【英语早间课堂】The cat's out of the bag.

【主题】

To begin with, I would very much like to ask you a question how we can continue with a talk with your friend if he trust you and share his sorrows¹ with you but doesn't want it to be known² to others. I think, you'er probably certain to say," It's safe with me." Of course, we learned³ it last time. However, all good things come to an end. 天下没有不散的宴席。Maybe someday you have a fight with your buddy⁴, being over impetuous because of your top anger. You would tell all his secrets to the public. So " 你的朋友的秘密被揭穿了"“你朋友的秘密被传出去了”。How should we put it in English. Of course, you have many of your own answer, but today I would tell the one which is the most classical⁵ and the most popular appearing in the American films. Just guess what it is? As usual, let's listen to a simple situational dialogue and you can get it.

【对话 美语发音】

A: That movie star and his wife are divorcing⁶.

B : The cat's out of the bag. Now everyone knows.

【答疑解惑】

It is "the-cat-is-out-of -the-bag". The cat's out of the bag which is an ancient idiom indicates "someone tells the secret and many people know it ".

【追踪寻源】

Once I asked my nephew which is only five years old how he can figure out the meaning of "the cat's out of the bag." He told me: 猫从袋子出来了。原来猫是在袋子里面的，现在出来了，那就是秘密被揭穿了呗。His answer made me hold my sides with laughter⁷, but actually it makes sense. 很可爱的解释弄得我捧腹大笑，一个才5岁的小孩的想象力却也言之有理。Later I told a story to him which is the origin of this classical sentence. "The cat's out of the bag." can be said as "Let the cat out of the bag." as well. It is said 250 years ago. 在一些特殊的场合（如节日盛宴），乳猪是采购单上一样很抢手的食物。由于乳猪会乱动，当顾客挑选好并结账后，商人为了运送方便就把猪塞进一个帆布口袋（poke）里递给顾客。 然而，市场上的许多交易并不是above baord，奸商有时会利用顾客一时走神，把一只猫冒充乳猪放进袋子里。直到顾客回家，“把猫从袋子里拿出来”（let the cat out of the bag），才发现这个骗局。This dramatic⁸ story has been being from mouth to mouth.

【视野拓展】

这样说来，"The cat's out of the bag."中的cat可以说是指a certain secret 而且这个秘密的意义广泛，不一定是诈人钱财的骗局，也可以指掩盖某企业的财务困境，或者不为人知的恋情，在我们今天的对话中就说道此：“That movie star and his wife are divorcing.”yeah , a star's private life is always a focus⁹ for medias 也可能是在一种新产品上市前秘而不宣，免得竞争对手得到情报，甚至还可以是善意地隐瞒真相,【话题畅聊】

I don't know if you have remember the dialogue which we've learnt just a few days ago :

A : I heard Beth's surprise birthday party is on Sunday. B : Keep your mouth shut about that. I don't want her to kow。

Beth的父亲为了Beth 在周日前的一次考试复习中不分心而隐瞒一个秘密。Nothing is as toughing as parents’ love. 真是可怜天下父母心呀。

And now I am in Russia. I am paying a visit here for a friendly communicational performance. The performance was very very successful so the Russian reporter interview made me think of my father and mother in China. I cannot fall asleep these days because of excitement so that I made two videos in tears, thanking for my parents. 我先在身居远离祖国的俄罗斯，我因友好交流演出而出访俄罗斯的首都莫斯科。演出成功极了，记者的采访是我想到了在中国的父母亲，我这几天彻夜难眠，于是制作了2期视频以此感谢我的父母。国内的许多网友也看到了，给我留言了。By the way thank you for my friends.

【即学即用】

就这此，please translate the following sentences into English.

当然，我邀请了Sue¹⁰最要好的朋友Betty，但是Betty在市场上碰见Sue的时候泄漏天机，她对Sue说自己有多高兴下星期五晚上能和她聚聚。Betty可真是破坏了我的惊喜计划。

Of course I invited her best friend Betty. But when Betty saw Sue in the market, she let the cat out of the bag and told her how glad she'd be to see her next Friday night. She sure spoiled my surprise.

这是个丈夫在为太太Sue精心arrange a birthday party。他在Sue最喜爱的餐厅里book a feast，并且遍请亲朋好友在Sue生日那晚来take part in it，但是却让everyone doesn’t day a word about it，因为他想给Sue一个great surprise。可是他没有有实现自己的计划。

 

转自可可英语

1 sorrows   

n.悲痛( sorrow的名词复数 )；遗憾；不幸的事；忧患

参考例句：

• the sorrows of this earthly life 尘世的悲哀
• Share joys and sorrows with your comrades,and support one another in adversity. 同甘共苦，患难相扶。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

3 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

4 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

5 classical   

adj.古典的；古典文学的；正统派的；古典主义的

参考例句：

• This classical poem is hard to understand.这首古诗很费解。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

6 divorcing   

v.与…离婚( divorce的现在分词 )；分离；与（某人）离婚，判（某人）离婚

参考例句：

• They' re divorcing each other / getting divorced. 他们离婚了。 来自辞典例句
• Supporters argue that no-fault will reduce litigation and conflict between divorcing couples. 支持者说，无过错离婚可以减少诉讼案件和离婚夫妇之间的冲突。 来自互联网

7 laughter   

n.笑，笑声

参考例句：

• I don't know how my story caused so much laughter.我不知我的故事怎么引起如此大笑。
• The audience gave way to uncontrollable bursts of laughter.听众忍不住发出一阵阵笑声。

8 dramatic   

adj.引人注目的；戏剧的；演戏的

参考例句：

• She plays a very dramatic woman with flashing eyes.她饰演一位双眼闪光的引人注目的妇人。
• His speech was dramatic.他的演说激动人心。

9 focus   

n.焦点，焦距；vi.聚焦，注视；vt.使聚焦，调焦，集中

参考例句：

• She was the focus of everyone's attention.她是大家注意的焦点。
• The noise made it hard for me to focus on work.噪音让我无法集中注意力工作。

10 sue   

vt.控告，起诉；vi.请求，追求，起诉

参考例句：

• If you don't pay me the money,I'll sue you.如果你不付给我钱，我就告你。
• The war criminals sue for peace.战犯求和。