实用的英语谚语

th the bath water. (当你拟定新的政策时，不要把好的部份，连同不好的，一起扔掉。)

　　(12) Too many cooks spoil the broth. (或 soup) 照字面意思就是：太多的厨师，反而把汤破坏了。也就是说，如果人太多，意见也多，反而不易做出决定。其实一个人作主就够了。(the more people work on a project, the worse it may turn out; or too many people or ideas may prevent from getting things done.) 所以可以说：

　　I need to solve this problem myself; sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. (我要自己解决这个问题，有时人多，意见多，反而无法决定。)

　　(13) Where there is smoke, there is fire. 照字面的意思是：有烟的地方，就有火。也就是说：一件令人怀疑的事情，背後可能有些原因的存在。即所谓「无风不起浪」。 (suspicious things usually mean something is wrong； or there must be some reasons behind a suspicious event.) 所以可以说：

　　I don‘t believe what he has said； where there is smoke, there is fire.（我不信他所说的，因为无风不起浪。）

　　(14) When the cat is away, the mice will play. 这是一句非常流行的俗语。意思是：猫儿不在，老鼠玩得自在。也就是说，上司不在，部下就会轻松自在。所以 cat 是指任何有权威的人，mice 是指任何的部属。 (When the boss is absent, employees will usually do as they please.)（注意：cat 是用单数；mice是 用多数，因为一般家里，也许只养一只猫，但老鼠可不止一只吧！通常老板也只有一位，员工倒不止一位吧。） (mice 的单数是 mouse) 我们也可以说：

　　If teen-agers are alone at home after school, it may be a case of the mice playing when the cat is away.
　　(青少年放学後，如果父母不在，单独在家，就会无忧无虑，大玩特玩。) (虽然这句成语句型，稍加改变，但仍不失原意。)

　　(15) Strike while the iron is hot. 这就是咱们所谓的「打铁趁热」。换句话说，就是机会一旦来临，一定要抓住，才能得到最好的结果。(to act at the best time to get the best results； or to grab the good opportunity whenever it presents itself) (也有人说成：Strike the iron when it is hot) 所以我们可以对年轻人说：

 

　　If you want to get an advanced degree, you should strike while the iron is hot. (假如你想取得高学位，就应该打铁趁热。) (也就是马上进研究所「go to graduate school right away」)

　　(16) Don‘t cut off your (one‘s) nose to spite your (one‘s) face. 照字面的意思是：不要割破你的鼻子，而动怒了你的脸孔。也就是说，不要因为一时对他人动怒，反而害了自己。即所谓「拿自己出气。」(one tries to hurt others, but eventually hurt oneself; or to make a situation worse for oneself when angry with someone) 假如你想陷害别人，结果反而害了自己。就可以说：

　　If you try to hurt someone, you may end up cutting off your nose to spite your face. 或者说：
　　You may be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you ignore your boss all the time. (如果你老是不理睬你的老板，将来反而对你不利。)

　　(17) Beggars can‘t be choosers. 照字面的意思是：做乞丐的，就不能对获得的东西有所选择。(chooser 是选择者) 换言之，要饭的，就不能挑肥拣瘦，人家给什麽，都得接受。(needy people have to take whatever they can get；or don‘t criticize what you are given)（虽然 can‘t = can not, 但在这句成语里，老外爱用 can‘t) 所以我们可以说：

　　When asking for help（donation）,remember beggars can not be chooser. (当请求别人帮忙或乐捐时，就没有挑选的余地。) (人家给多少，就得拿多少。）
 

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