时间:2019-01-14 作者:英语课 分类:美国习惯用语


英语课

我们今天要学的习惯用语都有这个单词:edge。它最常用的意思是“边缘”,但是在今天要学的第一个习惯用语里edge这个词的意思却是刀剑的刀刃。


今天要学的第一个习惯用语是:on the cutting edge。 Cutting是指:切或者是砍。 Cutting edge原来指锋利的刀刃,但是大约在上个世纪五十年代时人们开始用on the cutting edge来表示在科学,研究和文学等方面比其他人都走在前面,处于最先进的地位。


我们听个例子。这段话说的是著名科学家爱因斯坦。爱因斯坦是犹太人,他逃出了希特勒德国的魔掌,在科学方面创造了历史。


例句-1:Albert Einstein was on the cutting edge of physics. His ideas revolutionized modern thought on space and time. And his work formed the theoretical base for the exploitation of atomic energy and brought us into the atomic age.


他说:艾伯特.爱因斯坦当时是物理学的先锋。他的思想革新了现代有关空间和时间的想法。他的研究工作成为利用原子能的理论基础,并且把我们引入了原子时代。


这里的习惯用语on the cutting edge意思是“最先进,或尖端。”


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今天要学的第二个习惯用语是: have an edge on。 我们也可以把have an edge on这个习惯用语里的edge理解为利刃。大约在十九世纪九十年代,have an edge on成了习惯用语,用来表示在某种竞争中占上风。你也可以说have the edge over,或者have an edge over,它们和have an edge on的意思是一样的。


这个习惯用语常用在商界、政界或者体育报道中。比方说,要是某企业的产品比竞争对手的更好而占优势,我们说:The business has an edge on its rivals because of the better product. 要是政界一位候选人由于口才好而比政敌略胜一筹,我们就说:The candidate has an edge on his opponent because of his better speeches. 要是一个足球队由于球员身材高大,动作敏捷而胜过另一队,我们说:The team has an edge over another because its players are bigger and faster. 再听个有关政界的例子吧。这段话在说竞选参议员的Pete Smith。


例句-2:I think Pete Smith has the edge on his rivals in the race for the US Senate from our state. He's got the experience: he's been a Congressman 1 for ten years, and he has a good record to run on. He's almost sure to win next November!


他说:我认为Pete Smith在本州竞选美国参议员的候选人中占有优势。他有经验,因为他已经当了十年众议员了,而且有良好的政绩作为参选的基础,他在十一月的竞选中几乎必操胜券。


这里的习惯用语have the edge on意思就是占有优势。


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在今天要学的第三个习惯用语里edge这个单词回到了它的基本意义:边缘。这个习惯用语是:on the ragged 2 edge。 Ragged可以解释为“撕裂的,破烂的”,也可以指凹凸不平的悬崖边缘。


想象一下你在漆黑的夜晚站在怪石嶙峋的悬崖边上,脚下的是松动的沙土石块,稍一闪失你就有粉身碎骨的危险。这正是on the ragged edge这个习惯用语的写照。我们再听个例子来体会on the ragged edge这个习惯用语的意义吧。


这位先生正在跟业务伙伴Mary商讨本企业岌岌可危的财务景况。


例句-3:Mary, I'm getting scared about our money situation in the firm. Our sales are down; our costs are way up. Unless we can get a quick loan somewhere, I'm afraid we'll be right on the ragged edge of going bankrupt.


他说:Mary,我对公司的财务景况感到很害怕。我们的销售在下降;然而开支却大大增加。 除非我们能从哪儿很快借到贷款,否则我们就会有破产的危险。


显然这里的习惯用语on the ragged edge意思是“处境危险的,在失败和绝境的边缘。”

 



n.(美)国会议员
  • He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
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rondeaux
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shore sth under the carpet
skift
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spheric conductor
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sweet flavo(u)r
taa-
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unaltered rock
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