母亲的本能-鸡年拜年话.doc

母亲的本能-鸡年拜年话 鸡年话“鸡”作者：马旭 英语知识 2005年05期 　　按照中国的十二生肖文化，公元2005年是我国传统的鸡年。作为十二生肖中的一员，鸡已不再是单纯的动物，而是被赋予了丰富深刻的象征意义（如守信、准时、勇敢、善斗）。同其他动物一样，其象征意义也有褒有贬，视其不同的语境和场合而定。英语中有关鸡的习语比较多，通过看下面的例句不难发现这些习语的象征意义基本上都是人们从鸡的动物特性中演绎、联想出来的。以下是一些东西方文化中最常见的和鸡有关的习语。　　一、含有cock的英语习语　　1.live like fighting cocks：（像斗鸡一样）吃最好的东西；享受最佳的食物；过奢侈的生活；养尊处优。例：　　(1)They are both very good cooks，and we live like fighting cocks whenever we stay with them.他俩都很会做饭，我们在他们家做客的日子过得舒服极了。　　(2)Probably it is not a good thing for children from one.child families to live like fighting cocks.独生子女过着养尊处优的生活未必是件好事。　　2.a cock-and-bullstory：荒诞的故事；无稽之谈；胡说八道。例：　　(1)The jury did not believe the witnesss cock-and-bull story.陪审团不相信证人的无稽之谈。　　(2)The tramp told a cock-and-bull story about finding the money hidden in a bottle behinda tree in the zoo.流浪汉编了一个荒诞的故事，说他在公园的一棵树后面发现了藏在瓶子里的钱。　　3.cockofthe walk：在小天地中称王称霸的人；土皇帝。例：　　(1)He thinks he is the cock of the walk just because he was the captain of the village basketball team.他以为自己当过村里篮球队队长，便算是个有头有脸的人物了。　　(2)Peter was the cock of the walk until my brother beat him in a fight las year.彼得原来是个小霸王，后来我弟弟打赢了他，这才杀了他的威风。 　　4.cock a snook at：（以拇指抵鼻摇动其余四指）对……表示轻侮，看不起。例：　　(1)AS a painter，she cocks a snook at the traditional techniques.作为一名画家，她瞧不起传统画法。　　(2)The boy cocked a snook at the policemens back after being scolded.男孩在被训斥之后在警察背后作蔑视的手势。　　5.the／that cock wont fight：那一套不中用；那种话讲不通；那计划行不通。例：　　(1)I was looking forward to taking Tomsmanager to court，but then Tom refused to testify against him；when the cock wont fight，there isnothing you cando.我希望把汤姆的老板告上法庭，可是汤姆偏偏拒绝在法庭上作出对其老板不利的证词，这计划行不通，我也没办法。　　(2)The king said，“Do not talk your loyalty to me any more.That cock wont fight with me.”国王说：“别再谈你对我的忠诚，这对我是毫无用处的。”　　6.cock ones ears：竖起耳朵；专心听；激发对所听到之物的兴趣。例：　　(1)It’s so noisy in the room that he had tocock his cars to hear the phone.房间里乱哄哄的，他不得不竖起耳朵来听电话。　　(2)Jack immediately cocked his ears assoonas he heard his parents talking about the summer traveling plan.听到爸爸妈妈在谈论暑期旅行计划，杰克立刻竖起了耳朵。　　7.cock sparrow