跟單詞 bird 有關的短語很多,例如:a little bird told me,birds of a feather flock together 和 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 等等,還有今天的 bird of passage,字面意思是」候鳥「,可以意為」過客,漂泊不定的人「,寓意:
a transient
短暫的
one who is here today and gone tomorrow
今天在這裡明天就走的人
staying for a short duration of time at some place
在某個地方短時間停留
a person who is constantly travelling
經常旅行的人
constant change of state
狀態的不斷變化
seasonally migrating birds
季節性候鳥
例如:
She moves out nearly every year; she's a true bird of passage.
她幾乎每年都搬出去,真是個漂泊不定的人。
At present the organization has to rely on young, inexperienced graduates who are usually birds of passage.
目前,該組織不得不依靠漂泊不定的、年輕的、沒有經驗的畢業生。
解析:關係代詞 who 引導的定語從句,修飾先行詞 graduates.
Interns are usually not reliable for any organization as they are birds of passage and very few of them remain with the company in the long run.
實習生通常對任何組織都不可靠,因為他們是漂泊不定的人,很少有人能長期留在公司。
Bed and Breakfast resorts are home to many birds of passage going to their planned destinations.
住宿和早餐度假村是許多過客前往其計劃目的地的家園。
解析:現在分詞 going to their planned destinations 作定語,修飾 birds of passage,相當於一個定語從句 birds of passage who are going to their planned destinations.
A gradual rise in the American economy has made many birds of passage to permanently settle down.
美國經濟的逐漸崛起使許多漂泊不定的人永久定居下來。
解析:settle down 除了可以意為」定居下來,過安定的生活「,還可以意為」舒適地坐下或躺下「,例如:
Come on, have a cup of tea and settle down.
來吧,喝杯茶,坐下來休息一下。
學英語只靠學是永遠不夠的,還需要找規律並進行定期的總結,形成記憶群,就像記憶單詞要形成記憶鏈條一樣。