【美国习语】310 要么全力以赴要么放弃，蓄意盘查，另有要事要做

英语自学网

【节目介绍】:本节目每天早上9点更新，介绍美国的习惯用语，让大家有更开阔的语言视角。适合各个阶层的人学习，难度中等。大家只要听写出音频中的例句就可以了，本期一共三段例句。听写不需要打引号，句子间也不用编序号。音频中听到的所有习语，提交后都均可在译文部分找到。
hints:
Charlie
注：本期只读一遍。Charlie, you've had two weeks to decide whether you want in on this deal. Now it's time to fish or cut bait. I need your answer by six o'clock tonight, otherwise we'll leave you out of it.
The senator says the investigation is a fishing expedition by his enemies to see if they can find anything he has ever done that might hurt his political career.
I can't believe it. His only son was hurt in an accident and he told his wife he couldn't go to the hospital until later because he had other fish to fry, a million-dollar deal he was closing.今天我们要讲的习惯用语都有fish这个词。大家都知道fish是"鱼"，但是fish可以作动词。例如在下面这个习惯用语中: fish or cut bait。你也许猜得到: 动词fish意思是钓鱼。Bat是系在钓鱼线上的鱼饵。所以这个习惯用语如果直译就是要么钓鱼，要么干脆切断鱼饵。 Fish or cut bait最初出现在十九世纪。一名议员在国会就一项议案进行表决前对与会者说了这句话，敦促大家当机立断，作出是或否的明确表态。
这个习惯用语从此广为流传，用来促使对方作一抉择：要么好好干，不然就干脆别干，尤其用来敦促某人迅速决定究竟是否参与。让我们来听个例子。这是一个作风强硬的商人正试图了断一笔交易。他要求对方迅速拿定主意。
例句-1：Charlie, you've had two weeks to decide whether you want in on this deal. Now it's time to fish or cut bait. I need your answer by six o'clock tonight, otherwise we'll leave you out of it.
他说：Charlie，对于要不要参与这笔生意你斟酌了有两星期了。现在你务必当机立断。我必须在今晚六点前得到你的答复，否则我们就把你排除在外。
所以fish or cut bait意思是要么全力以赴，不然就干脆放弃。
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我们再来学一个由fish这个词发展而来的习惯用语: Fishing expedition。Expedition意思是"调查、考察"。这个习惯用语可能来自出海探寻鱼群行踪的远征。鱼儿潜游在茫茫大海里，可真是捉摸不定，要找到他们得靠机遇。Fishing expedition像所有的习惯用语一样，意义已经引伸到其它方面。例如为找寻罪证而作的调查。让我们来听一个例子，说的是一名参议员被调查是否有不端行为。他对这一调查作出了反应。
例句-2：The senator says the investigation is a fishing expedition by his enemies to see if they can find anything he has ever done that might hurt his political career.
这段话说：那位参议员声称，这次调查是他政敌的蓄意盘查，目的是搜罗挖掘他是否有不端行为，以便损毁他的政治生涯。
所以fishing expedition是指以搜罗挖掘不利于某人的证据为目的的调查行动。
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我们再来学一个习惯用语: Other fish to fry。Fry是油煎的意思。这个习惯用语从字面来解释就是另有一条鱼要煎。这句话非常口语化，常用在非正式场合。它表达什么意思呢? 让我们通过一个例子来体会。有的人把事业放在生活的首要地位；事业的重要性甚至超越了家庭和亲人。我们要听的例子说的就是这样一个人。
例句-3： I can't believe it. His only son was hurt in an accident and he told his wife he couldn't go to the hospital until later because he had other fish to fry, a million-dollar deal he was closing.
他说：我实在难以想象! 他的独生子遭到意外受了伤，而他却对太太说，他要晚些时候才能去医院，因为他另有要事得办：有一笔百万美元的大生意在等著他拍板呢。
所以have other fish to fry意思是另有更重要或者更有利可图的事情得办。