原声BBC英语每日一句 cut the mustard

请先听一遍,再看原文;请尽量模仿原声复述,最后做口语练习。

1. I won’t study architecture. I am bad at drawing. I just can’t cut the mustard.
2. In English, when you say someone or something ‘can’t cut the mustard’ you mean that it’s not good enough.
3. So, we can say ‘can’t cut the mustard’, or ‘don’t’ or ‘doesn’t cut the mustard’.

1. 我不学建筑,因我不擅长画画,在这方面我真的不行[不符合条件]。
2. 在英语中,当你说某人或某物 ‘can’t cut the mustard’ ,意思就是他们不够好。
3. 我们可以说’can’t cut the mustard’, or ‘don’t’ or ‘doesn’t cut the mustard’.

mustard = 芥末 [mustard seed 芥菜籽,很小]

can’t cut the mustard = not good enough,不够好,不符合条件

cut the mustard = good enough,足够好,符合条件,够格

【词源】目前没有一个令人满意的说法。All the explanations so far do not cut the mustard.

口语练习:

After two weeks of employment, I had to let her go because she could not cut the mustard.

I can’t cut the mustard as a hockey player.  [hockey曲棍球]

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