迷你對話

A: I wish you would not be so selfish.

我希望你不要太自私。

B: Selfishness is one human being‘s instincts. It is very difficult to get it out root and branch.

自私是人類的本性之一，想連根拔除是很難的。

A: But you should at least consider your future.

但是你起碼要為你兒子的未來著想。

B: His mother, not me, should do this.

是她媽媽應該這么做，不是我。

對話精講

第一、 地道表達

1. 習慣用語

root and branch

2. 解詞釋義

Root本義是“根”，branch是“樹枝”。把一種植物連根帶枝拔出，就是把它徹底除掉了。因此，用root and branch來形容“徹底地，完全地，根本地”的意思。

3. 支持范例

e.g.These evil practices must be destroyed root and branch.

這些惡習必須徹底根除。

e.g.Our enemies have been destroyed root and branch.

我們的敵人完全被殲滅了。

e.g.The police are trying to put an end to smuggling root and branch.

警察正在試圖徹底禁絕走私。

e.g.The medicine was so effective that it cured his disease root and branch.

這種藥非常有效，把他的病根治了。

第二、詞海拾貝

1. human being：人類

e.g. Each human being has to die, but mankind goes on world without end.

每個人都會死, 但人類卻永無止境。

e.g.Money is not an inherent part of the human being.

錢財身外物。

e.g.Each human being has his share of rights.

每個人都有他自己的一份權利。

e.g.I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life.

我生平從來沒聽見你說人家的壞話。

2. get out：除掉，廢除

I want to get out of an agreement with that organization.

我想中止與那個公司的協議。

3. at least：至少，起碼

e.g.At least we don't have to worry about Harbour Pointe any more.

起碼來說，我們不必再為波因特港工程勞心費力。

e.g.At least we can fall back on candles if the electricity fails.

停電時我們至少可以使用蠟燭。

e.g.I'm beginning to think you have at least a trace of talent.

我現在認為你起碼是有些才華的。

e.g.He was in fact worth at least three-quarters of a million.

他至少擁有75萬英鎊的財產。