【原】rocket science，不全指“火箭科学”

很多看似简单易懂的短语往往都有显而易见或意想不到的寓意，比如 in the bag 和 in the air 等等，它们不是简单的表示“在袋子里”和“在空中”，还有其他寓意。

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in the bag 还可以用来表示“稳操胜券，十拿九稳”等，例如：

When the score got to 8 to 2 we knew the game was in the bag.

当比分达到8比2时，我们就知道这场比赛已经十拿九稳了。

With a three-goal lead and only ten minutes left to play, victory seemed in the bag.

在领先三球的情况下，比赛只剩下10分钟了，胜利似乎十拿九稳。

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in the air 还可以用来表示“可感觉到，可被意识到”，例如：

There is such a feeling of joy in the air.

空气中有一种喜悦的感觉。

We felt a sense of tension in the air.

我们感到空气中有一种紧张的感觉。

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类似的还有 rocket science，它的字面意思是“火箭科学 ”，是火箭的科学研究，例如：

The technology encompasses rocket science and jet engines.

这项技术包括火箭科学和喷气发动机。

可想而知，rocket science 也可以用来比喻很困难的事，常用于否定句如 (it’s) not rocket science，意为“小事一桩、易如反掌或很容易”等，相当于 it's not brain surgery，例如：

rocket science:

Learning the mathematic is always equivalent of rocket science for me .

对我来说，学数学总是难于登天。

It’s not rocket science to work out that emails from someone you don’t know asking you to click the link, are obviously scams.

从一个你不认识的人那里发来的让你点击链接的邮件，显然是骗局，这个很简单。

The teacher insists that we can understand fractions. Apparently, it’s not rocket science.

老师坚持认为我们能理解分数。显然，这易如反掌。

My teacher would always say that there is nothing like rocket science in my life. I can do anything.

我的老师总是说在我的生活中没有难事。我可以做任何事。

it's not brain surgery:

Just keep calm and do it. It's not brain surgery.

保持冷静就行了。又不是脑部手术。

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跟 it's not rocket science 类似，a piece of cake 也可以用来比喻“小事一桩”，相当于 easy，simple 和 straightforward 等，例如：

a piece of cake:

For him, taking tests is a piece of cake.

对他来说，参加考试是小菜一碟。

Getting rid of him will be a piece of cake. 

摆脱掉他就是小事一桩。

easy/simple/straightforward:

I can tell you how to do that - it's easy!

我可以告诉你怎么做-很简单！

The answer is really quite simple.

实际上答案相当简单。

It's quite straightforward to get here.

来这儿相当容易。

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提到容易，总是少不了 easy 以及一些有“特色的” easy，如 (as) easy as pie，(as) easy as ABC，(as) easy as 123(1-2-3)，(as) easy as winking，(as) easy as falling (or rolling) off a log 等等，例如：

After so many years as an accountant, doing taxes is as easy as pie for me.

做了这么多年会计后，对我来说，纳税是轻而易举的事。

With our guide, planning your US fly-drive holiday will be as easy as ABC.

有了我们的导游，计划您的美国飞车度假将易如反掌。

That test was easy as falling off a log!

那次考试非常简单！

Don't worry, after some lessons and a bit of practice, driving is easy as winking!

别担心，经过几节课和一点练习，开车很容易！

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当然还有一些不包含 easy 却能表示非常容易的表达方式，如 a walk in the park，at the push of a button 和 at the stroke of a pen 等，例如：

He's used to hard physical work - this is a walk in the park to him.

他习惯了艰苦的体力劳动，这对他来说简直是小菜一碟。

You can't expect to get everything you need at the push of a button.

你不能指望轻而易举就能得到你所需要的一切。

Politicians know they cannot create a lawful society simply at the stroke of a pen.

政治家们知道，他们不可能一下子就建立起一个合法的社会。

当掌握了用多种表达方式表达同一个意思时，就能增强语感、思如泉涌、脱口而出和左右逢源，最终提高自信和英语口语水平。

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词或词组辨析：

1. encompass [ɪnˈkʌmpəs] 意为“包含，包括，包围”等

2. equivalent  [ɪˈkwɪvələnt] 意为“相等的，相同的；相等的东西”等