That's right up my alley.
對(duì)話 James: Where are you going for your holidays?
Harry: I'm going mountain walking with my brother.
James: Mountain walking? That's right up my alley.
Harry: Well why don't you join us? You'll have a great time.
James: Thanks a lot. I will. I just can't wait to get going.
詹姆斯:你放假會(huì)去哪里?
哈利:我會(huì)和弟弟一起去登山。
詹姆斯:登山?這正合我的興趣。
哈利:那么,為什么不和我們同行?你可以玩?zhèn)€痛快。
詹姆斯:謝謝,我會(huì)跟你們一起去的,現(xiàn)在已覺(jué)得急不及待了。
詹姆斯和哈利談到登山,說(shuō)That's right up my alley。這為什么有‘正合我興趣’的意思?Alley是小巷。一般人對(duì)自己居住的街道(street)都十分熟悉,所以,說(shuō)up someone's street(在某人的街道中)可解作‘為某人所熟悉’、‘是某人所長(zhǎng)’或‘是某人興趣所在’。這句英文成語(yǔ)在美國(guó)漸漸變成up/down one's alley。要加強(qiáng)語(yǔ)氣,可用right或just這兩個(gè)解作‘正好’的字,例如:(1) If you need someone to fix your computer, I'm sure John can help you. That kind of thing is just up/down his alley(假如你要找人修理計(jì)算機(jī),約翰一定可以幫忙。這種工作是他的拿手好戲)。(2) I will refer the patient to you. He has a heart condition ,which is more up/down your alley(我會(huì)叫病人轉(zhuǎn)到你那兒。他患心臟病,由你診治比較適合)。
你居住的街道,不但是你了如指掌的地方,還可顯示你所屬的社會(huì)階層,所以產(chǎn)生了另一句成語(yǔ):not in the same street (with/as someone)?!ê湍橙耍┎蛔≡谕粭l街’,即‘遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不能和某人相比’或‘遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不如某人’,例如:(1) Napoleon I and Napoleon III were simply not in the same street(拿破侖一世和拿破侖三世根本不能相提并論)。(2) Militarily, Iraq is not in the same street as the US(軍事上,伊拉克不可能和美國(guó)相比)。留意這句成語(yǔ)的street不可用alley取代,當(dāng)然更不可用road(路)、avenue(大街)等。