



史蒂夫:我要怎樣證明蒂娜只是個普通朋友?
露露:我不希望你再和她見面。
史蒂夫:可是我們是同事啊!我們下星期甚至還得一起出城去。
露露:什麼!你最好別去!
史蒂夫:我沒得選。那是為了工作。
露露:這樣的話,我再也無法忍受了。我們之間結束了。
史蒂夫:好!再見!

straw 是『稻草』,camel 是『駱駝』,the straw that breaks the camel's back 這個俚語字面上的意思就是『壓垮駱駝背部的稻草』。
在沙漠地區駱駝是人們用來載負重物的牲畜。牠們的耐力驚人,可以不吃不喝在沙漠中行走多日。雖然如此,一旦到了無法承受的極限,即使只是一根稻草這麼輕的東西,都可能把牠們壓垮,所以本俚語就引申為『忍耐的最後極限』。
阿雄最近運氣背到家,甚至因為一件小事丟了工作,這讓他終於受不了而崩潰。
He's been having some bad luck lately, but losing his job might be the straw that broke the camel's back.
(他最近運氣很差,但是被炒魷魚這件事可能會是壓倒駱駝的最後一根稻草。)
本俚語還有另一種較為簡短的說法:
it's the last straw已到忍無可忍的地步
阿雄做事莽撞,記性又不好。有一天他向老闆敬酒,結果手一滑灑了老闆一身的酒。老闆已經忍受阿雄多年,這次他再也受不了,於是就對阿雄說:
It's the last straw. You're fired!
= I can't stand it anymore. You're fired!
= I can't bear it anymore. You're fired!
(我受夠了。你被炒魷魚了!)*bear vt. 忍受
You look very charming when you wear that straw hat.
妳戴著那頂草帽時模樣真迷人。
The little boy used a straw to drink his juice.
小男孩用一根吸管來喝果汁。
When the boss asked him to work overtime again, John said, “That’s the last straw! I quit!”
老闆要他再加班時,約翰便說:『我已到了忍無可忍的地步了!老子不幹了!』
The guy sitting at the bar sipping coffee is my boyfriend.
那個坐在吧臺喝咖啡的男生是我男友。
Julie took a sip of her tea and went on reading.
茱莉品了一口茶後繼續閱讀。
Susie sipped the hot soup carefully.
蘇西小心翼翼地喝這碗熱湯。
Hank had a sip of water after his speech.
漢克演講結束後喝了一小口的水。
Our car stalled as we were driving through the tunnel.
我們開車經過隧道時,車子拋錨了。
Tom got that job through his father.
湯姆透過他父親得到那份工作。
Those people sang and danced through the night.
那些人徹夜歌舞狂歡。
For a long time, the artist wandered all through the world.
有很長一段時間,那位藝術家在世界各地流浪。
Could you put me through to Andy?
可以幫我把電話轉接給安迪嗎?
I’ll call you back right after I’m through with my work.
我做完工作後馬上回電給你。
I hate people who speak ill of me behind my back.
我討厭在背後說我壞話的人。
The baseball hit Jack on the back of his head.
棒球打到傑克頭的後部。
Rebecca keeps her phone in her back pocket.
蕾貝卡把電話放在後面的口袋。
The security guard walked back and forth in front of the bank.
警衛在銀行前面來回走動。
Victor never went back to that restaurant.
維克多再也沒有回去那間餐廳。
Dylan doesn't know how to back his car into the garage.
狄倫不知道要怎麼倒車入庫。
My heart ached when I saw images of bony-faced children in refugee camps on TV.
看著電視畫面中難民營裡臉頰削瘦的幼童,我很心痛。
I’m so tired that I’m aching for a good sleep.
我好累,因此好想要好好睡一下。
Nick had an ache in his shoulder when he woke up yesterday morning.
昨天早上尼克醒來時,他肩膀痛。
I had a toothache and didn’t sleep a wink last night.
我牙痛,昨晚都沒睡。
I can ’t bear all of that noise.
我無法忍受那些噪音。
I can ’t put up with all of that noise.
我無法忍受那些噪音。
Bella bore her first child at the age of 30.
貝拉 30 歲時生了第一胎。
The apple tree will bear fruit this year.
這棵蘋果樹今年會結果。
They say there are bears in the mountains.
據說山中有熊出沒。
This ancient coin bears the image of a famous king.
這枚古幣上有一位著名國王的肖像。
When the boss asked him to work overtime again, John said, “That’s the last straw! I quit!”
老闆要他再加班時,約翰便說:『我已到了忍無可忍的地步了!老子不幹了!』
Eric was fired for stealing money from the company.
艾瑞克因為偷公司的錢被開除了。
