下面的這個(gè)例句是關(guān)于人們對(duì)英國(guó)前首相撒切爾夫人的評(píng)論——For many Britons accustomed to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides, it seemed like only a matter of time before her support for Major would cool. 對(duì)很多看慣撒切爾向她的政敵怒目而視或斥責(zé)僚屬的英國(guó)人來(lái)說(shuō),她對(duì)梅杰的支持遲早都會(huì)冷卻。
注解1:?jiǎn)卧~ accustomed [??k?st?md] 習(xí)慣了的; 適應(yīng)了的 Thatcher ['θæt??] 撒切爾(前英國(guó)首相) (thatcher 蓋屋匠) browbeat ['braubi:t] 嚇唬,威逼 aide [eid] 助手, 副官, 侍從武官 cool 冷卻
注解2:短語(yǔ)be accustomed to sth ( doing sth )是“習(xí)慣于某事”“習(xí)慣于做某事”的意思。例如:Conditions here are not what she's accustomed to. 這里的條件不是她所習(xí)慣享受的。My eyes slowly grew accustomed to the gloom. 我的眼睛對(duì)黑暗慢慢適應(yīng)了。(grow accustomed和be accustomed比較)
注解3:watch sb do sth這個(gè)動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)結(jié)構(gòu),意思是觀看某人做某事,看某人做某事。賓語(yǔ)sb后面的補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)是用動(dòng)詞原形,也有watch sb doing sth這個(gè)動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)結(jié)構(gòu),它們之間的區(qū)別就在于看對(duì)方在做這件事,是不是當(dāng)時(shí)對(duì)方的動(dòng)作正在發(fā)生。我們來(lái)看2個(gè)例子來(lái)辨析:I watched her go out of the room just now. 我看見(jiàn)她剛才出去了。(這句話中的我看這個(gè)動(dòng)作,看到的是她出去,出去的這個(gè)動(dòng)作整個(gè)過(guò)程,話句話說(shuō)就是強(qiáng)調(diào)事實(shí)。)The girl is watching the the chief stealing something. 那個(gè)女孩在看見(jiàn)小偷正在偷東西。(這句話中女孩觀看的時(shí)候,看的時(shí)候小偷偷東西這個(gè)動(dòng)作正在發(fā)生,這里強(qiáng)調(diào)動(dòng)作。)
注解3:短語(yǔ)a matter of time是指(某事肯定發(fā)生只是)時(shí)間問(wèn)題,是遲早的事情。例如:It was only a matter of time. 一切不過(guò)只是時(shí)間早晚的問(wèn)題。Thoughts of you dance through my mind. Knowing, it is just a matter of time. 我知道對(duì)你的思念揮之不去。知道,這只是個(gè)時(shí)間問(wèn)題。
It is (only ) a matter of time before+從句可以視為一個(gè)句型,意思是某事情(或某種情況)是遲早會(huì)發(fā)生的事情。 例如:It is only a matter of time before some companies go under. 部分公司破產(chǎn)也只是時(shí)間的問(wèn)題。(備注: go under = go broke , run outof bank, go bankrupt 破產(chǎn) )
注解4:短語(yǔ)support for sb/sth是“對(duì)......支持”“支撐.......”的意思。例如:They are trying to win support for their proposals.他們?cè)谂?zhēng)取人們支持他們的建議。Support for his cabinet has risen sharply in the past week. 在過(guò)去一周里,他的內(nèi)閣的支持率已急劇上升。(備注:in the past week 在過(guò)去的一周)
注解5:該句話的狀語(yǔ)就是一個(gè)在介詞短語(yǔ)For many Britons,后面的accustomed to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides是過(guò)去分詞短語(yǔ)做后置定語(yǔ),這個(gè)過(guò)去分詞中又含有一個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides,在這個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)中含有動(dòng)詞+賓語(yǔ)+賓語(yǔ)的補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)這樣的結(jié)構(gòu),而且賓語(yǔ)的補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)又是由動(dòng)詞原形來(lái)充當(dāng),賓語(yǔ)補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)又是由2個(gè)并且的動(dòng)賓結(jié)構(gòu)構(gòu)成。句子的主要部分是it seemed like only a matter of time before her support for Major would cool. 這是一個(gè)含有時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)從句的復(fù)合句。Seem在主句中是做系動(dòng)詞,like是介詞,seem like意思是看上去像......,好像。
Dress down除了有“嚴(yán)厲斥責(zé)”的意思,還有“穿著隨意”的意思。例如:You can't dress down in diplomatic occasions. 在外交場(chǎng)合你不能穿著隨便。Many companies have an official dress down day once a month or so, on which employees may wear blue jeans, running shoes, and T-shirts to the office - in other words,wear their weekend clothes to work. 許多公司大約一個(gè)月就有一次法定的“便裝日”,在這一天,雇員們可以穿著藍(lán)牛仔褲、球鞋和T恤衫去辦公室——也就是說(shuō),穿著度周末時(shí)的衣服去上班。(備注:or so 大約 in other words 換句話說(shuō),用別的話說(shuō))
那么dress down的反義詞很容易聯(lián)想就是dress up,它的意思是盛裝打扮,穿著嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)。例如:Her maid helped her to dress up for the party. 他的女仆幫助他穿上參加晚會(huì)的禮服。