1. 想让他答应这样的要求恐怕不大可能。
I’m afraid it is impossible for him to agree to such a request.
I’m afraid it is unlikely for him to agree to such a request.
Impossible表示“完全不可能”，所以与原文有出入。
可能性：probably ﹥possible ﹥likely
2. 亚当是个很粗暴的人，每次夫妻吵嘴，他都会给他老婆一记耳光。
Adam is very rude. Every time he quarrels with his wife, he would slap her face.
Adam is very rude. Every time he quarrels with his wife, he would slap her in the face.
英语中当人身体的某一部分承受动作时，常把人，而非该部分，作为动词的宾语。
抓住他的胳膊：catch him by the arm
亲吻他的额头：kiss him on the forehead
治好他的牙疼：cure him of his toothache
3. 黄袍
yellow robe
emperor’s robe
红眼病：pink eye，而不是red eye
4. 寒衣
cold clothes
warm clothes
5. 她皮肤白皙。
She has a white skin.
She has a fair skin.
6. 工作要分轻重缓急，不能齐头并进。
Jobs should be arranged in order of priority and cannot advance head by head.
Jobs should be arranged in order of priority and cannot advance side by side.
Or jobs should be arranged in order of priority. We can’t do them all at once.
7. 看他那皮笑肉不笑的样子就知道他不是个诚实的人。
From his skin-deep smile you can tell he is not an honest person.
还可用put on a false smile或smile hypocritically, etc.
8. 这危险当然是拦路虎，你可以勇往直前，也可以往后退缩。
The danger is certainly a tiger in the path, you can go ahead or turn back.
The danger is certainly a lion in the path, you can go ahead or turn back.
a lion in the path出自《圣经》：“The slothful man saith, there is a lion in the way; a lion is in the street”（懒惰的人说，道上有猛虎，街上有壮狮）。
9. 我正在劝他。
I am persuading him.
I am trying to persuade him.
Persuade表示的是动作的结果，即“经劝说后说服”，所以一般不用于进行时。
10. 现在天一定亮了，因为鸟儿在歌唱。
It must be morning now, because the birds are singing.
It must be morning now, for the birds re singing.
同样是表示原因或理由，但because的语气强烈，他引导的从句成了全句的重心，甚至主句都因为它显得不那么重要了；而for往往只提供一些情况说明，或解释一下间接的原因。
11. 一定要分清敌我。
We must draw a clear distinction between the enemy and ourselves. We must draw a clear distinction between ourselves and the enemy.
敌我矛盾应该译为contradiction between ourselves and the enemy。
12. 我从上月起就卧病在床。
I have been confined in bed since last month.
13. 他紧握双拳。
He clenched his fists.
14. 食言
eat one’s words
go back on one’s words/break one’s promise
Eat one’s words表示被迫收回自己说出口的（错）话。
15. 人都是这山望着那山高，对自己的状况没有满意的时候。
Almost all people think that the other mountain is higher than the one he’s standing on. They never feel satisfied with what they’ve already got.
Almost all people think that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel satisfied with what they’ve already got.
16. 北京申奥成功的消息令我们热血沸腾。
Beijing’s winning the bid for the Olympics makes our blood boil.
Beijing’s winning the bid for the Olympics makes us excited / tingle with excitement.
Tingle with excitement: to feel very excited.
e.g. The crowd tingled with excitement. 群众大为兴奋。
17. 别听他们胡说八道，根本没那回事。
Don’t listen to their babbling. Nothing of the sort.
Don’t be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort.
18. 这家商店开辟了休息处，受到顾客的称赞。
This department store has set up a resting-place, much to the customers’ appreciation.
This department store has set up a lounge, much to the customers’ appreciation.
19. 大家都怀疑汤姆是个间谍。
Everyone doubts that Tom is a spy.
Everyone suspects that Tom is a spy.
Doubt: 作“怀疑”讲，是“不相信”的意思。Doubt不能接that从句，只有not doubt和doubt if / whether。
Suspect：作“怀疑”讲，是指“对……有所察觉”。
20. 这个教授教的很烂。
The professor teaches badly.
The professor is terrible.
21. 我们俩关系最好，他经常来我这儿蹭饭吃。
We’re best friends. He always comes here to have meals for free.
We’re best friends. He always comes here to bum meals off me.
Bum sth. off sb. 指向非常熟的朋友要一些不起眼的小东西，而朋友也不会介意还不还。（对这一说服持怀疑态度。）
Bum bag：腰包
22. 我希望你不要拖我的后腿。
I hope that you won’t pull my leg.
I hope that you won’t hold me back.
Pull one’s leg: informal to make a joke by telling sb. sth. that is not actually true
23. 原来如此。一经你解释我就明白了。
So it is. I understand soon after your explanation.
So that’s how it is. I understand soon after your explanation.
So it is的意思确实是“的确如此”，它是用来表示对对方观点的赞同。
例如：A: It is fine day today!
B: So it is.
而在表达恍然大悟时，英文要用So that’s how it is或So that explains it，甚至更简单地道的说法Oh, I see。
24. 学校里，那些长得人高马大的家伙常来找我的麻烦。
At school, those big and strong guys always come to find my trouble.
At school, those big and strong guys always come to pick on me.
Pick on sb: to choose someone to do an unpleasant job or blame someone for something, especially unfairly 不仅表示“挑剔某人、找某人的碴”，而且还包含tease（取笑、戏弄）或bully （威胁、欺侮）的意思。
25. 厨师多了烧坏汤。
Too many cookers spoil the soup.
Too many cook spoil the soup.
26. 我没料到这个无耻的女人居然同她好友的丈夫调情。
I had not expected that this shameful woman should flirt with her best friend’s husband.
I had not expected that this shameless woman should flirt with her best friend’s husband.
Shameful: 通常指某事物是“可耻的，丢脸的”
Shameless：表示not ashamed about sth. unacceptable，它一般用来指人“不知羞耻的，不要脸的”或“伤风败俗的”。原文我们也可以译成：It’s shameful that the woman should flirt with her best friend’s husband。
27. 一群蚂蚁
a group of ants
a colony of ants
28. 给这位女士来杯威士忌，记在我的账上。
Whisky for this lady, and put it on my bill.
Whisky for this lady, and put it on my tab.
Tab是小纸片，因为过去小店的生意都是靠住在附近的老主顾，赊帐时有发生，于是老板们通常把每个人的赊帐情况记在各自的小纸片上，以防遗忘。
29. 这个任务很危险，但总得有人去冒险。
The task is really dangerous. But someone has to take the adventure.
The task is really dangerous. But someone has to bell the cat.
Adventure指军事历险、探险旅行等惊险活动或投机活动。而bell the cat源自一个故事：一窝老鼠想在猫脖子上套个铃铛，这样猫一来他们就会听到，并及时逃命。但注意虽好，却苦于没人去套这个铃铛（bell the cat）。后来，bell the cat被人们反复引用，表示“为大家的事去承担风险”。
30. 你去拿点粉笔来。
Go and bring some chalk here.
Go and fetch some chalk.
Bring虽然表示“拿来”，但它是让某人在来的时候将某物带来（但说话的时候人还没来）；而fetch则是让身边的某人“去取某物”，它包括往和返的两段路程。
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