年僅28歲的同事小賴已經暫時離開辦公室11天了,大夥兒從原來的驚嚇,否認,悲痛,慢慢的已經回復理智,恢復工作! 畢竟,我們這些凡夫可以做的實在少之又少! 她的心臟已經十天沒有自己好好跳了,都靠葉克謨機器來幫助她,青春無敵的她,正在等待奇蹟的出現,帶領她繼續參與這浮華多姿的人生旅程~ 今天看到一則新聞,一名36歲日本女子得到猛爆性心肌炎,在現代科技的幫助下,裝上了兩顆人工心臟,快快樂樂有精神的出院了,等待心臟移植~ 是的,台灣的醫療如此進步,相信康復不是問題~
小賴前兩年在英國攻讀藝術治療(art therapy),她去之前,我給她一個小小的紅包,附上一張卡片,告訴她我很懷念之前週末時都會和同學到當地的PUB喝酒,還介紹她喝愛爾蘭國寶級啤酒Guinness, 請她一定要到PUB幫我喝,後來她回來了,很得意的跟我說她已經把紅包拿到PUB花完了,而且非常滿意~ 回來不到一年,這位認真的靈魂開始兼課翻譯,慢慢還助學貸款,沒過多久,竟然就發生了這樣的事,真是感嘆上天為什麼要安排這個難關給她過?
今天右邊的同仁拿了一篇英文報告跟我討論,我覺得某些字句翻得不是很漂亮,想到平常如果遇到這樣的狀況,我馬上就把椅子往後一滑,問一下小賴的意見,今天,我卻沒辦法做這個動作,小賴,我等你回來,請妳一定要康復!
下面這篇文章是那天小賴準備的,因為她一直覺得不太舒服,所以準備一篇簡單短短的文章,我們一起念一次,稍微討論一下就結束了~ 今天我要把這篇文章放在這裡,等小賴康復回來,等我們的English talking重新開張時,就用這篇開始吧!!
November 8 ~ November 14, 2009, Student Post
5 common idioms that come from technology! 五個源自科技的英文慣用語
1. out of steam耗盡；後繼乏力
In the days of steam engines, trains and machines would slow down or come to a complete stop if there wasn't enough steam pressure produced by the boiler. Now this phrase refers to feeling tired and sluggish, or giving up on a certain pursuit.
"After spending the whole day unpacking my luggage, I am feeling quite out of steam."
"I was hoping the professor would run out of steam, but she continued to lecture us after the bell rang."
在蒸氣引擎的時代，如果鍋爐產生的蒸汽壓力不足，火車與機器的運作速度會減慢或完全停止。現在這個片語指感到疲憊、欲振乏力或想放棄追求某件事的意思。
「在花了一整天打開行李後，我覺得很累。」
「我希望教授會下課，但鐘聲響起後她仍然繼續講課。」
2. on the same wavelength 想法或看法一致
This phrase originally referred to listening to the same radio transmission as someone else, hence being on the same wavelength, or radio frequency. Nowadays this idiom is used to describe how two or more people think on similar terms, or understand each other really well. "My best friend really understands me. We're always on the same wavelength."
"You're always making mistakes; why can't you be on the same wavelength as the rest of us?"
這個片語原先指和他人收聽相同的廣播頻道，因此有on the same wavelength（相同頻寬）或radio frequency（廣播頻道）的說法。現在則是用來形容兩個以上的人想法類似，或彼此十分瞭解。
「我最要好的朋友真的很瞭解我，我們的想法總是一致。」
「你老是在犯錯，你為什麼不能跟我們其他人的腳步一致呢？」
3. tune in收聽
To tune in literarily means to turn the dial of a radio to a certain frequency, but the usage originally came from spies' attempts to intercept the enemy's radio messages. Today, this idiom means to turn on and watch or listen to television or radio.
"Don't forget to tune in tomorrow, folks! We've got more breaking news ready for you!"
"Thousands of people tuned in to the live broadcast of Princess Diana's funeral."
從字面上來說，to tune in是將收音機調整至某頻率的意思。不過這個片語的用法來自間諜試圖攔截敵人的無線電訊息。這個片語現在是收看電視或收聽廣播的意思。
「各位，明天記得準時收聽！我們會為你準備更多新聞快報！」
「成千上萬人收看戴安娜王妃葬禮的實況轉播。」
4. acid test嚴格的考驗
The acid test initially referred to the combination of hydrochloric and nitric acid that was used to identify gold in the Californian Gold Rush. Now it is used to describe a hard or critically-timed test whose results are undisputable and beyond doubt.
"The TOEFL is an acid test of your comprehension in English."
"The reelection will be an acid test of the president's popularity."
acid test原本指加州淘金熱時期，為了鑑定黃金所使用的鹽酸與硝酸混合物。現在則用來形容困難或時間嚴格限制、但結果具絕對公信力的測驗。
「托福是測驗一個人英文理解力的重大考驗。」
「爭取連任將是測試總統支持度的嚴厲考驗。」
5. crash and burn徹底失敗
If a plane or car crashes, it bursts into flame and is completely destroyed by the fire. This idiom is now used to describe failing suddenly and completely, often without any hope of recovering or succeeding.
"In the current recession, many small companies have crashed and burned."
"I'm lucky I sold my stocks before the stock exchange crashed and burned."
如果飛機墜毀或車子撞壞，它們會起火燃燒，然後完全被火勢燒毀。這個片語現在形容突然且徹底失敗，而且往往沒有恢復或成功的希望。
「在目前不景氣的環境中，許多小公司已經關門大吉。」
「我很慶幸能在股市崩盤前把手上的股票賣掉。」
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