外语天地
English homours 英语幽默
A western store ran the following advertisement:
"Apples, oranges, imported nuts. Come early and avoid the rush. The early bird gets the worm."
Notes
1. to run the following advertisement:登载下面一则广告。
2. imported nuts: 进口胡桃
3. Come early and avoid rush. 欲购从速，以免拥挤。
4. The early bird gets the worm. 捷足先登（先下手为强）；但它的字面意思是：早来的鸟可得到虫子。
A Married Man is Preferable
"Just why do you want a married man to work for you, rather than a bachelor?"Asked the curious chap.
"Well," sighed the boss, "the married men don't get so upset if I yell at them"
Notes:
1. preferable: 更好的
2. rather than a bachelor: 而不是单身汉
3. curious chap: 好奇的家伙
4. upset: 心绪烦乱的
5. yell at:对…吼叫
A Tried and Trusted Employee
"I used to know Mr. Smith, who was with your firm. I understand he is a tried and trusted employee…"
The banker looked at his questioner coldly.
"He was trusted, yes; and he will be tried, if we're fortunate enough to catch him."
Notes:
1. a tried and trusted employee: 可靠的雇员
2. used to know: 以前认识
3. questioner: 询问者
4. and he will be tried, if we're fortune enough to catch him. 如果我们走运把他抓住，他将接受审判。 Tried在这句话中是try的过去分词，意为："审问"，"审判"；它做形容词时为"可靠的，可信赖的"之意。
How Did You Make Your Fortune?
"How did you make your fortune?"
"I became the partner of a rich man; he had the money and I had the experience."
"How did that help?"
"Now he has the experience and I have the money."
Notes:
1. to make a fortune:发财
2. the partner of a rich man: 一个有钱的合股人
How did that help? 那顶什么用呢？
The Legend on the Salary Receipt Forms
A certain firm had the following legend printed on its salary receipt forms:
"Your salary is your personal business, and should not be disclosed to anyone."
The new employee, in signing the receipt added: "I won't mention it to anybody. I'm just as much ashamed of it as you are."
Notes:
1. legend: 说明
2. the salary receipt forms: 工资收据单
3. personal business: 私事
4. to disclose: 泄露
5. in signing the receipt: 在收据单上签名时
6. to mention: 提起，说起
7. to be ashamed of: 为…感到害臊
Were You a Bull or a Bear
"I hear that you dropped some money in Wall Street. Were you a bull or a bear?"
"Neither, just a plain, simple ass."