Make a mistake
Edited by Linda
Picture by Zhu Lijun



If a barber makes a mistake, it is a new style;
If a driver makes a mistake, it is an accident;
If a doctor makes a mistake, it is an operation;
If parents make a mistake, it is a new generation;
If a politician makes a mistake, it is a new law;
If a scientist makes a mistake, it is a new invention;
If a tailor makes a mistake, it is a new fashion;
If a teacher makes a mistake, it is a new theory;
If you make a mistake,
it is your mistake;
If your boss makes a mistake, it is your mistake.
If your girlfriend makes a mistake, it is your mistake.
If your mother-in-law makes a mistake, it is definitely your mistake.
And if you let them know they made a mistake,
that would be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made…

 

教你几句地道美语
By Suky

好友Lynn从美国回来,乘着五一我们好好地聚了聚。从外表上看,Lynn没有很大的变化,只是胖乎乎的,更可爱了一些。不过聊天的时候,这个家伙动不动就对我耸耸肩膀,然后说“whatever!”我鄙视了她N次之后,顺便和她讨论了一下美国人怎样说英语。

1. Do you have any pet peeves?
你有什么样的怪毛病吗?
所谓的 pet peeve 就是个人生活习惯上的一些小毛病, 例如有些人不喜欢别人碰他的计算机, 要是你碰他的计算机他就会不高兴, 这就是所谓的 pet peeve (而非 bad habit)。如果这个坏习惯大到会影响别人, 像是在公共场所老是讲话很大声, 这就不是 pet peeve, 而要用 annoying 来形容。 例如常听老美抱怨, "Don't you think he is annoying?" (你不觉得他很烦吗?)

2. Are you sure you are going to set us up?
你确定你要帮我们制造机会吗?
在英文里制造机会可不是 make a chance 喔! 虽然这是大家最自然会想到的说法。正确的说法应该用 set up 这个短语, 例如 set you up 就是帮你制造机会的意思。另外, 老美也很喜欢用 fix up 和 hook up 来表示撮合某人。例如你有一个妹妹长得还可以, 你想把她介绍给你同学, 你就可以跟你同学说, "Do you like my sister? I can fix you up." (你喜欢我妹妹吗? 我可以撮合你们。)

3. Probably. It's still up in the air.
大概吧。但还不确定。
另外 "It's up in the air." 比较俏皮的翻法就是: "八字还没一撇呢!" 例如别人问你, "Are you dating Jennifer now?" (你跟 Jennifer 开始在约会了吗?) 你就可以答, "It's up in the air." (八字还没一撇呢!)

4. Okay. Just checking.
好吧。 我只是随口问问。
在口语中我们常会讲, 没什么, 我只是随口问问而已。这个随口问问在英文里当然你可以讲, "Just asking." 但事实上呢? 大多数的老美都会说, "Just checking." ,这个 check 要翻译成 "随口问问" 会比较通顺一些。这句话老美用得很多, 非常值得把它记下来。

5. Just in the right place, at the right time.
只不过是天时地利而已。
大多数的人想到幸运, 都会直觉反应 lucky。但其实 lucky 有很多种表示法。例如在美国中国留学生常有免费的T 恤、CD可拿的,美国人问起的时候,就很潇洒地回答他, "Just in the right place, at the right time, no big deal." (只不过时间地点刚好对了而已, 没什么大不了的。 )

6. Exactly. That's what I'm talking about.
一点也没错, 我就是这个意思。
要附合别人讲的一句话, 老美最常用的有几个字, 例如像是 "Exactly!", "Definitely!" (一点也没错!) "Absolutely!" (勿庸置疑的) 或是 "Obviously!" 及 "Apparently!" (很明显的) 使用的时机就是在别人说了一句肯定句时, 你就可以接这些字眼。

 

 

Ask the Chef
By the Chef

Chef's Profile: This chef is not just any chef, not only does he know everything there is to know about cooking, but also he is an absolute guru in Engish writing. Therefore, if you ever feel hungry or stuck in your English writing, you should go ask the Chef!

Chef 说:
前几期Ask the Chef栏目刊登了几则员工和老板关于加薪的信件, 虽然实用,不免一本正经,诚惶诚恐了些。我今天为大家推荐的这两封,看似离经叛道,却是奇思妙想。但是到底效果如何我说了不算,如果您想把五一长假继续放下去,不妨自己试试吧。

Norman Wrote:
Dear Bo$$,
A$ all of u$ have read from the new$paper, the $ingapore economy ha$ come out of the rece$$ion. In thi$ life, we all need $omething mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould $how under$tanding for the need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and $ervice to your company. I am $ure you will gue$$ what I mean and re$pond $oon.
Your$ $incerely,
Norman $oh

Boss Wrote:
Dear NOrman,
I kNOw you have been working very hard. NOwadays, NOthing much has changed. You must have NOticed that our company is NOt doing NOticeably well as of yet. NOw the newspapers are saying the world's leading ecoNOmists are NOt sure if the United States may go into aNOther recession. After the NOvember presidential elections things may turn bad. I have NOthing more to add NOw. You kNOw what I mean.
Yours truly,
Manager

 

 

Classic English
经典英语



I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
- Jack London