The english we speak(BBC教學)第173期:Not enough room to swing a cat 空間擁擠
(Li is accompanying Finn as he goes flat hunting)
(莉陪芬恩去找公寓)Finn: This is flat number five, Li. I'm happy you came along to help me find a nice place to live.
芬恩:莉,這是五號公寓。我很高興你過來幫我找好的居住地。Li: Renting a new place is a big step, Finn. This one looks good. Look here. Big windows, lots of light coming in. Isn't it nice?
莉:芬恩,租新公寓是個重大的決定。這間公寓看起來不錯。看看這裡。這麼大的窗戶,有很多光線可以照射進來。是不是很棒?
Finn: Yeah. It's good but…
芬恩:是。是很好,但是……Li: It's been painted recently. Look, the wooden floor is lovely!
莉:這間公寓近期剛粉刷過。看啊,那個木門多可愛啊!Finn: Yes, you're right, it's lovely but… Li… there's not enough room to swing a cat!
芬恩:是,你說得對,是很可愛,但是,莉……這裡太狹小了,連轉身的地方都不夠!Li: A cat? Are you sure? No problem. I saw one outside. I'll be back in a minute.
莉:一隻貓?你確定嗎?沒問題。我剛在外面看到了一隻。我馬上就回來。(She leaves the room for a few seconds)
(她離開了房間幾秒鐘)Finn: Li, what is this?!
芬恩:莉,這是什麼?Li: It's a cat, Finn. I didn't know you liked swinging cats around, but… well, this cat was just outside and you can try swinging it! Just be gentle with it.
莉:芬恩,是隻貓。我不知道你喜歡晃動貓咪,不過……嗯,這隻貓剛剛就在外面,你可以試著搖擺它!你要對它溫柔點。Finn: No, Li. I don't swing cats. In English, you use the expression 'there's not enough room to swing a cat' when you want to say a place is much too small.
芬恩:不是,莉。我並不是要搖擺貓。在英語中,你用there's not enough room to swing a cat這個表達該來來形容一個地方非常小。Li: What a relief!
莉:真是鬆了口氣!Finn: 'Not enough room to swing a cat' is today's expression in The English We Speak. Let's hear some examples of how to use it.
芬恩:Not enough room to swing a cat就是今天地道英語節目要學的表達方式。我們來聽些例句學習一下這個表達的用法。Examples
例句The library at my college was really small. There wasn't enough room to swing a cat!
我學校的圖書館非常小,連轉身的地方都不夠!I can't work in this office. There's not enough room to swing a cat! Where will I put my books and my computer?
我不能在這間辦公室工作,它真是太狹小了!我要把我的書和電腦放在哪裡啊?Finn: So, not enough room for me in this flat, Li. But thanks for coming with me all the same.
芬恩:所以,莉,對我來說這間公寓的大小不夠。不過還是謝謝你和我一起過來。Li: So what are you going to do, Finn?
莉:芬恩,你打算怎麼做?Finn: I think I'll just move in with my brother.
芬恩:我想我會搬去和我哥哥一起住。Li: Is his flat small? Could you… swing a cat there?
莉:他的公寓小嗎?你能……在那裡和貓玩嗎?Finn: In my brother's house cats rule! He loves furry little animals.
芬恩:我哥哥家貓可是寶貝!他非常喜歡毛茸茸的小動物。Li: Well, I think this cat might join you there. Let's go, Finn. Bye.
莉:嗯,我想這隻貓可以和你一起住在你哥哥家。我們走吧,芬恩。再見。Finn: Bye. And no cat was harmed in the recording of this programme. Isn't that right, Tubby?
芬恩:再見。沒有貓咪給這期節目的錄製帶來影響。對吧,圖比?Tubby: Meow.
圖比:喵。
重點講解:
1. come along
(尤用於鼓勵別人參加某活動)來吧,一起來;
eg. There's a big press launch today and you're most welcome to come along.
今天有一個大型的媒體推介會,非常希望您能光臨。
eg. May be I'll come along next time.
也許下一次我也來。
2. There's no room to swing a cat
地方狹小;空間擁擠;
eg. It was described as a large, luxury mobile home, but there was barely room to swing a cat.
那個活動房被形容為寬敞豪華,可事實上幾乎連轉身的地兒都沒有。
eg. In our old flat we didn't have enough room to swing a cat, but now we've got plenty of space.
我們從前住的那套房間很狹小,沒有活動的餘地,現在我們已得到很寬敞的住所了。
3. all the same
仍然;依然;照樣;
eg. All the same, there is some truth in what he says.
儘管如此,他的話也還是有些道理。
eg. It was raining hard, but we got there in time all the same.
雨下得很大,可是我們仍然準時到達。