迷你对话学地道口语第254期:并驾齐驱 旗鼓相当

　　迷你对话：
A: How I wish my son Mark could be as excellent as your Joe!
我真希望我家的Mark能像你家的Joe那么出色。
B: Don’t be too humble¹. Few young men could be equal to Mark. And in some respects Joe and Mark are neck and neck.
别太谦虚了，没几个年轻人能赶得上Mark，Mark和Joe是并驾齐驱的。
A: I agree. Both Joe and Mark are men of guts².
也是，Joe和Mark都是男子汉。
地道表达：
neck and neck
解词释义：
该习语原指赛马的时候，两匹马齐头并进，观察的基准是马的脖子，所以人们用neck and neck来表示这个意思。后来它被逐渐运用到各个领域，用来表示“难分高低”“并驾齐驱”或者是“旗鼓相当”等意思。
支持范例：
I mean to catch him up and come neck and neck into the winning post.
我决心追上他, 和他齐头并进, 去夺取胜利。
The horses were running neck and neck.
这些马跑得不分上下。
As they approached the finish line they were neck and neck.
在抵达终点线时,他们齐头并进。
The two candidates were neck and neck in the presidential race.
这两位总统候选人旗鼓相当。
词海拾贝：
1. be equal to
（1）等于
Eg. Give me Jude, if her conduct was only equal to her looks!
要是她自己的品性跟模样一样好, 就把她许给我吧!
Eg. Your marrying will be equal to the match at Randalls.
你们的婚姻可以跟Randalls的那一对完美。
（2）胜任
Eg. There was no stratagem³ that he was not equal to.
没有什么谋略是他所不能对付的.
Eg. She did not feel equal to receiving visitors.
她的身体不适,不能接见客人。
Eg. Mr. Smith is a most suitable candidate for such negotiator since his tact⁴ and quickness of mind are equal to the occasion.
这样的谈判史密斯先生是最合适的人选，他机智敏捷，随机应变。
Eg. The new manager is not equal to the task, as it were.
新经理对这项工作可以说是不能胜任的。
2. in some respects：在一些方面
Eg. John was in some respects, I suppose, a desirable man.
我想John在某些方面是有吸引力的。
Eg. In some respects, that new dictionary has much to be improved.
在某些方面, 那部新字典有不少地方需要改进。
Eg. A termagant wife may, in some respects, be considered a tolerable blessing⁵.
从某些方面来说, 有一个泼辣的妻子,也可以看作是相当有福气的。
Eg. They disagree with each other in some respects.
他们在某些方面有不同意见。

1 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

2 guts   

v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠

参考例句：

• I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
• Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 stratagem   

n.诡计，计谋

参考例句：

• Knit the brows and a stratagem comes to mind.眉头一皱，计上心来。
• Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty.商业折扣可以用作维护顾客忠诚度的一种竞争策略。

4 tact   

n.机敏，圆滑，得体

参考例句：

• She showed great tact in dealing with a tricky situation.她处理棘手的局面表现得十分老练。
• Tact is a valuable commodity.圆滑老练是很有用处的。

5 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。