今天,我们来学习on the rocks这个词汇:To be on the rocks means to be in state of ruin, disrepair, or destitution. 它是固定搭配的介词短语,是指处于毁坏,破产,失修,贫困等状态。我们通过下面的例句来熟悉它的意思和用法。
例句1:It's no wonder he's in therapy—apparently their marriage has been on the rocks for months. (难怪他在接受治疗,很明显,他们的婚姻不和谐好几个月了。)
解析1:on the rock在这个句子中做表语,在系动词be后面。
解析2:It is no wonder that...这个句式表示我们中文中说的“难怪......”“......是不足为怪的”的意思,that可以省略。例如:It is no wonder that the children love to visit the farm. (孩子们喜欢去农场玩是不足为怪的。)His parents have both died and it is no wonder that he looks so sad. (他的父母都死了,难怪他看起来这么忧伤。)
例句2:Did she have a hunch that my business is going on the rocks? (她是不是预感到我的生意要垮台?)
解析1:on the rocks和动词go连用做谓语,表示“即将垮台,破产”的意思。
解析2:have a hunch是指“有预感”,是个俚语。例如:I have a hunch that it will snow soon. (我有快要下雪的预感。)I have a hunch that something is going to happen. (我总感到要出什么事似的。)
例句3:That bank is on the rocks. Don't put your money in it. (那家银行面临倒闭,不要再到那里存钱了。)
解析:put the money in the bank的意思是“存钱”。
例句4:By the time I've paid all the bills I owe I shall be on the rocks. (等我付完了所有的欠帐,我就身无分文了。)
解析1:要表示“到......时候为止”可以用这个句式:By the time+从句。例如:By the time I came on the scene, it was all over. (我来到时, 一切都结束了。)It was already out of date by the time it was published. (到此书出版时,它已经过时了。)
解析2:I owe是定语从句修饰先行词bills,这里省略了关系代词that或者which。
今天,我们学习了on the rock这个词汇,表示处于毁坏,破产,失修,贫困等状态。Hope that you can bear it in your mind.