和脚有关的三个俗语(在线收听

   和脚有关的三个俗语

  Jump in and get your feet wet:到实践中去学习取得经验。
  To get off on the wrong foot:某人一开始就没给人一个好印象,或一开始由于某种行为而把事情弄糟了。
  to put your foot in your mouth。无意中说错了话而伤害了别人。
  (2008-09-23 11:30:27)
  中国有句俗话:常在河边走,哪能不湿鞋。把鞋子弄湿可不是什么好事情,它比喻某些人抵制不了环境的诱惑而做出不正当或者不正经的勾当。然而,在美国成语里,把脚弄湿却是一件好事。比如,许多初学英语的人都因难为情而不敢开口。于是老师很可能会这么劝这些学生: "Jump in and get your feet wet. " Jump in and get your feet wet 这个俗语的意思就是:到实践中去学习取得经验。
  例如:I know most of you are afraid to embarrass yourselves by trying to speak English. But that's the best way to learn: when you meet an American, try a few words--jump in and get your feet wet.
  我知道你们大多数人感到用英语来说话很不好意思。不过,当你见到美国人时,你不妨试着说一点。到实践中去学是最好的办法。
  又如:I want to get into politics so I'm volunteering to put up signs for one of the people running for mayor. I don't get paid for it but it's a chance to jump in and get my feet wet.
  我希望将来能够到政界去工作,所以我现在在帮一个竞选市长的候选人张贴宣传标语。我帮他做这些事是完全义务的,是没有工资的。但是,这是到实践中去得到一些经验的好机会。
  由 foot 组成的俗语在英文里实在不少,它们的意思有的是正面的,例如:to put one's best foot forward。这是指尽量给人一个好的印象。那么,有的人一开始就给人一个坏印象是怎么说的呢?You should say: to get off on the wrong foot。 To get off on the wrong foot,这是指某人一开始就没给人一个好印象,或一开始由于某种行为而把事情弄糟了。
  例如:When Joe went to his new job, he got off on the wrong foot--on the first morning he upset his new boss by arriving at the store two hours late. And right now he's out looking for a job again.
  乔找到了一份新的工作,可是他刚开始到那家店里去上班时就给人一个坏印象。第一天上班他就晚到两个小时,让他的老板好不高兴。现在他又在找工作了。
  To get off on the wrong foot 这个俗语实际上可以适用于任何情况。例如:I finally got a date with that new girl in class but I sure got off on the wrong foot with her: I had car trouble and got to her place almost two hours late.
  那天我终于和班上新来的那个女同学约好了出去玩。可是,当天我的车出了问题,晚了两个小时才去接她,所以我一开头就把事情弄糟了。
  有意无意做错事,说错话的情况是很经常的。下面我们要讲的一个俗语就是无意中说错了话而伤害了别人。这个俗语就是:to put your foot in your mouth。
  例如:When Sally told that silly joke about the sailor with one leg she really put her foot in her mouth. She didn't know the man across the dinner table had a brother at home in a wheelchair.
  萨莉吃晚饭时说了一个笑话,她拿一个只有一条腿的水手开玩笑。她可不知道坐在饭桌对面那个人的哥哥就是个残废,行动都得靠轮椅。
  Sally如果事后了解情况的话肯定会说:Well, I certainly have put my foot in my mouth.
  又如:I certainly put my foot in my mouth at the party last night when I asked Mister Brown to say hello to his wife for me. Somehow I'd forgotten that his wife died six months ago.
  我昨晚在那个聚会上无意中说错了话。我让布朗先生替我向他的太太问好。不知怎么回事,我忘了他太太已经在半年前去世了。
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