這句諺語直譯是「許多隻手讓工作變得輕鬆」,意思是一件工作若可以分成好幾份、讓好幾個人一起完成,那麼再艱鉅的工作都會變得簡單。的確,一件複雜的事情若有其他朋友或同事一起分擔,要完成的可能性便大增,不過英語有一句諺語跟這句話的意思相反,那就是 Too many cooks spoil the broth.,意思是「人多手雜」。因此一件事到底是 many hands make
light work、還是 too many cooks spoil the broth,可就見仁見智了!
A: What am I going to do? My lease is going to expire soon, but I still haven’t found the time to move. The landlord is going to kill me…
B: What are you going to do? Your place is crammed with things!
A: That is true. I have a big aquarium, an organ, a double bed, and a massage chair…
B: Do you have the money to hire movers?
A: Duh! Of course I don’t! I am counting on you and a bunch of friends to help me move...
B: It really sucks being your friend. Oh, well. Many hands make light work. Let’s just get it over with during the weekend.
A: 怎麼辦?我的租約就快到期了,可是我到現在都還沒有時間搬家。房東會把我殺了…
B: 那怎麼辦?你那狗窩裡的東西還真不少!
A: 是啊,一個大水族箱、一架風琴、一張雙人床、一張按摩椅…
B: 你有錢請搬家公司嗎?
A: 廢話,當然沒有!我還想靠你和一票朋友一起幫我搬咧…
B: 當你的朋友真衰。不過人多好辦事,就這個週末趕快弄弄吧。
單字
1. lease (n.) 租約
2. expire (v.) 過期
3. landlord (n.) 房東
4. crammed (adj.) 塞滿的;擠滿的
5. aquarium (n.) 水族箱
6. organ (n.) 風琴
7. double bed 雙人床
8. massage chair 按摩椅
9. hire (v.) 雇用
10. movers (n.) 搬家公司(常用複數)
11. suck (v.)(俚語)爛;令人厭惡
12. light (adj.) 輕的
片語
1. count on 倚賴,指望
例I know I can always count on my parents for everything.(我知道不管什麼事,我可以永遠倚賴我父母。)
2. a bunch of 一群
例I saw a bunch of bees in front of that construction site.(我在那工地看到一群蜜蜂。)
3. get over with(口語)(把不得不做的事)一勞永逸地做完
例You should finish your assignment as soon as possible—just get it over with!(你應該盡快完成你的工作—早做早完!。)
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