英語口語練習小對話 第588期:自強自立
Subject:Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
迷你對話
A: I feel extremely embarrassed. The colleague who is younger than me will be promoted.
我簡直無地自容。比我年齡小的同事要升職了。
B: Honey, pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
親愛的,憑自己的能力重新振作起來吧。
地道表達
pull oneself up by one’s bootstrap
1. 解釋
此語的意思是“憑藉自己的力量重新振作起來”。Bootstrap的意思是“提起靴帶”,pull up是“提起,拉起”的意思。Pull oneself up by his bootstrap原來是指“提起靴帶可以幫助穿靴子”,引申爲“不依靠他人,經過自己的努力來改變不良的處境”。
2. 對話
Theo:I’s going home for Mid-Autumn Festival. Want to come along?
西歐:我要回家過中秋節。要一起來嗎?
Justin:No, thanks.
賈斯汀:不了,謝謝。
Theo:Don’t you like my family?
西歐:難道你不喜歡我家人嗎?
Justin:They’re great. But your brother-in-law is a pain.
賈斯汀:他們人很好。只是你小舅子真的很討厭。
Theo:Why do you say that?
西歐:爲什麼這麼說?
Justin:He’s always lecturing me on how I should pull myself up by my own bootstraps.
賈斯汀:他老是教訓我應該如何自立自強。
Theo:You are unemployed.
西歐:你失業了啊。
Justin:Yes, so I can’t even afford a pair of boots.
賈斯汀:對,所以我連一雙靴子都買不起。