口語課堂第51期:最後一擊;大難臨頭
the last/final straw; the straw that breaks the camel's back:the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer 壓垮駱駝的最後一根稻草;終於使人不堪忍受的最後一件事(或因素等)
I've had a terrible day, and this traffic is the last straw,I can't take any more.
我這一天已經夠倒黴了,這樣的堵車更是雪上加霜,我受不了了.
the writing is on the wall:used when you are describing a situation in which there are signs that something is going to have problems or that it is going to be a failure (看出)厄運臨頭的預兆,不祥之兆
It is amazing that not one of them saw the writing on the wall.
令人吃驚的是他們就沒有一個人看出大難臨頭的預兆.
The writing is on the wall for the club unless they can find $20 000.
這傢俱樂部就要大難臨頭了,除非他們能籌到2萬美元.
***這個last straw我第一次接觸是在大二的綜英課上,清楚的記得是第一課裏,說一個人去面試做老師什麼的,遇到了一系列很恐怖的事情...最後發現真正對學校擁有實際管理權的居然是個女人...他很受不了,就說這個是the last straw...後來在聽英語新聞的時候也經常遇到.
我又蒐集了些資料,大家看看加深下印象.
"All these years I've tried to be a good wife, even though you're lazy, you drink too much and half of the time don't even have a steady job. But when I find out you are spending money on another woman, that's the last straw! I want you out of my house right now and I never want to see you again."
這些年來,儘管你很懶,喝酒過度,還經常沒有固定的工作,但我一直盡力做一個賢惠的妻子.可是,當我發現你把錢化在另一個女人身上的時候,這就使我無法忍受了.你給我馬上出去,我永遠也不要再見到你了."
I put up with a lot from this guy. He borrowed my clothes, he borrowed my money, he borrowed my tennis racket. But when I caught him using my toothbrush that was the last straw, so I kicked him out!"
我對這個傢伙夠寬容的了.他借我的衣服穿,問我借錢,借用我的網球拍.可是,當我發現他用我的牙刷的時候,這就叫我無法忍受了.所以我把他趕了出去.
至於這個the writing is on the wall,本人印象很清楚,是看某檔財經節目學來的,節目裏說美國經濟衰退之前跡象已經很明顯了.
The writing on the wall常見於新聞報道或文學讀本,指的是a sign or warning of impending disaster(迫在眉睫的凶兆、不祥之兆).其淵源確實和"占卜"掛鉤,可追溯到《舊經·但以理書》. 《舊約》中記載:
古巴比倫國王Belshazar(伯沙撒)在宮殿裏設宴縱飲時,忽然看到一個神祕的手指在王宮牆上寫看不懂的文字,後來,國王叫到虜囚猶太預言家Daniel(但以理)才搞明白,牆上的字表示"大難臨頭".如預言所示,伯沙撒當夜被殺,新國王由瑪代人大利烏繼任.
正由於這個"身死國王"的典故,the finger on the wall(牆上的手指)或the writing on the wall(牆上的文字)常和動詞see或read連用,用來形容"不祥之兆".
The official saw the writing on the wall and fled the country.
這個官員預感到自己將有大難,立即逃到了國外.
