Luming : I have been dying for a new laptop. Mine is a piece of junk.

 

我早就想买一台新的笔记本电脑了。我的那台是个垃圾货。

 

Alice : You should not your money like this. Money doesn't grow on trees.

 

你不应该如此挥霍。钱又不是从树上长出来的。

 

Luming : What? Money doesn't grow on trees, of course.

 

什么？当然钱是不会从树上掉下来的呀。

 

Alice : "Money doesn't grow on trees."means "earning money is not easy". Moreover, you are staying at home and between job.

 

我说的意思是钱是来之不易。再说你现在失业了，呆在家中。

 

Luming : I'll work and make money soon.

 

我很快就有工作了，可以挣钱了。

 

陆明被搞晕的就是这句话——Money doesn't grow on trees. 这句话的意思是：树不是在树上长的，摘下来就可以花，而是辛辛苦苦一分一分挣来的。因此这句话的意思就是用来说明钱来之不易，挣钱不容易。告诫我们花钱要慎重，不要随意挥霍。这句话多用来教育孩子。

 

我们再来看一个母子间的对话：

 

Richard: Mum, I want to buy a pair of new shoes.

 

妈妈，我想买一双新鞋子。

 

Cathy: No, darling, money doesn't grow on trees, you know.

 

不行，宝贝，钱可不是从树上长出来的。

 

附赠：学习笔记

 

1. Dying for 渴望，切望

 

Eg. The busy employee was dying for a vacation. 忙碌的雇员渴望有个假期。

 

Eg. I am dying for something to drink right now. 我现在渴望能有些东西可以喝。

 

2. junk 垃圾, 废旧杂物

 

Eg. She likes to pick up some interesting junk in junk shops. 她喜欢在旧货店买些有趣的旧货。

 

Eg. It is folly to buy such a junk at $100. 花一百美元买这样的旧货是愚蠢的。

 

3. a piece of junk 一堆废物

 

Eg. My car turned out to be a piece of junk. 我的车变成一堆废物了。

 

Eg. 200 bucks for a piece of junk like that? That's a rip-off! 200块钱买了个破电视?你被人宰了吧!

 

Eg. All you came up with was this piece of junk? 而你给我们的就是这堆垃圾?

 

3. make money 挣钱，赚钱

 

Eg. If you want to make money, buy cheap and sell dear. 要想赚钱就得贱买贵卖。

 

转自可可英语