
一、only引导的词组或句子放在句首作状语时,通常要用倒装结构。如:
Only in this way can you solve the problem.
只有通过这种方式你才能解决问题。
Only if you study hard can you pass the exam.
只有努力学习才能通过考试。
Only then did I realize my mistake.
只有那时我才意识到错了。
二、not only...(but also)出现在句首时,如果架连接的是两个句子,常用倒装。如:
Not only did we lose all our money,but we also came close to losing our lives.
我们不仅丢了钱,还差点把命丢了。
Not only did he speak correctly,but he also spoke easily.
他不仅说得准确,而且说得很轻松。
三、only放在不定式前面,常表示不愉快或出乎人们的意料的结果。如:
I went all the way to his home only to find hime out at a meeting.
我径直到他家里去,不料发现他出去开会了。
I hurried to the post office only to find it closed.
我匆忙赶到邮局,不料已经关门了。
She went home only to find her house burglarized.
她回到家里,发现房子被盗了。
四、“too...to...”结构中,表示否定意思,但在“only too...to...”结构中,only too = very,表示肯定意思。如:
The patient is too weak to walk.
那个病人太虚弱了,走不动。
We are only too willing to do it for you.
我们非常愿意为你做那事。
I am only too delighted to accept your king invitation.
我非常高兴地接受你的邀请。
五、在“one of + 复数名词 + 定语从句”的结构中,定语从句一般被看作修饰复数名词,谓语要用复数形式。但在“the only one of + 复数名词 + 定语从句”的结构中,定语从句却被看作修饰“the only one”,谓语动词要用单数形式。如:
This is one of the best novels that have been published in the past two years.
这是近两年出版的最好的小说之一。
He was the only one of the boys who was given a prize.
他是这些孩子中唯一受到奖励的。
She is the only one of the girls who has been to the US.
她是那些女孩中唯一去过美国的。
六、If only 为虚拟语气的一种,表示愿望或一个未实现的条件,多用于感叹句,其主句常常省略。如:
If only she would marry me!
她要是能和我结婚该多好!
If only he had known about it!
他那时要是知道这件事该多好!
If only you could have been here earlier that day!
要是你那天再早点到这就好了。
If only there were forty-eighty hours in a day.
要是一天有48个小时就好了。
1.A bold attempt is half success.勇敢的尝试是成功的一半。
2.If a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well. 如果事情值得做,就值得做好。
1. soup up 加大马力
20世纪30年代,soup被用来表示一种刺激性物品,有时被注射进赛马体内,使之在赛场上能跑得更快。词组soup up出现于1931年左右,表示“改装飞机或汽车的引擎以增加其马力”。
2. a piece of cake 小菜一碟
和它类似的说法还有a piece of pie, as easy as pie。据考证,在19世纪pie就用来指“非常容易的事情”了。
3. couch potato 电视迷
couch指坐卧两用的长沙发,potato指土豆,所以“沙发土豆”实际上是个不折不扣的“电视迷”。这个词最早是由美国加利福尼亚州名为罗伯特•阿姆斯特朗(Robert Armstrong)的艺术家于1976年创造的,随后被人们广泛使用。
4. the apple of one's eye 掌上明珠
《旧约•诗篇》(Psalm)第17章有这样的句子:"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of the wings"(求你保护我,如同保护眼中的瞳孔。)正因为这一典故,大约从9世纪开始,短语“the apple of one's eye”(掌上明珠)被人们广泛使用。
5. full of beans 精力旺盛,生龙活虎
He's sure full of beans these days. He works a lot harder in the office. 最近,他确实是精力充沛。在办公室工作也比以往更卖力。
6. in a nutshell 简而言之
To put it in a nutshell, we're bankrupt 简言之,我们破产了。
a policy of (the) stick and (the) carrot 胡萝卜加大棒
美国总统西奥多•罗斯福提出的武力威胁及战争讹诈的外交。他曾在一次演说中援引了一句非洲谚语:手持大棒口如蜜,走遍天涯不着急,来说明他任内的外交,后来就发展成所谓的大棒加胡萝卜。
7. (as) cool as a cucumber 泰然自若,极为冷静
It's not everybody who can keep as cool as a cucumber in an emergency. 并不是人人都能在危急时刻保持镇定自若的。
8. be garlic for dessert 最不受欢迎的东西
That's the garlic for dessert. 那是最不受欢迎的东西
9. know one's onions 精明强干,内行
Don't worry, he knows his onions well. 别担心,他对这个很在行。
10. gammon and spinach 胡说八道
It's all gammon and spinach. 那完全是胡说八道。
