有不少美国人经常到酒吧间去,一面喝酒,一面聊天。还有的人在心情不好的时候喜欢到酒吧间去喝酒解闷。我们今天要讲的俗语就是和这种习惯有关的。
To cry in one's beer,它的意思是坐在酒吧间里对着啤酒哭,自己可怜自己。比如说,一个人在劝他的朋友:
"Come on, Joe! Instead of sitting around in a bar all day crying in your beer about not having any money, why not get off your bottom and go out and look for a job!"
这个人说:“行了,乔伊!与其成天坐在酒吧间里,为了没有钱而可怜自己,你为什么不振作起来到外面去找个工作呢!”
看来自我可怜的人是没有人同情的。下面这个例子是一个学生在发表他对同房间一个学生的看法:
"I'm tired of hearing my roommate crying in his beer about how hard it is to get good grades. If he'd stay home and study instead of going out every night, I'm sure he'd do a lot better in his classes."
这个学生说:“我那同宿舍的同学老是自我怜悯,说要得到好分数是多么的难。我听得都烦死了。要是他每天晚上呆在家里念书,而不是老出去玩,我肯定他的成绩会好得多。”
excise
n.消费税, 货物税, 国产税
vt.收税, 切除
例:
This is supported by vigorous enforcement action by the Customs and Excise Department.
海关雷厉执法,配合这个许可证制度。