The english we speak(BBC教學)第45期: to miss the boat錯失良機
Finn: Come on, Feifei! We are going to be late - this party is my big chance!
芬:快來啊,菲菲!我們快要遲到了——這個派對是我很大的機會!Feifei: I'm almost ready, Finn! Hi, I'm Feifei. Finn has invited me to his posh uncle's party. He knows lots of celebrities!
菲菲:我馬上就好,芬!大家好,我是菲菲。芬邀請我去參加他叔叔豪華的派對。他認識一大堆名人!Finn: Come on! And lots of musicians... I'm a bit of a rocker myself, and this might just be my chance to meet someone famous... Come on!
芬:算了吧!還有很多的音樂人...我本身算是個搖滾歌手,這是我見某些著名人士的機會...快點!
Feifei: Coming!
菲菲:來了!Finn: Maybe join the band... live the rock star life... oh, this is my one big chance! Come on or I'll miss the boat!
芬:或許加入樂隊...過搖滾明星的生活...哦,這是我的大機會!快點要不我就會錯失良機!Feifei: Boat?! Why didn't you say it before?Here I am.
菲菲:船?!你之前為什麼沒有說?我馬上就來。Finn: A lifejacket!?
芬:一個救生衣?!Feifei: Of course! We are going on a boat! I am afraid of water - I can't swim!
菲菲:當然了!我們要去船上!我害怕水——我不會游泳!Finn: Feifei, there's no real boat! In English, when we use the expression 'to miss the boat' we mean that we are too late to take advantage of a good opportunity.
芬:菲菲,並沒有真的船!在英語中,當我們用“錯過船"這個短語,意思是我們錯失了好的機會。Feifei: No boat at all?
菲菲:完全沒有船?Finn: Not even a canoe. Listen to these examples.
芬:連獨木舟也沒有。聽一下這些例子吧。If I hadn't bought a new flat last year I would have missed the boat. Properties are more expensive now.
如果我去年沒有買新公寓我就會錯失良機。房地產現在更貴了。I should have travelled the world when I was young. Now I have a family to take care of. I might have missed the boat.
我年輕的時候本應該環遊世界的。現在我需要照料家庭。我錯失了良機。Feifei: Oh, OK, so 'to miss the boat' is to miss an opportunity by being late. It makes sense.
菲菲:哦,好的,所以“錯失良機”意思是太晚了以致於錯過了一個機會。言之有理。Finn: Yes, but we're not going to make it on time now, unless... we take my uncle's helicopter! It's parked in a field nearby. Come on!
芬:是的,但是我們現在需要準時到達,除非...我們乘坐我叔叔的直升機!它停在附近的草坪上。快來!Feifei: Helicopter! Wait a minute, I am really ready.
菲菲:直升機!等一下,芬。現在我準備好了。Finn: Feifei, is it what I think it is? A parachute?!
芬:菲菲,這是我想的那個東西嗎?一個降落傘?!Feifei: Well of course it is! I can't swim and I can't fly either. And I'm afraid of heights!
菲菲:當然了就是!我不會游泳也不會飛。而且我恐高!Finn: OK, don't you worry. Let's just go to the party. We don't want to miss the boat, do we?
芬:好吧,不用擔心。我們快去派對吧。我們不想錯失良機,不是嗎?Feifei: We don't want to miss the boat or the helicopter. Bye.
菲菲:我們不想錯失良機或者錯過直升機。再見。Finn: Bye.
芬:再見。