英語(yǔ)早間課堂:話說(shuō)地道美語(yǔ) Lesson 25(1)

In general, American teenagers are big spenders. They want to buy things the other kids have: CDs of the latest songs, CD players, videos. video games, electronic gadgets, fashionable clothes, and even cars. A few parents agree to foot the bill, but others don't. Instead, they put their foot down and insist that the kids get a job. After all, that is the best way for them to learn how to stand on their own feet and learn the value of money.

總體來(lái)說(shuō)，美國(guó)十幾歲的青少年花錢(qián)大手大腳。他們想買(mǎi)其他孩子都擁有的東西：最新的歌曲CD、CD機(jī)、電影碟片、電子游戲、電子產(chǎn)品、時(shí)裝、甚至是汽車(chē)。少數(shù)父母同意付賬，而另一些則拒絕買(mǎi)單，相反他們還果斷決定堅(jiān)持要孩子找份工作。這畢竟是他們學(xué)會(huì)自立和認(rèn)識(shí)金錢(qián)價(jià)值的最好方法。

美國(guó)家長(zhǎng)對(duì)自己孩子在物質(zhì)上的需求是如何對(duì)待的呢?我們先來(lái)學(xué)三個(gè)含有foot這個(gè)詞的習(xí)語(yǔ)。

1. foot the bill

望文生義，它的意思是腳踩在賬單上，但是美國(guó)人在生活中說(shuō)這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思是 "to pay for all expences". 中文意思是付賬，買(mǎi)單，承擔(dān)費(fèi)用。我們通過(guò)下面的例句來(lái)熟悉它的意思和用法：

Eg . When we went to the restaurant last night, my fatherfooted the bill as usual. 昨晚我們?nèi)ゲ宛^吃飯,像往常一樣,由我父親付帳。(注解：go to the restaurant 去餐館吃飯;上館子 as usual 照例，像平常一樣)

Eg. I am in a jam because I do not have enough money to foot the bill. 我?guī)У腻X(qián)不夠付賬，處境很狼狽。(注解：in a jam 處于困境)

Eg. Who's going to foot the bill for all the repairs? 誰(shuí)來(lái)付所有的修理費(fèi)?(注解：foot the bill for... 為.......付賬)

Eg. I wonder who's going to foot the bill for all the celebration costs. 我正在想誰(shuí)來(lái)付這次慶祝會(huì)所花的所有費(fèi)用了。

2. put one's foot down

望文生義，它的意思是把腳往下放。但是在美國(guó)的大街小巷的老百姓們說(shuō)這句話是“make a firm decision and insist that someone obey”的意思。中文意思果斷行事，堅(jiān)持立場(chǎng)。我們通過(guò)下面的例句來(lái)熟悉這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思和運(yùn)用。

Eg. Our mother let us go to the party, but when it came to staying overnight, she put her foot down to say no. 母親允許我們?nèi)⒓油頃?huì), 但要說(shuō)到過(guò)夜, 她可決不答應(yīng)。(注解：come to sth 指說(shuō)到某話題 overnight adv. 過(guò)夜 stay overnight 在外過(guò)夜 say no 不同意)

Eg. She put her foot down and left home with the baby. 她固執(zhí)己見(jiàn),帶著孩子便離家了。

3. stand on one's own feet

望文生義，它 的意思是站在自己的腳上，但是美國(guó)人用說(shuō)這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思是“to depend on oneself, not to ask for help or money”。中文意思是自力更生，獨(dú)立自主，不依靠他人的幫助或資助。我們通過(guò)下面的例句來(lái)熟悉這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思和運(yùn)用。

Eg. I don't want allowances made for me. I want to stand on my own feet for what I'm worth. 我不需要誰(shuí)來(lái)原諒我，我應(yīng)該憑本事自力更生。(注解：該句話來(lái)源于Gone with the Wind allowance 考慮 make allowance for sb考慮到，顧及，體諒，原諒)

Eg. Now that you' re growing up you must learn to stand on your own two feet. 你既然已經(jīng)長(zhǎng)大成人, 就得學(xué)會(huì)獨(dú)立生活。(注解：now that 既然，由于 引導(dǎo)條件狀語(yǔ)從句)

Foot the bill是“買(mǎi)單”的意思。Put down one's foot是“果斷行事”“堅(jiān)持立場(chǎng)”的意思。Stand on one's feet是“自立更生”“獨(dú)立自主”的意思。