now,it's your turn to guess themeanings of the expressions using theword“horse”!下面，你來猜一猜文中含有“馬”這個詞的表達方式的意思吧！

參考釋義：

1.get off one’s high horse放下架子；不要趾高氣昂

引申：get on/ride one’s high horse傲慢無禮，目中無人

2.hold one’s horses忍耐；鎮靜；別沖動

3.horse around胡鬧；嬉鬧

4.get a charley horse肌肉抽筋；肌肉酸疼

5.a one-horse town鄉村小鎮；落后的小鎮

6.pony express郵遞服務

7.wild horses could not drag sb.away野馬都拉不走某人；什么也阻止不了某人做……

8.get information straight from the horse’s mouth從可靠的方面獲得消息；消息絕對可靠

9.You can lead a horse to water,but you cannotmake him drink.牽馬到河易，逼馬飲水難。/不能強迫他人做他不想做的事。

10.beating a dead horse浪費精力；白費口舌

11.a dark-horse一匹黑馬；意外的得勝者

12.pick the wrong horse看錯人了；下錯賭注；支持的一方沒有獲勝

13.change horses inmidstream 臨陣換將