迷你对话学英语口语 第943期:自觉后路

第一， 迷你对话

A: Don’t do that again.

别再那么做了。

B: Mind your own business.

不管你的事。

A: If you insist on this, you’ll give you enough rope to hang yourself.

如果你再坚持，你一定会自觉后路的。

B: Don’t make a fuss. I can never trust you.

别小题大做，我永远都不会相信你的话。

第二， 地道表达

give sb. enough rope to hang oneself

1. 解词释义

Give enough rope to hang oneself的意思是“放任某人使他自取灭亡，自觉后路”。

2. 拓展范例

e.g. We all agree we don't want Sally on this new project. But instead of firing her directly, let's let her struggle with all the problems. Maybe we'll give her enough rope to hang herself.

你们都听明白了吗?原来这些同事虽然谁也不要Sally参与这个新课题，但是他们并不直截了当地排斥Sally，而是让她陷于那一大堆问题之中穷于应付，等待Sally自己最后不得不知难而退。

e.g. We could ask the chairman to limit debate. But let's give this guy enough rope to hang himself. Let him talk as long as he wants - the longer he talks the more votes he'll lose.

我们可以要求主席限制辩论时间，但是我们还是让那家伙自取灭亡吧。随他去大放厥词。他言多必失，话越长，失去的支持票数就越多。

第三， 咬文嚼字

mind one’s own business：少管闲事

e.g. He asked me if I was married, so I told him to mind his own business.

他问我结婚了没有，我叫他少管闲事。

e.g. He was sensible enough to mind his own business.

他很聪明，不管别人闲事。

insist on：坚持……

e.g. I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.

我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

e.g. I insist on your taking immediate action to put this right.

我坚决要求你立刻采取行动把事情处理好。

make a fuss：大惊小怪，小题大做

e.g. Why do you always make a fuss over a trivial things?

只是点风吹草动, 你怎么就大做文章？

e.g. It's nothing to make a fuss about.

没必要着慌。