Lesson 99 - TURN ONE'S BACK ON SB. GET ON ONE'S BACK

to turn one's back on someone

to get on someone's back

予首先我们要讲的是：to turn one's back on someone。从字面上解释，这是把自己的背对着某人。可是，实际上这是指根本不理会某人，或不肯给那个有困难的人任何帮助。下面这个例子是一个弟弟在抱怨他的哥哥：

例句-1: I won't ever forgive¹ my older brother--he turned his back on me and refused to lend me any money when I lost my job.

这人说：我永远也不会原谅我的大哥哥。当我失去我的工作的时候，他根本不肯帮忙，一点钱都不愿意借给我。

这个哥哥也确实不太讲兄弟之情。不过，这恐怕也不是什么少见的事，有时候父亲不认孩子的事还有呢。下面的例子就是一个儿子在说他爸爸：

例句-2: My father deserted² my mother and me when I was five years old. But I can't turn my back on him now that he's old and sick. So I'm paying the rent for him on a little apartment in Los Angeles.

他说："当我五岁的时候，我爸爸抛弃了我妈妈和我。可是，现在我爸爸又老又病，我可不能不管。他现在在洛杉矶租了一个小公寓套房，我替他付房租。"

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下面我们要给大家介绍的一个俗语是：to get on someone's back。To get on someone's back是指对某人唠唠叨叨没完。太太嫌先生不帮忙做家务，先生又嫌太太太唠叨，这个现象可能是没有国界的，哪儿都存在。下面两个例子表达了双方的观点，先听太太的吧：

例句-3: I really don't like to get on Henry's back all the time. But after twenty years, you would think he'd learn to pick up his clothes and hang them in the closet³ to help me keep the house neat⁴.

太太的话听起来很有理，她说：我实在并不喜欢老是对亨利唠叨。可是，二十年啦，你想他总学会了把自己的衣服拣起来，挂在衣柜里，帮我把屋子弄乾净吧！

先生倒也承认太太有道理，但是就是......还是让他自己说吧：

例句-4: Helen is always on my back to make me pick up my clothes when I leave them lying around the house. She's right, of course, but I wish she wouldn't get on my back so much.

他说：每次我把衣服随便扔的时候，海伦总是唠唠叨叨，让我把它们拣起来。当然，她是对的。可是，我就是希望她不要那么唠叨个没完。

1 forgive   

vt(forgave, forgiven)原谅；饶恕

参考例句：

• I'll never forgive you for what you said to me last night.我绝不会宽恕你昨晚对我所说的话。
• I hope you'll forgive me.希望你能原谅我。

2 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 closet   

n.壁橱；储藏室

参考例句：

• I'll clear out that closet for you.我要替你把那个小衣橱清理出来。
• Hang your overcoat in the closet.把你的大衣挂在衣橱里。

4 neat   

adj.整洁的，爱整洁的，利索的，简洁的

参考例句：

• She always kept her room neat.她总是保持房间整洁。
• Keep your exercise-books neat and clean.练习本要保持整洁干净。