What musical instrument do you play?
現(xiàn)代的父母都希望子女有多元化發(fā)展,希望孩子琴棋書畫樣樣精通,所以從小就讓小朋友學(xué)習(xí)不同樂器,想問人家會玩什么樂器,可以說:What musical instrument do you play?(你會玩什么樂器呢?)。樂器也有不同種類,弦樂器叫String instruments,管樂器叫Wind instruments,只愛純音樂/演奏曲可以說:I like instrumental music.另外,問別人有沒有音樂才能,可以說:Are you musical?
對 話
Brian: What are you doing at band practice? I didn’t know you played.
Marcus: I’ve just started. I’m going to give you guys a run for your money.
Brian: But you haven’t got a musical bone in your body. What musical instrument do you play?
Marcus: This! The comb and tissue paper. Stand back, I’m going to tune this baby up.
Brian: You’re really bad.
布萊恩:你在樂隊排練做什么?我不知道你會玩樂器。
馬卡斯:我剛剛開始,我會叫你們聽得滿意。
布萊恩:但你毫無音樂天賦,你會玩什么樂器?
馬卡斯:這個,梳子和紙巾。退后,我要演奏它。
布萊恩:你實在太差勁了。
馬卡斯加入了樂隊,對布萊恩說:I’m going to give you guys a run for your money。布萊恩說:But you haven’t got a musical bone in your body。
Not have a musical bone in one’s body直譯是‘體內(nèi)沒有一根音樂骨頭’,等于說‘毫無音樂天賦’。這是成語說法,那musical一字可用其它字取代,例如:(1) The mayor works heart and soul for the public. He does not have a selfish bone in his body.(市長盡心盡力為民眾服務(wù),沒有一點私心)。(2) He did not have a bad bone in his body(他是個不折不扣的好人)。
A (good) run for your money本是賽馬用語,指你下注的馬匹雖然沒有獲勝,但已盡力而為。現(xiàn)在這成語常用來說‘物有所值’或‘金錢、氣力等花得不冤’,例如:The t’ai chi class gave him a run for his money/He got a run for his money in the t’ai chi class.(他上太極課,獲得不少)。馬卡斯那一句是說:‘我會叫你們聽得滿意。’A run for one’s money還有‘激烈競爭’的意思,例如:You won’t find it easy to beat them. They will give you a run for your money.(你要打敗他們可不容易。他們會全力爭勝)。
布萊恩問馬卡斯玩什么樂器。樂器叫musical instrument,簡稱為instrument,可分為多種。鋼琴、鼓等敲擊樂器叫percussion instrument;簫、笛等木管樂器叫woodwind instrument;喇叭之類銅管樂器叫brass instrument;琵琶、小提琴等弦樂器則叫string/stringed instrument。