大家都知道,number的含义之一是"号码","第……号".它可以缩写为No.或no..例如:Room No.1 (一号房间);at no.1 Church Street(在教堂街一号);a no.2 bus (2路公共汽车).这里的No.1, no.1, no.2只单纯地表示数码,并无他义.然而,在非正式的英语里,尤其是在口语中,number one, number two往往都有某种隐含意思.它们听起来通俗易懂,幽默有趣.这里介绍若干,以飨读者。
△number one可表示"最重要的人物或事件","头号人物","一把手"或"头等大事".number two则表示"副手","二把手"。例如:
Mr. Li is number one in this company and I'm his number two. 李先生是本公司的一把手,我是他的副手。
Solving unemployment insurance is our number one priority. 解决失业保险是我们最优先考虑的大事。
Terrorism is the public enemy number one. Governments should work together to stop it. 恐怖主义是头号公敌.各国政府应当联合行动,以制止恐怖主义。
△在口语中,"小解"和"大解"往往被含蓄地分别俗称为"number one"与"number two"。
下面是孩子与爸爸争厕所时的一段对话:
kid: Is there anyone in the bathroom? 卫生间里有人吗?
dad:Yep. 有。
kid: Are you nearly finished? Is it No.1 or No.2? 你快好了吗?小解还是大解?
dad: No.2. Just a second. I'll be through soon. 大解.稍等一下.我马上就好了。
△number one亦表示oneself and no one else,即"某人自己"(无他人)。例如:
Miss GREen only ever thinks of number one.(=Miss Green only ever thinks of herself.) What a selfish girl she is! 格林小姐只想到自己,从不考虑别人.她是个多么自私的女孩!
△to look out for Number One是习惯用语,它表示to put one's own interests first,即把个人利益放在第一位。例如:
The guy is a selfish man, always looking out for Number One. 那家伙是个自私的人,总是把他的个人利益放在第一位。
