今天我们要讲的两个习惯用语都有一个关键的字。这个关键的字就是:Fish. Fish就是很多人都爱吃的鱼。我们今天要讲的第一个以fish这个字为主的习惯用语就是:A fine kettle of fish. Fine就是好的,kettle是煮食品的大铁锅。A fine kettle of fish是指乱七八糟,很令人不愉快的事。这个说法可能是二百五十年前来自苏格兰。
当时,人们把在河边举行野餐会叫做a kettle of fish,因为参加野餐会的人把刚刚从河里钓上来的新鲜鱼放到一个大铁锅里,然后再用木材搭一个火来煮。这些鱼一般都是匆匆忙忙地煮熟了,然后人们把这些滚烫的鱼从锅里拿出来,用手拿着吃。这当然会把手弄得很脏,有时还会把手烫着了。下面我们来举一个例子。这是一个人在说他丢了汽车钥匙所带来的麻烦。
例句-1: There I was, stuck on a lonely road 50 miles from home, after I was stupid enough to lock myself out of my car. It was dark and not a house in sight. A fine kettle of fish, I tell you!
例句2: He left a fine kettle of fish behind. We couldn't find out what our money had been spent for; we couldn't tell which members had paid their dues, and the rent wasn't paid. What a mess!
我们今天要讲的第二个习惯用语是:To have other fish to fry. 这里的 fry是指在油里煎。这个习惯用语的真正含义是:当某人请另外一个人做一件事的时候,这个人表示他还有其他更重要的事要做。有的时候,这种回答是真的,有的时候只是一种借口。
下面我们来举一个例子。这是一个人在请他的朋友为一个慈善机构筹款。这个朋友是这么回答的。
例句3: Hey, Joseph, you know I'd sure like to help you raise money for the Red Cross. But I have other fish to fry - I'm chairman of the committee to raise money to fix the roof on my church.
例句4: Honey, they want me to run for Congress, but I said no. I have other fish to fry - I need all my time for my business so I can retire when I reach 50 and we can move to Hawaii.