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AMERICAN IDIOMS
Crocodile Tears & Sob Story
今天要给大家介绍两个和眼泪有关的俗语。大家知道,眼泪的英文字就是tears。英文里面有一个说法,叫做:
Crocodile Tears
Crocodile 就是鳄鱼。Crocodile Tears 和中国人常说的“猫哭老鼠假慈悲”是一样的意思。 Crocodile Tears 这个俗语来自一个古老的神话,说是鳄鱼常常发出一种哭的声音来引诱那些他们要吃的动物,然后一面吃一面流眼泪。这当然不是事实,但是这个说法已经成了常用语。下面我们来看一个例子。
"The truth is that Pete never liked his rich Uncle John. But you should have seen his crocodile tears when the old man died and left him a million dollars!"
“彼德从来都不喜欢他那个有钱的叔叔约翰,这是事实。可是,那老人去世的时候给他留了一百万美元,你可真该看看彼德当时假流泪的样子!”
下面这个例子说的是一位政客:
"In his speeches the mayor always puts on a big show of crocodile tears for poor and homeless people. But I don't see him doing anything to help them."
“这位市长在讲话的时候,总是装的好像他对穷人和无家可归的人非常同情。但是,我并没有见到他做些什么来帮助他们。”
今天要介绍的另外一个和哭有关系的俗语是:
Sob Story
Sob 是哭泣的意思,Story就是故事。Sob Story 的意思就是某人编造一个令人伤心的故事来赢得别人的同情,甚至让人给钱来帮助他。下面是一位女士在描述她怎么听了一个Sob Story 以后受骗的:
"Usually I don't give money to beggars. But this nice young man told me a sob story about needing money for a bus ticket to see his dying mother, so I gave him two dollars."
“一般我是不给乞丐钱的。但是,这个看上去挺不错的年轻人告诉我他需要坐公共汽车的钱去看他那快要死的妈妈。他说的这么悲惨,我就给了他两块钱。”
世界上面的好心人是不少的呢,下面这个例子又是一个人上了Sob Story 的当。
"On my way to work this man stopped me and said he hadn't eaten in three days so I gave him a dollar. On my way home I saw him get into a new car and drive off and I know now he had given me a sob story."
“在我去上班的路上,那个人挡住了我,对我说,他已经三天没有吃东西了。所以我给了他一块钱。可是,在我回家的路上,我看见他跨进一辆新的汽车后就开走了。我这才知道他说的全是假的。”
今天我们讲的两个习惯用语都是和眼泪有关的。
Crocodile Tears :猫哭老鼠假慈悲。
Sob Story :编造悲惨的故事来赢得人们的同情。
嗯,在这里,Gucci也要提醒大家,不要轻易相信路人所编造的故事哦。:)
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