英语专题 | 口语天天练（六十九）

口语天天练

Meaning:

Be used to mean delaying the originally specified dates, times, deadlines.

用来表示推迟原来规定的日期、时间、期限等。

Origin:

The origin of the phrase “Take a rain check” can be traced back to American baseball culture. In the 1880s, if an outdoor baseball game had to be interrupted due to bad weather (such as rain), the officials would issue a kind of ticket called “rain check” to the spectators. This ticket allowed the spectators to use it at a future time, usually when the game was resumed after being suspended due to rain.

“Take a rain check”这个短语的起源可以追溯到美国的棒球文化。在19世纪80年代，如果一场露天举行的棒球比赛因为恶劣天气（如雨）而不得不中断，官方会向观众发放一种称为“rain check”的票据。这张票据允许观众在未来的某个时间使用，通常是当比赛因雨暂停后再次举行时。

Exempli gratia:

I'm really busy this weekend. Maybe I'll take a rain check.

我这个周末真的很忙。或许我得延期了。

Meaning:

A person gets extremely excited and is in high spirits when encountering certain things.

一个人遇到某些事情时情绪非常高涨开心。

Origin:

The origin of the phrase “I am on cloud nine” can be traced back to the American meteorological service. In the 1950s, the United States Weather Bureau classified clouds, and cloud type nine was a specific kind of cloud, usually referring to cumulonimbus or thunderstorm clouds. The position of this kind of cloud is extremely high, sometimes even reaching over 40,000 feet. When people are above such clouds, they seem to be at the highest point in the world. Therefore, “on cloud nine” is used to vividly describe a state of “being on a high” or “being in high spirits”.

“I am on cloud nine”这个短语的起源可以追溯到美国气象服务。在20世纪50年代，美国气象局对云进行了分类，其中9号云系是一种特定的云种，通常指的是积雨云或雷雨云。这种云的位置非常高，有时甚至能达到四万英尺以上。当人们处于这样的云层之上时，他们就像是在世界的最高点，因此，“on cloud nine”被用来形象地描述一种“情绪高涨”的状态。

Exempli gratia:

I am on cloud nine after getting the job offer I've been dreaming of.

得到了我一直梦想的工作录用通知后，我欣喜若狂。

Meaning:

Reassure the other person, which means that the situation they are facing may not be that serious or bad.

让对方放心，意味着所面临的事情可能并没有那么严重或糟糕。

Origin:

“Don't Sweat It” has multiple origins and application scenarios. Firstly, it is often used in daily communication to convey the meanings of “Don't worry” or “Relax”. This usage stems from people's attempt to relieve tension with a laid-back attitude when facing pressure or challenges. For example, when a friend loses in a competition, you can use “Don't Sweat It” to comfort them, telling them that it doesn't matter and what matters is their participation and effort.

“Don't Sweat It”这个短语有多重起源和应用场景。首先，它在日常交流中常用来表达“别担心”或“放轻松”的意思。这种用法源自于人们在面对压力或挑战时，通过轻松的态度来缓解紧张情绪。例如，当朋友在比赛中失利时，你可以用“Don't Sweat It”来安慰他们，告诉他们没关系，重要的是参与和尽力了。

Exempli gratia:

Don't sweat it if you're a little late for the meeting.

如果你开会稍微迟到一会儿，别担心。

Meaning:

Someone lost their job and left their original position.

某个人失去了自己的工作离开了原本的岗位。

Origin:

The origin of the phrase “Drop the ball” can be traced back to sports, especially basketball. In a basketball game, if a player fails to catch the ball passed by a teammate, it is usually regarded as a mistake. Later, this phrase was extended to a broader range of fields and is used to describe making mistakes or errors in any situation, especially those major mistakes caused by carelessness, stupidity or laziness.

“Drop the ball”这个短语的起源可以追溯到体育运动，尤其是篮球。在篮球比赛中，如果一个球员没有接住队友传过来的球，这通常会被视为一个失误。这个短语后来被引申到更广泛的领域，用来形容在任何情况下犯了错误或失误，尤其是那些由于粗心、愚蠢或懒惰导致的重大错误。

Exempli gratia:

Don't drop the ball when it comes to this crucial decision.

不要在这个关键决定上别犯错。