美国习惯用语第844:not know beans about
时间:2019-03-14 作者:英语课 分类:美国习惯用语
英语课
美国习惯用语第844:对一件事情一无所知(音频)
not know beans about
大家肯定都听过鸟叫,英语里形容鸟叫的相声词是tweet. 你知道吗,现在有个网站叫twitter, 可以用电脑或是手机在上面发送字数不超过140个字的短信。我也是最近才从年轻同事那里知道这个网站的,但还是不知道具体怎么操作。今天我们要学的习惯用语恰恰可以用来形容这种情况。那就是:not know beans about.
说一个 not know beans about,一件事情,意思就是对一件事情一无所知,毫无概念。就拿我来说吧,如果你让我上网tweet你,那我简直就是丈二和尚摸不着头脑,因为I do not know beans about it.
奥巴马夫妇入主白宫后,第一夫人米歇尔多次成为头版新闻。就在前不久,她在白宫开垦了一个菜园子。让我们听听下面这篇报道是怎么说的。
例句-1:First Lady Michelle Obama recently started a vegetable garden at the White House. It's a reflection of the many gardens that are sprouting 1 up in backyards across the county. Even Americans who don't know beans about farming are trying it. Soon enough these absolute beginners are enjoying their own delicious and healthy produce.
报道说:第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马最近在白宫开了个菜园。眼下,这样的菜园子在全美各地象雨后春笋一样纷纷出现。就连对种植一窍不通的美国人也跃跃欲试。没过多久,这些初次“务农”的人就能尝到自己种出来的可口健康的水果和蔬菜了。
我和老公就是从去年开始种菜的。去年第一次尝试,we did not know beans about it. 所以只种了西红柿、黄瓜和韭菜,结果大丰收。你别说,自己种的菜味道就是不一样,又有利环保,绝对是一举两得。
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常听人说,爱情可以战胜一切。真是这样吗?听听下面这个例子,你就会得出答案。
例句-2:When Brenda was first introduced to Jack 2, she was intimidated 3 by his knowledge. When it came to his field, astrophysics, she frankly 4 did not know beans. But over several dates, she fell in love with his enthusiasm for galaxies 5 and electromagnetism. It's amazing how much she understands now.
这个人说:布兰达第一次经人介绍跟杰克认识的时候,杰克的博学多才让她有些无地自容。对于杰克研究的天文物理学,布兰达可以说是一无所知。但是几次约会下来,她就被杰克对宇宙和电磁的热情折服了。现在她懂得越来越多,简直不可思议。
有趣的是,not know beans的另外一种说法是not know Jack. 因此,在上面这个例子里,我们可以说,对于天文物理学,Branda doesn't know Jack. 这里的Jack指的就不Jack这个人了。
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大家也许会问,为什么要说beans,豆子呢?或许恰恰是因为豆子小,微不足道吧。这个习惯用语早在十九世纪早期就已经出现了,一直沿用到今天。
v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 );抽芽;出现;(使)涌现出
- new leaves sprouting from the trees 树上长出的新叶
- They were putting fresh earth around sprouting potato stalks. 他们在往绽出新芽的土豆秧周围培新土。 来自名作英译部分
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
- I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
- He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
v.恐吓;威胁adj.害怕的;受到威胁的
- We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
- The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说
- To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说,我一点也不赞成这个主意。
- Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说,我不反对改革。
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习惯用语