開會時,David做年度的業務報告,外國老闆突然說:“Sorry, I was miles away. Could you repeat that? ”
David很不解,老闆明明就坐在對面,哪有隔幾英里,為什麼他要說miles away?原來be miles away,是指「心不在焉」!來看看與mile相關的片語。
be miles away
(X)在好幾英里之外
(O)心不在焉/一時走神了
我們熟悉的mile是「英里」的意思,但在口語中,mile不一定用作計算距離,可以指「很大的距離」。Be miles away字面上是「很遠距離」,引申為「沒注意聽、出神了、心在不焉」,是很好用的口語。熟悉一下在對話中的應用:
Sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?
(抱歉,我沒注意,你剛說什麼?)
I don't mean to disturb you, you looked miles away — but there's a call for you.
(我不想打斷你,但你看來好像沒留意到,你的電話在響。)
有些人會加強語氣,這時可以加一個million變為million miles away.
Of course you don't remember me saying that — you were a million miles away the whole time!
(你當然不記得了,你一直都心不在焉。)
go the extra mile
(X)再走一英里
(O)加倍努力/堅持不懈
go the extra mile指「為了成功付出額外的努力,而且付出的努力往往超出大家的期望」。是一個很正向的片語,在job interview或performance review等各種商業談話中,都很好用的表達。
I like doing business with that company. They always go the extra mile.
(我喜歡和這家公司往來。他們總是加倍努力。)
All those involved in the project were happy to go the extra mile to ensure success.
(所有參與專案的人都很願意為確保項目成功,多付出一點努力。)
A mile off
(x)距離一英里
(O)一眼看出來/顯而易見
一英里是很長的距離,如果你在一英里外就能看見,就表示這件事「顯而易見、一眼就能看穿」,這就是a mile off的意思。
She's lying — you can tell it a mile off.
(她在撒謊——一眼就能看得出來。)
I saw this coming from a mile away — you've been working too hard for too many days in a row not to come down with a really bad flu.
(我早就跟你說了,你一連這麼多天賣力工作不休息,要不染上重流感都難。)
Run a mile
(X)跑一英里路
(O)躲得遠遠的/很不情願
這是個很有畫面感的表達方式。Run a mile表面上是「跑一英里路」,實際的情境是,你想請人做件事,他因為不想就跑得遠遠的。指「很不情願、避之唯恐不及」。
He'd run a mile if I asked him to marry me.
(我要是提出和他結婚,他就會躲得遠遠的。)
責任編輯:倪旻勤
核稿編輯:陳瑋鴻