書是我們最好的朋友,不同的書會帶給我們不同的收獲。在英語里,跟book一詞相關的短語也不少,今天我們就來介紹其中的幾個。

1. A closed book

已經完結的事情/高深莫測的人或事物

"As far as I am concerned, that matter with the council is a closed book"

"I have never been able to work or communicate with John. He is a closed book"

2. An open book

一目了然的人或事物

"Julia's life is like an open book. You always know what she's up to".

3. Read someone like a book

一眼看穿某人想法

"I can read Angela like a book. I always know what she's thinking and what she's about to say at meetings."

4. The oldest trick in the book

老套的把戲

"It was the oldest trick in the book – one man distracted me while another stole my wallet. I can't believe I fell for it."

5. In someone's good/bad books

得到/失去某人的歡心

"Tommy has been on his best behaviour today. After yesterday's tantrums, he's been doing his best to be in my good books all day."

6. By the book

照章辦事

"We're not going to leave things to chance.We're going to run this company by the book."

7. To bring someone to book

懲罰某人

"I had to bring Tom to book after our meeting. He shouldn't have lost his temper at Bridget".

8. Take a leaf out of someone's book

以某人為榜樣

"You should take a leaf out of Keith's book. He has achieved wonders with those children".

9. Don't judge a book by its cover

不要以貌取人

"When I first met Charlotte she had had a really tough two weeks and wasn't in the mood for chatting and appeared very moody and unsociable. She is not at all like that. One should never judge a book by its cover".

10. Cook the books

做假賬

"It appears that Stanley had been cooking the books for years. He was finally caught last year."