今天要讲的习惯用语都有一个关键词run。我们要学的第一个习惯用语是:run like clockwork。Clockwork意思是钟表的机件,发条装置。钟表的机构当然该是精确无误的;run like clockwork这个习惯用语起始于十七世纪后期,沿用至今已经有三百年的历史了。那么这个习惯用语含义是不是像钟表一样准确运转呢?
让我们从一个例子来判断这个习惯用语的含义。当今让有些美国家长们头疼的一个问题是学校对孩子管束不严,校内纪律松懈。针对这个问题,不少家庭想到了一条解决途径。下面这段话说的就是这个。请你特别注意里面的习惯用语run like clockwork。
例句1: Some parents like a military school, because it runs like clockwork. Everything is strict and runs on time from physical training to classes and self-study.
这段话说:有些家长喜欢军校,因为它的运作规律一丝不苟,纪律严明,从体育锻炼到上课和自修时间都掌握得分秒不差。
所以run like clockwork含义就是精确不误,有规律地运作。
我们今天学的第二个带有run这个词的习惯用语是:cut and run。Cut and run这个习惯用语起源于航海。海上的船只如果遇上了紧急情况,例如,突如其来的风暴或者强大的敌舰,船长急于躲避灭顶之灾,往往不像平常那样下令起锚,而会叫船员砍断锚链,尽快地逃走。这就是cut and run这个习惯用语的出处。但是cut and run现在被广泛应用在其它场合。我们接下来要听一个有关房地产业的例子。
例句2: When the price of new houses dropped so fast, a lot of builders simply cut and ranthey abandoned the houses they were building and that started the bad times in the real estate market.
这段话说,当新房子的价格猛跌的时候,许多建筑商弃阵而逃。他们的建筑工程都半途而废。这导致房地产市场的萧条。
从这段话里可以看出cut and run 含义就是急忙退避不利的形势。
接下来我们还要学一个带有run这个词的习惯用语:Dry run。Dry run和我们刚学的两个习惯用语不同,这里的run可以当名词用。为了让你体会dry run这个习惯用语含义,我们要听一个例子。这是一位导演在跟即将参加公演的演员们说话:
例句3: Okay, this is our last dry runthe show opens tomorrow. So come on, people, be serious! This is your last chance to improve before we have a live audience sitting out there. 好,这是我们最后一次排练,明天就要开演,希望各位认认真真地排,因为这是你们和观众见面前,最后一次改进机会了。
我想你已经理解这段话里的dry run就是排练,但是dry run除了用在表演艺术方面,还常用来指军事演习。比方说:The plane dry runs就是飞机作模拟投弹、假俯冲,或者空弹演习。
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