“马”的故事

何苗

There are many expressions with the word “horse”. In the past， many people depended on horses for transportation， farming and other kinds of work. A lot of people still like to ride horses. And， horse racing is also popular. So it is not surprising that Americans still use expressions about the horse. So today， lets start with the word “horse”.

语言中有很多表达包含“马”这个词。过去，人们依靠马作为交通、农耕等的工具。现在很多人也很喜欢骑马。赛马同样也很流行。所以美国人现在还在用关于马的短语一点也不奇怪。今天我们就来说一说“马”这个词。

Long ago， people who were rich or important rode horses that were very tall. Today， if a girl acts like she is better than everyone else， you might say she should get off her high horse.

很久以前，非富即贵的人总骑着高头大马。现在，如果一个女孩表现出认为自己比别人都强的样子，你会说她不应该趾高气昂，藐视他人。

Yesterday my children wanted me to take them to the playground. But I had to finish my work， so I told them to hold their horses， and wait until I finish what I am doing. My two boys like to compete against each other and play in a violent （暴力的） way. I always tell them to stop horsing around or someone could get hurt or get a charley horse.

昨天我的孩子想让我带他们去游乐场。但我必须完成工作，所以我就告诉他们忍耐一下，等我做完了工作就去。我的两个儿子喜欢相互竞争，总是玩暴力的游戏。我总是叫他们停止胡闹，不然会受伤或者肌肉抽筋。

We live in a small town. It does not have any exciting activities to offer visitors. My children call it a one-horse town. But thanks to the pony （小马） express， people can get more information from the world outside.

我们住在一个乡村小镇上，那没有供游客可玩的刺激游戏。孩子们管它叫落后的小镇。但是多亏了邮递服务，人们可以从外面的世界得知更多的消息。

Last night， I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite television show. I decided not to answer it because wild horses could not drag （拖拽） me away from the television. There was nobody that could stop me from doing what I wanted to do.

昨天晚上我正在看最喜欢的电视节目时电话响了。我决定不接，因为什么也阻止不了我看电视。谁也不可以阻止我做我想做的事。

Sometimes you get information straight from the horses mouth. It comes directly from the person who knows most about the subject and is the best source. Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow. You could say you got the information straight from the horses mouth. However， you would not want to call your teacher a horse！

有时，你会说消息绝对可靠。它直接来自于最了解事情的那个人，是最可靠的。比如你的老师告诉你明天会有个考试，你可以说这个消息绝对可靠。但无论如何你都不会想把自己的老师称作一匹马。

You may have heard this expression： You can lead a horse to water， but you cannot make him drink. That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does not want to do.

你也许听到过这种表达：牵马到河易，逼马饮水难。这是指你可以给他人建议，但你不能强迫他人做他不想做的事。

Sometimes a person fights a battle that has been decided or keeps arguing a question that has been settled. We say this is like beating a dead horse.

有时一个人无谓地打架或是为已经解决的问题辩论，我们可以说这是在炒冷饭，白费精力。

In politics， a dark-horse candidate （候选人） is someone who is not well known to the public. Sometimes， a dark horse unexpectedly wins an election （选举） so that you pick the wrong horse.

政治上，说候选人是一匹黑马是指候选人是一个很少被公众熟知的人。有时，黑马会意外地赢得选举，而你支持的一方没有获胜。

Another piece of advice is， do not change horses in midstream. You would not want to get off one horse and on to another in the middle of a river. Or make major changes in an activity that has already begun. In the past， this expression was used as an argument to re-elect （改选） a president， especially during a time when the country was at war.

另外有一个建议是，不要临阵换将。你不会想在过河的途中下马换另外一匹马吧，或者在活动已经开始的中途做大的变动。过去，这个表达用在改选总统的辩论中，特别是在国家有战事的时候。

Now， its your turn to guess the meanings of the expressions using the word “horse”！

下面，你来猜一猜文中含有“马”这个词的表达方式的意思吧！

参考释义：

1. get off ones high horse 放下架子；不要趾高气昂

引申：get on / ride ones high horse 傲慢无礼，目中无人

2. hold ones horses 忍耐；镇静；别冲动

3. horse around 胡闹；嬉闹

4. get a charley horse 肌肉抽筋；肌肉酸疼

5. a one-horse town 乡村小镇；落后的小镇

6. pony express 邮递服务

7. wild horses could not drag sb. away 野马都拉不走某人；什么也阻止不了某人做……

8. get information straight from the horses mouth 从可靠的方面获得消息；消息绝对可靠

9. You can lead a horse to water， but you cannot make him drink. 牵马到河易，逼马饮水难。/不能强迫他人做他不想做的事。

10. beating a dead horse 浪费精力；白费口舌

11. a dark-horse 一匹黑马；意外的得胜者

12. pick the wrong horse 看错人了；下错赌注；支持的一方没有获胜

13. change horses in midstream 临阵换将