PETS二级考试语法复习精讲（77）
发布时间：2010/11/30 19:58:13 来源：城市学习网 编辑：admin
You're head and shoulders above the others .
Walter: That's the fifth race in a row that you've won. You're by far our best driver.
Ryan: Well I think my results are a bit flattering because I've had quite a lot of luck and our car is always so reliable.
Walter: Nonsense, you're head and shoulders above the others in your division.
Ryan: Do you really think so?
Walter: Absolutely. So much so that we're thinking of entering you in the next division for the new season.
Ryan: That means a more powerful car and longer races. It'll be a lot tougher.
华尔特：这是你连续第五次赛车获胜。你绝对是我们最出色的赛车手。
赖安：我想，我的成绩还不错是因为运气实在很好，而且我们的车子也十分可靠。
华尔特：当然不是。你根本远远胜过其它同级的赛车手。
赖安：你真的这么想？
华尔特：一点也没错，所以我们准备下个赛车季推举你参加高一级的比赛。
赖安：那么，就要有一辆更强力的车子，赛程也会远一些。夺冠也会困难得多。
华尔特称赞赖安：You're by far our best driver.又说：You're head and shoulders above the others.这两句用了两个成语。By far是加强语气用语，有'远远超过'的意思，而既说'超过'，自然有比较含义，所以，习惯用来修饰比较级（comparative）或最高级（superlative）词语，例如：
（1） Compared with WM Thackeray, Charles Dickens was by far the more prolific writer（和撒克里比较，狄更斯无疑是个多产的作家）。
（2） She was by far the most beautiful girl the prince had ever seen（她比王子过去见过的女郎还美丽得多）。此外还有far and away－词，和by far同义，例如以上两句都可改用far and away.Be/Stand head and shoulders above somebody/something 取'别人最高都不及你肩膀'含义，引申解作'远远胜过其它人/物'，例如：His performance is head and shoulders above（或head and shoulders better than） that of his colleagues（他的工作表现，远远胜过他的同事）。最后要说华尔特So much so that we're thinking of entering you in the next division这一句。So much so that是常用语，有'（上述事情）程度之高，以至……'含义，例如：She enjoyed herself heartily at the party, so much so that she forgot her promise to get home by 11:00pm（她在派对上玩得十分开心，连'晚上十一点前回家'的承诺都忘记了）。华尔特那一句，是说对赖安期许甚高，高得有意要他参加高一级的比赛。 [NextPage] Your work is absolutely first-class.
Greg: Do come in and sit down. How are you?
Heather: I'm fine thanks. Have you had a chance to look at my proposal?
Greg: Yes, I have, that's what I mainly want to talk about.
Heather: I wasn't sure whether it was exactly the kind of thing you wanted.
Greg: Oh, have no worries. It's precisely what we need and your work is absolutely first-class.
Heather: Well I must say that's a great relief.
格雷哥：进来坐坐吧。近来还好吗？
希瑟：很好，谢谢。你有空看我那份建议书了吗？
格雷哥：看过了，我主要就是要谈这个。
希瑟：我不能确定这份建议书是否符合你的要求。
格雷哥：啊，别担心，这正是我们要的。你做得好极了。
希瑟：嗯，那我就放心了。
格雷哥称赞希瑟：Your work is absolutely first-class.First class、second class、third class本是火车、轮船分头、二、三等的用语，但second class、third class渐渐有了'低贱'的含义，于是'三等'现在往往改称为economy class（经济舱）或tourist class（旅客舱），'二等'则变成business class（商务舱）、standard class（标准舱）等。此外，first class和second class、third class常引申来说'优秀的'和'低贱的'，例如：
（1） She took legal action against the company for treating women employees as second-class citizens（她控告公司对待女雇员犹如二等公民）。
（2） Service is first-class in that hotel（这家旅馆的服务是一流的）。作形容词，first-class等往往加连字号（hyphen）。称赞人家的工作，除了说Your work is first-class和八月九日曾介绍过的一些说法，你还可以说：It couldn't be better（不能再好了），例如："How do you like my proposal?" "Oh, it couldn't be better."（'你认为我的建议书怎样？''啊，好极了。'）'建议'除了叫proposal，还可叫proposition，例如：They have accepted my proposal/proposition to restructure the personnel department（他们接受了我改组人事部的建议）。但请留意：男女之间，proposal和proposition的意思完全不同。Proposal是名词，指'求婚'；proposition是动词，指'求欢'.
