1. I couldn't care less.
这句话的意思是「我不在乎」,「缺少兴趣」(lack of interest),也就是:I don't care at all. 或 I don't give a hoot1. 比如:
人家假如问: What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有什么怎么看?)
你回答: I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗?)
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢!)
但有时说话者也有「口是心非」: 比如: I couldn't care less about the promotion2 or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或涨薪)
而事实上他是根本在乎升级和涨薪的,那样人家或许就会回答说: Yes, you do(care).
至于 I couldn' care more. 就是「我非常在乎」(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理:
I couldn' agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全赞同)
I couldn' please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽可能使你开心)
I couldn' be more right.=I am totally right.
但老外为了「自尊」,不愿强调我们的错误,所以极少人说: I couldn' be more wrong.
注意:普通人都用否定句,但也有老外把一定句与否定句互用。
不过,严格来讲,I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能降低)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度或许增加)(主词可用其他人称代名词:he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could,不需要 can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是:真实的,诚恳的(truly, sincerely or exactly),也就是 to make no bones about it.(bone 要加 s, it 是指 something)比如:
His wife is beautiful;no bones about it.(他的太太真是非常漂亮)
Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion3 issue.(当 A 先生谈到堕胎问题时,他是诚恳的。)
When I spoke4 on the TOPic,he said, No bones about it.(也就是他赞同我的怎么看)
No bones about it;the weather is very chilly5 today.(今天是真的太冷了)
3. take it on me!
意思是:「这是我的,请用吧!」「这是不收费的」,这多半是指吃的东西或一些不贵重的东西。比如:
Here are some candies from England; take one on me.
The restaurant owner said to me, Take the dessert on me.
Please take these pencils on me.
可见 take 后面的 it,是指 something,而 on 的后面一般不指其他人,所以多半也只用在第一人称单数 me。
4. I am from Missouri.
这句话有时后面要加一句:「I need to be shown.」或「You have got to show me.」,意思是 Missouri 州的人非常固执 ,不太信赖其他人,必须要人家「证明一下」,所以密苏里州也被叫做「The Show Me State」。
据了解这句话所以时尚 是由于美国一些名人都住过密苏里州,包含 Harry6 Truman, Mark
Twain, Walt Disney 等。后来老外不随便相信其他人时,就用这句话。 比如:
He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri.
Don't try to fool me; I am from Missouri.
We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown.
As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri.