英語加油站-關懷生命．動物之聲

關懷生命．動物之聲

         日前傳出台中某生態園區所圈養年齡32歲、重1190公斤的河馬「阿河」於2014年12月29日清晨運送途中跳車逝世，引發全台各界及國際動物保育組織的關切和撻伐，更凸顯了台灣在動物保護措施及相關法規等領域的多項缺失，也提醒了台灣對於生命所欠缺的省思和檢討，版主在此祈願真的不要再有相同的事件再次發生了。

以下文章要跟同學們分享一些與動物相關的英文慣用語，相似的詞意與用字，在西方文化中有著許多不同之處：

1. act as a guinea pig 變成實驗用的白老鼠

例句:
Kelvin is not willing to act as a guinea pig for the new testing. 
凱文並不是很情願擔任這次新測試的實驗對象.

2. ahead of the pack 出類拔萃

例句:

The agent has been working so hard for all the summer and is ahead of the pack when he returned to factory in the autumn. 

該名專員整個夏天都非常勤勉地工作,而且當他於秋季重回工廠後,他的表現又更出類拔萃了.

3. as awkward as a cow on roller skates 笨手笨腳

例句:
David was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when he first began riding his motor-bike. 
大衛第一次騎摩托車的時候,根本是笨手笨腳的.

4. as blind as a bat 老眼昏花

例句:

The man is as blind as a bat and cannot see more than a small distance ahead. 
這位先生老眼昏花到連眼前這麼近的距離都無法看清.

5. as busy as a beaver 忙到不可開交

例句:

I have been as busy as a beaver all morning. 
我整個早上都忙得不可開交.

6. as clean as a hound's tooth 乾淨得一塵不染

例句:
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth after the students cleaned it. 
這間教室在被學生們打掃過後,潔淨透亮地一塵不染.

7. as conceited as a barber's cat 高傲自負

例句:

Bella has become as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school. 
貝拉在贏得學校的獎學金之後,就變得目中無人了.

8. as crooked as a dog's hind leg 缺乏誠信

例句:

The politician is always serving as crooked as a dog's hind leg, so that nobody trusts him. 
這位政治人物總是缺乏誠信,以至於沒有任何人願意相信他.

9. as drunk as a skunk 爛醉如泥

例句:

Edward was as drunk as a skunk when he walked into the restaurant. 
當愛德華走進那家餐廳的時候,已經是爛醉如泥了.

10. as fat as a pig 腦滿腸肥

例句:

The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig. 
那名超級市場的女性真的是胖過頭了.

11. bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 精神抖擻;容光煥發

例句:
The children were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they woke up in the morning. 
當這些孩子們在晨間醒來後,各個都是生龍活虎.

12. a bull in a china shop 冒失鬼

例句:

Simon is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house. 
賽門是個冒失鬼,你如果邀請他到你家作客的話,千萬要小心喔.

13. as hungry as a bear 飢腸轆轆

例句:

I was as hungry as a bear when I arrived home from work. 
當我下了班回到家的時候,真的是快要餓死了.

14. as innocent as a lamb 冰壺秋水;純潔

例句:

The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.
這個小女生相當地純潔善良,而且每個人都非常喜歡她.

15. as meek as a lamb 溫順善良;言氣卑弱

例句:

Victoria was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase. 

當維多利亞跑去跟老闆要求加薪的時候,她變得溫順、謙和了.

16. as nervous as a cat 緊張得像熱鍋上的螞蟻

例句:

Allen was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the charming woman. 
當愛倫試著去跟那位美女講話的時候,他緊張到像熱鍋上的螞蟻.

17. as poor as a church mouse 窮到只剩內褲
例句:

My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and couldn’t afford the cost of hus living. 
我的表哥窮到連生活費都負擔不起了.

18. cast pearls before swine 狗咬呂洞賓，不識好人心

例句:

Giving the jewelry to your wife will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all. 
送珠寶給你太太完全是浪費心思,她絕對不會感激你的.

19. as sly as a fox 聰明狡詐
例句:

The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox. 
我們部門的經理相當地聰明慧黠.

20. as strong as a horse/ox 健壯地像頭牛似的

例句:

The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa. 
那名健壯如牛的男士協助了我們移動那張沙發.

21. as stubborn as a mule 一意孤行
例句:

My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind. 
我的朋友相當地固執,而且你根本沒有辦法改變的他的想法.

22. as weak as a kitten 體弱多病

例句:

Vivian is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the books. 
薇薇安嬌弱到連書本都提不起.

23. as wild as a tiger 無法無天

例句:

Henry was as wild as a tiger when we were trying to look after him. 
當初我們試著照顧亨利的時候,他真的是個相當任性的小男生.

24. back the wrong horse 押錯寶

例句:

We backed the wrong horse when we supported the candidate for mayor.
當初我們決定支持這名候選人競選市長,真的是完全押錯寶了.

25. one's bark is worse than one's bite 虛張聲勢;只會逞口舌之快

例句:
You should not worry about the secretary. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person. 
你其實可以不用擔心那位秘書的態度,她其實是一個面惡心善的人.