想象一下几个人结伙去银行保险库偷钱，其中一人在窗口望风，“望风的人”用英文说是: lookout. 另一个在保险库内往袋子里塞钱，而第三个则等候在门外车上准备事成溜之大吉。突然望风的那个听到了警车的警报声。
例句-3：The lookout ran out and escaped in the getaway car. But the man inside the safe didn"t hear the sirens and was left holding the bag when a dozen cops burst in with their guns ready.
他说：望风的人跑出去跳上那辆车就逃走了。但是在保险库里的那个没听到警报声，十多名丨警丨察举着枪冲进来人赃俱获，把他捉拿归案。
三人合伙抢银行却剩下拿着赃款的一个被丨警丨察逮住。这里的left holding the bag可以从字面意思来理解，就是拿着赃物没逃脱，而一人承担罪责。其实这个习惯用语的含义更为广泛，可解释为一人为许多人的错误和罪行承担责任。
还是拿刚才的抢银行团伙作例子吧。丨警丨察逮捕了拿赃款袋子的人，却再也没抓到另外两个帮凶，结果这人被判了十年徒刑。他又可说是left holding the bag，尽管这回他手上没袋子。 Left holding the bag，在这儿的意思是一人为大家承担罪责。
******
再听个例子，这位先生说的是一群孩子在空地上打棒球。他的儿子Danny是其中之一。另一个孩子打出的球击中了Brown家的玻璃窗。我们听听随后发生的情况。
例句-4：Mr Brown ran out of the house boiling mad. All the kids except Danny ran off and left him holding the bag. Well, I agree to pay for the window although another boy had hit the ball.
他说：Brown先生怒火百丈地冲出门来，所有的孩子都逃之夭夭，只剩下Danny一个背黑锅，于是我同意赔那扇窗户，尽管打破窗户的是另一个孩子。
他说: Danny was left holding the bag，你一定清楚Danny可没拿着袋子。这句话的意思是只有Danny成了替所有打棒球的孩子背黑锅的人。这就是left holding the bag这个习惯用语的意思。
流行美语第286课
李华和Larry一起开车去参加人材招聘会。今天我们要学习两个常用语： butterflies in one"s stomach和go overboard.
LH: Larry, 我心里特别紧张。你怎么样？
LL: Yeah, I have to admit that I"m a bit nervous as well. Every time I have to go to one of these events, I get butterflies in my stomach.
LH: 肚子里面有蝴蝶？真有意思。你不是说真的吧！
LL: The expression "butterflies in my stomach" describes the feeling you get in your stomach when you are nervous. That fluttering feeling that can make your stomach feel a bit unsettled is a result of such nervousness.
LH: 这种说法真形象。就是形容心里紧张，七上八下，好象在打鼓。Well, Larry, I"ve definitely got butterflies in my stomach right now!
LL: I"d tell you not to worry, but I"m worrying myself. Ok, let"s take a deep breath, exit the car, and go into the job fair!
(Sound effect - Inside the job fair building)
LH: Wow，你看，这次来参加招聘的公司还真不少呢！看来我们有机会。可我怎么好象越来越紧张了呢？
LL: Me too! Let"s start off together, and then we"ll split up if we see other things that fit our taste. Did you bring your resume?
LH: 我带了三十份简历。你觉得够不够？
LL: I brought 20 resumes, so I think you definitely have enough. But, are you mentally prepared to make a good impression? You don"t want to show that you"ve got butterflies in your stomach.
LH: 我知道。虽然心里七上八下的，可表面上还得装得镇定自若。哎呀，你怎么紧张得手都在抖啊。别抖，你看，简历撒了一地。
LL: (Flushed) Well, I guess that"s a fast way to get my name and experience out there! Thanks for helping me pick these up. Ok, so how do I look?
LH: 你看起来特专业。来，放松点，喝口水，深呼吸，We need to get those butterflies out of our stomach.
LL: Thanks! You look fine, too. Let"s go to the first company booth over there!
******
LH: 这些人真有礼貌。他们说"keep in touch"保持联络，是不是有希望啊？
LL: I"m not sure, Lihua. You may have gone overboard.
LH: Gone overboard? 这是什么意思啊！
LL: I mean - you may have said and done too much to them. "Going overboard" means putting too much effort or action into something.
LH: 我想起来了，go overboard不是从船上掉下去的意思吗？
LL: It stems from the meaning of when a person walked too far on the edge of a ship - so far that they fall off of the boat and into the water!
LH: 你意思是说我表现得很差吗？
LL: No, I mean that you said and did too much. Perhaps you can keep your answers shorter - more direct. And how many resumes did you give them?
LH: 我怕他们u会丢，所以给了他们一人两份。
LL: See - one resume is enough. What you did is called "going overboard." Understand?
LH: 明白了，我以后一定注意分寸，除了工作经验，什么都不提。
LL: Yes! That"s it! See, the first booth, you talked about your family and even your dog!
LH: Hey! 我可不许你说我狗宝宝的坏话。
LL: Ok. Watch me on this one. I"ll try not to go overboard, so you can watch and learn, Li Hua.
LH: 好，我就在这观摩。Good luck! You need it. Haha
LL: Hi there, my name"s Larry. I"ve heard a lot about your company and... (声音变弱)
LH: 这么快！你留下简历了吗？
LL: Ah! I forgot! (to booth) I"m sorry, here"s my resume, sir.
LH: So, did you go overboard? (laughing)
LL: Funny, Li Hua. Very funny!
LH: 你连名字都忘了告诉人家。他们谈到你，肯定会说，“就是那个不留姓名、不留简历的神秘人”。
LL: Enough about me! I failed miserably. Let"s see how you do this time. Let"s see if you go overboard.
LH: 一、二、三 (数简历)
LL: Lihua...Why are you taking so many resumes with you?
LH: 我宁可go overboard, 我也不愿意忘记递简历。Wish me luck!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是butterflies in one"s stomach, 意思是心里紧张，七上八下。另外一个是go overboard，意思是做事过份，走极端。
礼节美语046讲
陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他走出电梯，刚好遇到美国同事Amy.
(Office ambience)
A：Hi Chen Hao, you look upset. What"s wrong?
C：电梯太挤了，我差点就没下来。
A：Why couldn"t you get off?
C：我从一楼大厅上电梯的时候是第一个，所以就站到了最里面，到了三楼后，很多人挤进来，就把我堵在了里面。
A：Sometimes people on elevators can be quite rude and treat others with sheer indifference. They don"t seem to realize that the rules of manners apply to elevators as well.
C：坐电梯都有些什么规矩呢？
A：To start with, if you had waited to get on the elevator, you would have been near the front and not had to push your way through the crowd to exit.
C：我是怕人多，挤不上去，所以上电梯的时候总是抢在最前头。
A：There"s always another elevator.
C：你说的对，我只上两层，以后不用第一个就挤进去。
A：When you got on, you should have stepped to the side near the door so you would be out of the way of others trying to follow.
C：但是如果是到顶楼设计部去，就应该站到最里面了吧？
A：You reminded me. I am planning to see the new media exhibit on the 20th floor this afternoon. Would you like to go with me?
C：我也正打算去呢。那咱们下午见。
******
Amy和陈豪下午一起坐电梯上楼去看展览。
C：挤死我了，有些人坐电梯真是不讲礼貌。
A：At the least the man at the front of the elevator who was not getting off until the top floor was polite.
C：我也注意到了。他每到一层都会走出去，帮下电梯的人拦着门。
A：Another polite move when you are standing by the elevator panel is to figure out which buttons hold the doors open and which ones close them.
C：对啊，有一次我赶到电梯门口时，门几乎已经关上了，里面的人看到我，马上按了Open的键，才让我开会没迟到。
A：As an added courtesy, offer to push the appropriate floor for the people who can"t reach the buttons.
礼节美语047讲
陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他刚好遇到美国同事Amy.
(Office ambience)
C：Hi Amy, how are you?
A：I am fine, thank you. And you?
C：有件事一直让我摸不着头脑。
A：About what?
C：我的新同事Carol很奇怪。每天早上，如果我不主动跟她打招呼的话，她肯定不会主动理我。