1. Seldom have I met a girl who's had such a gift of gab like Lily's.
我几乎从未见过像莉莉这样有口才的女孩子。
“口才”的英语表达法是the gift of gab。一般情况下,该短语强调的是“讲话的能力”,与讲话的实际内容没有关系。
2. She's a rough diamond . Although she seems to be careless, she does everything tiptop.
她是个外粗内秀的人。别看她大大咧咧的,干起事来总是顶呱呱的。
a rough diamond本意是“没有雕刻的钻石”。钻石在没有进行人工处理之前,其表面并非非常光滑。然而一经加工,就会显
得光彩夺目。用这样的比喻来意指“外粗内秀”岂不是妙不可言?
3. When it comes to teaching grammar, she can be a notch above all the others.
她教课很棒。论教语法,她比其他任何人都略胜一筹。
4. You know her company? She has a big drag with the boss.
你知道她的公司吧?她在老板那儿很吃得开。
have a big drag 是个地道的口语形式,直译为“有很大的牵扯”,意指“吃得开”。
5. She's so honey-lipped that she knows how to tailor her words to please the ears of different people.
她嘴特别甜,很会见什么人说什么话。
中国人习惯把“嘴甜的”说成是sweet-mouthed。但是,英美人认为应该用honey-lipped才更符合他们的习惯。
6. She has taste on fashion.
她眼光很独到啊。
7. I'm sure she can do a good job in the business. She has a lot on the ball .
我认为她肯定能做好这份工作。她很能干。
“很能干”在英语中有很多种说法,比如:be able to do... be capable of ...但是to have a lt on the ball 更符合英美人的口语习惯。
8. She has a mind like a steel trap . Nothing needs to be explained twice to her.
她脑瓜很好使。什么事情都不用说第二遍。