语妙天下

英语篇#14 讲完唔食得(2) ; 应试贴士∶IELTS 短讲

1. The icing on the cake 锦上添花

糖霜(icing)使蛋糕更美味，因此这个短语形容让美好事物更加完美，有锦上添花的意思。

"The excellent service was the icing on the cake at that restaurant."

那间餐厅的优质服务，让整体体验锦上添花。

2. Salad days 年少轻狂的日子

有说这短语源自莎士比亚的剧作《安东尼与克莉奥佩特拉》(Anthony and Cleopatra)，克莉奥佩特拉回忆自己年轻时的青涩与冲动，称之为「salad days」。

“My salad days, when I was green in judgment, cold in blood, to say as I said then!”

「我年轻的时候，不懂事，冷血，所以才说出那样的话。」(出自莎士比亚《安东尼与克莉奥佩特拉》)

3. A recipe for disaster

指错误的食谱会导致料理失败，引申为某种行为或计画注定会失败。

"Trying to cook a five-course meal without any experience is a recipe for disaster."

没有经验就尝试煮五道菜，简直是灾难的前兆。

4. Take with a grain of salt

表示对某事保持怀疑态度，半信半疑。

"You should take his restaurant recommendations with a grain of salt; he has very different tastes."

你应该对他的餐厅推荐持保留态度，因为他的口味很独特。

5. Cry over spilled milk

为无法改变的事后悔或难过，多用来叫人不要为不可挽回的事情烦恼。

"There's no use crying over spilled milk; we can always order another dish."

没必要为已打翻的牛奶哭泣，我们还可以再点一道菜。

6. Eat humble pie

指一些人会承认错误并表示谦卑。

“After boasting about his unbeatable chess skills, he had to eat humble pie when he lost to a beginner.”

在夸口自己是无敌的西洋棋高手后，他输给了一名初学者，只好低头认错。