behind the eightball的词汇典故.docx

behind the eightball的词汇典故 don'tputyourself"behindtheeightball" now,thevoalearningenglishprogramwordsandtheirstories. onthisprogram,wetellaboutexpressionsandhowtheyareusedinamericanenglish. preparingforthisshowisnotalwayseasy.someexpressionshaveplexroots.andamericanssometimeuseexpressionsinsomesituations,butnotothers. everyweekiwriteandproduceanewshow.mygoalistohaveeverythingreadybythursday.so,ifidon’thavemyreportwrittenbywednesday,ireallyfeelbehindtheeightball. inotherwords,ifeellikei'minadifficultsituation.itwillbehardtowritethestory,haveaneditorlookatitandthenproduceitbythursdaynight.idon’tliketobebehindtheeightball.nobodydoes. theexpression“behindtheeightball”esfromthetablegameofpool. asyoumightknow,poolisplayedwithsixteensmall,hardballs.fifteenoftheballsareeithersolidcoloredorhavestripesandtheyallhavenumbers.theotherball,knownasthecueball,iswhite.playersstrikethecueballwiththeendofalongpieceofwood,calledacuestick.theaimistoshootthenumberedballsintooneofsixopenpocketsaroundtheedgeofthepooltable. youcanplaymanydifferentgamesonapooltable.oneofthemiscalledeightball. ineightball,playerstrytoputthenumberedballsintothepockets,withtheeightballthelasttogoin.ifaplayersinkstheeightballbeforealltheotherballsleavethetable,heorsheloses. youcanputyouropponentinadifficultpositionbyleavingthecueballbehindtheeightball.theeightballblocksyouropponent. so,ifyouarebehindtheeightball,youareinabadposition.thereisalmostnowayout. anotherexpressionfromtheworldofgamesisnearlythesameasbeingbehindtheeightball.itisastickywicket. astickywicketisadifficultorsensitivesituation.thistermesfromthesportofcricket.inthecaseofthisexpression,the“wicket”ispartofthecricketfieldbetweenthestumps–thepolesorsticksstuckintheground. thegrassonthewicketisusuallyshorterthanothergrassortheremightnotbeanygrassatall.so,weatherconditionsmayaffectthisareaandhowtheballmoves.ifthewicketistoowetortoodry,theballcanmoveinanunpredictableway.thismakesitdifficultforthebatter. thesedays,cricketteamsmayuseacoverforthewicket,butthathasn’taffectedtheuseofthisexpression.astickywicketisstillprettymoninamericanenglish. however,ifyoudon’twanttousetheseexpressionsfromthepoolhallorcricketfield,youcansimplyusethewordsdilemmaorpredicament.theyalsomeanadifficultsituation. now,let’sheartheseexpressionsusedinacoupleofexamples.firstlet’shear“stickywicket.” whatiswrong?youlookterrible. ihaveareallybigproblem. whydon’tyoutellmeaboutit?maybeicanhelp. allright.itookaco-workertoafriend’spartyovertheweekend. okay…? well,isawhimtakesomethingfrommyfriend’shousewithoutasking. youmean,hestolesomething. yes.andnow,ihavetosaysomethingtomyco-worker. thatreallyisastickywicket.iwouldnotwanttobeinyourposition. next,let’sheartheexpression“behindtheeightball.” no!idon’thavethatkindofmoneyonhand.whydoyouneed$500? well,i’mbehindonmybillsthismonth.see,ireallylikethisgirl.so,i'vespentalotofmoneyonwininganddiningher. andyoudidn'tthinkofhowmuchallthosemealsanddrinkswouldcost?youhavereallyputyourselfbehindtheeightball! andme?well,iamnolongerbehindtheeightball.wehavefinishedwordsandtheirstoriesforthisweek.butthereisalwaysnextweektoworryabout! practiceusing“behindtheeightball”or“stickywicket”inasentence.doesyourlanguagehaveanexpressionthathasthesamemeaning?youcandobothinthementssection. i’mannamatteo. “thisgirl,shehasmyticket.it’slikeiwasbattingonastickywicket.goodgosh,shehasmyticket.it’slikeiwasbattingonastickywicket.” marilynchristianowrotetheexplanationofthepoolgameeightball.annamatteowrotetherestofthisstory.georgegrowwastheeditor.attheendofthepiece,tonytuffsingshissong“stickywicket.” ___________________________________________________________________ wordsinthisstory edit–v.toprepare(something,suchasliterarymaterial)forpublicationorpublicpresentationeditor–n.onewhoedits sensitive–adj.needingtobehandledinacarefulorsecretwayinordertoprotectsomeoneorsomething dilemma–n.aprobleminvolvingadifficult:adifficultorpersistentproblem predicament–n.adifficultorunpleasantsituation onhand–phrasal:availableforuse wininganddining–idiomaticexpression:ifyouwineanddinesomeone,youentertaintheminanexpensiveway,usuallyforareason.theywinedanddinedusinordertogetustosignthenewcontract. 6 / 6。