时差N小时 划定界限

Imagine a tribal¹ leader in a desert area where sand is everywhere. There are no trees, rivers or mountains, nothing to look at and say, "This is the border of our land, this is the place that we will fight to defend." Since there are no natural landmarks² to relate to, that commander then takes a stick and drags it along the ground, (and in that sense "draws" a line in the sand), and says, "Here is the border of our land that we will fight to defend.

想象一下，沙漠地区有一个部落首领。那个地方到处都是沙子。没有树木，没有河流，没有山脉。首领说；“这是我们土地的边界，这是我们必须捍卫的地方。”但是，那个地方没有自然标志，因此首领拿过一只木棒在地上拖了一圈（也就是在沙子上划了一道线），并说：“这里是我们土地的边界，我们将誓死维护它。”

Beyond this line, no enemy must come." It is from that exotic image that we get this idiom meaning to define a symbolic³ point beyond which there is no further compromise. Whatever ideas or discussions are on one side of the line, that is okay, but beyond that point there can be no further discussion. The "line in the sand" represents a symbolic border for negotiations⁴.

任何敌人不可越过这条线。通过这个形象的解释，我们知道了这个习语的意思——就是指定了一个象征性的界线，如果越过了这个界线，就不会达成进一步的妥协。你站在界线的那一侧，好的，任何想法或问题都可以谈；但越过了这个界限，休想做进一步的讨论。“沙线”代表着谈判的界限。

1 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

2 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

3 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。