英语惯用语辨析_大学三级

    一个人学习英语,总在学习词语,或扩大词语量。阅读时,要认识词语;造句或写作时,要运用词语。词语是有生命的,是活动的,不是孤立的。而我们往往因为语言、文化上的不习惯,在日常的应用上遇到一些容易弄错的字眼,如果不加辨别,极易出现误译,造成误会甚至闹出笑话。下面就是一些生活中常见的例子。
    (1)no standing与free-standing:
    鷑o standing意思是不准在此停车(即使司机还在车上也不行),也就是"don't stop"或"no car at all",通常用在大城市交通十分拥挤的地方。至于"no parking",意思也是不准在此停车,但司机还可以坐在车里一段时间,必要时,可随时移动车子,也就是"you may stay in your car for a short period of time"。例如:
    in new york city there are many"no standing"signs posted on the streets.
    在纽约市,路上有许多"不准停车"的牌子。
    "no parking"signs sprang up around the school campus in america.
    美国校园里出现一些"不准停车"的路牌。
    但是free-standing(adj,in dividual or separate building for a specific purpose),意思是独立式的,多指为特别用途而盖的单独建筑物或指一大建筑物的某种装饰。例如:
    there is a new free-standing restaurant near the down town area.
    在市中心区附近有座新的独立餐馆。
    (2)break the house与 housebreak:
    housebreak(to train pets to live proper hygiene at home)是指训练狗、猫等宠物,使其能在指定的地点大、小便,以保持家里的卫生。例如:
    pet owners should housebreak their dogs and cats.
    宠物主人应该训练狗猫的卫生习惯。
    但是"break the house"的意思是damage the house。例如:
    accidentally, he broke the house by backing up his car.
    他倒车时,意外碰坏了房子。
    (3)kick off 与 tip off:
    kick off(officially start or beg in something)(有时也指球赛)意思是指任何事情的正式开始。例如:
    our school has recently kicked off a mass fundraising campaign .
    我们学校最近发起一次大规模的筹款运动。
    但是,tip off(the beginning of official basketball game)虽然也指开始,不过多半是指篮球开赛前,裁判开球让两边球员争球。例如:
    the players tipped off the basketball game at 2:00 yesterday afternoon .
    篮球赛于昨天下午两点开始。
    to tip somebody off(to inform somebody)意思是通知某人。
    (4)in line与on the line:
    in line有许多意义,但最常见的意思是服从,不越轨,或按次序(obey,con trol or in the order)。例如:
    the government is trying to keep the price of gas in line.
    政府正设法控制汽油的价格。反之,out of line就是出格,不妥或举止不当。例如:
    his opinions are out of line with reality.
    他的意见是不合实际的。然而,(something)on the line意思又是"以某种事物为赌注或冒险"。例如:
    many police have put their lives on the line.
    许多警察都冒着生命的危险。
    if you continue to be hostile toward me,our friendship will be on the line.
    假如你继续与我敌对,我们的友谊就有危险。
    on-line指自动化,电脑化。例如:
    all the libraries in the u.s.are on- line.美国所有图书馆都是电脑化。
    (5)gifted child与exceptional child:
    gifted child一般是指iq很高的孩子;美国中、小学也有gifted and talented program(简称g and t program),现在也叫 magnet program。但是exceptional child是指特殊儿童,可能是指iq很高,
    也可能指 low iq,除非在句子里特别说明,否则一般老外倒认为是智商较低或retarded child。例如:
    there are many gifted children in her class.
    她班上有很多智商很高的孩子。
    注:美国政府对低能孩子的,反而十分重视,因为政府希望低能也能成为社会有用的份子。
    鶷hey can be more productive members of society.
    (6)block out与black out:
    to block out(to plan something ahead)意思是草拟大纲或订出某种。例如:
    her boss prefers her to block out her annual vacation time.
    老板要她订出每年度假的时间。
    但是black out的意思,多半是指停电(no electricity)。例如:
    this block was blacked out for hours last night.
    这个街区昨晚停电几个小时。
    california has experienced many black-outs this year.
    今年加州多次停电。
    (7)off course与of course:
    off course(out of line or in a wrong direction ;not in the designated area)意思是偏离方向或越出指定的范围。例如:
    the ship was 200 international nautical miles off course.
    那船偏离航向200国际海里。
    反之,"on course"(right direction)就是正确方向。例如:
    presiden t bush is trying to put american economy on course.
    布什总统设法使美国经济走上正轨。
    但是"of course"意思是当然或自然(as a matter of fact)。例如:
    of course ,we will have turkey for thanksgiving.
    感恩节我们当然要吃火鸡。
    they,of course,are excellent students in my class.
    他们当然是我班上最好的 

学生。
    (8)wanted poster与 want ad:
    wanted poster通常是指通缉公告。例如:
    i saw several fbi wanted posters in the city.
    我在城里看到几张联邦调查局的通缉布告。
    但是want ad多半是指报纸杂志刊登的人找事或事找人的广告。例如:
    if you need a job,check the want ads in the newspaper.
    he got a job through a newspaper want ad.
    他从报纸的广告里找到一份工作。
    至于,"help wanted"是指"需要帮手"(need a helper),而"job wanted"是指"需要工作"
    (need a job)。例如:
    i will put a help wanted ad in our local newspaper.
    我要在地方报纸上刊登广告找帮手。
    (9)to tidy up与to tie up:
    to tidy up意思是整理或清理(to clean up)。例如:
    he is tidying up his garage.(desk, car,etc.)
    他正在清理车库。
    至于"to tie up loose ends"(to finish up something)又是一个十分常用的短语,意思是收拾零碎东西或完成某事。例如:
    i have to tie up loose ends be fore immigrating to canada.
    我移民到加拿大前,必须办完零碎事情。(诸如打行李包等)
    prior to her retirement,she has to tie up loose ends.
    她在退休前必须办完一些零碎的事情。
    (10)surgeon general与chief surgeon:
    surgeon general是美国公共卫生部部长,也就是掌握美国三军、联邦、州政府大众健康的最高官员(chief medical officer for the u.s.public health services)(也许因为与美国军队有关,故用
    "general")。例如:
    the surgeon general was appointed by the president of the u.s..
    美国公共卫生部部长是由总统任命。
    但是,chief surgeon是指一般医院的手术室主任。
    normally,the chief surgeon will perform the most delicate operations.
    通常手术室主任施行最复杂的手术。