美语故事

That is a tall order— completely beyond my means.
那个要求太离谱了吧——我们可负担不起呀。

【Andrew's Note】

A tall order is a difficult task. We don't use the phrase "short order" to talk about easy tasks, though; we use it to talk about tasks done quickly: In short order, the girl can have it done totally all alone.
苛刻的要求是很难对付的。我们不能用“short order”来表示容易做的事，而是用来表示迅速完成的任务或事情：要不了多久，这个女孩就能独立处理好这些事情。
[1] Robert was born in a poverty-stricken family. His father was disabled and did odd jobs to earn bread for the family. His mother was a housewife busy with her chores. But at school Robert fell in with some preppies(纨绔子弟; 花花公子) who lived high on the hog. They had their own sports cars, showing off their considerable wealth and lavish lifestyle, hitting on girls left and right. Of course, Robert felt green with envy, wishing that he could have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
[2] Anyhow, he couldn't refrain fromthe temptation of the sports car. He tossed in his sleep (翻来覆去睡不着) in bed for a couple of nights in a row before he took his courage in both handsand asked his father to buy him a sports car.
[3] His request struck his parents dumb. They both felt about two inches tall. They didn't take their son to task, but instead they kept calm and apologized to their son, "We are really very sorry, son. That is a tall order — completely beyond our means."
【参考译文】
[1] 罗伯特出身在一个穷苦的家庭。父亲是个残疾人，打点零星活儿维持家计。母亲是家庭主妇，忙于家务活儿。可在学校，罗伯特却和一帮铺张浪费的花花公子打得火热。 他们有自个的跑车，摆阔充大，到处挑逗和招惹女孩子。当然罗伯特非常嫉妒他们，心想他要是出身富贵该多好哇！
[2] 无论如何，他忍受不了跑车的诱惑。连续好几个夜晚，他都在床上翻来覆去睡不着，最后鼓起勇气，要求爸爸也给他买辆跑车。

[3] 他的请求把父母给吓得目瞪口呆，同时他们感到羞愧难当。他们没有责备儿子，相反冷静下来，抱歉地对儿子说：“我们真的非常抱歉，儿子。 那个要求太离谱了吧——我们可负担不起呀。”

指点迷津

a tall order：tough or difficult thing to do 离谱或苛刻的要求
Financing your education seems like a tall order for your parents, but there are still some other means available.
对你父母来说，供你上学是多么难的件事呀，不过还有其他方法可想的。 　
poverty-stricken：非常贫穷的
Though the money we donated to the poverty-stricken farmers is a drop in the bucket, it represents our love for them.
尽管我们为穷苦农民捐的那点钱仅是杯水车薪， 但却代表了我们对他们的一片爱心。
live high on the hog：to engage in festive pleasures or extravagances：沉湎于欢乐或铺张浪费中
The employees work their fingers to the bone while the boss lives high on the hog, indulging in dissipation.
员工累死累活的干，而老板却铺张浪费，过着花天酒地的生活。
green with envy：妒忌得面色发青；非常妒忌
The ugly girl was green with envy when she saw other girls win the favor of the boys in her class.
那个长相丑陋的女孩子，看见其他女孩子赢得班上男孩子们的好感，只能“羡慕嫉妒恨”。
be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth：生在富贵人家
I am quite independent of anyone else and never envy those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
我独立性强，从不依靠别人，也从不羡慕出身富贵的人。
refrain from：忍住; 戒绝; 不让自己做某事
I tried very hard but couldn't refrain from crying bitterly.
我尽量忍着，但还是忍不住痛苦地哭了起来。
take one's courage in both hands：一鼓作气；敢做敢为；勇往直前
The young man finally took his courage in both hands and proposed to the pretty lady he had fallen in love with.
这个年轻人终于鼓足勇气，向他深爱的这位漂亮女士求婚。
feel two inches tall：feel ashamed of oneself　惭愧的；羞耻的
The middle-aged lady felt two inches tall when she was caught red-handed　stealing in the supermarket.
中年妇女在超市里偷东西被当场抓获，感到羞愧难当。