The english we speak(BBC教學)第45期: to miss the boat錯失良機

Finn: Come on, Feifei! We are going to be late - this party is my big chance!

芬：快來啊，菲菲！我們快要遲到了——這個派對是我很大的機會！

Feifei: I'm almost ready, Finn! Hi, I'm Feifei. Finn has invited me to his posh uncle's party. He knows lots of celebrities!

菲菲：我馬上就好，芬！大家好，我是菲菲。芬邀請我去參加他叔叔豪華的派對。他認識一大堆名人！

Finn: Come on! And lots of musicians... I'm a bit of a rocker myself, and this might just be my chance to meet someone famous... Come on!

芬：算了吧！還有很多的音樂人...我本身算是個搖滾歌手，這是我見某些著名人士的機會...快點！

Feifei: Coming!

菲菲：來了！

Finn: Maybe join the band... live the rock star life... oh, this is my one big chance! Come on or I'll miss the boat!

芬：或許加入樂隊...過搖滾明星的生活...哦，這是我的大機會！快點要不我就會錯失良機！

Feifei: Boat?! Why didn't you say it before?Here I am.

菲菲：船？！你之前爲什麼沒有說？我馬上就來。

Finn: A lifejacket!?

芬：一個救生衣？！

Feifei: Of course! We are going on a boat! I am afraid of water - I can't swim!

菲菲：當然了！我們要去船上！我害怕水——我不會游泳！

Finn: Feifei, there's no real boat! In English, when we use the expression 'to miss the boat' we mean that we are too late to take advantage of a good opportunity.

芬：菲菲，並沒有真的船！在英語中，當我們用“錯過船"這個短語，意思是我們錯失了好的機會。

Feifei: No boat at all?

菲菲：完全沒有船？

Finn: Not even a canoe. Listen to these examples.

芬：連獨木舟也沒有。聽一下這些例子吧。

If I hadn't bought a new flat last year I would have missed the boat. Properties are more expensive now.

如果我去年沒有買新公寓我就會錯失良機。房地產現在更貴了。

I should have travelled the world when I was young. Now I have a family to take care of. I might have missed the boat.

我年輕的時候本應該環遊世界的。現在我需要照料家庭。我錯失了良機。

Feifei: Oh, OK, so 'to miss the boat' is to miss an opportunity by being late. It makes sense.

菲菲：哦，好的，所以“錯失良機”意思是太晚了以致於錯過了一個機會。言之有理。

Finn: Yes, but we're not going to make it on time now, unless... we take my uncle's helicopter! It's parked in a field nearby. Come on!

芬：是的，但是我們現在需要準時到達，除非...我們乘坐我叔叔的直升機！它停在附近的草坪上。快來！

Feifei: Helicopter! Wait a minute, I am really ready.

菲菲：直升機！等一下，芬。現在我準備好了。

Finn: Feifei, is it what I think it is? A parachute?!

芬：菲菲，這是我想的那個東西嗎？一個降落傘？！

Feifei: Well of course it is! I can't swim and I can't fly either. And I'm afraid of heights!

菲菲：當然了就是！我不會游泳也不會飛。而且我恐高！

Finn: OK, don't you worry. Let's just go to the party. We don't want to miss the boat, do we?

芬：好吧，不用擔心。我們快去派對吧。我們不想錯失良機，不是嗎？

Feifei: We don't want to miss the boat or the helicopter. Bye.

菲菲：我們不想錯失良機或者錯過直升機。再見。

Finn: Bye.

芬：再見。