Subject: It was all cut and dried.
迷你对话
A: The writing class is so boring. I am looking forward to something new.
写作课很枯燥。我希望有些新东西。
B: Yes. It was cut and dried. I hate it.
是的,那都是老一套。我讨厌这门课。
地道表达
cut and dried
1. 解词释义
Cut and dried的意思是“砍下和风干”,源于伐木业。林间的树木如要成为商用木材,锯下后必须先风吹干,同时锯下的木材得合乎长宽标准。由此,这种风干后合乎标准的木材常用来比喻“言行不标新立异,某种结果已经在预料之中,某类影片成一种套路模式等等”。因此习语cut and dried的意思就是“老一套”,“根据老的办法来形式”等。如果某事物被形容为cut and dried,就是指这件事缺乏新鲜内容,已经没有吸引人的地方了。对话中“It was all cut and dried.”的意思是“那是老一套。”
2. 拓展例句
e.g. The professor is cut and dried with a very cut-and-dry way of speaking.
教授为人刻板,连说话都很刻板。
e.g. They make you think you're taking part in the decisions, but it's all cut and dried.
他们使你觉得你也参与决定, 其实早已内定了。
Ps:look forward to的意思是“期待,期盼”,to是介词,后面跟动词的话,就要使用这个动词的动名词形式。例如:
I look forward to paying you a visit next week. 我期待着下星期去拜访你。
We look forward to the dawn of better days. 我们期待较好的日子的来临。 |