今天要学的习惯用语中的关键单词是ground。Ground这个词最普通的意思是地面。今天要学的第一个习惯用语是:from the ground up。From the ground up这个习惯用语来自建造房屋。建房的开头第一步是什么呢?我们都知道首先得从地面上破土动工打地基,接着才能一层一层地往上建造,所以中国有个谚语“万丈高楼平地起。” 它的含义就是凡事得从起点开始。
好,我们通过一个例子来领会from the ground up这个习惯用语的意思吧。下面这段话是在说创办麦当劳快餐连锁店的Ray Kroc。Ray Kroc原来是一个小城里的小业主,但是后来却成为改变美国饮食习惯的重要人物。
例句-1:Ray Kroc started from the ground up with a little hamburger shop for people who wanted something to eat fast. Then he had an idea: lease his fast food system out to others. The result was thousands of McDonald's restaurants selling burgers around the globe.
这虽然是夸张,但是生动地表现麦当劳风行全球的气势,想想麦当劳的当初比比它的现在,你一定能体会from the ground up这个习惯用语“从头开始”的意思。
有时from the ground up还可以解释为“完全”,或“彻底”。我们还是通过例子来领会这个习惯用语的第二种意思吧。有位先生要向你描绘他的朋友Bob。Bob是无线电台专业人才,在广播界有丰富的经验。
例句-2:Bob knows broadcasting from the ground up. He's been a scriptwriter, a reporter, an editor, an announcer, a producer, just about everything else at radio stations. He's even done some TV work although he doesn't like to talk about that.
我们听听这对老夫妇听不听子女的话,特别注意里面的习惯用语suit them down to the ground:
例句-3:Our problem is dad and mom are happy where they are. They like the neighborhood, the little garden and old shady trees; they know where everything is - it's where they feel at home. They simply tell us the old place suits them down to the ground.