美国人挂在嘴边的200句子---其文化和价值观 (4)
(2008-08-01 09:22:39)
下一个
151-----Will wonders never cease?
Said when someone has done something untypical of him or her and much better than was expected. It may also be used of a technological breakthrough.
152-----Do not stand out, fit in
Make no long-term, close friendships with any colleague., but be cordial to all.
153-----There is no morality in struggles for power
In struggles for power, your judgements should be based entirely on self-interest and finding as direct and economical a route to your goal as possible.
154-----Natural law is blind
Just like water, cleaness and refreshes without any distinction, and without any judgement either.
155-----The more things change, the more they stay the same
Said when an apparent change is only superficial.
156-----Happiness is a choice and misery is optional
The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see.
157-----The leopard cannot change his spots
Some people are not willing or able to change their chartacter. This is said when a notoriously bad person tries to change but fails into the same mistake all over again.
158-----Man proposes, God disposes
Human beings make their plans but God determines whether they succeed or not.
159-----A live dog is better than a dead lion
It may be better to run away like a scared dog with its tail between its legs than to stand and fight to the death like a courageous lion.
160-----It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind
Since women are often considered more emotional and less logical than men, and since emotions are more changeable than reasons, women are allowed to change their minds.
161-----Spare the rod and spoil the child
An undisciplined child will turn out to be a rotten person. Many parents think that any physical punishment of children is abusive, while many others think that without it, children grow up to be morally retarded.
162-----Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me
A taunt used by people claiming that an insult did not affect them.
163-----The worm turns
Everything chnages. Do not expect situations or people to stay the same for very long.
164-----You are what you eat
A nation's diet can be more revealing than it's art or literature.
165-----Marriages are made in heaven
God is the source of human love and the one who destines two individuals to be married. This proverb is going out of fashion since it goes against individual freedom.
166-----If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours
If you do something good for me, I should do something good for you.
167-----Office politics are secret and dirty and there is never an end to it
To survive, be patient--watch, listen and say little; to win, be patient--survive, plan and then strike swiftly.
168-----Work smarter, not harder
Get others to do as much as they can for you.
169-----Time heals all wounds
The damage done by a conflict is like a wound that will heal naturally over time if it is not re-injured.
170-----No news is good news
If a friend is travelling and one does not hear from him/her, one may assume that everything is going well. As another proverb says, Bad news travels fast.
171-----Time marches on
Time is marching to its own drumbeat. It does not slow down or stop for anyone.
172-----Keeping up with Joneses
This means buying things that you see your neighbors buying. That way you look like just as much a success as they do.
173-----A man may work from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done
Men may have to work long days but they can go home to rest in the evening. Women can never get away from what used to be called "women's work," such as cooking and cleaning.
174-----The sooner the better
A wish for quick action or quick change. Once a decision has been made, there is no point in waiting to carry it out.
175-----A good captain goes down with his ship
The captain remains on board his ship even when all hope to save it is lost.
176-----Every cloud has a silver lining
Even bad situations will contain something good if we look for it. Clouds are considered symbols of undersirable things. The bright edge of a dark clouds is like something good that can cheer us up.
177-----The exception proves the rule
Though we are making an exception and breaking the rule in this one case, we do it only becasue the circumstances are so unusual.
178-----Shop till you drop
Shopping is a form of considering options. People think this is fun so they keep doing it untill they are worn out.
179-----The devil can quote scripture
A quotation from an authoritative book or person cannot always be trusted. The quote may be distorted or incorrectly applied.
180-----Hindsight is always 20/20
Looking back on the past, it is easy for anyone to see what should have been done even though it was impossible for anyone to see it at the time. ("20/20 vision" is an eye doctor's term for eyes that see perfectly.)
181-----The good die young
Life is not always fair. Some very fine people die at a young age though it seems they were so good they deserved to live longer.
182-----Power corrupts
When people are put into positions of power, they gradually forget what life is like for ordinary people. They become more likely to abuse their power, perhaps without even realizing it.
183-----Half a loaf is better than no bread at all
Sometimes we will not be able to get all we want or hope for. As such times of only partial success, we should look on bright side and be glad for what we got.
184-----A house divided against itself cannot stand
Unity is the strength that preserves a family or a nation.
185-----Easy said than done
We promise according to our hope but we perform according to our fear.
186-----A dog is a man's best friend
Dogs are know for their loyalty. Their friendship is more reliable than the friendship of people.
187-----Practice makes perfect
Effort brings improvement and success.
188-----Where there is a will, there's a way
Any problem can be solved if one is determined enough.
189-----He who laughs last, laughs best
If a person does wrong to someone and laughs at him or her, the victim will look for a way to get revenge. When revenge is taken, the victim gets the last laugh, defeating the other person.
190-----It takes two to make a quarrel
Avoid a fight if you can. An insult does not become a fight unless it is answered by an insult.
191-----Let bygones be bygones
Do not bring up an old problem. Pretent it never happened.
192-----Two wrongs don't make a right
If someone does a wrong to you, react with justice, not by doing something vicious. (He did wrong to you, but you do right in response.
193-----Crime does not pay
Though crime appears to have benefits, this is an illusion. for example, shoplifting seems like an easy way to get things one wants, but crime always puts the criminal in danger of punishment.
194-----So far so good
Said by or to someone who is carrying out a plan taking one step at a time. Confidence increases with each step.
195-----Two is company and three is a crowd
This may be used when two people are talking and a third, unwanted person approaches.
196-----Innocent untill proven guilty
In a court of law, the accused person is presumed innocent at the start. The burden of proof always rests on the accuser, not the accused. The jury will not convict the person unless the proof is clear.
197-----The devil made me do it
I am not to blame for what I did. I could not help it. Some power outside of me was forcing me to act in that way. This is playfully used as an excuse by people who know they have done something wrong but want to avoid the penalty.
198-----Home is where the heart is
Home is wherever ones loved ones are. The size or appearance of a house does not make it a home or keep it from being a home.
199-----Time and tide wait for no man
When something's time has come, it will happen and nothing can stop it. It is like an ocean tide coming in to the shore.
200-----Home, sweet home
This phrase reminds people of the ideal home--It should be a place of warmth, love and joy.