这段话里的has a lot on the ball含义是机敏、干练、有才华,精通胜任某一工作,总而言之是“身手不凡”的意思。
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我们还要学一个有ball这个词的习惯用语,
例句2:Mr. Smith starts the ball rolling by telling the group about his own painful experience with drugs. This loosens people up and they tell their own stories and keep the ball rolling.
从这段话里我们可以看出,start the ball rolling是“打开局面,开始某一活动”,而keep the ball rolling却是“使得活动不断进行”。
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接下来我们再学一个和ball有关的习惯用语: ballpark figure。Ballpark是指棒球场,而figure是数字的意思。大家知道击球手打出的球必须在界内才有得分的机会。也就是务必in the ballpark。In the ballpark也因而有在某一范围或者限度之内的意思。而ballpark figure和in the ballpark一样,意义不再局限于棒球赛的比分。让我们通过一个例子来琢磨ballpark figure是什么意思。这是一个人在跟太太合计他俩有没有能力买下一栋房子。
例句3:According to my ballpark figure the monthly mortgage payment is about $1400. Since both of us work I think we can handle it okay. So, what do you say -- should we go ahead and buy the place?