在英语里,介词短语(prepositional phrases)数量之多,可以和片语动词(phrasal verbs)互相比拟,不与它们亲近也难。
5 y; \, b3 y% x: P/ O5 Q# J) l 下面是些由“at”引导的介词短语,你都见过吗?
, X: N- g! b H/ ]' t: U 1. At bay:(经常和keep或hold连用)使……不能接近
* r/ _( @6 I% x( ?: c. j& b0 r3 m6 \ One of the gangsters kept the police at bay until the rest escaped., A N- f+ ~! `" I: J
2. At bottom:实际上+ ]$ j* D: i" D; p& C! c
Judy said she was not jealous of her friends' success, but at bottom, she was.
$ f/ b b7 X& l5 o4 S 3. At close quarters:逼近地
% o, P% v7 L* k& F, E( b The two rivals grappled at close quarters.
- L! S- h) f* q# \- } 4. At cross purposes:互相误解
! ~0 P" q$ T% s, w/ i I think we are at cross purposes. When I said "J.C.", I meant "Jason Chen", not "John Chen"., H+ M3 t, q2 _! z5 o' r
5. At daggers drawn:势不两立' E' t# w" X8 C$ F
Dan and Bob have been at daggers drawn for years. There is no evidence that they will make up.
. Q6 Q9 b* a% Y$ j& e4 a: w 6. At every turn:处处3 {/ N( T% p/ t! e
When you go downtown, you will see shops, big and small, at every turn.
! m; [! i$ D. P' M% S' d 7. At one fell swoop:一举& P! S% F) H( n4 {
Which country can invade another country and conquer it at one fell swoop?
1 Y" N: C1 I& F& W9 X( _ 8. At issue:在讨论中的
`9 w; w! M2 ?# ~/ k4 g& A The question asked was not relevant to the matter at issue .4 _: E2 N4 i" t0 Q
9. At large:一般的;逍遥法外的。
3 G7 Z8 O2 g0 R2 B a. The people at large support the government's various policies.! T' ^# t- } T0 z8 S
b. Some illegal immigrants were caught, but some others are still at large.0 I C; h: s1 m" i! F
10. At length:详细地+ W! Y1 a2 f8 ]! s" R$ S3 W
Time did not allow the speaker to talk about the financial turmoil at length.
6 E( J6 v8 L; H7 y5 B2 Q1 w$ F; ] 11. At loggerheads with……:经常和……争吵) X/ F! _& z& c/ g: j
Mr and Mrs Thang are often at loggerheads with each other. Why can't they get along well?
$ I5 J0 @2 Q7 ` 12. At a loss for words:不知说什么好5 i. a i4 }. d* F4 Z% |
The news came so surprisingly that she was at a loss for words.
3 J/ x) A, K' g) X2 S) {/ ^ 13. At a low ebb:处于低潮
! L; {) x1 L3 A7 ~0 Z4 B Henry's mood seems to be at a low ebb now; let's cheer him up a bit.- m/ x, ?- i, T5 n4 r
14. At a price:付高代价
T. H; V }5 O- e* Y$ M v Some people became successful at a price; their health and family life were adversely affected.
) D& Q+ k. r7 s6 q9 `0 m& d: o 15. At random:随意地
M. l* M# {/ A/ m# L$ |5 U One may choose things at random, but not the prospective life partner.
4 \9 C# ~ y: M. r 16. At the ready:处在准备状态中- n; I2 B% ]: g, m3 T2 f+ f; N
At the news conference, news reporters gathered around, pens and notebooks at the ready.
; |) e9 ?6 e* H9 L6 y 17. At sea:茫然
5 n. d: l# V7 H Those not interested in politics will be at sea when people discuss political issues.
8 t5 n8 C/ [5 I 18. At a stretch:连续地% {7 S/ b) A; K, W: t! V' X
In order to earn money, some workers do overtime works for a few days at a stretch.! ^/ Y: e7 h( ^
19. At will:任意地% n+ a1 D. t/ T- r
In a society like ours, one has to be law-abiding and not to do things at will.
$ h/ H. i' \. @% o2 A! A 20. At one's wits end:不知所措
% O/ O( d- G0 M* D Chased by the enemy to an abyss, the man could not advance any more, nor could he retreat; he was at his wits end.
9 h5 R7 H8 ^2 J2 R6 V7 {$ G 21. At heart:在内心里;本质上
t5 c- ]4 ?$ ? a. A good leader often has the people's interests at heart.& W; h2 g& C7 o; Q v5 M
b. Though Xiao Gan works in a city, he is a country boy at heart.
% s4 J* U, v; a& V$ i+ ] 22. At sixes and sevens:乱七八糟& y' `3 `; C+ X
When the maid returned to work after three days' leave, she found all the rooms at sixes and sevens. |