1. -I've invented a new kind of medicine. Would you like to try some?
-Don't treat me as your guinea pig!

[點津]

guinea pig實際上不是一種pig，而是指“天竺鼠”。由于天竺鼠對很多病菌和病毒十分敏感，常被用于醫(yī)學研究，所以guinea pig引申為“實驗對象，試驗品”。

例：Students in Class One will act as guinea pigs among the new teaching reform. 一班的學生將充當本次新課改的實驗對象。

2. -Have you ever seen a UFO, Arthur?
-No. UFOs are as rare as hen's teeth, you know.

[點津]

在進化過程中，雞的牙齒逐漸退化了，到后來雞不再長牙齒。as rare as hen's teeth本意為“像母雞的牙齒那樣稀有”，引申為“極為罕見，鳳毛麟角”，其中rare可換成scarce。

例：People who can reach the top of Mount Qomolangma are as rare as hen's teeth. 能夠登頂珠峰的人簡直少之又少。

[鏈接]

“藍月亮”是一種罕見的天文現(xiàn)象，所以once in a blue moon也可表示“極為罕見”，與as rare as hen's teeth含義相同。

例：We agreed with each other once in a blue moon. 我倆的意見難得一致。

3. -Rose never accepts others' disagreements, even though she is incorrect.
-That's true. Disagreements to her are just like a red rag to a bull.

[點津]

紅色能讓?？裨?。在斗牛運動中，斗牛士手里會拿著一塊鮮艷的紅布來激怒公牛。所以，a red rag to a bull表示“肯定會激怒某人的事物”。

例：Don't mention anything about that to your father. It's like a red rag to a bull. 不要在你爸面前提起那件事。他聽了肯定會生氣的。

4. -What's eating you?
-I've stirred up a hornets' nest and don't know how to deal with the problem.

[點津]

hornet指“大黃蜂”，a hornets' nest本意為“馬蜂窩”，引申為“一大堆麻煩”。stir up a hornets' nest就是“捅馬蜂窩，招來麻煩”，也可說成stir up a nest of hornets。

例：When his tongue slipped, I realized he stirred up a hornets' nest.當他說漏嘴時，我意識到他捅到了馬蜂窩。

[鏈接]

"What's eating you?"指“什么事讓你不開心？”，而不是“什么在吃你？”。

5. -How much did you spend on your pants?
-300 yuan. I like the pants very much. Please don't tell mum, or she will have a cow.

[點津]

have a cow的字面意思為“有一頭母?！?，可它在習語中意為“勃然大怒”。沒想到吧？

例：He suddenly had a cow when he was told the truth. 他知道真相時頓時氣不打一處來。