The Stories of the Word“Easy”“Easy”的故事

阿苗

There are many expressions using the word “easy” in English. So today， lets start with the word “easy”.

英語中有很多表達中使用了“easy”這個詞。今天我們就從“easy”這個詞說起吧。

Everyone has its own way of saying things， its own special expressions. Some are easy to understand. The words create a picture in your mind.

每個人都有自己特定的說話方式和特殊的表達方法。有些短語簡單易懂，你能在腦海中浮現出它們的形象。

“As easy as falling off a log （n. 原木）” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort. If you ever tried to walk on a fallen tree log， you will understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it. The expression is often used today. For example， you might hear a student say to her friend that her English test was as easy as falling off a log.

“像從原木上掉下來一樣容易（小菜一碟）”就是這樣一個短語。它形容的是毫不費力的活兒。如果你曾經嘗試行走于倒下的原木上，你就會明白這個短語表達的意思。相比呆在原木上，人更容易從上面摔下來。今天我們也時常用到這個短語，例如，你可能會聽到一個學生對她的朋友說英語測驗對她來說簡直是小菜一碟。

There are several other expressions that mean the same thing. And their meaning is as easy to understand as falling off a log. One is， easy as pie. Nothing is easier than eating a piece of sweet， juicy pie， unless it is a piece of cake. A piece of cake is another expression that means something is extremely easy to do. A friend might tell you that his new job was a piece of cake.

還有另外幾個短語意思相同，這些短語的意思也像“從原木上掉下來”一樣簡單易懂。其中有一個是“像吃餡餅一樣容易”。沒有什么事兒比吃香甜多汁的餡餅更簡單的了，除非是它是“一塊蛋糕（小菜一碟）”。小菜一碟是另一個表示某事極其容易的短語。有朋友可能告訴你他的新工作簡直是小菜一碟。

Another expression is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel （n. 桶）. It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to shoot fish in a barrel. But， clearly， fish in a barrel would be much easier to shoot than fish in a river. In fact， it would be as easy as falling off a log.

另一個表達是“在木桶里叉魚一樣容易”。很難想像為什么有人要在木桶里叉魚。但是，很明顯，在木桶叉魚比在河里容易多了。事實上，這就像從圓木上摔下來一樣容易。

Sometimes， things that come to us easily also leave us just as easily. In fact， there is an expression “easy come， easy go” that shows this. You may win a lot of money in a lottery， then spend it all in a few days. Easy come， easy go. When life itself is easy， when you have no cares or problems， you are on easy street. Everyone wants to live on that street.

有時候，東西來得容易，去得也容易。事實上，有個短語正好說明了這個現象——“來得容易，去得也容易”。你可能中彩票得了很多錢，而接下來的幾天就把錢花光了。真是來得快，去得也快。當生活本身很愜意，你也無憂無慮，那么你正走在“康莊大道”上。這正是每個人都想要的生活。

Another expression is to go easy on a person. It means to treat a person kindly or gently， especially in a situation where you might be expected to be angry with him. A wife might urge her husband to go easy on their son， because the boy did not mean to break the car.

另一個相關的短語是“寬容待人”。表示對別人寬容或友善，特別是在你本該對別人發脾氣的情況下。某個妻子可能想讓她丈夫寬恕兒子，因為兒子并不是故意把車弄壞的。

If it is necessary to borrow some money to fix the car， you should look for a friend who is an easy touch. An easy touch or a soft touch is someone who is kind and helpful. He would easily agree to lend you the money.

如果必須借錢修車，那你應該找個有求必應的朋友。“有求必應”的人是指善良且樂于幫助他人的人。他很容易同意借錢給你。

And one last expression means do not worry or work too hard. Try to keep away from difficult situations. Take it easy. You can do it！

最后一個短語意思是“不要太緊張或太拼”，試著擺脫困境，別著急，別緊張，放松些，你一定能行！

Now， its your turn to guess the meanings of the expressions about the word “easy”！下面，你來猜一猜文中與“easy”一詞有關的表達方式的意思吧！

參考釋義：

1. be as easy as falling off a log 探囊取物；不費吹灰之力

2. be easy as pie 非常容易

3. a piece of cake 小菜一碟

4. be as easy as shooting fish in a barrel 手到擒來

5. easy come， easy go 來得容易，去得也容易

6. easy street 有足夠的錢，生活得很舒適

7. to go easy on a person 寬容對待某人

8. an easy touch/ a soft touch 有求必應的人；容易受騙的人

9. Take it easy. 別緊張，放輕松。