問:以下一句,哪個選擇正確?──You better do something to match up with / to your reputation。
答:首先須說的,是「你最好(做某事)」英文宜說You had better或You'd better。You better是十分隨便的說法,往往被視為錯誤,不宜效法。
Match up to是「符合(期望、標準等)」,那to改為with也可以,意思沒有分別,例如:His work did not match up to / with our hopes(他的工作,不符合我們的期望)。假如不必說明「符合」什麼,則match up之後不必用to或with,例如:We need an editor with a good eye for detail. Do you think Eric will match up?(我們要的編輯,須能留心細節。你認為艾利克能勝任嗎?)讀者示下那一句就是說:「你最好做些事,以免名高於實。」
問:以下一句,was look二字,是不是手民之誤?──I felt sorry for Albert Ho Chun-yan. All he did was look at girlie pictures while the Financial Secretary was reading out his report(我真為何俊仁可惜。他只是在財政司長讀報告時,看看女郎艷照)。
答:Was look是正確寫法。凡在All that one does is / did was或What one does is / did was之後,可用「to+原形動詞(infinitive)」,而那to字可以畧去,例如:What he did was (to) lie down for a rest(他做的事,就是躺下來休息)。
【代郵】宇一先生:「惜食惜衣,非為惜財緣惜福」之「福」字,是仄聲而非平聲,故可和下比相對:「求名求利,但須求己莫求人。」