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那个要求太离谱了吧——我们可负担不起呀。
【Andrew's Note】
A tall order is a difficult task. We don't use the phrase "short order" to talk about easy tasks, though; we use it to talk about tasks done quickly: In short order, the girl can have it done totally all alone.苛刻的要求是很难对付的。我们不能用“short order”来表示容易做的事，而是用来表示迅速完成的任务或事情：要不了多久，这个女孩就能独立处理好这些事情。
[1] Robert was born in a poverty-stricken family. His father was disabled and did odd jobs to earn bread for the family. His mother was a housewife busy with her chores. But at school Robert fell in with some preppies(纨绔子弟; 花花公子) who lived high on the hog. They had their own sports cars, showing off their considerable wealth and lavish lifestyle, hitting on girls left and right. Of course, Robert felt green with envy, wishing that he could have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
[2] Anyhow, he couldn't refrain fromthe temptation of the sports car. He tossed in his sleep (翻来覆去睡不着) in bed for a couple of nights in a row before he took his courage in both handsand asked his father to buy him a sports car.
[3] His request struck his parents dumb. They both felt about two inches tall. They didn't take their son to task, but instead they kept calm and apologized to their son, "We are really very sorry, son. That is a tall order — completely beyond our means."
【参考译文】
[1] 罗伯特出身在一个穷苦的家庭。父亲是个残疾人，打点零星活儿维持家计。母亲是家庭主妇，忙于家务活儿。可在学校，罗伯特却和一帮铺张浪费的花花公子打得火热。 他们有自个的跑车，摆阔充大，到处挑逗和招惹女孩子。当然罗伯特非常嫉妒他们，心想他要是出身富贵该多好哇！
[2] 无论如何，他忍受不了跑车的诱惑。连续好几个夜晚，他都在床上翻来覆去睡不着，最后鼓起勇气，要求爸爸也给他买辆跑车。
[3] 他的请求把父母给吓得目瞪口呆，同时他们感到羞愧难当。他们没有责备儿子，相反冷静下来，抱歉地对儿子说：“我们真的非常抱歉，儿子。 那个要求太离谱了吧——我们可负担不起呀。”
