英語口語練習小對話 第824期:絞盡腦汁

Subject : I have racked my brain.

第一，迷你對話

A: I have racked my brain. I still have no idea about how to spend Valentine’s day.

我絞盡腦汁，仍然想不出如何過情人節。

B: Just take her to a high ranking restaurant and present her with a bunch of flowers.

那就帶上她去一個高級飯店，然後送她一束花。

第二，地道表達

rack one’s brain

1. 解詞釋義

Rack one’s brain中的rack是“壓榨”和“折磨”的意思，brain是大腦。Rack one’s brain直譯爲壓榨、折磨某人的大腦，其實就是“絞盡腦汁”“不遺餘力”等意思。用它來表示用盡心思去考慮某事。因爲用盡心思，當然就飽受精神上的折磨。其英文解釋爲：to cause great mental suffering，to torture brain by means of the rack。

2. 拓展範例

e.g. When I went to pick up my girlfriend, there was a note on the door. She wrote that she didn't want to see me anymore. Huh?! How could our relationship be over? I've been racking my brain trying to recall everything I've done and said lately. Instead of making me struggle, couldn't she at least let me know how I upset her?

我去接我女朋友，發現門上有張條。條上說，她不想跟我交往下去了。我們怎麼會就這麼結束了呢？我絞盡腦汁，回想最近自己是不是做錯了什麼事，說錯了什麼話。她至少可以告訴我我什麼地方得罪了她，讓我不用這麼百思不得其解。

e.g. He had racked his brain but he could not be able to work out the answer to the problem.

他已經絞盡腦汁了，但是還是無法相處這個問題的答案。

e.g. I rack my brain trying to remember the answer .

我絞盡腦汁想答案。

e.g. I've been racking my brain trying to recall where we put the key.

我絞盡腦汁回想我把鑰匙放在哪裏。

第三，咬文嚼字

1. have no idea about something：不知道做……

e.g. If you have no idea about it, consult a dictionary, please.

要是你對這個問題不清楚, 請你查字典得了。

e.g. I have no idea about her visit except that she is likely to be away for several months .

我對她的訪問情況一無所知，只知道她可能外出好幾個月。

2. present sb. with sth.：贈送某人某物

presented a sum of money to the college in memory of their son.

他們向學院贈送了一筆款項以紀念他們的兒子。

e.g. Colleagues presented the retiring chairman with a cheque.

同事們把一張支票交給退休的主席。

3. a bunch of：一束……，一捆……，一羣

e.g. He produced from his pocket a bunch of keys.

他從口袋裏掏出一串鑰匙。

e.g. Miss White received a bunch of flowers from her admirer.

懷特小姐收到愛慕者所送的一束花。

e.g. His friends are just a bunch of hooligans.

他的朋友們只是一羣流氓。

4. a high ranking restaurant：高檔酒店 spend the Valentine’s day：過情人節