LESSON 3 - It Goes in One Ear and Out the Other
时间：2018-12-01 作者：英语课 分类：美国习惯用语
It goes in one ear and out the other.
to play by ear
今天我们要讲两个和耳朵，也就是ear有关的成语。中国人经常说那些不听劝告的人对别人的话总是"一个耳朵进一个耳朵出"，把它们当作"耳边风"。美国也有完全相同的说法。他们是这样说的： "It goes in one ear and out the other."
下面是一个父亲在说他的女儿：
例句-1："I told Sally it was 1 foolish 2 to marry 3 that man, but it went in one ear and out the other. Now she wishes she'd listened to me. He drinks and gambles 4 and she wants to leave him."
这位爸爸说："我早就告诉沙利不要那么笨,去和那个人结婚。可是,对于我的话，她是一个耳朵进一个耳朵出。结了婚她才知道那人又喝酒又赌钱。现在她后悔当初没听我的话，想要和他分手啦。"
下面这个例子是一个老板在对他的秘书说话：
例句-2："How many times have I told you to get to work on time. But my words just go in one ear and out the other. So I don't have any choice 5 but to fire you."
他说："我告诉了你多少次上班要准时。可是，你对我的话老是一个耳朵进一个耳朵出。现在，我没有办法了，只好解雇你了。"
下面我们要讲的一个习惯用语是：play by ear. Play就是玩的意思。可是，play by ear的意思并不是"玩耳朵"。这个词汇的来源和音乐有关系。它原来指的是那些会弹钢琴或某种乐器，但是却不会看五线谱的人。每当他们要弹奏某个曲调时，他们只能凭着上一回听到的记忆来弹。可是play by ear现在已经成为日常用语了，意思是做一件事不是事先有计划的，而是走着瞧，临时决定。例如，你被请到某处去讲话，可是又没有时间准备。你就可以对听众说：
例句-3："I haven't had 6 a chance 7 to prepare 8 any notes so all I can do is start talking and play it by ear."
这话的意思是："我今天没有什么准备，所以就只好讲到那儿就算那儿了。"
下面一个例子是一个人在和朋友约会：
例句-4:"I am not sure if my wife 9 wants me to go shopping with her on Sunday. If she decides 10 to go with her sister instead 11, then I can play tennis with you. Let's just play it by ear."
他说："我还不知道星期天我太太是否要我陪她去买东西。要是她决定和她姐姐一起出去，那我就能和你去打网球。我们就瞧着办吧!"
- The foolish boy was laughed at wherever he went.这个愚蠢的男孩不论走到哪里都受到讥笑。
- Don't worry me with such foolish questions.不要用这些愚蠢的问题来烦我。
- I want you for my wife; will you marry me?我希望你做我的妻子，你愿意和我结婚吗?
- John is going to marry Mary.约翰将要和玛丽结婚。
- He gambles when he is in cash. 他有钱时就赌博。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He thinks the hebolong can win, and gambles five Schillings with me. 他认为亥伯龙会赢，与我赌五先令。 来自辞典例句
- There are many books you can make a choice.有许多书你可以任意选择。
- He went abroad at his own choice.他出国是自愿选择的。
- I just had a good idea!我有个好主意！
- The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.这个男孩手上拿一条小树枝。
- We will take a chance to have the party outdoor.我们将冒险举行露天聚会。
- This is the last chance any of us has.对于我们中的任何人来说，这是最后的一次机会。
- I prepare to sell the car.我准备把车卖掉。
- We must prepare for the worst.我们必须做最坏的打算。
- She is my wife.她是我妻子。
- He is a tall man but his wife is a short woman.他是个子很高的男人，但他妻子很矮。