美国人平时生活上所用的一些“口头禅”，其实字句都很简单，但是如果不加说明，往往还会让人“一知半解”或“似懂非懂”。下面所举的例子，即是常常听到的一些美语“口头禅”。
1. I couldn't care less.
这句话的意思是“我不在乎”，“缺乏兴趣”(lack of interest)，也就是：I don't care at all. 或 I don't give a hoot. 例如：
人家如果问： What do you think of the budget-cut?(你对预算削减有何看法？)
你回答： I couldn't care less.(我毫不在乎)
How do you like Mr. Lee's political point of view?(你喜欢李先生的政见吗？)
I couldn't care less.(我才不在乎呢！)
但是有时说话者也有“口是心非”： 例如：
I couldn't care less about the promotion or pay raise.(我不在乎升级或加薪)
而实际上他是根本在乎升级和加薪的，那么人家也许就会回答说： Yes, you do(care).
至于 I couldn't care more. 就是“我很在乎”(I care a lot.)或 I care deeply. 同理：
I couldn't agree more.=I totally agree.(我完全同意)
I couldn't please you more.=I did my best to please you.(我尽量使你高兴)
I couldn't be more right.=I am totally right.
但是老外为了“自尊”，不愿强调自己的错误，所以很少人说：
I couldn't be more wrong.
注意：一般人都用否定句，但也有老外把肯定句与否定句互用。
不过，严格来说，I could care less. = I care to some degree.(care 的程度可能减少)
I could care more.=I care some.(care的程度也许增加)(主词可用任何人称代名词：he, she, you, we, they 等。但只用 could，不用 can。)
2. No bones about it.
意思是：真实的，诚恳的(truly, sincerely or exactly)，也就是 to make no bones about it.(bone 要加 s, it 是指 something)例如：
His wife is beautiful; no bones about it.(他的太太真是很漂亮)
Mr. A made no bones about it when he talked about abortion issue.(当 A 先生谈到堕胎问题时，他是诚恳的。)
When I spoke on the topic, he said, "No bones about it."(也就是他同意我的看法)
No bones about it; the weather is very chilly today.(今天是真的太冷了)
3. take it on me！
意思是：“这是我的，请用吧！”“这是免费的”(help yourself to it; it is free)，这多半是指吃的东西或一些不贵重的东西。例如：
Here are some candies from England; take one on me. (这是来自英国的糖果，尝一个吧！) (one = candy)
The restaurant owner said to me, "Take the dessert on me." (餐馆老板对我说：“尝尝我的甜点吧！”)
Please take these pencils on me.(取用一些我的铅笔吧！) (也许铅笔上刻有名字，做为宣传之用而免费。)
可见 take 后面的 it，是指 something，而 on 的后面通常不指别人，所以多半也只用在第一人称单数 me。
(假如夫妇在一起，也可以说：Take it on us.)
4. I am from Missouri.
这句话有时后面要加一句：“I need to be shown.”或“You have got to show me.”，意思是 Missouri 州的人很固执 (stubborn)，不太信任别人，一定要人家“证明一下”(prove it to me)，所以密苏里州也被称为“The Show Me State”。
据说这句话所以流行 (尤其在美国中西部) 是因为美国一些名人都住过密苏里州，包括 Harry Truman, Mark Twain, Walt Disney 等。后来老外不轻易相信别人时，就使用这句话。(也有半开玩笑性质) 例如：
He is not easily convinced because he is from Missouri. (他是来自密苏里州，所以不容易说服他。)
Don't try to fool me; I am from Missouri.(You have got to show me.) (别愚弄我，我是来自密苏里州。)
We are all from Missouri; we need to be shown.
As Mr. Smith is a tough guy; he must be from Missouri. (Smith先生是位倔强的人，他一定是来自密苏里州。) |
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