美国习惯用语-第850:eke out
日期:2017-04-24 09:00

(单词翻译:单击)

我室友是一名汽车销售员。由于他每个月都要完成一定的销售额,所以一到月底压力就特别大。不过他每次都使劲加班,刚刚好到月底之前完成规定的销售额。他的这种情况让我想到了一个习惯用语。那就是:eke out.

Eke是个动词,意思是节约使用,勉强度日, 而eke out其实就是竭力维持的意思。上面例子中,我室友每次都刚刚好完成销售任务, he was able to eke out a few more car sales. 他竭尽全力多卖几辆车。下面例子里这个人选择里自己热衷的职业,但却难免囊中羞涩。我们来听听看:

例句-1:My sister-in-law has always been drawn to helping the poor. Her job as a social worker, though, doesn't pay very well. She barely covers her expenses every month. Still, she'd rather eke out a living doing what she likes than living comfortably from a job that's unrewarding.

这段话是说:我嫂子特别热衷于帮助穷人。但作为一名社会福利工作者,她的工资并不高。她每个月只能刚刚好应付基本的生活支出。但是,她宁愿做自己喜欢的工作,勉强度日,也不愿做一份没有精神回报的工作,只为能舒服地生活。

我真是太佩服她这种精神了!不过确实是这样,如果你热爱自己的工作,那么工作就变成了一种享受。就像我叔叔,很多人出大钱想要收购他的农场,但是他说,他无法想像不养牛,不喂鸡的生活。To many people, he ekes out an existence. Yet he feels that he lives quite richly. 对很多人来说,他是在勉强度日。但是他自己却觉得生活特别满足。

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上面我们讲到了eke out, 勉强维持。不知道我们的听众朋友里有没有篮球迷?下面这个例子跟篮球有关,让我们来听听看赛场上发生了什么另人惊叹的情况:

例句-2:Fans of the Daredevils have been rewarded with some amazing basketball playing this season. You see, their team kept looking like they were heading for another defeat. Then, they would somehow outmaneuver their opponents to win the game. The way they've been eking out one victory after another, they may be making it to the finals after all!

这段话是说:Daredevils球队的球迷这个赛季可真是过足了球瘾。每次比赛看起来就要输了的时候,他们好象都能采取灵活攻略,出其不意,赢得比赛。按他们这么打下去,一场接一场地赢球,说不定他们还真能进决赛呢!

哈哈,我想他们的球迷肯定特别高兴!我不是个体育迷,不过我是个哈利波特迷!最近我刚刚看完了哈利波特系列的最后一部!太精彩了!不过你知道吗?这个系列的作者J.K.罗琳曾经一度生活在贫困线上?J.K. Rowling was eking out a living while on welfare before she started her famous Harry Potter series. 她开始写作哈利波特系列前,曾经依靠福利勉强度日。

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