我们已经讲过两个以cut 这个字为主的习惯用语。让我们先来复习一下cut是怎么拼的。Cut这个字最普通的意思就是用刀把什么东西切开。可是,在今天我们要给大家介绍的两个习惯用语里,cut 的含义就不是"切东西"的"切"了。现在我们先来给大家讲一个用的非常普遍的常用语。 To be cut out for. 有的时候,我们也可以说: To be cut out to be. To be cut out for, 或者是to be cut out to be都是一样的意思。要是一个人对你说: You are cut out for a certain job. 他的意思就是,他认为你非常适合做那个工作,你有能力把工作做得非常出色,也就是中国人常说的"某某人生来是做那个工作的材料"。我们来举一个例子。一个正在找工作的人在报上看到一则招聘人的广告。他认为那个工作对他来说是再合适不过了。他说:
例句-1: I'm going to apply for this job as computer operator at this big law firm. They use a software system I've had lots of experience with, so it sounds like a job I'm cut out for.
例句2: My aunt Mary knows how to relate to people and is very persuasive. She is cut out to be a saleswoman. But my aunt Linda is different. She is quiet and shy. So she chooses to be a researcher at a lab and is very happy with her work.
下面我们要给大家介绍的是一个很简单的习惯用语,那就是在cut这个字后面加上一个up. 这个习惯用语就是: cut-up. 要请大家注意的是在cut和up这两个字之间有一个连接号。当cut作为动词的时候,to cup up就是把什么东西切开。可是,当cut-up作为习惯用语的时候,cut-up就成为一个名词,意思是"跟人开玩笑或者是大声喧哗以吸引别人注意的那种人"。我们来举一个例子。
例句3: John is always quiet as a mouse in the office. But he turns into a real cut-up at a party - playing silly jokes on people, flirting with all the women, and generally making a fool out of himself.
例句4: John is one of the junior lawyers in the company. He's a real cut-up, joking and laughing all the time even at the business meetings. The senior partners like him but wouldn't take him seriously and have him as a partner.