To miss the boat

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我們今天再給大家介紹一個以boat這個字為主的習慣用語:To miss the boat.
    Miss就是失去的意思。 To miss the boat從字面來解釋,它的意思是:誤了上船的時間。但是,作為俗語,to miss the boat就是失去了一個好機會。下面這個例子是說一對夫婦由于耽誤了時間而失去了買一棟房子的機會。這位丈夫說:
    We found exactly the house we wanted, but we waited to buy it in the hope the price would go down. But we missed the boat; when we called the agent back, he'd just sold it to another family.
    他說:“我們找到一棟正好是我們想要的房子,但是我們等了一下,心想房價可能會下降。但是,當我們給那個房地產經紀人打回電話去的時候,他剛剛把那房子買給了另一家人家。所以,我們失去了這個好機會。”
    ******
    美國人非常喜歡旅行,而且好多人對訪問中國是十分向往的。但是,由于半個地球那么遠的距離,旅費和其它費用加在一起也要花不少錢才能做這么一次旅行。下面就是一個人在說他由于生病而失去了訪問中國的機會,感到非常遺憾。
    It has always been my dream to visit China. Finally, our company decided to send me to Beijing last month to open an office, but one day before the trip I fell sick and was hospitalized for surgery. So once again I missed the boat.
    這人說:“訪問中國一直是我的夢想。后來,我們公司終于決定派我去北京開設一個辦事處。可是,就在我啟程的前一天我病倒了,還住院動了手術。所以,我又一次失去了一個好機會?!?BR>    defensible
    adj.能防御的; 能辯護的
    They have to come up with reasonable and defensible public policies that can be explained in terms of the public interest.
    他們還必須提出合理的、正當的公共政策,這些政策將會按照公共利益進行解釋。