英語口語練習小對話 第819期:遙遙無期

Subject : I don’t want to wait until the cows come home.

第一，迷你對話

A: I don’t want to wait until the cows come home.

我不想白等。

B: Baby, take it easy. I am sure there will be tickets for us.

寶貝兒，放心吧。我們肯定買得到票的。

第二， 地道表達

until the cows come home

1. 解詞釋義

Until the cows come home的字面意思是“直到牛回家”，比喻爲“遙遙無期，無限期”的意思。俚語詞典中對它的解釋爲：for a very long time。跟我們中文中的“猴年馬月”有異曲同工之妙。

2. 拓展範例

e.g. You can initiate policies until the cows come home, but unless they're monitored at a senior level, you won't get results.

你可以花很長時間來制定政策，但除非高層對之進行監管，否則不會有效果。

e.g. We could talk about this problem until the cows come home, but it wouldn't solve anything.

我們可以長時間地去討論這個問題，但是這樣不能解決問題。

e.g. You can diet until the cows come home, and you still won't be a size 4.

第三，視野拓展

同意短語：donkey’s year

e.g. I've not seen a real, old fashioned pantomime for donkey 's year.

我許多年沒看過一出真正的老式的啞劇了。

第四，咬文嚼字

1. 生活中，我們要表示“某人可以買得到票的。”可以用到情景劇中的句式：There +be a ticket for sb. 例如：

I am afraid that there will not be concert tickets for us.

恐怕我們買不到這場音樂會的票吧。

2. 生活中經常說到“白等，空等”，可以用到情景劇中的短語“wait until the cows come home”。

3. “Take it easy.”作爲一個短句單獨使用，經常用來勸慰對方放鬆點，別緊張。例如：

A: My hands are shaking now as I am afraid that I can not pass the exam.

我的手在顫抖，我擔心我考試不及格。

B: Take it easy. Be confident. I believe that you can make it.

別緊張，自信點，我相信您可以通過這次考試。