a black sheep
讲解:旧时牧羊人不喜欢黑色的,因为迷信认为黑色是魔鬼的化身,会给人带来厄运或灾祸。
另外,黑羊毛不如白羊毛值钱,这也是一个原因。牧羊人会因羊群中有黑羊而诅咒不已。
因此,a black sheep就引申为“败类”“败家子”的意思,与汉语中的“害群之马”相近。
例如:Joe is the Black sheep of his family. He splashed nearly a few years.
乔是个败家子。几年内他竟然挥霍掉十几万美元。
情景对话:
A :I don't know how John can put up with his son, who fools around without working.
A :我不知道约翰为什么能容忍他的儿子整天不工作,瞎混日子。
B :He's out of John's hands. Nothing he can do about such a black sheep.
B :他不服约翰的管教,对这样一个败家子,约翰无可奈何。
A :If I were him, I would give him a good talking-to. I would insist on his stopping fooling around like that.
A :如果我是约翰,我会教训他一顿,坚持不能让他再这么瞎混了。
妙语佳句:
1.put up with:容忍,忍受
例句:
Your boss is an absolute dictator and I don't know how you guys put up with it.
你们的老板是一个十足的大独裁者,我不知道你们这些人怎能容忍。
2.fool around:闲逛;荒废时间
例句1:
Don't fool around with another man's wife.
不要调戏他人之妻。
例句2:
I'm going to go home, relax, spend some time with my family, catch up with old friends, and fool around with my boyfriend.
我要回家放松一下,花时间和家人团聚,见见老朋友,然后去男友那儿混日子。
例句3:
They always fool around when the boss is not in the office.
老板不在办公室的时候,他们总是到处闲荡。
例句4:
I am mean to be work on Sunday, but I just fool around all day.
星期日我本应工作的,但却闲混了一整天。
3.out of one's hand:无能为力,无可奈何
例句:
I am sorry that it is out of my hand.
非常抱歉这件事我无能无力。
4.give sb a good talking-to 责备,教训某人一顿
例句:
I got mad and gave him a good talking-to.
我实在气不过, 狠狠地说了他一顿。
例句:
That child needs a good talking-to. 那孩子得说他一顿。
5.insist on坚持
例句1:
I insist on your taking immediate action to put this right.
我坚决要求你立刻采取行动把事情处理好。
例句2:
I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.
我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
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