今天要讲的两个习惯用语里都有一个关键的字。那就是：feather. Feather就是鸟身上的羽毛。既然羽毛跟鸟有关系，那末我们就先来讲一个和鸟有直接关系的习惯用语。Birds of a feather. Bird就是鸟，后面加一个s就是指多数，或者是各种类的鸟。同样种类的鸟一般身上都有相同的羽毛。这就是 birds of a feather的字面含义。在用做俗语的时候，birds of a feather是指人，而不是指鸟了。Birds of a feather的意思是：各种特性很相同的人。这跟中文里说的：物以类聚，人以群分的意思很相似。Birds of a feather这个俗语经常是含贬意的。
下面就是一个例子，这是一个爸爸在担心他儿子经常结交的朋友。
例句-1: I wish our boy wouldn"t hang around with that crowd! They"re birds of a feather - they don"t care about getting a job; all they do is drink beer and chase girls.
他说：我希望我儿子不会跟那群孩子经常混在一起。他们都属于一个类型，对于有没有工作根本不在乎；他们所关心的就是喝啤酒和找女孩子。
美国的家长也很担心自己的孩子结交的朋友；生怕孩子受到坏影响，从而走上歧途。在现实生活中，由于朋友的影响而走上犯罪道路的人也不是少见的。
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每个人身处在一个集体当中的时候都会发现跟某些人合得来，跟某些人合不来。下面是一个公司的雇员在跟一个朋友说公司里的事。
例句2: I"ve worked in this office for a couple of years and I can get along with all my colleagues except two. One is able to lie with a straight face and the other likes to play sneaky tricks. They"re really birds of a feather.
这个人说：我已经在这个办公室工作了两年，除了两个人以外我跟所有的同事都相处得很好。那两个人，一个骗起人来脸不变色。另一个人喜欢搞阴谋诡计，他们真是一路货。
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我们再来给大家讲解一个以feather这个字为主的习惯用语。有些鸟用别的鸟脱下来的毛来铺垫自己的鸟巢，使得自己的巢既暖和又舒适。我们要讲的第二个习惯用语就是从这种现象而来的。To feather one"s own nest. Feather在这里是用做动词。Nest就是鸟巢，因此从字面来解释，to feather one"s own nest就是用羽毛来铺垫自己的巢。在说到人的时候，to feather one"s own nest就是先考虑自己个人的利益，而把别人的利害放在次要的地位上。To feather one"s own nest一般是用来形容那些假公济私，不顾公众利益的政府官员。下面这个例子是一个电台记者在说一个大城市的市长。
例句3: The newspapers are really after the mayor - they"ve dug up some evidence he"s feathering his own nest by taking money under the table from companies doing work for the city government.
这个记者报导说：各家报纸的报导确实都是针对市长的。它们发现了一些证据，证明他偷偷地从那些为市政府工作的公司那里接受贿赂。
在美国的官员中也有贪污、腐败、违法乱纪的。但是，一旦他们被揭露，不管官职大小他们都会受到法律的制裁。当然，美国的司法过程还是相当复杂和烦琐的。这也是为了避免冤枉好人。
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美国公众对政府官员越来越感到失望，但是这也不能一概而论。下面这个例子是一个选民在表彰他们州的州长。他说：
例句4: Our governor is a very compassionate man. He and his wife even donated their own private money to fund a shelter for homeless people. He"s totally different from those politicians who only want to feather their own nests.
这个人说：我们的州长是一个非常有同情心的人。他和他的夫人甚至把自己的钱捐了很多给一个收容无家可归的人的机构。他跟那些只想图自己利益的政客是完全不同的。
流行美语第220课
Larry和李华在谈论他们的朋友Dave。 Dave的老板刚刚给他加了一大笔工资。李华今天要学会两个新的习惯用语，live large和a hoot.
LL: It is a good thing that Bob got such a big raise. He likes to live large!
LH: Live是生活，你说live large那是什么意思呀?
LL: By living large, I mean Bob likes to buy expensive things, wear the best clothes, and eat out at fancy restaurants.
LH: 谁不喜欢那样生活奢侈呀？买贵的东西、穿最好的衣服、下高级饭馆？I like to live large too。
LL: Right. And Bob does live large. The minute after he heard about his new raise, Bob went out and bought a brand new Mercedes.
LH: Wow，他可真够大手大脚的，钱还没拿到手就已经花出去了。 一辆Mercedes至少要几万美金吧。不过，喜欢live large的人还挺多。教我英国文学的史密斯教授最近买了一座豪宅，里面有六个卧室， 四个洗澡间，还有一个马厩。
LL: Wow, maybe someday, I"ll be able to live large, too.
LH: 我不知道你， 反正我是没有希望了， 靠教中文这点收入连做梦也不会live large.
LL: I don"t earn that much at my job either. I will need more than one big raise to be able to live large. I"ll need several raises!
LH: 要加薪好多次才能过上奢适的生活， 那要等到什么时候啊。 不过Larry，过不上那种日子也没关系，我并不羡慕那种生活。
LL: What do you mean? You don"t want to live large?
LH: 生活奢适是要付出代价的， 比如，保养和维修奔驰车要花很多钱。 大房子也要费时间打扫。
LL: Those are good points, but it sure is fun to dream about living large.
LH: 过不了那种生活光是梦想有什么好玩的呀！ Larry，如果你有了钱，可以挥霍地生活， 你想作什么呢？
LL: Well, I would first buy my own private jet.
LH: 买一架私人飞机？ That would be living large.
LL: And then I would fly my jet to my own private island in the Caribbean.
LH: 你还想开着飞机到自己在加勒比海买的一个岛上去！你真是在做梦！
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LL: I loved your reaction when I told you I wanted to buy my own private island in the Caribbean. It was a hoot!
LH: "A hoot"是猫头鹰的叫声。你说我刚才的反映是猫头鹰的叫声？你这是什么意思呀？
LL: No, that"s not what I meant. You looked so amazed I thought it was really funny. Something that is really funny is a hoot.
LH: 我刚才听你说要买一个私人岛屿是让我非常惊讶！想像你在加勒比海的私人海滩上悠闲地喝着果汁，那情景很可笑的哟。
LL: Say, you know what else was a real hoot? Did you see that show on the comedy channel last night?
LH: 你是指昨天晚上那喜剧节目频道播出的节目吗？我当然看了。
LL: Yes! Wasn"t it the funniest thing you have ever seen? I thought it was such a hoot.
LH: 我也觉得很有趣。 有个人模仿总统，模仿的真好笑。 都快把我笑死了。 He was a hoot!
LL: Hey, I hadn"t really thought about this before, but doesn"t our friend Bob look like the guy who impersonated the president?
LH: 是啊， 模仿总统的人很像我们的朋友Bob 。真有趣 - What a hoot!
LL: Speaking of Bob, did I tell you that he took me out for a drive in his new Mercedes?
LH: Bob开着崭新的奔驰车带你去兜风了？ 下回我也要让他带我去兜风。
LL: Well, you wouldn"t believe what happened. We were stopped behind a garbage truck at a stoplight when all of the sudden the truck dumped trash into the Mercedes all over me and Bob!
LH: 什么， 垃圾车突然把垃圾倒出来，把你和Bob弄得全身都是垃圾？Larry，那卡车司机把你们当成了垃圾场了。 这真可笑 - It"s really a hoot!
今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是live large，意思是生活挥霍。还有一个是hoot，意思是可笑、有趣。
美国习惯用语第221讲
我们已经讲过两个以feather这个字为主的习惯用语。我们今天再来给大家讲两个以feather这个字为主的习惯用语。第一个是：As light as a feather. Light这个字有好几个解释，在这里是用做形容词。意思是：轻，也就是份量很轻的轻。Feather就是羽毛。羽毛的份量确实是很轻的。As light as a feather那末顾名思义就是：像羽毛那样轻。我们来举一个例子。这是一个人在说他当天所碰到的事。
例句-1: While I was on my way to the law office at noon, the girl who was walking in front of me suddenly fainted because of the heat. Since she is as light as a feather, I had no problem in carrying her all the way to the hospital.
这个人说：今天中午在我去律师事务所的路上，那个走在我前面的女孩子由于天太热而突然晕倒了。因为她的身体非常轻，所以我一口气就把她背到了医院，一点也不感到累。
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As light as a feather可以形容各式各样的东西。拿食品来说吧，有的很油腻，有的很清淡。下面是一个人在说他妈妈做的蛋糕。
例句2: My mother is a very good baker, she is well known among our relatives and friends. Oh, you should have tasted the white chocolate cake she made last week. It"s not that sweet and is as light as a feather.
这个人说：我的母亲在烤蛋糕方面是个能手。我们的亲戚朋友都知道。哎呀，你真是应该尝尝上星期她做的白巧克力蛋糕。那蛋糕不是太甜，非常清淡。
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