英语博客-北美风情 209、Try not to step on anyone’s toes

 　　Most people don’t like to be bothered or to disturb other people, but sometimes we do it anyway. In this episode, we look at expressions describing when someone is disturbed by another person. It could be something said or done that upsets this person, and it could be intentional¹ or unintentional. We don’t want to ruffle² any feathers with this episode, but these are good expressions to know.

 

　　Maura: If you imagine an animal that is in a cage, so they have bars around them, they’re trapped inside. If you come around and start shaking the cage and banging on it, that bothers the animal inside. They don’t like the noise and they don’t like to feel disturbed.

 

　　Harp³: Exactly. If you think about a little bunny or a hamster in the cage and you shake the cage, you’re gonna bother the animal.

 

　　Maura: Right. It makes noise and it moves around. It’s the same idea, except this time you’re bothering a person. So, in other words, you’re rattling⁴ someone’s cage.

1 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

2 ruffle   

v.弄皱，弄乱；激怒，扰乱；n.褶裥饰边

参考例句：

• Don't ruffle my hair.I've just combed it.别把我的头发弄乱了。我刚刚梳好了的。
• You shouldn't ruffle so easily.你不该那么容易发脾气。

3 harp   

n.竖琴；天琴座

参考例句：

• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
• He played an Irish melody on the harp.他用竖琴演奏了一首爱尔兰曲调。

4 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。