美国习惯用语:341 the short end of the stick
时间：2019-01-16 作者：英语课 分类：美国习惯用语
我们上次讲了几个由end组成的习惯用语。今天要继续讲两个。第一个是: the short end of the stick。Stick是枝条或者棍子。从本世纪初开始美国人惯于把任何处于劣势的称为the short end。这可能来自拔河比赛。嬴家手上掌握著长的一头。就是the long end， 而输家则是短的一头。也就是the short end。到了三十年代末这个短语后面添加了the stick，成了今天的the short end of the stick。
我们来听个例子。这是一名记者对一个非洲国家最近发生的政变能否改变国内贫苦大众的命运表示悲观。
例句-1：I'm afraid the poor people will end up getting the short end of the stick again. Only a small part of the population has enjoyed everything from power to wealth.
他说：恐怕那儿的穷人还会再次吃亏。只有一小部分人才会有财有势得到一切。
所以这儿getting the short end of the stick意思是吃亏。换句话说是得到不公平的待遇。
我们再来听个例子，这是John在和律师商议，想控告他受雇的公司在工作上有徇私偏袒行为。我们来听听他怎么说:
例句-2：I've received the short end of the stick too many times during the last ten years. Only the inexperienced and least qualified 1 get promoted 2 because the boss likes pretty young women.
他说：这十年来我受到的不公平待遇太多了。只有那些既无经验又不合格的人得到提升，原因是老板喜欢年轻貌美的女郎。
这里的the short end of the stick意思还是不公平的待遇。
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我们要学的第二个习惯用语是: make both ends me。Make both ends meet这个习惯用语里的ends可能指的是帐目一端的总收入，和另一端的开支总数。这里的meet意思是互相符合。想一想使得收入和支出互相符合。这意味著什么呢? 让我们通过两个例子来体会。这两段话说的都是妻子持家的事情。第一位妇女很成功。第二位却相当不走运。
例句-3：It's a miracle 3 she could make both ends meet and hold the family together all these years without her husband having a steady 4 job. Somehow she's even managed to send four kids to college.
这位妇女在丈夫没稳定工作的条件下简直创造了奇迹。她不仅做到家庭收支平衡、维持了一个完整的家，甚至还送四个孩子上了大学。
大家一定都明白了make both ends meet意思是收支平衡。
这当然是一位贤妻良母，然而这种出色的典范也不多见，例如下面要说的Smith太太就不是那么回事儿了。Smith太太的丈夫是著名的企业家。我们来听听她的景况如何。
例句-4：With her extravagant 5 tastes, Mrs. Smith couldn't make both ends meet. Finally her rich husband couldn't stand it any more and left her when she insisted on buying a ten-million dollar house.
Smith太太惯于奢侈铺张，所以总是入不敷出。她那位有钱的丈夫实在受不了她了。最后在她坚持要买一栋价值一千万美元的豪宅时毅然离开了她。
这里的couldn't make both ends meet意思是收支不能平衡。换句话说就是入不敷出。
- He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
- We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。
- The doctors said that his recovery was a miracle. 医生们说他的复原是件奇事。
- It is simply a miracle that rice should grow in such a place.稻子竟能在这样的地方生长，这实在是个奇迹。
- She has a steady income.她有固定的收入。
- He is a steady young man.他是一个稳重的年轻人。
- They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
- He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。