問:讀小說,見到以下一句,句中once之後一截是什麼意思?──I always enjoy beef Wellington,
and Suzanne can produce a pastry that doesn't flake when cut and meat that's so
tender that once one has finished a first helping, Oliver Twist comes to mind。
答:Beef
Wellington是一種塗了肝醬的牛肉,常用作酥餅餡;helping指「一分(食物)」,例如I'd
like a second helping of meat and vegetables是「我想再吃一碟肉和蔬菜」。Oliver
Twist當然是名作家狄更斯小說The Adventures of Oliver Twist(《苦海孤雛》)的主角。全句是說:「我向來愛吃威靈頓牛肉餡酥餅。蘇珊娜做的酥餅,切時餅皮不會剝落,牛肉餡之柔嫩可口,令人吃過第一頓,馬上就會想起奧立佛.特威斯特。」
為什麼想起《苦海孤雛》主角?原來這個孤兒小時在濟貧院工作,三餐不飽,有一天,鼓起勇氣,求多吃一碗麥片粥:Please, sir, I want some
more(對不起,先生,我想多吃一點)。這是書中的名句,英國人一般都懂得。讀者示下的句子,once之後那一截是說:「吃過第一頓,馬上就想學《苦海孤雛》的主角那樣,要求添吃。」
問:It
seems someone annoyed her that day(那天似乎有人令她很不高興)一語,that之前為什麼不加on字?
答:That
day(那天)、the following Monday(其後的星期一)等之前,on字往往略去,例如:I saw him again(on)the following morning(我第二天早上又見到他)。