PETS-2語法講解 (349)

字號(hào):

Beauty is only skin deep.
    再漂亮的面孔都敵不過歲月的留痕,美麗只是外在的東西,英諺說:Beauty is only skin deep(美貌不過皮膚那樣淺),美麗是膚淺的(superficial beauty),相反就是內(nèi)在美(inner beauty)。我們說‘情人眼里出西施’,英文也有相同的說法:Beauty is in the eye of the beholder。
    對(duì)話來源:考試大
    Brian: Hey Gordon, I'd like you to meet my new wife, Katherine.
    Gordon: It's a pleasure. So beautiful. How did an old dog like Brian get you to marry him?
    Brian: It's personality that counts, not looks. Beauty is only skin deep.
    Katherine: (Flashes ring) But a diamond is forever. Thank you honey!
    布萊恩: 唏,戈登,我想跟你介紹我新任妻子—?jiǎng)P思蓮。(考試大!)
    戈登: 幸會(huì),真漂亮啊,布萊恩這樣的老家伙是憑什么娶到你的?
    布萊恩: 重要的是我的為人而非外表。美貌不過皮膚那樣淺。
    凱思蓮: (炫耀戒指) 但鉆戒是永恒的,謝謝蜜糖兒!(考試大!)
    戈登問凱思:How did an old dog like Brian get you to marry him?(布萊恩這樣的老家伙,是憑什么娶到你的?)布萊恩夸口說:It's personality that counts, not looks. Beauty is only skin deep.(重要的是我為人而非外表。美貌不過皮膚那樣淺)。
    英文口語以dog說人,只是‘家伙’的意思,本身沒有貶義,例如:You have married Helen? What a lucky dog you are!(你娶了海倫?你這家伙真好運(yùn)氣)。Count作動(dòng)詞,除了指‘計(jì)算’,還可指‘有影響’或‘重要’,例如:Every bit of support counts.(每一分一毫的支持,都很重要)。
    Beauty is only skin deep是諺語,那only也可改作but。But同樣有‘不過’、‘僅僅’的意思,但多見于書面,少用于口頭,例如:What can we expect of her? She is but a child(我們能要求她什么?她只是個(gè)孩子)。Beauty is but skin deep可以指‘美貌不能持久’,也可以指‘有美貌未必有美德’,例如:(1) I consider learning more important than beauty. Beauty is but skin deep.(我認(rèn)為學(xué)識(shí)比美貌重要。美貌不能持久)。(2) I don't like her. Her beauty is only skin deep.(我不喜歡她。她的美麗止于外表)。
    美貌必須配以美德。以下兩句諺語應(yīng)該記取:Beauty without virtue is a rose without fragrance.(有美貌而無美德,猶如沒有香味的玫瑰)、Beauty without goodness is like faded wine.(有美貌而無美德,猶如走了味的酒)。(