Shownotes Transcript
【句子】They figured out that it’s an empty threat. They’re onto us. 【Desperate Housewives S1E18】【发音】/ðeɪ/ /ˈfɪg.ə(r)d/ /aʊt/ /ðæt/ /ɪts/ /ən/ /ˈemp.ti/ /θret/ /ðeə(r)/ /ˈɒn.tu/ /ˈɑːn.tu/ /ʌs/【发音技巧】figured out连读；that it’s an两处连读+闪音；【翻译】他们已经看穿了我们只是在虚张声势而已。【适用场合】empty threat空的威胁就是不会造成威胁的空头警告；A threat that is devoid of worth or meaning, one that cannot or was never intended to be carried out.eg: The manager is always full of empty threats about docking our pay, but he'll never do it.经理经常威胁我们说要克扣我们的工资，但是他不会这样做的。 eg: He says he’ll tell the authorities but it’s just an empty threat (it will not happen).他说他会向当局报告，但其实那只是虚张声势而已。也可以说an idle threat，一个意思。eg: This isn’t some idle threat.这可不是说着吓唬你的。在口语中，我们之前也讲过一个表达，叫做bluff，其实也有虚张声势的意思。eg: Is he going to jump or is he only bluffing?他是真的要跳，还是只是虚张声势而已？他是真的要跳，还是只是说说而已？eg: I don't think he'll shoot. I think he's just bluffing.我觉得他不会开枪，我觉得他只是吓唬吓唬人而已。玩纸牌游戏的时候，也经常会说bluff这个单词。关键句的后半句话：They’re onto us.指什么意思呢？他们已经发现了我们是在哄骗他们的。be onto someone/somethingIf someone is onto you, they have discovered that you are doing something illegal or wrong.意识到了某些事情不对劲、发现某个人在做一些不对、违法的事情eg: She knew the police would be onto them.她早就知道警方之后会发现他们不对劲。她早就知道警方之后会发现他们的违法行为。视频当中还出现了back someone up的使用；原句是：So help me, if you don’t back me up on this, I will lose it.可以用来指：支持/帮助/挺某个人；support or assist someoneeg: I’ll back you up if they don’t believe you.如果他们不相信你的话，我会支持你的。eg: Don't worry. I will back you up when you need me.别担心，当你需要我的时候，我会支持你的。【尝试翻译以下句子，并留言在文章留言区】 我已经告诉了大家他之前的所作所为，所以警察已经盯上他了。