Extracts from <听讲英语Easy Way>：认识朋友由赞美入手
学习英语，很多人都会遇到这个情况：无论在阅读或英文写作上，都没有任何困难；可是，当要开口与别人用英语交谈时，总是词不达意，甚至因缺乏信心以至哑口无言。英语怎样才能说得地道？这个问题涉及中英语文不同的表达方式，没有法则可循，非多浸淫不可。假如你未能说地道英语，不要灰心，从今天起，多留意身边的事情和善用本书的情景例子，你必会发现自学英语其实并不困难。
Praising 赞美
1. You look really chic.
Gina: Where are you off to?
吉娜：你要去哪里？
Alison: I'm going to a civic reception at the town hall.
艾丽森：我要去市政厅出席公民招待会。
Gina: Who's it for?
吉娜：招待的是谁？
Alison: It's for a delegation our sister city in Germany.
艾丽森：是我们在德国的姊妹市所遣代表团。
Gina: Well I must say that outfit really suits you. You look really chic.
吉娜：嗯，这套衣服实在很适合你，你看来高雅入时。
Alison: Thank you. I want to look my best for the foreign guests.
艾丽森：谢谢。迎接外国客人，我要尽量打扮得好看些。
称赞人家的打扮
吉娜称赞艾丽森说：I must say that outfit really suits you. You look really chic。I must say直译是「我必须说」，但这其实只是加强语气的说法，也作I have to say，往往不宜直译，例如：He is a genius, I must say（他真是个天才）。
Chic有「高贵、时髦」的意思，作形容词、名词都可以，例如：（1）She had on a chic long skirt（她穿着高雅入时的长裙）。（2）Known for her chic, she is always the focus of men's attention（她以打扮高雅入时著称，所到之处，男人注意力都集中在她身上）。
赞人衣着漂亮，还有很多说法，例如：（1）The jacket looks nice on you/You look great in this jacket（你穿着这件夹克，十分好看）。（2）I like/love your tie（我喜欢你的领带）。（3）You have surpassed yourself with this culotte（你穿上这条裙裤，比平日更好看）。Surpass是「超过」或「胜过」，例如：His wealth surpassed belief（他富有得难以置信）。To surpass oneself 即「表现胜过以前」，不限于说打扮。He is past his peak as a poet, and cannot be expected to surpass himself是说「他诗歌创作的巅峰期已过，不可能更上层楼了」。
最后谈谈「姊妹市」或sister city。除了sister city，英文还有sister company，指同一集团的公司，或「姊妹公司」；sister ship，指隶属同一家公司、型号相同的船只，或「姊妹船」。不过，英式英文叫「姊妹市」做twin town，不用sister一字。Richmond and Fontainebleau are sister cities即「利其蒙和枫丹白露是姊妹市」。
2. You've done a fantastic job.
Gordon: I've just been reading through your last project report.
戈登：我刚刚读了你最新的计划报告。
James: I hope you didn't find too much wrong with it.
詹姆斯：希望你不觉得太差吧。
Gordon: On the contrary, you've done a fantastic job.
戈登：刚好相反，你这报告做得好极了。
James: Well I'm not sure about that.
詹姆斯：嗯，我可不敢这样肯定。
Gordon: You're too modest. It's really well organized and written and offers some very well thought out conclusions.
戈登：你太谦虚了。报告的结构、行文都很好，提出的结论也甚见心思。
James: Well I'm glad you like it and hope it proves useful.
詹姆斯：你喜欢就好了，希望有用吧。
Prove和工作上的称许r
Prove一字，读者大概都知道解作「证明」，Can you prove what you have said?即「你能证明你所说的话么？」这个prove是及物动词（transitive verb），其后须有受词（object）。
但I hope it proves useful这一句的prove，却不可解作「证明」，也不是及物动词，而是和is、appear、seem等一样的连系动词（linking verb），即其后可用形容词／形容词组（adjective phrase）或名词／名词词组（noun phrase），以修饰句子主词（subject）。这个prove有「是」或「最后发觉是」的意思，例如：（1）His guess proved （to be）correct（他的猜测并没有错）。（2）Her husband proved （to be）correct（他丈夫原本是个懦夫）。这两句的proved假如改为was proved，意思就不同了：一是说「他的猜测有证据证明没有错」，一是说「她丈夫被证明是个懦夫」。作连系动词的prove十分常见，不可不识。
要称赞人家的工作，你可以像戈登一样说：You have done a fantastic/great/good job。Fantasy是「幻想」所以fantastic本是指「荒诞的」，例如fantastic stories是「荒诞的故事」。但口语往往以fantastic解作「极好的」，例如：He'll go with us? Fantastic!（他会和我们一起去？好极了！）
此外，你还可以说Well done!/Great work!/You've don very well!（做得好！）要称赞人家工作进展良好，则可说Nice going!/good going!/not bad going!例如："I've prepared all the legal documents." "Good going!"（「我已准备了所有法律文件。」「好得很！」）
3. I don't think you could have done it better.
Mary: I've just popped in to thank you very much for organizing last weekend's trip to the seaside for old folk.
玛丽：我顺道走来，要向你衷心道谢，谢谢你筹办上个周末的长者海滨游。
Julia: That's very kind of you. They all seemed to enjoy it.
朱莉雅：你真客气。他们似乎都玩得很开心。
Mary: They certainly did. Everything went like clockwork, in fact I don't think you could have done it better.
玛丽：一点不错。那天一切十分顺利，实在不可能安排得更好了。
Julia: I'm not sure about that, there were one or two things that could have been improved.
朱莉雅：我可不敢这么肯定。有一两件事是可以安排得好一点的。
Mary: In a perfect world perhaps, but as far as I'm concerned it was a great success. So thank you again.
玛丽：假如世事有所谓完美，你说得也许没错；但对我来说，这次旅行非常成功。再次谢谢你啦。
长者旅游，一切顺利
玛丽告诉朱莉雅：I've popped in to thank you very much for organizing last weekend's trip to the seaside for old folk。Pop是拟声字，指「噗」一声，例如：The cork popped as it came out of the bottle（软木塞「噗」一声从瓶口拔了出来）。引伸其义pop in是指突然探访人家，事前没有特别安排，逗留一般也不长久，例如：He popped in this morning（他今早忽然来访）。
Old folk的folk是指「人们」，作集合名词（collective noun），但也有人用folks指「人们」例如：Some folk/folks find the new regulation rather annoying（有些人觉得新条例麻烦）。留意无论folk还是folks都配复数形式动词。
有时，你会看到one's folks这说法，用复数形式。是指某人的亲属，例如：My old folks live in Taiwan（我年迈的父母住在台湾）。称呼一群人，也习惯用复数形式，例如：Let's go, folks（各位，我们走吧）。
和people相比，解作「人们」的folk名是指生活方式相用同的人，或属于某一社团的人，例如：Country folk/folks tend to be more conservative（乡下人一般比较保守）。不过，谨严的写作通常会用people取folks，例如：Country people tend to be more conservative。
玛丽说：Everything went like clockwork。Clockwork是钟表等的发条装置，例如：The toy soldier walks by clockwork（那玩具兵用发条装置步行）。Like clockwork是比喻，指「顺利」、「准确」或「有规律」，His training schedule runs like clockwork即「他的训练计划很有规律」。
4. You've excelled yourself.
Al: That was an absolutely delicious meal.
艾尔：这顿饭真美味。
Isabel: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's a recipe I haven't tried before.
伊莎贝尔：你爱吃就好了。这食谱我以前没有试过。
Al: Your cooking is always superb but this time you've excelled yourself.
艾尔：你煮的东西，总是十分好吃，而这一次更胜过平时。
Isabel: Sounds like you want to get something out of me.
伊莎贝尔：听你口气，似乎是有求于我呢。
Al: Don't be so suspicious, I really meant it.
艾尔：别那么多疑。我是言出由衷的。
Isabel: Well they always say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
伊莎贝尔：嗯，常言说要赢得一个男人的心，可以借助他的肚子。
饭菜做得真好
要称赞人家表现胜于平时，英文可以说：You have excelled yourself。这和八月八日拙栏介绍的You have surpassed yourself意思差不多。例如：（1）He excelled himself in the race and won the championship（他在竞赛中表现非常出色，赢得冠军）。（2）You have excelled yourself with this feat of courage（你这次壮举，表现了非常的勇气）。
Excel当然是excellent（极好）的动词，除了用于成语excel oneself，通常用于excel（somebody）at/in something的句式，表示「在某方面表现（比某人）出色」，例如：（1）She excels her brother at/in swimming（她游泳胜过弟弟）。（2）He excelled at/in chess（他棋艺高超）。
伊莎贝尔见艾尔称赞她，打趣说：Sounds like you want to get something out of me。这一句也可以改为：Sounds like you are trying to get around/round me。
To get around/round somebody有「哄人家答应做某事」的意思，例如：She is always able to get around her husband and get what she wants（她总能够把丈夫哄得服服贴贴，无论她要什么都答应）。
最后谈谈成语The way to a man's heart is through his stomach。这是「要男人爱你，就要做些美味饭菜给他吃」的意思，例如：She invited her new boyfriend to her home for dinner, reasoning that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach（她邀请新男朋友到家里吃晚饭，认为要抓住男人的心，须先从他肚子入手）。
5. You' re so talented.
Jack: Those watercolors are really beautiful.
杰克：那些水彩画画得真美。
Caroline: I'm glad you like them. I painted them last year.
凯罗兰：谢谢你欣赏。这些都是我去年画的。
Jack: You painted them yourself? I can't believe it, they're so good.
杰克：你自己画的？真是难以置信。画得那么好。
Caroline: They're not that good, but I'm glad you like them.
凯罗兰：也不是很好，但谢谢你欣赏。
Jack: You're so talented, I wish I had your skill.
杰克：你才情真高，我有你的本事就好了。
Caroline: You should try your hand yourself, I'm sure you could do just as well if not better.
凯罗兰：你不妨也动手试画，我相信你画得即使不比我好，也不会比我差。
你才情真高
杰克称赞凯罗兰有才情：You're so talented。Talent一字，《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》译作「天才」，这和同样可译作「天才」的gift、genius有什么分别？
Talent所指的才能，是可以努力培养的，常用来说艺术上的才能；gift强调天赋的才能，非凭努力可以得到；genius则是罕有的天才，比talent、gift都高得多，例如：（1）He has a talent for acting（他有做戏的才华）。（2）With no gift for foreign languages, I found it extremely difficult to learn French（我没有外语的天分，学习法语非常困难）。（3）The teacher recognized Van Gogh's artistic genius（老师发觉了梵谷的艺术天才）。Talent、gift的形容词是talented、gifted。Genius则没有形容词。
凯罗兰叫杰克试试学画画：You should try your hand yourself, I'm sure you could do just as well if not better。Try one's hand是「试做（某事）」，其后常用at带出试做的「某事」，例如：Why don't you try your hand at fencing?（你为什么不试试击剑？）
最后说说if not的用法。这两字常用来表达「甚至可能比上述事情更一步」意思，例如：（1）Hundreds, if not thousands, of trees were felled in a few days（几天之内，即使没有几千株树被砍倒，至少也有好几百株）。（2）He is as rich as, if not richer than, Bill Gates（他即使不比盖茨富有，也在伯仲之间）。
6. You have such good taste.
Tracy: So this is your new apartment.
特蕾西：这就是你新的公寓套房。
Charlene: Yes, I moved in a month ago.
查伦：不错，我上个月才搬进来。
Tracy: Well I have to say it looks fantastic .Did you decorate and furnish it yourself?
特蕾西：嗯，很漂亮啊。你是自己装修、布置的吗？
Charlene: Yes I did. It took me quite a lot of time.
查伦：不错，这花了我不少时间。
Tracy: Well I must say you have such good taste in interior decor. It could have been done by a professional designer.
特蕾西：你对室内装饰实在很有品味。专业设计师也不过如此。
Charlene: Oh I don't think so, but I'm glad you think it's nice.
查伦：啊，不敢当，但谢谢你欣赏。
室内装饰真有品味
特蕾西称赞查伦说：You have such good taste in interior decor。Decor本是法文，指房间等的装饰，英文借用了，例如：We had an interior designer design the decor of the new office（我们聘请了室内设计师，设计新办公室的布置）。
留意such good taste这说法。Such是「如此」，有强调作用，其后须接名词。例如：（1）There was such a（large）crowd of people that there was not enough food（人数众多，食物不足）。（2）Did you expect such（good）weather?（你有没有预料到这样（好）的天气？）
So和such一样，也是「如此」的意思，也有强调作用。但so之后不必接名词，可径用一个形容词（adjective）或副词（adverb），例如：（1）She is so beautiful!（她美丽的很！）（2）He dances so gracefully!（他跳舞跳得非常优雅！）
So之后假如接名词，则这名词必须用a、an、much、many、few、little等字带出，a、an之前更必须有形容词，例如：（1）The was so large a crowd of people that there was not enough food。（2）There were so many people that there was not enough food。第一句so large a crowd等于such a large crowd，两个说法的形容词位置不同，切勿混淆。
假如名词不是用a、an、much、many、few、little等字带出，则不可用so加强语气。例如你可以说He is good a man（他这个人很好），却不可说They are so good men。
8. You don't look a day over forty.
Jean: So you' re Mary, s trend. I'm very pleased to meet you.
珍：啊，你就是玛丽的朋友。幸会，幸会。
Marion: It's a pleasure to meet you too. Mary has told me you also work in marketing.
玛丽恩：我也很高兴见到你，玛丽说，你也是从事营销工作的。
Jean: Yes, but as you know, she is in shoes, while I'm in cosmetics.
珍：不错，但你知道啦，她卖的是鞋子，我卖的是化妆品。
Marion: Were you at school together with her?
玛丽恩：你们小时候是同学吗？
Jean: No, no, I'm ten years older. We met much later.
珍：不是，不是，我比玛丽大十年，我们是多年后才认识的。
Marion: What! I can't believe it. You don't look a day over forty.
玛丽恩：什么，这真是难以置信。你看来至多不过四十岁。
不像四十多岁
玛丽恩见珍说比玛丽大十年，颇为奇怪：What! I can't believe it. You don't look a day over forty。
You don't look a day over forty直译是「你看来最多四十岁，一天都不多」。类似说法用于四十岁以上的人，例如：You don't look a day over fifty/sixty等。对二、三十岁的人，很少说You don't look a day over twenty/thirty。
说人家样子和实际年龄相符，英文是To look one's age。She does not look her age一般是说「她看来比实际年纪小」，但也可以指「比实际年纪大」。She looks older/younger than her age则是说「看来比实际年纪大一些／小一些」。
珍其实超过了四十岁，这英文叫做middle age（中年），即四十到六十岁，例如：（1）He did not get married till he was in middle age（他中年才结婚）。（2）The speaker was a man of middle age（说话者是个中年人）。「人生四十方开始」是英文Life begins at 40的直译。
留意middle age不可写作Middle Ages。Middle Ages是欧洲史上所谓「中古时代」，一般指公元一一○○至一五○○年这段时间。Life in the late Middle Ages was luxurious for the privileged, but hard for most people即「中世纪末叶，特权阶级生活奢华，一般人却度日维艰」。
最后谈谈I can't believe it一语。这话常用来表示惊奇，也作I don't believe it，例如：She has won the lottery? I can't/don't believe it!（她中了彩票？这简直难以置信）。
9. Your work is absolutely first class.
Greg: Do come in and sit down. How are you?
格雷哥：进来坐坐吧。近来还好吗。
Heather: I'm fine, thanks. Have you had a chance to look at my proposal?
希瑟：很好，谢谢。你有空看过我那份建议书了吗？
Greg: Yes, I have, that's what I mainly want to talk about.
格雷哥：看过了，我要谈的主要就是这个。
Heather: I wasn't sure whether it was exact1y the kind of thing you wanted.
希瑟：我不能肯定这建议书是否符合你的要求。
Greg: Oh, have no worries. It's precisely what we need and your work is absolutely first class.
格雷哥：啊，别担心，这正符合我们要求。你做得好极了。
Heather: Well I must say that's a great relief.
希瑟：嗯，那我就放心了。
一流的建议书
格雷哥称赞希瑟：Your work is absolutely first-class。First class、second class、third class本是火车、轮船分头、二、三等用语，但second class、third class渐渐有了「低贱」含义，于是「三等」现在往往改称为economy class（经济舱）或tourist class（旅客舱），「二等」则变成business class（商务舱）、standard class（标准舱）等。
此外，first class和second class、third class常引来说「优秀的」和「低贱的」，例如：（1）She took legal action against the company for treating women employees as second-class citizens（她控告公司对待女雇员犹如二等公民）。（2）Service is first-class in that hotel（这家旅馆的服务是一流的。作形容词，first-class等往往加连字号（hyphen）。
称赞人家的工作，除了说Your work is first-class和八月九日拙栏介绍过的一些说法，你还可以说：It couldn't be better（不能再好了），例如："How do you like my proposal?" "Oh, it couldn't be better."（「你认为我的建议书怎样？」「啊，好极了。」）
「建议」除了叫proposal，还可叫proposition，例如：They have accepted my proposal/proposition to restructure the personnel department（他们接受了我改组人事部的建议）。但请留意：男女之间，proposal和proposition的意思完全不同。Proposal是名词，指「求婚」；proposition是动词，指「求欢」，例如：（1）She received many proposals（很多人向她求婚）。（2）She was propositioned by a Jap, who mistook her for a prostitute（有个日本佬以为她是妓女，向她求欢）。
10. You're head and shoulders above the others.
Walter: That's the fifth race in a row that you've won. You're by far our best driver
华尔特：这是你连续第五次赛车获胜。你绝对是我们最出色的赛车手。
Ryan: Well I think my results are a bit flattering because I've had quite a lot of luck and our car is always so reliable.
赖安：我想，我的成绩还算不错，是因为运气实在很好，我们的车辆也十分可靠。
Walter: Nonsense, you're head and shoulders above the others in your division.
华尔特：当然不是。你根本远远胜过其它同级的赛车手。
Ryan: Do you really think so?
赖安：你真的这样想？
Walter: Absolutely. So much so that we're thinking of entering you in the next division for the new season.
华尔特：一点不错，所以我们还准备下个赛车季推举你参加高一级的比赛。
Ryan: That means a more power fu1car and longer races. It'll be a lot tougher.
赖安：那么，就要有一辆更强力的赛车，赛程也会远一些。争胜会困难得多。
远胜他人
华尔特称赞赖安：You're by far our best driver。又说You're head and shoulders above the others。这两句用了两个成语。
By far是加强语气用语，有「远远超过」的意思，而既说「超过」，自然有比较含义，所以，习惯用来修饰比较级（comparative）或最高级（superlative）词语，例如：（1）Compared with WM Thackeray, Charles Dickens was by far the more prolific writer（和撒克里比较，狄更斯无疑是个多产得多的作家）。（2）She was by far the most beautiful girl the prince had ever seen（她比王子向来见过的女郎都美丽得多）。此外还有far away一词，和by far同义，例如以上两句都可改用far and away。
Be/Stand head and shoulders above somebody/something取「别人最高都来不到你肩膀」含义，引伸解作「远远胜过其它人／物」，例如：His performance is head and shoulders above（或head and shoulders better than）that of his colleagues（他的工作，远远胜过他的同事）。
最后要说华尔特So much so that we're thinking of entering you in the next division这一句。So much so that是常用语，「（有上述事情）程度之高，以至....」含义，例如：She enjoyed herself heartily at the party, so much so that she forgot her promise to get home by 11:00pm（她在派对上快得十分痛快，痛快得连「晚上十一点前回家」的承诺都忘记了）。华尔特那一句，是说对赖安期许甚高，高得有意要他参加高一级的比赛。
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